31/7/2008 Billy Idol @ Brixton Academy

Subject	Billy Idol @ Brixton Academy
PostedDate	7/31/2008
	I'd been really looking forward to this show as Billy Idol was so good when he played at Download about three years ago - easilly one of the best acts of the whole weekend.  I couldn't make it the last time he played in London so that was another reason I was excited about this gig. However, I'm afraid it turned out to be rather an anti-climax after Billy's terrific performance at Donington.  The sound at Brixton Academy seemed a bit on the quiet side , or maybe that was just me? It was pretty much a 'greatest hits' set - not surprising really as yet another 'Best of...' album has just been released. I felt the setlist had been picked for the 'casual' fan who might buy a Billy Idol 'greatest hits' CD and would only know 'Rebel Yell' and 'White Wedding', rather than the true fan.  I think one of the reasons Billy's set at Download was so fantastic was because he knew he was playing to a ROCK crowd - so he picked the songs accordingly and really pulled the stops out.  Tonight was definitely far more of a 'pop' set, and although the man's performance was good, it certainly didn't have the fire and excitement I felt at Donington.   I was hoping to hear plenty of songs from Billy's last proper studio album 'Devil's Playground' as well as the obvious hits - yes I wanted to hear 'Rebel Yell' and 'White Wedding' too! As long as he didn't play that truly dire Christmas song from that album - not likely in July! Unfortunately I was disappointed as I think only one song from 'Devil's Playground' got played - a shame as I thought it was a surprisingly good album overall. I was amazed to hear someone in the crowd shouting out for 'Plastic Jesus'! That's one of my favourite songs from that album, but I was rather surprised to find that anyone else liked it that much.  Needless to say, it didn't get played.  It was good to hear the Generation X classic 'Ready Steady Go' belted out, but I suspect many of the 'greatest hits' crowd didn't even recognise it... As expected, Billy had a really good band - still featuring his long time collaborator Steve Stevens on guitar. Steve is a great guitarist, but I think he has an ego at least as big as Billy's, and with his over-extended solo guitar spots it felt more like the 'Steve Stevens Show' at times - I started to get quite bored after a while...  To be fair, Billy doesn't really come across as having a big ego and actually seems quite down to earth - although still a great entertainer. He still seems very aware of his roots back in England although he plays up a very US style 'rock and roll' show.  In spite the odd ballad and 'pop' song,and Steve Stevens self indulgence the set really finished on a high though. 'Mony Mony' was saved till last, and I noticed the drummer vacate his drum stool to let someone else take over - then the drummer picked up a Les Pauland started ripping it up!  He was actually a pretty decent guitarist and proceded to play a really good 'guitar duel' with Steve Stevens!  Then the keyboard player got a guitar and joined in on 'Mony Mony' too. And like at Download, Billy produced a guitar as well and peeled off some blues licks to show us that - yes he can play guitar too. So the show finished with a very extended 'Mony Mony' and four people up front playing guitar, plus the bass player! Although the show had a few low points and I started to get bored at times, it really finished on a great high note so I still went home happy!  Billy Idol might have been doing this for quite a few years now, but he can still cut it!