Following a highlight set at the inaugural Forever Now festival in Milton Keynes at the weekend Billy Idol‘s next stop was Wembley Arena for his only headline UK show of the year. With his first new album in over a decade, Dream Into It, Billy has been busy with TV and radio spots promoting it, and if you had managed to avoid any of those he makes an obvious statement by choosing to open the show with ‘Still Dancing’, a pumping up-tempo rocker that makes a more than worthy addition to the Idol cannon and takes no time at all in getting the crowd up on their feet.
The classics then start rolling in with ‘Cradle Of Love’ and by the time Steve Stevens teases us with that delayed riff to ‘Flesh For Fantasy’ Billy has already stripped down revealing his bare chest much to the delight of a certain demographic of the audience some of whom no doubt had his poster adorning their bedroom wall 40 odd years ago. It is hard to believe that you’re watching a band that have been around for that length of time. Billy Idol looks in fantastic shape for someone at the tail end of his sixties, and Steve Stevens who is only a few years younger is similarly blessed. Clearly Billy Morrison is also in on whatever elixir they’re supping backstage as he could easliy pass for someone 20 years younger.
Next up are a couple of new feel good summer rockers. Both are somewhat introspective with ’77’ being the pick of the pick of the pair grabbing the attention with a wonderfully melodic solo from Steve Stevens. The huge backdrop screen works very well at creating different themes for each song and helps in pacing the set, which it must be said is very energetic.
Backing singer Jessica Childress takes centre stage to duet with Billy on the Stones’ classic ‘Gimme Shelter’ and later Idol recalls an evening spent in the company of Ron Wood, Keith Richards and Mick Jagger where they introduced him to a Southern sour mash drink. Enamoured with the name he thought it would make a good name for a song. It did, and ‘Rebel Yell’ remains one of his very finest.
For the encore we are treated to something special when Billy welcomes former Generation X sidekick Tony James to the stage for a run through of ‘Ready Steady Go’ and ‘Dancing With Myself’ – a lyric that couldn’t be further from the truth because at this point even the most reserved amongst the crowd were by now up on their feet. Another welcome suprise follows with ‘Hot In The City’ before it all ends how we knew it was going to with Steve Stevens showing the crowd ‘what a hit song sounds like’ for a raucous ‘White Wedding’ with the backdrop screen converting the arena into a church and giving the congregation one last chance to sing their hearts out.
Idol may be fast approaching his 50th year as a musician but as tonight’s show attests his appeal is as strong as ever and he remains a captivating frontman. Long may his reign continue.
Setlist:
Still Dancing
Cradle of Love
Flesh for Fantasy
77
Too Much Fun
Eyes Without a Face
Steve Stevens Guitar Solo
Mony Mony
Dream Into It
Gimme Shelter
People I Love
Blue Highway
Rebel Yell
Encore:
Ready Steady Go
Dancing With Myself
Hot in the City
White Wedding
