It was an absolutely perfect night in Columbia, Maryland Friday when Billy Idol’s “It’s a Nice Day to…Tour Again” made it’s stop at Merriweather Post Pavilion.

In 1981 British punk rocker and Generation X frontman Billy Idol left the band to pursue a solo career. After 3 years of playing together the band had failed to gain any traction in the US. Idol wanted to pursue a more mainstream sound but found strong resistance among the other band members. He relocated to New York and released a solo EP, duly named “Don’t Stop.” The EP contained only 4 tracks including “Dancing with Myself” which Idol had co-written and recorded with Generation X. It also included a cover of Tommy James and the Schondells “Mony Mony.” Within a year, Idol recorded and released his self-titled debt album “Billy Idol.” The album reached number 45 on the Billboard top 100 chart, while the single “White Wedding,” aided by the then fledgling MTV, topped out at Number 4. The rest, as they say, is history.

In April, after an eleven-year hiatus and 45 years since the release of “Billy Idol”, Idol released his thirteenth full length album “Dream into It”.  The album is a 9-track set and includes featured artists such as, Avril Lauigne, Alison Mosshort, and Joan Jett. In support of the album release, Idol has embarked on a 21 city “It’s a Nice Day to…Tour Again” US tour, including a stop at the famed Merriweather Post Pavilion.

In Columbia, Maryland, the humidity was low, the skies were clear, and the venue was packed with adoring fans who varied in age from 6 to 66 and beyond.

A huge backdrop was illuminated with a digital facial profile of Billy Idol as the band took the stage. It was clear that the show’s production values were of extremely high quality, this technological demonstration continued throughout the evening via the display and lighting effects.

The opening song, “Still Dancing,” off the new “Dream Into It” album, was a quick tempo, upbeat number, stylistically similar to Idol’s early releases. It seemed appropriate for the 69 year old to open with a song which provided ample opportunity for him to strut his stuff on the 100+ foot stage. Adorned in the stereotypical black leather, black boots, and dangling hip chain, Idol resembled the hipster of 45 years prior, as opposed to a grandfather of four.

At one point Idol, having removed his jacket, proceeded to disrobe from his own Billy Idol tour shirt and perform topless to the cheering audience.  Idol’s voice remained strong and powerful throughout the performance as he made his way through many of the bands most popular songs, including, “Cradle of Love,” “Flesh for Fantasy,” “Eyes Without a Face’” and “Mony Mony.”

Catch Billy Idol’s Latest Single “77” featuring Avril Lavigne:

One of the show’s highlights came during a cover of the Rose Royce hit ”Love Don’t Live Here Anymore.” After the opening verse, Idol turned the mic over to one of the band’s back-up vocalists, Kitten Kuroi. Kuroi, a Grammy winning artist herself, took full control of the stage, both vocally and visually bringing the amazed and energized audience to their feet. Steven Stevens, the band’s original guitarist and Idol confidant, had several solo opportunities to show off his guitar prowess in between the band’s set list songs. At one point, Stevens moved into a Zeppelin medley of “Over the Hills and Far Away,” and “Stairway To Heaven,” as well as Van Halen’s “Eruption.”

After the song “Ready Steady Go” Idol guitarist Billy Morrison paid tribute to his good friend, the recently departed, Ozzy Osbourne. The crowd cheered when a dramatic photo appeared on every venue screen but was hushed as Morrison spoke of Ozzy and their relationship over the years.

Billy Idol also shared a story about drinking whiskey with the Rolling Stones and naming a song after Mick Jagger’s drink of choice, “Rebel Yell,” which he and the band played to the delight of the dancing crowd.

Rewind with “Rebel Yell” by Billy Idol:

Billy Idol thanked the audience and the stage lights briefly dimmed before the band quickly began a 4-song encore culminating where it started 45 years prior with “White Wedding.”

Ultimately, Idol left the stage shaking his fist in the air as he had throughout the night, a trademark of any Billy Idol performance.  However, these fist thrusts were different, they were victory thrusts, and it showed on Idol’s smiling face. Billy Idol is still “Vital Idol.”

Don’t miss out on Billy Idol as his “It’s A Nice Day To… Tour Again” World Tour rolls on.

The setlist included:

Still Dancing
Cradle of Love
Flesh for Fantasy
77
Eyes Without a Face
Mony Mony (Tommy James & the Shondells cover)
Love Don’t Live Here Anymore (Rose Royce cover)
Too Much Fun
Ready Steady Go
Blue Highway
Rebel Yell

Encore:
Dancing With Myself
Hot in the City
People I Love
White Wedding

Here are more photos of Billy Idol rocking the Merriweather Post Pavilion on August 22, 2025. All photos copyright Cary Evan.