A wrap-up of the Tues., June 18 show, with photos.
by Gabe Echazabal and Tracy MayIt's hard for me to give an unbiased account of Tuesday night's high energy Billy Idol show at Clearwater's Ruth Eckerd Hall. To say I was more than a little obsessed with the platinum-haired rocker during my high school years would be a gross understatement. All days and nights in the early-to-mid-1980s were spent wearing out the grooves of my Billy Idol albums as well as those of Generation X, the UK punk/pop band Idol fronted in the 1970s. My daily attire consisted of a denim jacket covered in Idol/Gen X pins in those days; some of my classmates referred to it as my bullet-proof vest. My bedroom walls were plastered with posters and images of Idol, and rock magazines (which I bought if they included even a mere blurb about my favorite artist) were always scattered about all over my carpeted floor. Since I was 15, the 1978 Generation X debut is by far my number one favorite album of all time. So, to reiterate, I am a Billy Idol fan. [Text by Gabe, photos by Tracy.]
And, 30 years since my crazed, obsessed days as an Idol fanatic, I'm proud to report that the man still rocks. I was one among the 1,929 screaming, standing, fist-pumping fans, a tightly packed near sell-out crowd who came to cheer on Mr. Idol and relive some simpler, easier, more carefree times. And damn, it felt good.
Opening with the furious Generation X rocker "Ready Steady Go," Idol and his five-piece got things off to a rousing start. Clad all in black, Billy swaggered from side to side of the stage's edge, mugging and posing for fans in the front. Lean, fit and in the best physical shape of his life, Billy looked poised to run a marathon and/or lift some weights. Luckily all the energy he brought to the stage was channeled into the art of thrilling an adoring, vocal and appreciative crowd.
Longtime guitarist Steve Stevens assisted in the sonic assault as he squeezed unreachable and indescribable notes. Sporting sparkly leather pants, leopard-print shirt and his trademark mop of spiky black hair, Stevens proved once again that he's the perfect cool, silent sidekick to Idol's over-the-top, sexually charged stage persona.
Steamrolling through a barrage of well-known hit singles, the 57-year-old Idol performed and delivered with confidence and command and his enthusiasm never waned a bit throughout his two-hour long sweaty workout.
Unleashing one of his best-known singles "Dancing With Myself" early in the night did wonders to put the crowd right in a frenzy. Males and females all danced, sang along and took dozens of pictures from cell phones as Idol climbed upon a platform located at the center of the stage to deliver the all-too-familiar lines that the audience gladly joined him on.
A simple stage, save for a few large lighted screens at the rear that beamed bright colors and patterns across them, was all Idol needed to deliver the goods all night long. Toying with females at the front of the stage and taunting them with playful, suggestive moves drew raucous applause and hollers throughout.
While he successfully incorporated all his hits and MTV staples into the setlist, Idol was thoughtful enough to throw in some real gems and obscurities into the mix, too. Never one to forget his roots and his foundation, Billy took a trip back in time to appease fans who've faithfully followed him for decades (a group I'll boldly and presumptuously lump myself in with), and hit us with a couple of selections from Generation X's superb but underrated 1979 sophomore album, Valley of the Dolls. Although a hit single in his native England, "King Rocker"— a rockabilly tune about Elvis Presley and John Lennon duking it out for the title of the ultimate rock god — is fairly obscure for the average fan. But following it up with another balls out rocker from the same album, "Love Like Fire," is nothing more than a tip of the cap to the devoted Idol clan. Few responded positively to the one-two punch of these two little-known rockers...but I think I might have made enough noise to cover everyone else in the hall.
Alternating between jacket, vest, t-shirt or going bare chested, Idol looked fit and ripped as he paraded around the stage and worked up a pretty mean sweat all night long. He played the occasional guitar riff and offered up some pretty tasty acoustic licks for his reading of "Sweet Sixteen." And never had anything but full command of his audience as he coasted though some newer, lesser known material. Although he had a book of lyrics close by when he broke into the more recent stuff, he never lost his pace or his place throughout.
Billy Idol more than proved his vast professionalism and wildly displayed his undeniable charisma and abounding personality all night long. As he broke into his encore, he hit us with two of his best-known and most recognizable tunes. "White Wedding" got the acoustic treatment with the assistance of Stevens before it erupted into the more familiar incendiary chugging rocker with the appearance of the rest of the fine band. And, as the familiar sound of pounding drums began, it was time to belt out the show-closer: Idol's version of the 1968 Tommy James and the Shondells bubblegum rocker, "Mony Mony." The song was a No. 1 hit for Idol in 1987 and he's been attributed with adding some colorful and risque language to the chorus of the song that audiences love to sing along with. Tuesday night's crowd was no exception; the chants from the seats almost drowned out the sounds of Idol and company throughout the final song of the night.
To say that Idol's first visit to our area in almost a decade was a triumphant night of music, raunch and fun would be putting it lightly. As a worn out, sweaty crowd filtered out of the hall and into the lobby, one thing was certain: no one seemed to leave disappointed or unhappy, which is likely Idol's goal and his motivation to continue touring and recording new music.
As for me, sure, I'm still a huge fan and I'll always support Billy Idol in any musical project or performance he chooses to undertake. His impact and influence have been a vital part of my life for many years now and I won't forget the role he played in helping define my adolescence all those years ago. I'm glad I got to witness and experience this incredibly fun night of rock n' roll; it did plenty to reaffirm my love and respect for the man and it only guaranteed that I'll be right there, pumping my fist and chanting "more more more!" any time Mr. Idol returns to the area.
Set List
Ready Steady Go
Dancing with Myself
Pumping on Steel
Flesh for Fantasy
Postcards From The Past
Twenty Flight Rock (acapella excerpt)
Love and Glory
Cradle of Love
Ghost In My Guitar
Sweet Sixteen
Eyes Without a Face
LA Woman
Guitar Solo
(Steve Stevens)
King Rocker
Love Like Fire
Blue Highway
Rebel Yell
Encore:
White Wedding
Mony Mony