Billy Idol made his highly anticipated return to São Paulo on Saturday night, the 8th. The performance was part of the It's a Nice Day To…Tour Again and took place at Vibra São Paulo. Now, the musician heads to Curitiba, where he will play at Arena da Baixada on November 12th.
For the occasion, the opening act couldn't have been anyone else: singer Supla , accompanied by his band, Punks de Boutique . The artist gave an extremely fun performance, singing songs from his most recent work, covers of The Beatles , Harry Styles , and much more. The São Paulo native didn't hide his excitement at being there, since Idol is one of his main influences, especially in terms of visual style.
Following the same pattern as his North American shows, Billy opted for a mixed setlist featuring tracks from Dream Into It – his most recent album, released in April – and his hits, which were responsible for soundtracking an entire generation in the 80s. In that regard, there wasn't a single person present who wasn't singing along. The timeless "Eyes Without A Face" was sung at the top of their lungs and captured on the cell phone cameras of all the fans. We can't forget "Rebel Yell," "Dancing With Myself," "Flesh for Fantasy," and "White Wedding." From his more recent material, highlights included "Still Dancing," "People I Love," and "77" – released with a special appearance by singer Avril Lavigne .
Billy Idol keeps the punk spirit alive in his performances.
Throughout the entire show, the vocalist interacted extensively with the audience. He expressed his happiness at being in the country, reminisced about moments from his legendary career, and chatted a lot during breaks. Idol also made a point of singing very close to the barrier, thrilling those in the audience. The Englishman even drew sighs when he took off his shirt and threw it to the crowd.
You can't talk about Billy Idol without mentioning guitarist Steve Stevens . Their partnership has lasted over forty years. Stevens proved himself to be an exceptional guitarist, one of the best of his generation, with precise and sharp technique. Stevens played several solos and also performed one of his main compositions, the main theme from Top Gun .
The backing band, consisting of Billy Morrison (guitar), Stephen McGrath (bass), Erik Eldenius (drums), Paul Trudeau (keyboards), and Kitten Kuroi and Jess Kav (backing vocals), is extremely competent.
The show in São Paulo couldn't have been better. Even at 69 years old, and with all the possible limitations, Billy exuded charisma and especially vitality. In times where artists use technological resources to improve their voices, the Englishman continues with a refined technique. With a show lasting 1 hour and 40 minutes, he left the stage to strong applause and with all the idol status he deserves, without needing any proof. The tour continues to Curitiba and from there the artist will go on to shows in Argentina, Colombia, Peru and Mexico.
Check out the exclusive photos from our photographer Jéssica Marinho:
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