British bad boy still yellin’
Billy Idol sneers, dances and rock ‘n’ rolls
Jeanne Fronda, Staff
Photos by David Lipnowski.
Billy Idol
MTS Centre
Sept. 1, 2005
4 / 5
For a punk rocker a few months shy of his 50th birthday, Billy Idol still oozes sex and energy when he hits the stage. The bleach-blonde, England-born singer was flirtatious and animated during his Sept. 1 Winnipeg show at the MTS Centre.
“You tell them rock ’n’ roll is coming!” said the 49-year-old to an audience of about 3,500 before starting his set with “Super Overdrive,” a new track from his latest CD, Devil’s Playground. “All hell’s coming with me, ya hear?”
The audience cheered with delight as the lights came on to reveal the five-foot-nine-inch Brit, who was wearing tight, black pants and a dark jacket that he would fling off after the second song to reveal a dark, body-hugging sleeveless top.
Idol and his band, which includes long-time collaborator and guitarist Steve Stevens, bassist Stephen McGrath, keyboard player Derek Sherinian and new drummer Brian Tichy, played a powerful two-hour set. Billy Idol staples such as “White Wedding” and “Rebel Yell” were smattered among several new songs from his latest CD and a few songs from Generation X, the punk band Idol fronted in the late ’70s.
The rebel yeller teased the audience during his performance of “Flesh for Fantasy” as he repeatedly lifted up the bottom of his tank top to reveal his smooth, flat belly.
Idol continued to toy with a select few of his fans during the song “Body Snatcher,” whisking himself from the front to the back corner of the stage, where a bevy of groupies watching the show from backstage gave the rocker a brief group hug.
The Brit’s flirtatious ways continued even further into the night as he singled out a woman in the front row: “I’ve been looking at you all night,” said Idol before he repeatedly asked the audience, “Do you want to scream?”
The audience replied with yells as the spiky-haired one finally peeled off his tank top during “Scream,” performing the song topless. He later put on an unbuttoned, white collared shirt.
A slight tiff between Idol and his fans developed after the singer stated, “I love songs about chicks. . . .you ladies drive us mad.” Some female fans booed. “I just wanted to write a song about all you ladies that I love,” Idol apologized.
The crowd then quieted down, seeming subdued during “Cherie” and most of the newer material. Many fans tolerated the newer songs; about half of those in the stands had their butts firmly planted in their seats. But Idol didn’t seem to mind the passive concertgoers, so his trademark sneering, fist pumping and hip thrusting and gyrating continued throughout the night. He even accommodated a few fans’ autograph requests, signing a couple of photos held out by fans in the front row.
Stevens’ flawless solos stood out, as the guitarist windmilled, finger-tapped and, at times, picked his strings at a pace more akin to a speed metal guitar solo. Stevens showed off his flamenco-influenced chops and, on occasion, played his axe behind his head or plucked his guitar strings with his teeth.
Aside from his sensual display of dancing and sneering, Idol’s voice was the star as the singer swept through the two-hour set with ease. Idol was at his best when he belted out “Rebel Yell,” inciting a horde of middle-aged men and women in the crowd to pump their fists in unison and sing along the with the rebel rocker.
But maybe Idol indulged and seduced the audience a little too much during the night. Near the fifth song of the evening the rocker asked, “Hey, who the fuck’s out there, Winnipeg, Manitoba?” Some fans decided to answer the singer’s question a bit later on in the evening by vaulting up onto the stage on at least five separate occasions to try and touch the icon. Being the English gentleman that he is, Idol didn’t get visibly upset and even greeted one of the stage jumpers with, “Nice to meet you, bud.”
For the encore’s closing song, Idol’s well-known cover version of “Mony, Mony,” Billy picked up the guitar to play beside Stevens, McGrath and Tichy, who abandoned drum duties so he could play guitar, too. The upbeat rendition, complete with a segment of dueling guitars courtesy of Stevens and Tichy, ended the nostalgic night on a rock ‘n’ roll high note.
