Rock icon to play the venue inside Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa
TULSA, Okla. – The blond spiky hair. The sneering punk attitude. The leather attire. All of these elements helped launch Billy Idol’s career and have remained key ingredients to a formula that has made him a musical tour de force since 1977. On June 25, Idol brings his highly charged concert to The Joint inside Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa.
Tickets start at $50 and go on sale April 11.
In the midst of the Sex Pistols’ reign over England, Billy Idol co-founded Generation X in 1977, bringing a different style of punk to the masses. Their music had similar anarchistic sounds but was built off the British pop rock roots of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, which helped make them one of the first punk bands to play the popular BBC show “Top of the Pops.” Generation X disbanded after three short years, and Idol left his native country for New York City.
In 1981, MTV revolutionized popular music by bringing music videos to the masses. The timing was perfect for Idol, who fit into the network’s “Second British Invasion.” His clips for “White Wedding” and the Generation X cover “Dancing With Myself” from his self-titled debut propelled his solo career and forever linked him to the rise in popularity of MTV.
Idol’s follow-up, “Rebel Yell,” was also a major commercial success, featuring the hit singles “Eyes Without a Face,” “Flesh For Fantasy” and the title track.
The 55-year-old has released seven studio albums and four compilations that have sold millions of copies. Other hit singles include “Cradle Of Love,” “To Be A Lover,” “Don’t Need A Gun,” and covers of “Mony, Mony” and “L.A. Woman.”
In 1993, Idol again played a key role in the always evolving world of music when he was one of the earliest adopters of recording an album at home, using a Mac computer and Pro-Tools. Completed in 10 months, special editions of “Cyber Punk” were released on floppy discs and came with a screensaver. The album was also one of the first to include an email address in the CD booklet.
Idol continues to be a major draw on the road, headlining music festivals and touring the world. He continues to play with his longtime collaborator, guitarist Steve Stevens, who has also played with numerous others, including Michael Jackson, Ric Ocasek and Robert Palmer.
For more information on Idol, visit www.billyidol.net. He is also active on Twitter (@billyidol) and Facebook.
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa is located off of Interstate 44 at exit 240. Ticket prices and information on upcoming shows are available online in The Joint section of www.hardrockcasinotulsa.com or by calling (918) 384-ROCK. The Joint box office is open from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. All guests must be 21 years of age or older.
