The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Showed More Energy than Most 

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This weekend I had the honor and the privilege to take my nephew Collin to his first rock and roll concert. He lives in Florida and when my sister Kim asked him what he wanted to do for his 17^th birthday he said, “Go see Uncle Jason in Nashville and eat hot chicken!” A solid answer to be sure.  I also wanted to find some live music we could all enjoy together and when I saw that Billy Idol was going to be at The Bridgestone Arena that weekend with Joan Jett, I thought, “What 17-year-old kid wouldn’t want to see this!” The answer was him… at first.  It was a few days after telling him my plan that he realized that Billy Idol’s ‘Eyes Without A Face’ was that song that he had been hearing as it trended across Tik Tok.  And upon a deeper dive into Joan Jett, he said, “I know some of this ladies’ songs”. So, we were a go. 

I, myself, am 50 years old and my sister is 48 – so even for us these two Rock and Roll Hall of Famers are a generation ahead, but we certainly grew up during the MTV era and watched these artists during their most prominent years.   

My sis and I went to many shows together growing up and we thought we would be the perfect guides for his rock journey.  Kim and I saw Tom Petty together in 1991 for our first brother-sister concert at the Orlando Arena. She was just 13 and I was 15 and my dad dropped us off and said, “Have Fun!”  Those were different times.  We went to Lollapalooza in 1992 and saw Pearl Jam, Ice Cube, Ministry, Soundgarden, Lush, The Jim Rose Circus and more.  I don’t even recall how we got to that one. This continued for years until it didn’t and now, we were back together and ready to relive those glory days. 

I had bought tickets way up in the nosebleeds because that’s what I could afford since Ticketmaster sucks.  However, when we got there the section was closed and they upgraded us to lower bowl-stage right. A great start to a fantastic night which was entitled “It’s Nice Day to… Tour Again”.

Joan Jett promptly started the night at 7:35pm and slayed, as the kids say (maybe they still say that- IDK).  Jett looked good and still sounded like the angry 16-year-old that helped formed The Runaways so many years ago. She played with a passion and conviction that echoed throughout the arena.  I had seen Joan twice before.  Once in Washington at the state fair in 2018.  Again, in Nashville last year and now.  This was the best I had ever seen from her.  Maybe it was because this was the first time seeing her at a large venue with all the electronic backdrops and premium lighting.  Maybe because I was with people that I deeply cared about.  My friends Will and Vincent (both of Rock Oracle Fame) were there as well. 

My sister couldn’t get over how great Joan’s arms looked at age 66.  “Her arms are jacked!” she exclaimed as Jett hit the stage.  The Godmother of Punk played with reverence on Saturday night.  She ripped a 15-song set that started with ‘Change the World’ and concluded with ‘Bad Reputation’.  I constantly looked to my right to see what Collin’s reaction was.  My sister and I were bobbing our heads, throwing up fingers in the classic ‘rock on’ formation and kicking our feet as we bounced around on our Gen X feet and worn knees. The soon to be seventeen kid was grinning ear to ear and his face was beaming.  I felt like in his head he was thinking “so this is what you old people have been going on about.”   It was – and I am so glad we introduced him to our musical religion. We asked Collin what he thought, “THIS IS AWESOME!”, and he seemed to be having the time of his life.   

Billy Idol followed about a half hour after Joan and her Blackheart mates finished their set.   Idol, now 69, also looked fantastic and I wondered how he would sound. I have been a long-time fan of both musicians since I was about 12 years old.  I knew about Runaways and was also listening to Billy’s former band Generation X thanks to the older kids that I knew when I was in middle school.  Again, these formations broke-up long before I was listening, but I had catching up to do.  

Idol opened with ‘Still Dancing’ off his newest album Dream Into It that just released in 2025.  Idol said earlier this year that:

 “‘Still Dancing’ is really a reflection of my whole journey. From the punk rock period through to now. And I’m still looking towards the future, still living the life I set out to live. 

“At the start of the song I’m recalling the early times in London, when I was living in squats or at friends’ apartments, all my belongings in a plastic bag. Everybody at home or work told you what you were doing was never going to happen. But punk rock gave me an opening. I was surrounded by people who loved the music as deeply as I did and you were going to throw caution to the wind, believe in what you were doing and grab on for dear life. 

“As the song says, there have been many moments along the way where I’ve been self-destructive. But what’s seen me through is that unflinching belief in the music that started all those years ago. That’s been the greatest gift of all.” 

That song plus his other single called ‘77’ both resonated hard throughout the audience.  My sibling took special note when he played the latter track as that was her birth year.  His new album is solid and full of explorational songs that I think are helping take time and break down the entirety of his career, but let’s be honest- we were here for the bangers, and he played them. The Tik Tok song that most kids probably think is new, “Eyes Without a Face’ rolled into the set list at number seven.  The rest of the evening was dusted with the classics like ‘Rebel Yell’, ‘Mony Mony’, ‘Dancing with Myself’ and concluding with ‘White Wedding’.  Not only was Billy in top shape but his vocals were absolutely stunning.   

His long-time guitar player and song collaborator, Steven Stevens also highlighted the show with frenetic guitar solos and one-handed riffs.  At one point, Stevens played the guitar behind his head, channeling his inner Hendrix. One of the pieces he performed, as he was illuminated on stage by spotlight, incorporated a combination piece with sections of ‘Over the Hills and Far Away’, ‘Stairway to Heaven’, and an Eddie Van Halen tribute of ‘Eruption’.  

Idol performed 19 songs in total across an hour and a half set and failed to let us down. Another highlight was in ‘Love Don’t Live Here Anymore’ which featured the stunning back-up singer Kitten Kuroi as she shared staggering lead vocals with Idol who then went even further into his past with “Ready Steady Go” from his Generation X days. 

All and all, the two literal senior citizens played harder and gave more effort than a lot of twenty somethings that I have seen gig live.  It was so cool that I got to share in this moment with my sister again and certainly to have opened this world to my nephew who will hopefully take his little brother to venues and festivals over the course of many years.  The power of music is never not noticed in my life.  Music can mend fences, heal and grow relationships beyond our grasp.  I hope you get to share in the melodies that frame our existence with people that you are deeply rooted to.  Keep listening, because the music is out there to guide you.

*BTW We went to Red’s Hot Chicken (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) and he ordered the second hottest thing… he did eat half of it.

@rock.oracle.music

Billy Idol wasn’t just Dancing with Himself in Nashville on Saturday night. The 69 year old Rock & Roll Hall of Famer was in full force at Bridgestone Arena. He played a 19 song set after Joan Jett that started with ‘Still Dancing’ and closed with ‘White Wedding’. There was no lack of energy in his performance. We’ve seen younger guys with way less effort on stage. #rockandrollhalloffame #nashville #musiccity @Billy Idol #bridgestonearena #livemusic

♬ original sound – Rock.Oracle.Music

Billy’s Setlist

Joan’s Setlist