Sex Pistols legend John Lydon is returning to Rebellion Festival to reclaim his mantle as the king of punk.
It was today confirmed that Lydon’s band Public Image Limited will be headlining the world-famous Blackpool gathering on Saturday 9 August 2025.
The post-punk legends return to the Winter Gardens for the first time since 2018, having previously headlined six years earlier.
The Rebellion date will be part of their ‘This Is Not The Last Tour’ tour, which come after Lydon thought the band might not tour again.
His lifelong friend and manager John Rambo Stevens passed away suddenly following the last PiL tour in December 2023, shortly after the death of Lydon’s wife Nora, in April 2023.
Lydon thought that might be the end of his touring days. However, he was overwhelmed by the love and support of fans when he undertook a spoken word tour of the UK in spring this year.
He said: “I thought that might be it. After losing Nora and Rambo, I couldn’t see a way through. I’d already committed to the spoken word tour this spring, and I never let anyone down – I always stick to my word – so I had to do those dates.
“The thing is, people were so overwhelmingly positive, and they asked me to tour PiL again. With so many people asking and with the band meaning so much to them, I couldn’t just stay on my sofa and not tour – tempting though that obviously is.”
PiL are sure to treat Rebellion Festival to yet another captivating set from their vast back catalogue of classics, joining a line-up of punk and alternative icons and rising new talent.
Bands and artists already confirmed for Rebellion 2025, which runs from 7-10 August, include Peter Hook & The Light, Hugh Cornwell, The Selecter, Bad Manners, Ferocious Dog, Neville Staple from The Specials, HR from Bad Brains, Anti Nowhere League, DOA, Los Fastidios, Crux, Buster Shuffle, Down By Law, The Undertones, MDC, UK Subs, Snuff, The Exploited, Riskee & The Ridicule, Voodoo Glow Skulls, 999, Millencolin, Pegboy, Toxic Reasons and many more.
Rebellion Festival 2025 is already shaping up to be one not to miss. Early bird tickets are sold out, but weekend and day tickets are still available from www.rebellionfestivals.com, and available on a monthly payment plan until the end of November.
