Concert Review

Billy Idol roars into Glasgow with a Rebel Yell and the crowd cries more ,more and more.

The Roadside Tour 2022

With Very Special Guest Toyah, Killing Joke

Billy Idol roars into Glasgow with a Rebel Yell and the crowd cries

more, more and more.

21st October 2022 OVO Hydro Glasgow

Billy Idol performing on stage at the OVO Hydro Glasgow as part of his 6 Arena Uk Tour 2022 – Photo Credit Martin Bone

Billy Idol finally arrives in Glasgow after rescheduling his six-date arena tour. The tour which had started in Manchester, and then Cardiff, London, and follows the OVO Hydro here in Glasgow and it will then move on to Birmingham, and Leeds. Billy Idol performing new music from his new 4 song EP ‘Cage’, alongside many classic hits from his collection of music over the years as a solo artist and with Generation X”. 

Billy Idol had announced last year, as he originally was bringing to his tour special guests The Go-Go’s as the main support act, however, due to some rescheduling for the Go-Go’s, they could no longer take part it was then announced that ‘Television’ would replace them on tour but due to a medical reason they also had to pull out from the tour.

The fans were not disappointed when they announced iconic musicians Killing Joke and Toyah to step in as his special guests for all 6 arena performances. 

The last time Billy was in Glasgow was in 2018 and he performed at the 02 Academy and which would have been a much smaller venue. So this time around the Arena tour with a more significant area allow more movent on the larger stage at the Arena. Billy with his touring band features his long-time lead guitarist and collaborator Steve Stevens and with Stephen McGrath (bass, backing vocals), Billy Morrison (guitar, backing vocals), Paul Trudeau (keyboards, backing vocals) and drummer Erik Eldenius. Tonight there was a mix of all generations for him to perform and to show he still is the King Rocker. and still looks and sounds as cool as he ever was.

Toyah – Photo Credit Martin Bone

Toyah was first to open up a spectacular night of music with the opener “Thunder in the Mountains”, a cover of “Echo Beach” and “Neon Womb”. Toyah was engaged and smiling and clearly enjoying performing to the crowds and to those coming into the venue and taking to their seats, During a break from her third song she then also spots a fan who was wearing a T-shirt of hers and chatted with him confirming that the t-shirt he was wearing is 40 years old. Toyah knows how to perform and provided a good performance.

Killing Joke – Photo Credit Martin Bone

Killing Joke is an industrial post-punk band have recently been on their own tour tonight they came on stage, to a very dark stage with only some spots of red/white and purple lights shining as Jaz Colmen steps out from the darker area of the stage dressed in a blue boiler suit just in time for Halloween, somehow you thought Micheal Myers was present. It was evident that having Killing Joke as the support there would be many more attending by how many were wearing their merchandise performing many of their songs “Unspeakable” Wardance” and closing out with their classic “Pandemonium”. 

For Billy Idol’s performance, a spectacular setting with the main stage and backdrop gave you the feeling that you were back in the 1970s and 80s. You had a feeling like you are inside a comic book, along with the darkness of the styles from DC Comics . The set and backdrops, are almost as if you were in Gotham City. This included animated backgrounds and video footage on view this was mesmerising and this spectacular work was created by their production.

Billy Idol performing on stage at the OVO Hydro Glasgow as part of his 6 arena Uk Tour 2022

it was now time for Billy Idol to make an appearance, a large cinema-style curtain draped in the background as his band set the scene on stage. Bily stands tall at the back of the stage, A large neon IDOL sign which kind of reminds you of the Video ‘Flesh for my Fantasy’

Billy Idol begins his set with the classic Generation X song ” ‘Dancing With Myself, alongside on stage with long-time friend and collaborator Steven Stevens on guitar

Billy speaks about how COVID was such a tough time for him and his family stories about the tragic passing of his mother during COVID and how he wasn’t at her funeral. He couldn’t travel due to international travel restrictions and lockdown and it was a very hard time for him. Billy took himself away to write his new EP which helped him during this hard difficult time of his life.

