Billie Joe Armstrong just ticked off a punk rock bucket list moment.
The Green Day frontman surprised the crowd at Norway’s Tons of Rock Festival last night (June 26), crashing the Sex Pistols’ set for a feral rendition of ‘Anarchy In The UK’ alongside Frank Carter – the current ringmaster of the Pistols’ live rebirth.
The pair—Armstrong and Carter—stormed through the iconic anthem with arms slung around each other, belting out that snarling chorus like it was still 1977. The moment marked a generational handshake, bridging punk’s snarling birth with its stadium-filling modern descendants. And yeah, the crowd lost it.
Green Day had headlined the Thursday slot, with Carter and the Pistols lighting the fuse earlier in the day. By the time ‘Anarchy’ hit, the vibe was pure chaos. Think fists in the air, circle pits swirling, and a mass of Norwegians screaming about destroying the system. Proper scenes.
After the set, Billie Joe was spotted onstage clutching a Pistols setlist and deep in chat with Carter—a man more than capable of filling Rotten’s boots with his own brand of snarling charisma.
Online reactions were exactly what you’d expect. “WHAT DO U MEAN BILLIE JOE SANG WITH THE FUCKING SEX PISTOLS???” wrote one fan. Another described it as “the punk rock treaty of Versailles”. Fair.
The Tons of Rock lineup is stacked this year—Muse headlined Wednesday, with Kaizers Orchestra and Avenged Sevenfold still to come. But Green Day teaming up with the Pistols? That’s the sort of unscripted moment that makes a festival.
It’s worth noting Johnny Rotten (aka John Lydon) remains very much not a fan. He previously called Green Day “turgid” and slammed the current Pistols setup as “karaoke” and “woke”. He’s also gone on record saying, “I am the Pistols, and they’re not.”
Clearly, not everyone agrees. And after last night, it’s safe to say punk rock is still mutating in wild, unpredictable, and absolutely brilliant ways.
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