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To say an Alice Cooper show has energy is an understatement.
With MC50 and The Stranglers opening the show, it was clearly going to be a night that would leave everyone’s ears ringing for the next week, exactly what we want from Alice Cooper.
Opening with Years Ago and going immediately into Feed My Frankenstein was an instant crowd pleaser, from there on out, hit after hit rolled out. The energy in the room and excitement of the audience increased ten fold the second Alice in all his top hatted, made up glory entered the stage.
With the stage set resembling a medieval castle, it was sure to be a show and as the terrifying creatures appeared, it only became more fun.
A ten foot tall creature in chains and twisted doll like things leading Alice through the castle doors in a straight jacket, then eventually to the guillotine, a giant inflatable baby in Alice’s make up and even a bride having her throat slit atop the castle were among the best bits.
The energy of Alice and the entire band, especially guitarist Nita Strauss, didn’t wane once. Nita was twirling around the stage while still hitting every note and nailing several incredible solos.
Nita also brought back the tradition of #FindingNita, in which she hides signed items somewhere in the venue, leaving clues on Instagram, a great way to keep fans excited and entertained before the gig.
Glen Sobel, Alice’s current drummer also treated us to a fabulous if not a little gratuitous drum solo and the other guitarists were also given their moment.
Though I didn’t think any but Nita were overly memorable, they were a great line up to support Alice and all had a lot of chemistry with each other.
The set included all the fan favourites you’d expect apart from Hey Stoopid, which surprised me.
Poison, I’m Eighteen, Teenage Frankenstein, Bed of Nails and more were all performed with a ferocity and lightness that turned Alice Cooper into the ring leader of the circus we had all unknowingly become a part of for a couple of hours and demanded rapt attention lest you miss what he did next.
Finishing on a high note with a Schools Out for Summer/Another Brick in the Wall mashup was the perfect end to the night, with balloons falling from the ceiling and balls being thrown from the stage, Alice fully playing the part of the ring master as he took a bow with his cane and finally giving the names of the members in his band. The cheering lasted long after Alice and co left the stage.
Alice Cooper puts on a show like no other, full of the most creepy, hectic fun imaginable and it’s not one to be missed.
In a crowd consisting of the elderly, children and everything in between, many of which wearing a lot of eyeliner regardless of age or gender, it’s impossible to not feel that Alice has created a place for all his fans to come together no matter who they are to dance together, sing together, and not laugh as each other’s eyeliner slowly migrated further and further down our faces.