Billy Idol – OVO Hydro Glasgow 21st October 2022
A rainy night in Glasgow, the city was getting set for the Billy Idol Roadside tour, the queues were steadily forming around the venue with fans eager to obtain the best viewing point in the standing area of the arena. The growing crowd was a mix of young and old, kids brought up listening to the hits of Billy Idol here to witness his show for the first time. It’s an early start for this show, an awesome two-band support featuring household name Toyah and last-minute stand in for Television are Killing Joke. Tonight, Glasgow was all set, the place to be for a remarkable night of music.
As the lights dimmed the intro music started, it was time to welcome Toyah to the stage. She received a warm welcome from the Glasgow audience, first up on her setlist was Thunder in the Mountains, the crowd were immediately up dancing and singing along to the hit. Still sounding and looking as good as she did in her heyday, with a slight tweak to her legendary hairstyle, delivering strong powerful vocals she entertained the audience to Martha and the Muffins cover Echo Beach before moving onto the excellent Good Morning Universe from the Changeling album of 1982, the song is 40 years old and still sounding as fresh as ever. Commanding the stage, she performed the excellent It’s a Mystery, the Glasgow crowd were once again in full voice singing and dancing along with this legendary star. This was followed by Neon Womb before treating the crowd to Space Dance from her recent album Posh Pop from 2021. Ending her short set with her classic I Want to Be Free, the venue was once again on its feet, singing along with the legend that is Toyah Wilcox. She delivered a powerful opening set tonight that really warmed up the Glasgow crowd for what is shaping up to be a wonderful night of music.
After a short break, main support band Killing Joke were ready to take to the stage, front man Jaz Coleman was set to change to the style and pace of music with Killing Joke with his post punk industrial sound, producing a thunderous feel through your body with the tremendous bass, the band featuring the original line up reunited as if they had never been away, a much darker sound than previous set delivered by Toyah. The band played a good mix of the old classics and some new. Opening the set with Unspeakable and Wardance, the Glasgow audience focus was on the stage, dimmed lights set the gloom luminating amazing frontman Jaz, the crowd watching every move intently as he moved around the stage. This was a headline performance from a band that was holding the ace supporting card, delighting the travelling support of the band’s faithful fans, singing along, a Glasgow crowd clearly enjoying the performance and music. Songs like Requiem and Eighties stood out from the rest, the crowd singing along in recognition of these classics. Introducing new song Loose Canon, a more industrial style of music like that of Nine Inch Nails and Ministry. Closing their set with the excellent Pandemonium, a perfect close for an awesome set. A brilliant performance from Jaz and Killing Joke, if you get a chance to see them play their own shows you will not be disappointed, a powerful and full-on industrial masterpiece as only Killing Joke can deliver.
The sold-out venue was ready and waiting, the atmosphere was electric, the tension mounting as the minutes ticked down, it was almost time for superstar Billy Idol to take to the Glasgow venue’s stage. You could feel the hairs on the back of your neck rise in anticipating of seeing their idol. The time had come, the lights dimmed, the sound in the venue increased, the emotions rippling through the crowd in the venue. As the lights went it the stage was like it had been transported to a Hollywood set. The the fans see Billy for the first time, the noise level went through the roof, opening with the Generation X classic Dancing with Myself, the crowd were on their feet dancing and singing along. Billy Idol had the Glasgow crowd in the palm of his hand from the initial chords. Billy and his band were on top form, the rocker now 66 is still giving his all, entertaining his fans with the same energy and drive, rocking the stage like they were in their 20’s , tonight he was on top form. The band continued with Cradle of Love, the crowd enjoying every second of the singer’s classic’s songs, showing their own dance moves and singing along, their voices raised high.
As Billy stands back, he leaves it up to Steven Stevens to introduce the next song with his exceptional guitar riffs, it was time for Fresh for Fantasy, this old classic was going to raise the bar. The rocker was on top form, taking in the whole venue with his gaze, nodding to the fans at the front of the stage. The next song was Cage from his latest EP of the same name, was dedicated to his mother who passed away during the Covid Pandemic, as Billy was unable to attend her funeral due to the covid lockdown restriction that were in force during this time. It’s a song that grabs you at first listen, the crowd certainly taken by the song, listening intently, showing their appreciation with a rousing applause.
It was time to slow the set down a bit, as Billy tells the story about the next song regarding the painful experience, he suffered through his motorcycle accident with the song Bitter Taste before playing fans favourite Eyes without a Face, introduced by Steven Stevens on acoustic guitar, Billy telling the story about the song with his drug addiction and how it is worth being alive, putting these experiences into the song. Tonight’s setlist spanned the decades of his musical career going back to Generation X classic One Hundred Punks showing that Billy is proud of his punk roots in the music of Generation X, chatting about bringing the band to Glasgow all those years ago when Glasgow district Council had banned Punk Rock from the city, how they hired a venue and buses to take the fans to play at a venue outside the city. This was topped by Top Gun song Blue Highway, a powerful musical piece of Idol’s music that it was in the blockbuster movie. As the show came near to the end it was time not for the top gun, but the big gun, and could not get much bigger ending an awesome set with the excellent Rebel Yell, lifting the roof off the Glasgow venue with the noise level of the fans. You could see with the expressions of the bands member and Billy’s face they were having the time of their lives on the stage at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow. Leaving the stage, the audience knew he would be back, there was one classic song that had not been played and would not be a Billy Idol show without it.
Returning to an overwhelming reception from the crowd, they launched into Rebel Like You before playing Johnny Thunders and The Heartbreakers classic Born to Lose, making it his own song through the years. It was time to play the ultimate anthem, the classic White Wedding, the perfect way to finish the show on the ultimate high, the venue was rocking true LA style, the rocker giving them a show that will live in their memories forever. If you get a chance to see the rocker, don’t miss out on a show that has everything and a whole lot more from the musical idol. Long Live Rock n’ Roll
Review & Photographs by James Edmond
