Credit: Melissa Ruggieri
Credit: Melissa Ruggieri
BY MELISSA RUGGIERI
Almost 40 years into his career, Billy Idol still very much loves being Billy Idol.
The curled upper lip, the tongue-wagging and crotch-grabbing, the spiked platinum hair and show off-able abs.
All of it was on display at Idol's sold-out concert at The Tabernacle Tuesday night, a show delayed from the start of his U.S. tour in January (Idol was felled by a chest infection at the time).
While at times the wear of touring the world the past four months seemed apparent – the catchy “Can’t Break Me Down” and galloping “Save Me Now,” both from Idol’s latest album, “Kings & Queens of the Underground,” sounded a bit off key and too low in the mix – the feisty singer nonetheless thrilled the crowd.
With right-hand man guitarist Steve Stevens at his side as he has been for more than 30 years, as well as bassist Stephen McGrath, drummer Erik Eldenius, keyboardist Paul Trudeau and guitarist Billy Morrison anchoring the music, Idol clearly relished being in front of an audience.
Whether it was “Cradle of Love” or “Dancing with Myself,” the man born William Broad hopped atop the small platforms set on the stage and thrust his fist toward fans, either in a triumphant rock-star pose or to implore them to “sweat, sweat, sweat.”
Credit: Melissa Ruggieri
Credit: Melissa Ruggieri
Although Idol will turn 60 in November, that didn’t deter him from stripping off his shirt – to large cheers from the crowd – to perform “Flesh for Fantasy” with all of its moody, sexy thumping, wearing a jacket unzipped to the waist.
It was during those treasured ‘80s-era rock hits – the “Rebel Yell”s and “White Wedding”s – that Idol sounded most robust.
He also paid homage to his Generation X roots with the jagged edges of “Ready Steady Go,” proving that regardless of age, Idol hasn’t lost his punk rocker spirit.
Stevens, meanwhile, with his Nikki Sixx-ish coif, was as fleet-fingered as he was in the ‘80s, demonstrating his virtuosity by alternating nuance with giant, greasy riffs.
Idol joined his old friend in guitar world when he strapped on an acoustic for the seductive “Sweet Sixteen,” a song that demonstrates the versatility of his catalog and proves that his output wasn’t all stomping and sneering (of course, as tends to happen during the slower songs, the audience mostly talked over this one, so a high-five to those who could actually hear Idol sing it).
The stage glowed red as synthesizers signaled the introduction of “Eyes Without a Face,” Idol’s first Top 10 hit in the U.S. waaaay back in 1984, when it was the first indication that he could sing and not just incite listeners to snap their necks back and forth.
It’s been a fruitful career for the Englishman, and if he maintains his current level of stamina, we’ll likely be seeing him and his curled lip for many more, more, more years.
About the Author