Billy Idol performing on stage at the OVO Hydro Glasgow as part of his 6 arena Uk Tour 2022 Photo Credit Martin Bone

Billy Idol maybe 66 years old but hasn’t lost that King Rocker charisma and attitude, you can see where the likes of new artists like YUNGBLUD are inspired by his sound and look and he still looks very cool on stage in his leathers and metal chains and padlock and the iconic punk image which takes you back in time He does chat about many hard times through the years and having a motorcycle accident and dealing with drugs and is grateful to be still doing what he loves his energy and drive moving around on the stage and sounds just as good as back in the 70s and 80s with his band if not stronger.

Billy chats about his own personal struggles with drugs saying “I took many Drugs and I cannot get any higher as I have been as high as I can go I was just destroying myself, I could see I was a danger to myself and I had to put things in the rearview mirror eventually had to get some sort of discipline. Control myself, the trouble with drug addiction will always haunt you, its a phantasm a ghost always haunting and it was easy to write a song and put into words for a song ‘Running From the Ghost“. lockdown inspired ‘The Cage’ EP which was recently released on 23rd September this year.

Billy Idol performing on stage at the OVO Hydro Glasgow as part of his 6 arena Uk Tour 2022 – photo Credit Martin Bone

Billy then talks about when he was with the band Generation X back in the late 70s/80s and he was set to perform for the first time in Glasgow, but at that time there was a ban on live performances of Punk Bands by the Glasgow Council and he really wanted to put on a show for the punks and this arranged to be performed just outside of Glasgow where he has a fond memory of all the Punks pogoing off the buses This gives him many happy memories of Scotland and this is why he does this and not just for the money .. and then performs ‘100 Hundred Punks’ the actual venue at that was on the 18th of August 1977 in Paisley at the Silver thread Hotel the original venues were at Dreamland Cinema and Zhivago’s but they were cancelled by the Glasgow city council due to the Punk Rock ban.

Photo Credit Martin Bone – Billy Morrison performing on stage at the OVO Hydro Glasgow Billy Idol 6 arena Uk Tour 2022

There was a musical interlude a solo from guitarist Steven Stevens while Bily Idol had a short break and had a costume change. Billy came back on stage shortly afterwards and while it was a seated performance, not many sitting and standing dancing along to Rebel Yell. Billy was then passing out gifts to the fans along the front of the stage and then later and pass out white frisbees to crowds at the back of the crowd.

Billy then tells Stevens “I think its time we let Glasgow hear what a hit song sounds like and it was of course ‘White Wedding’ that had the Glasgow crowd buzzing who clearly enjoyed the concert as it ended you could hear the whispers and chats amongst the fans as they were leaving the venue talking about how well he performed and sounded.

Billy Idol performing on stage at the OVO Hydro Glasgow as part of his 6 arena Uk Tour 2022 – Photo Credit Martin Bone

Billy’s set list included many hit songs ‘Cradle of Love’ ‘Flesh for Fantasy’Cage’, ‘ Speed ‘, ‘Bitter Taste ‘,’ Eyes Without a Face\, ‘Mony Mony'(Tommy James & the Shondells cover), ‘Runnin’ From the Ghost’, ‘One Hundred Punks'(Generation X song), ‘Blue Highway’ ‘Rebel Yell ‘, Encore: ‘Rebel Like You Born to Lose’(The Heartbreakers cover and ‘White Wedding

A truly memorable night which had a very good production and sound. Billy Idol was in top form and you could see how much he enjoyed performing for his fans. The night was like being in a time machine and it really takes you back to your teenage years. Billy before leaving the stage tells the Glasgow crowd that he will see them all on the next tour .. and you hear the cries of More! More and More! from the Glasgow crowd. it was certainly Hot in Glasgow City tonight.

