Billy Idol @
Apollo
Dianne
Bourne
31/ 7/2008
HOT in the city? You
betcha when
Billy Idol
is providing
the
entertainment.
Within the
roasting
climes of
the Apollo
there was
much fist
pumping and
arm waving
as the rock
icon made
his
Manchester
return.
This new
world tour,
taking in
just two UK
dates before
an extensive
round of
venues in
Canada and
the US, is a
celebration
of the Idol
back
catalogue
after the
release of
his latest
greatest
hits package
Idolize
Yourself.
It made for
a fantastic
rock romp of
a night out
for all
those Idol
fans –
pouring
themselves
into an
almost
universal
uniform of
favourite
denims and
black
T-shirts for
the
occasion.
Mr Idol
looked quite
the punk
dandy as he
burst onto
stage in
pirate boots
and tassled
jacket to
the words:
“Manchester,
all hells
coming with
me!” before
a
chest-beating
opener of
Cradle of
Love.
The years
have
certainly
been kind to
our
William.
Peroxide
Now 52,
there’s
slightly
less
peroxide in
the quiff,
and slightly
more furrows
in the brow,
but the
intense
glare and
trademark
snarl are as
potent as
ever. And
the voice is
still as
deep and
prone to
growls as
ever.
He
certainly
pushes the
temperature
even higher
with a
pulsating
Flesh For
Fantasy. He
then gets
the crowd
into a right
old frenzy
with an
acoustic
start to
White
Wedding,
before a
full on
rock-out
with his
band.
Treat
Even the
obligatory
“new songs”
go down a
treat with
the audience
– his ode to
John Wayne
and a
rocking New
Future
Weapon.
Billy is
back touring
with
guitarist
and former
songwriting
collaborator,
the
rock-god-tastic
guyliner-wearing
Steve
Stevens (see
gallery).
And like all
good axemen,
Steve does
his very
best to do
the odd bit
of
scene-stealing
in the show
– not least
with his
inventive
guitar
playing from
behind his
head - and
at one point
even with
his teeth.
The ensemble
take the
show to an
almost
inevitable
climax of
Billy’s 1984
hit Rebel
Yell, with
our blond
maestro
leading a
mass
singalong of
“I feel
alrights” to
the pumping
bassline.
The rocker
returns for
his encore
showing off
his
super-toned
chest and
muscly
biceps for a
rather
fitting
acoustic
version of
Hot In The
City,
tailored to
“Hot In
Manchester,
tonight”.
A bop-a-long
Mony Mony
rounds
things off
with Billy
joining his
axemen for a
bit of a
strum-off
after a
breathless
two hour
set.
There’s
certainly
nothing idle
about this
Idol.
