Scranton, PA, known as the “Electric City,” felt even more electric Friday night as Billy Idol launched the latest leg of his It’s A Nice Day To… Tour Again!. This run continues his 2025 tour of the same name, bringing the show to cities he missed the first time around. For the first half of the tour, DEVO, pioneers of synth-pop, punk, new wave, and offbeat humor, opened the night. As someone who watched music videos religiously in the ’90s, I always wondered whether DEVO’s quirky, one-of-a-kind videos reflected what they were like live. The answer is yes. Nearly 40 years into their career, DEVO’s live show is still chaotic, whimsical, and delightfully unpredictable. With three distinct sets marked by wardrobe changes, the band delivered a 14-song set spanning its discography. DEVO has never been like other bands, and that remains part of their appeal. Even their biggest hit, “Whip It,” appeared mid-set rather than as a closer, reinforcing that the song alone does not define them. If that is all you came to hear, you still got it; but if you wanted the full DEVO experience, the band more than delivered—and they were only the opening act.

The It’s A Nice Day To… Tour Again! kicked off in Scranton and runs through September. Afterward, Billy Idol and his longtime guitarist, Steve Stevens, will receive one of music’s highest honors when they are inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Remarkably, it took nearly 50 years for Idol to receive that recognition, but it is well deserved. He has spent his life touring, released a book and a documentary, and continues making new music at 70. Judging by the Scranton show, he shows no signs of slowing down. Opening with “Still Dancing” from his latest album, Dream Into It, Idol—wearing a spiked leather jacket—gave the crowd his signature curled lip and raised fist. The momentum continued with “Cradle of Love” and the newer track “77” before slowing down for “Eyes Without a Face.” Before the second act of the set, Stevens took the stage alone for a guitar solo that included nods to Led Zeppelin and Van Halen.

For the second half of Billy Idol’s set—from his cover of “Mony Mony” to Generation X’s “Ready Steady Go,” Idol and his band raised the energy even higher, building to the night’s biggest reaction with “Rebel Yell.” Fist in the air throughout the song, Idol reminded the crowd why his music remains such a perfect blend of punk, pop, and the synthesizer-driven fun that defined the ’80s. That sound may never be mastered quite the same way again. It did not take long for Idol and his band to return for an encore, keeping the energy high before easing into the slower, ballad-like song “People I Loved,” another track from his new album. The song reflects on his younger shortcomings and reveals a more vulnerable side, but he did not end the night there. Instead, Idol sent the crowd out on a high note with “White Wedding.” Artists like Billy Idol seemed unstoppable when you saw him on television, and as time passes, it is easy to assume they will slow down. Not Idol. From performing atop the Empire State Building to earning induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, he may seem to have done it all—but after watching him live, it is clear he still has more to give.

Billy Idol