REVIEW: Cheap Trick and Billy Idol, Melbourne, March 24 2015

Cheap Trick and Billy Idol touring together is an ideal double for rock fans of the 70s and 80s but what could have been a contender for tour of the year suffered initially from bad sound which drained the vibe of the room.

Cheap Trick’s Melbourne show was a disappointment. The sound was distorted; the bass was way down and Rob Zander’s voice sounded shot to pieces.

On a positive note Cheap Trick do mix up their setlist each night to give fans a unique show. They dug deep in the setlist in the first half giving long-time fans a generous cross-section of the early albums including the title track from the 1978 album ‘Heaven Tonight’, played by the band for the first time this year. ‘Taxman My Thief’ and ‘Ballad of TV Violence’ from 1977, ‘Just Got Back’ from 1980 and ‘Stiff Competition’ from 1978 also made their debut for this tour.

However, opening to a pre-recording intro saying Cheap Trick were “the greatest rock and roll band you will ever fucking see” turned out to be a misrepresentation. Maybe it was just a bad night.

Cheap Trick setlist, Melbourne, March 24, 2014

Hello There (from In Color, 1978)
Just Got Back (from All Shook Up, 1980)
Baby Loves to Rock (from All Shook Up, 1980)
Clock Strikes Ten  (from In Color, 1977)
If You Want My Love  (from One On One, 1982)
Stiff Competition  (from Heaven Tonight, 1978)
Taxman  My Thief (from Cheap Trick, 1977)
Ballad of TV Violence (from Cheap Trick, 1977)
Heaven Tonight (from Heaven Tonight, 1978)
I Know What I Want (from Dream Police, 1979)
I Want You to Want Me (from In Color, 1977)
Dream Police  (from Dream Police, 1979)
Surrender  (from Heaven Tonight, 1978)
Goodnight (from In Color, 1978)

Whatever sound issues plagued Cheap Trick were fixed for Billy Idol. Idol started his performance with his trademark leather-clad clenched fist and crooked snarl. Guitarist Steve Stevens was the balance to the Idol antics.

While Cheap Trick gave the audience nostalgia, Billy Idol maintained his 21st century relevance by showcasing his first album in a decade ‘Kings and Queens of the Underground’ even placed between his greatest hits.

The new Idol works because it sounds like old Idol. The opening song for the show ‘Postcards From The Past’ was a bookend to ‘Rebel Yell’ at the end of the show.

Idol skipped a few obvious ones. There was no ‘To Be A Lover’, ‘Don’t Need A Gun’ or ‘Hot In The City’ but still a decent dose of ‘Cradle of Love’, ‘Dancing With Myself’, ‘Flesh For Fantasy’. Sweet Sixteen’, ‘Eyes With A Face’, ‘White Wedding’ and ‘Mony Mony’ to maintain familiarity.

Idol’s comic book character persona made for the larger than life performance and brought entertainment, lacking in the Cheap Trick half of the show, to the room.

A show highlight was the return of Zander and Nielsen for The Door’s ‘L.A. Woman’, rejigged as ‘Melbourne Woman’.

Idol gave the audience a pop show with a rock and roll band and the crowd left happy.

Billy Idol setlist, Melbourne, March 24, 2014

Postcards From The Past (from Kings and Queens of the Underground, 2014)
Cradle Of Love (from Charmed Life, 1990)
Can’t Break Me Down (from Kings and Queens of the Underground, 2014)
Dancing With Myself (from Generation X, Kiss Me Deadly, 1981)
Flesh For Fantasy (from Rebel Yell, 1993)
Save Me Now (from Kings and Queens of the Underground, 2014)
Ready Steady Go (from Generation X, Generation X, 1978)
Sweet Sixteen (from Whiplash Smile, 1986)
Eyes Without A Face (from Rebel Yell, 1993)
LA (Melbourne) Woman (with Robin Zander and Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick) (from Charmed Life, 1990)
Whiskey and Pills (from Kings and Queens of the Underground, 2014)
Blue Highway (from Rebel Yell, 1993)
Rebel Yell (from Rebel Yell, 1993)