Billy Idol recently celebrated the 40th anniversary of his breakout album, ‘Rebel Yell’, by performing the title track from the iconic Empire State Building balcony in one of his career highlights. In an interview with Time Out, Idol spoke of the magic of the building and the memories it held from his childhood. The video, which was filmed in April, features an acoustic arrangement given the limited space available on the balcony. Long-time guitarist and collaborator Steve Stevens joined Idol in the performance.
The video was produced by Steven Gottlieb and filmed in one or two takes, according to Time Out. It was Idol’s team that came up with the idea to shoot the video at the top of the Empire State Building, and the video captures the unique experience beautifully.
In May, Idol revealed in an interview with People that he’s decided to become “California sober” and give up hard drugs and alcohol but continue to consume marijuana. Idol’s Empire State Building performance is not the first unique performance he’s given. In 2023, Idol became the first artist to perform an acoustic set on the Hoover Dam. The show was recorded and released as the film, “Billy Idol: State Line,” in November 2020.
It is evident that despite being four decades into his career, Idol is still seeking new and innovative ways to mark his music’s success and continue entertaining millions of fans worldwide. He continues to push the limits and explore new challenges, keeping everyone on their toes with every performance he gives
Read the full article on NME here: Read More
