The Congress Theater presented itself as a sweltering venue, sauna-like in its use of pent-up heat, with a touch of humidity to make it ever so slightly unbearable. Despite the heat, though, fans were no less enthusiastic in their praised of retro rocker Billy Idol and his band.
Camera crews were liberally dispersed around the theater, capturing the concert for a soon to be released DVD. Idol and his band were happy to perform for the cameras and for the crowd, Idol frequently changing outfits, and often removing the shirt from his last outfit prior to his departure from the stage. Surprisingly, he has maintained his physique, showing almost no signs of aging or lack of energy.
Backed by famous guitarist Steve Stevens (is it just me or does he look exactly like Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx), a bassist, keyboardist, and a seriously energetic drummer filled with tricks, Billy Idol gave a sweat-filled and half naked performance, though I doubt it was the performance of a lifetime. The sound, as seems to be the norm at the Congress, was muddy, and Idol’s vocals were washed out and difficult to discern from anywhere in the concert hall. His famous voice was what drew the crowds and I wanted to hear more of it.
Idol sang many of his well-known tunes such as “White Wedding” and “Rebel Yell,” and he covered several bands, including The Doors and Van Halen. I waited and waited for my personal favorite “Cradle of Love,” but was disappointed in its failure to appear.
The end of the concert dragged. There was a huge break after “Rebel Yell” in a theater that was just too warm to wait in. Idol finally concluded the show with a far too long and drawn out cover of “Mony Mony” that seemed to go on forever and ever. Somewhere in the middle, the energetic drummer swapped out with another drummer in favor of playing the guitar, and somehow, all the band members ended up playing guitars of some sort for the end of the show. Surprisingly, the highlight of the concert for me had nothing to do with Billy Idol himself, but had to do with Steve Stevens’s solo guitar performance. In an obvious allusion to classical guitar style, Stevens broke out a flamenco themed Spanish guitar solo (played on a steel stringed acoustic) that highlighted his technical skills and showed off the myriad of sounds he is able to coax out of his instrument, all the while dangling a lit cigarette from his lower lip. I appreciated the juxtaposition of styles and am glad to have witnessed his performance.
Despite the oppressive heat, which Idol himself commented on, the performance was worth it. There were plenty of drum tricks, guitar solos, and outfit changes to make it a variety show as well as a rock concert, and I found myself entertained and glad that Billy Idol is still performing.
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Yes he did
Written by Guest on 2007-03-30 19:00:11
I was at this show and he did play cradle of love.
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