Recording Label: ? Running Time: 42 minutes. Year: 1999

ISMN: ? Recording Company Code: ? Quality: 9 +

London, UK, Rainbow Theatre - 26.12.1978.  (Thanks Mick & Scott). 

My copy of this gig comes direct from the vinyl bootleg Extra Issue which is of fantastic quality. This gig has been released several times on vinyl, the Extra Issue one being of the finest quality and the only one you really need to seek out. Unfortunately the first minute or so of Theme is missing. The bootlegger probably just forgot to hit the record button when the band appeared. It should also be noted that many of the versions of this gig that are floating around the internet as downloads are of much inferior quality. Probably due to being poor transfers. These should be avoided.

It's a fantastic gig, much better, in my opinion than the Brussels and Paris tapes and really showcases the rawness and energy of the very first PiL line up.

Fortunately Wobble's bass doesn't drown everything out in a tsunami of low end distortion as can be the case with some early bootlegs, and all musicians, especially Lydon can be heard very clearly.

The band on the whole seem a lot more confident that at the previous gigs and the songs sound fuller and stronger, Low Life and Annalisa in particular.

Like I said about the Brussels tape, the only thing that I feel falls short with this recording is Walker's drumming. I really do not rate him so much as a drummer. Thankfully this would be his last appearance with PiL...

Between songs there's a good bit of crowd chatter and you can even listen along to conversations that are going on, if you're wearing a decent pair of headphones.

There is a cut between Religion and Attack.

Track Names:

1. Theme.

2. Low Life.

3. Belsen was a Gas.

4. Annalisa.

5. Public image 1.

6. Religion.

7. Attack.

8. Public image 2.