Sex Pistols Add Six UK Dates to 2026 "50 Years Of Punk" Tour, 11 Shows Total
The Sex Pistols, now fronted by Frank Carter, have added six new dates to their winter 2026 "50 Years Of Punk" tour, expanding the UK and Ireland run to 11 shows total. The tour opens December 4 at Leeds O2 Academy and closes December 20 at London's Eventim Apollo. Tickets go on general sale Friday, September 4, at 10am UK time.
What was announced
The newly added dates are Leeds, Newcastle, Liverpool, Birmingham, Portsmouth and Bristol. According to NME, the previously announced leg centered on Dublin's 3Arena, the Edinburgh Corn Exchange, Glasgow's O2 Academy and London's Brixton Academy.
Full tour dates (December 2026)
- Dec 4 — Leeds O2 Academy
- Dec 5 — Newcastle NX
- Dec 7 — 3Arena, Dublin
- Dec 9 — Corn Exchange, Edinburgh
- Dec 10 — O2 Academy, Glasgow
- Dec 12 — Liverpool Olympia
- Dec 14 — Birmingham O2 Academy
- Dec 15 — Portsmouth Guildhall
- Dec 16 — Bristol Prospect Building
- Dec 18 — Brixton Academy, London
- Dec 20 — Eventim Apollo, London
Ticket details
- On sale: Friday, September 4, 10:00am UK time
- Price: not yet announced
- Link: NME report
Fifty years on from 1976
The run marks fifty years since punk's pivotal year of 1976, when the original lineup played venues like The Marquee, 100 Club, The Nashville and the strip club El Paradiso. Their two shows at Manchester's Lesser Free Trade Hall are considered among the most influential gigs in rock history, credited with directly inspiring members of Joy Division, The Smiths and The Fall to start making music.
The band reformed with Carter on vocals in 2024, originally to raise funds for London's Bush Hall. Since then they've played Australia, Japan and several European festivals, and performed a Teenage Cancer Trust benefit at the Royal Albert Hall where Carter whipped up a massive circle pit.
What the band is saying
Guitarist Steve Jones described the band's current state as running "like a well-oiled machine," saying it's rare to get to perform songs written fifty years ago and praising Carter as a great frontman who knows how to work a crowd.
Bassist Glen Matlock has said in past interviews that Carter was recommended by his son Louis, adding that Carter "has a lot more energy than people our age," and noting that things are different from the John Lydon era — though they were never meant to be the same. Jones, for his part, remains lukewarm on new material, suggesting that when the band plays new songs live, most of the crowd just heads to the bar.