Billy Idol is punk rock Oprah.
No, he's not getting his own daytime talk show. (Though I would watch.) He's not starting his own book club. (Though I would read.) Nor is he doing a new adaptation of The Color Purple. (I'd pass on that one. Seems problematic!)
Rather, Mr. Idol is a giver much like Ms. Winfrey. You know the forever meme-able moment of Oprah's Favorite Things giveaway of Pontiac G6 cars to her studio audience? "You get a car! You get a car! You get a car!"
That's kinda what it feels like when you're close to the stage at a Billy Idol concert.
I first experienced this phenomenon at the Shrine Auditorium in Billings, Montana, back in August 2006. Being a punk-leaning kid, Idol had long been one of my '80s faves. You simply can't deny the swift rock-and-roll perfection of singles like "White Wedding," "Dancing with Myself," "Mony Mony" and "Rebel Yell." So my sibling and I ventured to the gig to see if the then-50-year-old rocker still had his fastball.
He did.
And while the concert was a blast, there's one thing that stuck out to both of us more than anything else — Billy Idol throws out so many souvenirs to his audience. Like, so many. An order of magnitude more than anyone I've ever seen.
While most bands are content flipping a few picks and the set lists (and maybe a drumstick, if you're lucky) to the front row at the end of a concert, Idol went above and beyond. It basically felt like a barrage. Yes, there were plenty of drumsticks (we got one) and picks thrown about at a rapid rate, but what will forever stick in my memory is the paper plates.
Yep, paper plates.
It turns out Idol has a propensity for turning the cheap picnic and cookout staples into unique souvenirs. He autographs each one, sometimes adding city, venue and date info to make them oddly special keepsakes, which he then flings like frisbees into the crowd. I was able to snag one, and even after thousands of concerts it remains my weirdest cool piece of rock-and-roll memorabilia.
Will Billy Idol rock the Pavilion when he swings into town on Aug. 28 with opener Alex Cameron (who made the best album of 2022 — Oxy Music)? Almost certainly. Will he continue his plate-flinging ways? Only time will tell...
And while we're on the topic, here are a few suggestions for other things Idol might consider tossing to his fans in the future.
BILLY IDOL-BRANDED BINKIES
Rocking the "Cradle of Love" is great, but it can get a little loud. Perhaps adding a pacifier to the mix would help soothe your little babies.
DROOPING EYE SPRING GLASSES
The novelty comedic spectacles are the literal embodiment of "Eyes Without a Face."
FAKE BILLY IDOL DOLLAR BILLS
If you don't think there are oodles and oodles of people who think "Mony Mony" is "1oney Money," you are gravely mistaken. Besides, Idol is less problematic than some of the men adorning our currency.
BILLY IDOL CDS
Unfortunately, almost nobody buys music anymore. Gotta unload them somehow... ♦
Billy Idol, Alex Cameron • Mon, Aug. 28 at 7:15 pm • $55-$100 • Spokane Pavilion • 574 N. Howard St. • spokanepavilion.com
