I was born two weeks late, and I have been running to catch up ever since – so it’s no wonder I missed the opening of the Sept. 14 Billy Idol concert (featuring Joan Jett & The Blackhearts) at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley. My girlfriend had graciously gifted me tickets spur of the moment. We whirlwind rushed to get ready, steady and go and showed up right as Jett was moving the crowd with a blistering rendition of “I Love Rock ‘n Roll”. While we were fashionably late, as always my beloved upstaged me with her glamorous outfit.
FYI, y’all – if you have never been (and until now I had not, despite living in Berkeley since 2012), the William Randolph Hearst Greek Theatre is an 8,500-seat amphitheater built into a hillside. It’s a fantastic place to see a show and the vibe is awesome, with young college kids and old school music heads mingling for the common cause of rocking out. After ascending the temple-like stairs, we veered right to chill on the mezzanine for a moment.
When Billy took the mic, it was something spiritual, akin to a preacher performing snake handling. This supernatural September evening, the symphonic sermon included standards and newer fare from his recent album, “Dream Into It.” The festivities were all part of the promotional tour, and perhaps a reminder to the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame to let him enter their hallowed halls so he could raise some hell in there as well. Highlights included his synth-heavy classics like “Eyes Without a Face”, post-punk sparks a la “Rebel Yell” and sultry sizzle in “Cradle of Love”.
Billy’s trademark sneer is still there – but now it is touched with just a blush of Survivor’s Guilt.
It was indeed a “Nice Day To… Tour Again!” (what a clever name) and I feel blessed to have been able to catch this show. Billy Idol was a General during the “Second British Invasion” of new wave/synth-pop artists dominating U.S. airwaves/music charts in the 1980s MTV heyday, and he remains one of our staunchest admirals in what I refer to as “the war on boredom.” However, he and the Godmother of Punk weren’t the only rock royalty on hand for us.
Under the watchful eye of the UC Berkeley Campanile, the guitar guru and Idol co-conspirator Steve Stevens dropped a cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Over the Hills and Far Away” as a thick soup of fog descended upon our congregation. We were privy to a tribute for the “Prince of Darkness” Ozzy Osbourne and the only thing missing was an epic funeral pyre with fireworks for emphasis.
Jessica Childress held it down on background vocals, along with artist Kitten Kuroi hitting ethereal high notes. Her performance elevated the concert to operatic levels. It was “Hot in the City” earlier that day, but these cats couldn’t have been any cooler that night.
There was plenty of fresh material from the new concept album as well, gracefully interwoven. At a tight nine songs with a runtime of roughly thirty-five minutes, it’s perfect for short commutes. This album echoes loudly of “The Before Times,” when our worst pre-pandemic pop culture woes were trying to find parking. I personally suffered several pangs of nostalgia listening to this revival. If albums were colors, this one would be orange – the color of rebellion. It’s soaked in the sweaty smell of loud, obnoxious punk rock. I have to admit, though, that while Idol puts on a great show, the actual album leaves something to be desired in comparison. But if you’re anything like me, you’ll find yourself revisiting some of these catchy earworms more than once. The ones that popped the most to me were:
“Too Much Fun”. Equal parts humblebrag and cautionary tale, capturing his early hits’ spirit, and is instantly singable. With a party-hearty hook most can get behind, I hope to see this grow to become a standard in his performances moving forward. This is my favorite track as it is the most raw, personal and honest. You can practically hear the Truth dripping from the speakers.
“People I Love”. The most bittersweet, treating the recording booth like a confession booth. Reflections on missed invitations to birthday parties hit me hard, thinking of my faraway family.
“Still Dancing”. Such an ultimate bookend. Always leave ‘em wanting more! With the fervor of “White Wedding”, crowd-pleasing of “Rebel Yell” and the rumination of M.C. Escher’s artwork, this callback to “Dancing With Myself” is Billy’s ode to the Glory Days which will keep his fans bouncing in the stadiums or bopping in their socks while wrangling vacuums on Cleaning Day.
This is the kind of song that I wish I had on cassette tape for when the electrical grid goes down from hackers or solar flares and everything reverts to analog technology.
Meanwhile, here are some shows coming to the Greek and links to listen to the night’s setlists:
Joan Jett & The Blackhearts Setlist
