Review and Photos by John Katic
Billy Idol proved Thursday night at The Pavilion at Star Lake that some things really don’t need to change. Even with the venue only about half full, the longtime Idol faithful showed up ready to rock—and when the hits started coming, the energy was off the charts.
The evening opened with DEVO, an admittedly odd pairing with Idol. Their set drew some hardcore DEVO fans, but for me, watching DEVO was a little like watching Andy Warhol and Salvador Dalí start a garage band. Interesting, certainly. Just not my cup of tea.
When Billy Idol hit the stage, it was a completely different story. High energy, colorful and modern production, and a big, polished show that never became distracting. Most importantly, Billy sounded great. His voice remains remarkably close to those classic recordings.
Idol’s touring band was equally impressive. Longtime guitarist Steve Stevens remains one of rock’s great—and massively underrated—players. His acoustic guitar showcase, including nods to Led Zeppelin and Van Halen, was a highlight. Billy Morrison on rhythm guitar, Stephen McGrath on bass, Erik Eldenius on drums and Paul Trudeau on keyboards kept the show tight from beginning to end.
The backing vocalists, Jessica Childress and Kitten Kuroi, were especially fun during “Trouble With the Sweet Stuff.” The crowd may not have been quite as familiar with the album track, but the two singers leaned into it and delivered a strong performance.
Stevens also connected with the Pittsburgh crowd, talking about his brother living here and reminiscing about sled riding in Schenley Park.
But the night belonged to the classics. When “Dancing With Myself” hit, people were dancing throughout the audience. “Rebel Yell,” “Hot in the City” and the rest of the set kept the energy climbing, ultimately reaching a total crescendo with “White Wedding.” The setlist mixed newer material with the songs that made Idol a star, including “Still Dancing,” “Cradle of Love,” “Flesh for Fantasy,” “Eyes Without a Face,” “Mony Mony” and the encore.
There were long lines at the merchandise tables, plenty of longtime ’80s rockers in the crowd, and enough younger fans to show that Idol’s music continues to find new ears.
After all these years, the title of the tour seems pretty appropriate.
It was indeed a nice day to tour again.
