Billy Idol – The King Rocker Returns

On a sympathetically matched line up former Generation X singer Billy Idol returned to the Leeds stage for a triumphant performance after a number of years' absence.

With most of the audience still filing into the Leeds Arena, Toyah had the unenviable task of warming up the audience with an unusual 7pm start -a time when most people would be finishing their evening meal. The multi-talented singer delivered a tight set that was easy to digest. It’s A Mystery sounded as fresh as it did forty years ago whilst newer tracks such as Space Dance showed that Toyah can still deliver a good song.

Witnessing Killing Joke in an all-seated venue seemed totally inappropriate – their brand of dark and menacing music is more suited to one where you can mosh in the mosh pit as opposed to wriggling in your seat which meant that for their fans present the whole affair seemed rather restrained, though that did not stop the band delivering a top class performance.

Jaz Coleman still walks around the stage like a man possessed as the brooding and despondent beats echoed around the arena. Wardance sounded like a cry to arms with the muscular structure of the song intact, Eighties came with a melodic twist whilst Pandemonium perfectly summed up the mood of the world we currently live in.

“Hello England, Hello Leeds” shouted Billy Idol as the singer arrived on stage. In a set that was a mix of old and new, the 66-year-old punk rocker still appeared to have the fire in his belly. As he belted out Generation X’s Dancing With Myself the singer stayed true to his image (leather jacket, spiked blond hair) which has never really changed since I first saw him in 1978.

In a personal show he talked about how he wrote a new track, Cage because of how the pandemic stopped him attending his mum’s funeral whilst Bitter Taste recalled a motorcycle accident he experienced. Reminiscing about the times he played gigs at the legendary F Club in Leeds during his Generation X days all made the evening seem individual.

Guitarist Steve Stevens is still Idol’s mainstay in the band, switching with ease between electric and Spanish guitars Stevens made the whole process seem effortless – his interludes contrasted well with the rockier moments during the show.

One Hundred Punks took the audience back to the heady days of punk, though if you had not been there at the start of Idol’s journey the song might have sounded unfamiliar.

Teasing the audience Idol suggested “Is there one more song I have forgotten to sing?” as the fans shouted back White Wedding the familiar guitar riff rang out from Stevens’ guitar.

“Thank you for giving me a great life” he saluted the fans as he gave one final curl of his lips and then he was gone. After tonight’ s consummate performance he will in the eyes of those present, never be forgotten.