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Graham Clark
Music Features Writer
@Maxximum23Clark
3:30 PM 14th November 2014
arts

Gig Review: Billy Idol - Manchester Apollo

 
It has been nearly 10 years since Billy Idol last toured the UK. With Idol being part of the punk movement of the late 1970's with his band Generation X, he went on to find success as a solo artist in America.

A single spotlight picks him out centre stage: with his legendary pose, blond hair, fist clenched in the air and with that famous curled lip it could be 1978 all over again.

He has a talented band around him and guitarist Steve Stevens is as much part of the show at Idol himself. An accomplished musician Stevens played guitar on Michael Jackson's Dirty Diana. Throughout the show he is the perfect partner to Idol and the working relationship between them has a magic that shines.

The gig starts off with Postcards of the Past, one of the best tracks off the new album, Kings and Queens of the Underground. On another new track off the album, Can't Break Me Down, he decides to re-start the song after apparently singing the rock lyric.

The lighting is superb throughout the gig - red light bathes the stage as Idol bares his chest, only wearing a leather waistcoat as he performs Flesh for Fantasy.

He revisits his former band, the aforementioned Generation X as he sings King Rocker and Ready Steady Go which keeps his older fans happy. "I have two words for you - Rebel Yell" he shouts as he introduces the song of the same name.

The end of the show ends with his most famous tracks: White Wedding starts as an acoustic number before going into a rock workout then Mony Mony finishes a 2 hour set that is over far too soon.

In an age of X Factor wanabees it was refreshing to see an artist who certainly still has star quality, the talent and attitude sadly missing from today's pop acts.