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Billy Idol will release The Cage EP on 23rd September via Dark Horse Records. The new music follows the release of last year’s ‘The Roadside EP’, which included the Top 15 hit ‘Bitter Taste’ and received praise from fans and critics alike. As on ‘The Roadside EP’, Idol is joined on the new project by his longtime collaborator, co-writer and guitarist Steve Stevens. Fans can pre-order The Cage EP HERE.

The EP’s punk rock-infused lead single, ‘Cage,’ comes with an accompanying Steven Sebring-directed video (Patti Smith, Jack White).

WATCH ‘CAGE’ SINGLE VIDEO

“Coming out of the lockdown era, people had a lot of energy stored up,” recalls co-producer Tommy English (Kacey Musgraves, BØRNS), who also co-wrote three tracks with Idol, Stevens and Joe Janiak (Ellie Goulding, Adam Lambert). “That was the inspiration for ‘Cage.’ Getting out there and doing the things we’ve been missing. And that includes not being afraid to do a raucous punk rock song like ‘Cage.’ And we didn’t worry about whether it fit in anywhere because it just sounds so Billy.” 

Idol broke news of the release on Variety along with plans for a forthcoming Jonas Akerlund-directed (Paul McCartney, Madonna) documentary about his life; further details to come soon as the film is currently in the final stages of production. Read the full article HERE 

Building upon the momentum garnered from last year’s release of ‘The Roadside EP’, Idol has once again flexed his collaborative spirit and called upon contemporary collaborators to help expand his already vast musical palette, taking the best of the past and gift-wrapping it into something brand new.  

“The last EP, we were kind of warming up to this,” says Idol. “This EP is a lot more coming at you. Loads more guitar. And that’s a lot of fun. We were pretty fired up by the fact that we hadn’t played for a couple of years, and suddenly we were bursting on stage, and it kind of woke us up to what the next EP could be: That it could be a little more strum und drang, a little more coming at you, a little more rock’n’roll, a little more f*ck you! Well, a tiny bit of f*ck you, anyhow. The bottom line is we had a lot of fun doing it.” 

Recorded at Studio America and MDDN Studios in Los Angeles, the 4-track EP includes production contributions from English, Zakk Cervini (Blink 182, Machine Gun Kelly) and Butch Walker(Green Day, Weezer). 

In support of the forthcoming release, Idol is planning a run of 2022 worldwide tour dates. The tour includes performances at Rio De Janeiro’s Rock In Rio, London’s Wembley Arena, Berlin’s Mercedes Benz Arena, as well as a five-show residency at Las Vegas’ The Cosmopolitan from November 11-19. See below for the full tour schedule. 

For forty-six years, Billy Idol has been one of the faces and voices of rock’n’roll, with an artistic resume to match the brilliant light of the image. First as the camera-ready front man for Generation X, between 1977 and 1981 Idol emerged with three albums that made positivity, emotional depth and high pop synonymous with punk rock. In 1982 Idol embarked on a remarkable transatlantic/trans-genre solo career that integrated clubland throb, wide-screen depth and drama, rockabilly desperation, the bold and simple lines of punk and rock’n’roll decadence. 

The Cage EP is Idol’s second release on the relaunched Dark Horse Records, a label initially created in 1974 by George Harrison and now led by Dhani Harrison and David Zonshine. Other Dark Horse artists include George Harrison himself, Joe Strummer and Ravi Shankar.

+ with special guests Killing Joke and Toyah

October 23––Birmingham, UK––Resorts World Arena+

October 25––Leeds, UK––First Direct Arena+

November 11––Las Vegas, NV––The Cosmopolitan

November 12––Las Vegas, NV––The Cosmopolitan

November 16––Las Vegas, NV––The Cosmopolitan

November 18––Las Vegas, NV––The Cosmopolitan
November 19––Las Vegas, NV––The Cosmopolitan

*w/ Green Day

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