Billy Idol, 20th June 2025, Heviti, Copenhell Festival

Photo: Goran www.facebook.com/UrbanMescaleroPhotography

Of all the possible names to headline Copenhell, Billy Idol isn’t one that would come to mind—if he even made the list at all. But one of Copenhell’s strengths is its diversity. While we’ve seen some eyebrow-raising headliners before—such as Machine Head and Primus—those acts still shared more in common with the festival’s predominantly metal audience. And to their credit, both delivered solid performances.

Even the previous night’s headliner, The Prodigy, while not a metal band in any sense, have long been one of those genre-blurring acts that can command just about any festival stage—including countless metal festivals.

So here we are: Billy Idol headlining the main stage. And for yours truly, this was a personal one. His landmark 1983 album Rebel Yell was the first album I ever bought—on cassette, no less.

Earlier this year, Idol released his first new album in over a decade, following the rather strong Kings & Queens of the Underground. While that 2014 release may have leaned even softer than his latest effort Dream Into It, it carried emotional depth and weight that the new album doesn’t quite match.

Taking all of that into account, it was intriguing to witness Idol’s first appearance at Copenhell—and his first visit to Denmark in ten years.

He opened the show with the first single from the new album, which worked well as an introduction and, in many ways, set the tone for the evening. Because while Idol might not be a typical Copenhell headliner, his performance was warmly received, and the crowd kept singing and dancing—especially to timeless hits like “Mony Mony,” “Flesh for Fantasy,” and “Hot in the City.” There was even room for a couple of Generation X covers, including the obligatory “Dancing With Myself” and the irresistibly fun “Ready Steady Go.”

“Still Dancing” worked well live, but the rest of the new songs felt more like space-fillers—especially the unfortunately placed “People I Love.” Perhaps including fewer tracks from the new album and adding a couple more from the remarkable Kings & Queens of the Underground would’ve improved the show’s overall flow and quality.

Musically, Idol has assembled a strong band. Billy Morrison brought a raw rock ‘n’ roll edge, while the legendary Steve Stevens delivered those iconic riffs and guitar leads with his signature blend of power and finesse. Stevens has been Idol’s right-hand man for decades, and his importance to Idol’s sound can’t be overstated. Seeing him live is something every fan of rock guitar should experience at least once. Naturally, he had several solo moments—short and focused, likely as much for showcasing his chops as for giving Idol a chance to catch his breath. The man is turning 70 this year, after all.

Vocally, Idol still sounds surprisingly strong, which is vital to his music. His image hasn’t changed, either—his iconic stance and onstage charisma remain unmistakable. No one moves or commands a stage quite like Billy Idol.

“Rebel Yell” and “White Wedding” sparked some of the biggest singalongs of this year’s Copenhell. And before you knew it, a visibly humble and touched Idol was thanking the crowd—for the evening, for the life they’ve given him—and charmingly introducing his band. And just like that, it was over.

On paper, this may not have looked like a typical Copenhell booking. But Idol, Stevens, Morrison, and company had the crowd singing and dancing with the best of them. As they left the stage, smiling faces lit up the sea of people in front of the main stage.

Idol and Stevens—thank you for more than four decades of bringing joy to this fan’s life.

SETLIST:

1. Still Dancing
2. Cradle of Love
3. Flesh for Fantasy
4. 77
5. Eyes Without a Face
   Steve Stevens Guitar Solo
6. Mony Mony
7. Too Much Fun
8. Ready Steady Go
9. Blue Highway / Top Gun Anthem
10. Rebel Yell
    ——————–
11. Dancing With Myself
12. Hot in the City
13. People I Love
14. White Wedding