One of the most influential and innovative bands of the post-punk era, John Lydon’s Public Image Ltd (PiL), will arrive in Budapest in the spring of 2026.
The cult group will perform on May 20 at Dürer Kert, 15 years after their first Hungarian concert, as part of the hugely successful tour titled This Is Not The Last Tour.
The concert promises to be a true musical milestone: John Lydon—better known to the world as Johnny Rotten—made music history as the frontman of the Sex Pistols, then redefined the post-punk genre at the helm of PiL. Over more than four decades, the band has scored five Top 20 singles and five Top 20 albums in the UK. Their unique sound blends rock, dance, folk, pop, and dub, influencing multiple generations and inspiring thousands of musicians.
Formed in 1978, the group went on a long hiatus in 1992, then returned with renewed energy in 2009 and began releasing new songs again. Since reforming, they have released three critically acclaimed albums: This is PiL (2012), What The World Needs Now… (2015), and their most recent, End of World (2023), which further broadens Lydon’s extensive discography and expands PiL’s body of work to 11 albums.
In 2023, John Lydon lost his wife Nora as well as his manager and friend John Rambo Stevens. For a long time afterward, he believed touring was over for him and had no desire to return to the stage. Fortunately, the love of the audience convinced him otherwise: it would be a mistake to stop. The concerts continued, and according to Lydon, PiL is now performing at full throttle on this tour. After delivering some of the best shows in the band’s history over the summer, they are “very much looking forward to giving everyone a Rotten Christmas and New Year.”
The newly announced Budapest concert is a rare opportunity for Hungarian fans to see the legendary British group live, as they have only performed in Budapest once before, in 2010. After nearly fifty years of their career, this will be the second chance for local audiences to experience the energy of one of the world’s most iconic punk legends live, on May 20 at Dürer Kert.
Tickets for the punk celebration go on sale on December 3 at 11 a.m. on the website of Live Nation.
- May 20, 2026
