Finally, Billy Idol and his Roadside show were able to come to these shores and bring with them new songs and some old classics. Along for the ride came is long time Guitarist Steve Stevens’. These were his first tour since 2018 and the shows were delayed because of the pandemic. Alongside he brings with him support from ‘Toyah’ and ‘Killing Joke’ who was a last minute replacement for Television who had to pull out of the tour dates in the UK. Unfortunately, the ‘Go Go Girls’ with a long awaited return were not able to join the tour either but still, tonight was an all-around stellar lineup.
The cult punk pop singer was on top form as was the 64 year old Toyah Wilcox who clearly knows how to project herself on the stage thundering through the set with old classics ‘Thunder in the Mountains’ and a cover version of Echo Beach’.
With ‘unspeakable’ front man Jazz Coleman’ from ‘Killing Joke’ comes on stage with an angry look and drums blasting across the arena. Remarkably the band still features all the original members. Much of the set was from their groundbreaking period in the early ’80s
After a short interval it was not long till the showman Billy Idol himself started his exhilarating show at the now much crowed and hot Wembley arena with large skyscraper skyline billboards as a set backdrop. Steve Steven’s guitar riffs are impressive with the opener ‘Dancing with myself’. Interaction from the band members is high with plenty of tandem guitar solos. Billy Idol recently released the ‘Roadside Ep’ which is featured on the tour but the memorable 80’s songs ‘Mony. Mony, and ‘Rebel Yell’ gets the audience dancing and singing along the most!
The Wembley arena show was more a homecoming show for Billy and there was enough attitude on stage with much punching in the air as there would have been in his 80’s Generation X punk heyday to the delight of the dedicated fans.
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