BILLY IDOL is Hot in Sin City at Opening Night at the Pearl at the Palms

You could feel the electricity in the air at the Pearl Concert Theater at the Palms for the opening night of Billy Idol’s new residency in Las Vegas! You could hear fans talking excitedly about what they hoped to hear and see in the newly remodeled Pearl - one of the most beautiful concert venues in Las Vegas

As the lights dimmed the crowd rose to their feet with a roar, and saw the dark silhouettes of the band members as they strode to their positions, and spotlights appeared illuminating Steve Stevens and Billy Idol as they ran out onto the stage and the show was on. Idol raised fists in the air to the opening sound of classic Elvis' "Viva Las Vegas", a fitting way to start the Las Vegas show and residency.

Idol was dressed in black jeans and T, with uniform of black leather jacket with silver necklaces dangling from his neck, while Stevens was dressed in all black leather with a black scarf draped over his neck to go with his wild black hair - definitely rock stars to a T. Joining Idol and Stevens onstage was Stephen McGrath on bass, longtime guitarist Billy Morrison, Erik Eldenius on drums and Paul Trudeau on keyboards. As the band launched into “Dancing With Myself”, the stage behind the band illuminated to show a Gotham city-esque backdrop with a giant IDOL sign, one of the best stage lighting productions have seen, going from complete side to side all the way from floor to the top of the venue. It was an amazing industrial-looking set - dark and gritty, you seemed to be looking through a factory window down a long dark street. The amazing lighting provided depth to the scene, that changed from song to song. At times it looked like lighted snow was falling from the sky and at other times the set made you feel as if you were actually inside a factory with an illuminated steel ceiling. But the real hightlight was on stage, with Idol belting out hits and faves and Stevens treating the crowd to incredible guitar solos throughout the near two hour show.

If you were lucky to get be close to the stage you could catch some of the freebies Idol tossed into the crowd, signed LP's, t-shirts and drum sticks, while the band played through lots of hits and faves, including "Blue Highway", "Eyes Without a Face", Rebel Yell", a couple of semi-obscure Gen X numbers, and what started out as an acoustic "White Wedding", just to break into a hard rocking version on the second verse. At the end of the show fireworks and clouds drifted on the lighted backdrop with realistic effect as a shirtless (oh yes, he did) Idol raised a final fist in the air to the chorus of "Mony Mony", before tossing more freebies into the crowd and the band taking a final bow.

The residency continues through January with dates on the 19th, 23th, 25th, and 26th, and again in October 2019 with dates on the 4th, 5th, 9th, 11th, 12th. This is a must see show, with a fantastic production and sound in the new Pearl Theater, and you can find ticket info at http://www.palms.com/billy-idol.html

Opening Night Setlist

Viva Las Vegas (Elvis Presley cover)

Dancing With Myself (Generation X)

Daytime Drama

Scream

Prodigal Blues

Eyes Without a Face

Don't Need a Gun

King Rocker (Generation X)

Blue Highway

Top Gun Anthem

Rebel Yell