Live-Metal.Net - Concert Reports - Billy Idol

Pier Six Pavilion
Baltimore, Maryland

By JEFF MAKI

Rock n' roll is ageless. It's a fountain of youth. How else can we explain rock stars well into their 50s and 60s looking and sounding like they did decades ago. There are a few exceptions, like Keith Richards, Iggy Pop and Ozzy--all of whom look one bad step away from an old folks home--but Billy Idol (now 52) and longtime guitarist Steve Stevens (49) are not. On stage at Pier Six Pavilion in Baltimore, Md., Idol looked like he just stepped off a plane from the U.K. for his first U.S. tour.

There aren't songs like “Rebel Yell” or “White Wedding” being written these days. The level of popularity and worldwide recognition of these two songs alone have made it possible for Billy Idol to tour and perform until the day he dies. That's a day that may never come, given that he seems immortal. Attribute this to the demise of MTV and rise in popularity of hip-hop, R&B and other styles of music, but tell me the last time you heard a song as memorable as “Rebel Yell.” I can't think of one.

Idol is touring in support of his new “greatest hits” album, Idolize Yourself (read review here), which features all of his classics, a few lesser-knowns, two new songs and all of his music videos on DVD for the first time. The Baltimore crowd was pumped up with anticipation and roared when the man took the stage--no doubt many in attendance had never seen him before. It was my first time, as well. His performance, including new songs “John Wayne” and “New Future Weapon,” was almost surreal. Here's a rock star who took over MTV and became the poster boy for the network back in it's heyday, a pop-icon who I'd seen on my television screen close to 1,000 times while growing up, someone who half of modernized civilization has heard of, and now all the way in 2008, I was seeing him live for the first time. The guy has aged well. There's no other way to say it. He looks the same as he ever did and still sports a six-pack for good measure.

The performance itself was much what I'd expected, with some surprises thrown in. His massive pop-hit, “Cradle of Love,” was a nice show opener. “Rebel Yell” was the No. 1 crowd pleaser, but was not the encore. That was left to his popular dance anthem, the cover of Tommy James & The Shondells' “Mony, Mony.” Idol and company also had a great cover of The Doors “L.A. Woman,” in which he substituted “Baltimore” for “L.A.” in the chorus. “John Wayne” is a brand new track from Idolize Yourself, and is a country-tinged ballad with potential to be a huge hit. With songs as strong as this, a new Billy Idol studio album would be an absolute smash. Steve Stevens provided an excellent acoustic rendition of “White Wedding” before the song transformed into it's usual rockin' self. And that's another thing that stood out about this show--Steve Stevens. Sporting a Nikki Sixx hair-do and dressed like he was in an '80s glam video, this guy can absolutely smoke on the guitar. He's a charismatic showman with a rock n' roll flair not easy to come by. Fans don't realize it on Idol's albums, but behind the pop sensibility of the songs, Stevens and the rest of the band are fantastic. Several times Stevens erupted into guitar solos, including a showstopping acoustic shredfest, resulting in jaws dropping and gaining thunderous roars from the crowd.

The show ended with a massive guitar duel, with Stevens leading five other guitar-wielding band members, including drummer Brian Tichy, keyboardist Derek Sherinian and Idol. It made me want to pick up a guitar right there on the spot, even if it was just a wireless one from Guitar Hero.

I knew I was going to hear the hits at a Billy Idol show and I definitely did. What I didn't know was that I was in for one of the rock shows of a lifetime. Wow. Rock 'n roll is truly timeless and ageless. Billy Idol proves it.

Set list:
Cradle of Love
Dancin' with Myself
Flesh for Fantasy
(White Wedding acoustic intro)/White Wedding
John Wayne
New Future Weapon
To Be a Lover
Sweet 16
(Steve Stevens acoustic guitar solo)
World Comin' Down
Eyes Without a Face
Blue Highway/(Stevens solo)
L.A. Woman
Ready Steady Go
Rebel Yell