LONDON, Ont. -- Londoners took a trip back to the '80s at the JLC last night with Billy Idol.

The British singer came to town to perform songs from his latest CD, Devil's Playground. Best known for his hit songs in the '80s including Dancing With Myself and White Wedding, Idol took a hiatus from his musical career in the early '90s. The break doesn't seem to have hurt him one bit though.

"(I) just had to show there's life in the old dog yet," Idol said. "(You) don't have to go out and shoot me."

With his trademark sneer, swagger and platinum blond hair, Idol rocked the audience. He played mostly songs from Devil's Playground, but sprinkled his hits throughout the show, such as Dancing With Myself as the second song, to get the audience roaring.

It was as if nothing had changed since the '80s.

Idol also showed how sexy a 49-year-old can be. The Brit pop-punk singer kept giving the audience teasing glances at his smooth, muscular chest before eventually taking off his T-shirt during his song Scream. He wrung the sweat out of the shirt over the audience, though, before he tossed it on the stage.

Idol also took every opportunity he could to flex his muscles.

"How do you like my body of work?" he coyly asked the audience while lifting up his shirt. "I've been improving it lately."

His larger-than-life antics didn't compromise his music, though. His collaborator and guitarist, Steve Stevens, was impressive all night. At one point surrounded by blue light, Stevens played flamenco-like music from his electric guitar. The band then launched into Rat Race.

While the audience was enthusiastic about Idol's latest songs, they were really there for his hits from the '80s. Rebel Yell had most of the audience on their feet with fists pumping.

Idol knew how to get the audience going by having them yell "I feel all right"at the end of the song. Stevens was playing the guitar behind his head at this point.

Idol told the audience how much he appreciated Canada before launching into the Gen-X song Ready, Set, Go.

"Canada was the first place that really got into Billy Idol in the '80s," he said.

It didn't take long for Idol to come back for two encores where he performed Hot in the City and the classic Mony, Mony.

Vancouver singer Bif Naked opened for Idol.

While a talented, energetic performer, the sound system was too loud, resulting in a muddied sound with most of her lyrics being incomprehensible.