Having recently played Glasgow’s OVO Hydro and Aberdeen’s AECC a few years back, Alice Cooper is no stranger to Scotland. The Nightmare returned to the capital this time. The Edinburgh Playhouse was sold out as soon as tickets went on sale. This demonstrates there’s still an audience out there for Alice Cooper.
The very first time I saw Alice Cooper live was in the same venue 39 years ago. To be fair, not much has changed, both the venue and the artist are almost timeless. Of course, the entire band have been swapped out, but the main character remains. For the most part, the same great hits we know and love and delivered with the same passion. He maybe an ageing rocker and even though he has died a thousand times on stage, he’s alive and well!
The support slot was Bobbie Dazzle. Fronted by the flamboyant Sian Greenway, the band pay homage to 1970s rock icons like The Sweet, T. Rex, Suzi Quatro, and Slade. The cat suit worn by Sian certainly reminded me of Quatro. The rest of the band had that same period aesthetic. Big catchy heavy rock riffs kept the audience entertained as the Birmingham based band ripped through their set. They made the most of their time on stage. It felt a little awkward being camped in the middle of Alice Cooper’s set looking like they were hemmed in. However, I could imagine they would suit a smaller sweaty venue.
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Looking through the crowd, there is no shortage of Black Sabbath T shirts on display. These are fitting tributes from the fans. They are feeling the loss of the iconic hell raising rocker Ozzy Osbourne. However, Alice Cooper would soon ease the pain with his immersive rock show. Through the years, the theatrics have been streamlined. They still captivate the crowd. The backbone of Alice Cooper is the hard-hitting hard rock. The band appeared from behind a full height curtain. It looked like a broadsheet newspaper with the headline “Banned in Scotland”. Alice Cooper sliced his way through it. The show opened with an inspired version of “Lock Me Up”. This was followed by “Welcome to the Show”. This was evidence that the band were here to rock out. The screeching solos were out in force early. Having three incredible guitarists on tap makes for an amazing spectacle as they continually pull shapes all night.
Alice Cooper has such an incredible back catalogue. The band can dip into the past at the drop of a hat. It would be a very large one in Alice Cooper’s case! “No More Mr. Nice Guy” and “18” satisfied the hard-core fans. However, those early classics were offset by the hair metal mainstays of “Hey Stoopid” and “Poison”. Glen Sobel had his obligatory drum solo. He demonstrated why Alice Cooper says he’s the greatest drummer on the planet. It’s hard to argue when he captivated the entire audience with his mastery of the kit. Not to be outdone, the rest of the band seized their opportunities. They all leaped onto the hero risers behind the monitors at various times. Chuck Garric, Ryan Roxie, Tommy Henriksen and Nita Strauss appear on the massive rear screens built into the set. These screens provide a constant visual mix of live footage of the band. They also show atmospheric scenes to complement the songs. For the uninitiated, it is a sight to behold. Even the seasoned campaigners would admit there’s plenty going on. They stay focused without the need to reach for their phones!
No show would be complete without the live theatrics. One comedic moment had an annoying photographer running round the stage with his flash gun popping constantly as he harassed all the band members before being run through with a microphone stand by Alice, he’s dragged off by a ghoul still snapping away. The signature guillotine sequence topped all the other dramatics with Coopers head being paraded by his wife Sheryl adorned in a costume fit for an elizabethan queen. “I Love the Dead” continued the drama. Yet, the nightmare is never over. It isn’t over until “Schools Out” with a slice of “Another Brick in the Wall.” It’s a well proven format but it’s the rock that underpins everything. There’s no traditional encore as the band finished with “Feed my Frankenstein.” The 12ft beast stomped around the stage bringing the visual spectacle to an end. There was an incredible moment. Alice paid tribute to Ozzy. This tribute gave the audience the platform to shout “Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy………” It was a rebel rousing end. Like any great show, always leave your audience wanting more. Hopefully, it won’t be too long before the nightmare returns!
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Alice Coopers tour continues throughout Europe and the USA. Buy Tickets HERE
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