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HOME: JANUARY 10, 2003: MUSIC
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Jan. 10, 1978, Longhorn Ballroom, Dallas, Texas

Nick Barbaro: The Sex Pistols were doing this short, weird Southern tour in funky locations and might never play the U.S. again, and there were already personnel problems in the band. Going seemed like the natural thing to do. They were the Beatles of the punk movement. They were the band. It was an event to see them. I'd been to progressive country shows at the Longhorn Ballroom before -- seen Willie Nelson -- so it wasn't exactly a redneck bar.

Sid was really fucked up. Really drunk. He played for a while without his guitar plugged in. He played for a while with a fish. I think somebody threw it up there, a bass or something. People seemed pissed at him. He'd spit on the audience; they'd spit on him. That's what you did. There was this element of, "You paid to see us play?"

The memorable thing about the show was the crowd and how tightly packed it was. Everybody had moments when you were suddenly not on the ground anymore, being swept along with the crowd. Some people were genuinely scared of being crushed. But that's an old British football tradition, too.

I don't remember anything about the song list. I'm sure it was all their favorites. They didn't have all that many songs, but they were entertaining songwriters. Their songs still hold up. "God Save the Queen" is a wonderful song. And it was a great rock & roll show.


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