Roxette x Billy Idol | Tribute Show

Roxette and Billy Idol get a double tribute on the MV Calmer on Saturday 31 October, a concert cruise around Newcastle Harbour put on by All Event Cruises. The show is called Rebel & Romance, and it does exactly what the title suggests: it pairs the rock swagger of Billy Idol with the pop hooks of Roxette for an afternoon of singalongs and dancing on the water.

The setlist pulls from both catalogues, with Dancing With Myself and White Wedding representing Idol, and It Must Have Been Love and The Look for Roxette. It's a tribute show, so the focus is on the hits rather than deep cuts, and the two acts are played back-to-back rather than as separate sets.

The venue is part of the draw. The MV Calmer is a multi-level boat with licensed bars on board, so you can move between decks and take in the harbour views as the cruise works its way around Newcastle. It departs from the Queens Wharf Ferry Terminal at 242-258 Wharf Road, and the whole thing is strictly over-18s, so you'll need photo ID to get on. They're encouraging a smart casual or rock glam dress code, which fits the two acts being celebrated.

Logistically, it's a daytime affair. Check-in opens at 11:30am, and the boat departs at 12:00pm sharp, so don't cut it too fine. It returns to the wharf at 4:00pm. Tickets run from A$35 to A$59, depending on where you're sitting.