Now more of a non-peroxide blonde, to many Idol is an icon, perhaps even a god, while others might see him more as the rebel who sold his soul to the American dream. Whatever you think, Idol is a survivor in more ways than one – and tonight he positively rocks!

In a smoke-free decade where the glow of mobile phone screens has replaced the flickering flash of the cigarette lighter, Idol can still strut his stuff with a live sound that brings even his most plastic of hits to guitar-grinding, eardrum-splitting life.

And his packed audience lapped it up, with as many shiny domes as Mohicans or bubble perms on show – and that was just the women! While Cradle of Love and Flesh for Fantasy were cranked up to the limit, Got to be a Lover and Sweet 16 were given the acoustic, 1950s rock'n'roll touch that somehow seemed to breathe new life into them.

And if it took Idol a few songs to get into the swing of things, he was soon swaggering around the stage, enjoying a little risqué banter with the first few rows while still allowing the talents of the musicians around him to shine.

In guitarist Stevie Stevens, he has a faithful cohort and axe hero supreme, and the pair seem to bounce off each other as the set list lengthens. Idol tempers the sense of disappointment to an acoustic White Wedding by cranking it up mid-song, and Doors' classic LA Woman is Manchester Woman for the night.

Cliched yes, but this venerable old venue is forgiving for tonight. As Idol and his band plough through the songs that have taken him from Bromley to LA – he does have a greatest hits album to promote after all – you get a sense of just what a niche the sneering punk rocker has carved for himself in rock history.

And if new song John Wayne is more a nod to Bon Jovi's Blaze of Glory than Spear of Destiny's Never Take Me Alive, New Future Weapon is more firmly in line with the New Wave punk hero's line of fire.

As the show is brought to an end with a version of Monie Monie which sees each member of the band – including drummer Brian Tichy – strap on a guitar, there is a sobering reminder that nights like this should be approached with an open mind. That way it is so much more enjoyable.

Greg Nixon