Alice Cooper - First Direct Arena, Leeds 18.10.2024
As the masked bell ringers announce the beginning of the show they part the curtains to reveal a huge tabloid front page with the headline Banned In The Uk which nods to the time Mary Whitehouse tried to get the government to ban our hero but only succeeded in gaining him more sales resulting in a gift of flowers to Mary!
The band hit the stage and launch into 'Lock Me Up' and then there it is, a silhouette on that front page our Master Of Ceremonies, the Ringmaster of this Rock N Roll circus, the page parts in two and out he steps ALICE COOPER!!!
Looking awesome in top hat and tails the legend himself takes centre stage ready for the spectacle that will follow! It’s a curtailed version of the 'Raise Your Fist And Yell' track leading straight into the very apt 'Welcome To The Show' tonight’s only track from the latest album 'Road' as if he is saying “yes I know I have a new record but I also know why you are all here“ and boy does he know! The rest of the show is spread throughout Alice’s illustrious career with hit after hit keeping fans of all ages and eras happy.
Every song is like a show closer and set piece. We get the super fan being taken out by Michael Myers during 'Man Behind the Mask', the monster terrorising Nita and Ryan through 'Feed My Frankenstein', snakes, paparazzi getting their come uppance and more.
HOWEVER the songs stand as greats without the theatrics, always have, always will. The fans know it BUT Alice always gives a paying audience a night to remember!
For me personally the early numbers like 'Be My Lover', 'No More Mr Nice Guy' and the classic 'Under My Wheels' are showstoppers for the songs alone.
The band are more than just backing musicians each one of them is as much a focal point (almost haha) as the main man himself and at times it’s hard to keep tabs on them all as they run and spin back and forth across the huge arena stage!
The triple guitar attack of Nita Strauss, Ryan Roxie and Tommy Henriksen are perfect foils for the cane and sabre wielding Alice as he drags each of them to his side to be as much upfront as he is.
Chuck Garric and Glen Sobel provide the powerhouse rhythm section and like the rest of the band are as visual with Chuck prowling the stage and Glen an absolute machine behind the kit twirling and throwing sticks throughout.
This does however at times make it hard to know who to watch as they are all stars in their own right! Striking guitar hero stances at the drop of a hat, knife, you drop it they’ll strike.
The big hitters of 'Hey Stoopid' and 'Poison' have the crowd fired up singing every word like the night depended on it.
For the older fans like myself we can wallow in 'Eighteen' and 'Go To Hell' and more, no one can say the set didn’t cover all bases.
Vincent Price turns up on the giant screens telling the tale of the Black Widow paving the way for a shredding guitar solo spot into the 'Black Widow Jam'/'Dwight Fry'/'Killer'/ 'I Love The Dead' medley leading up to Alice’s beheading at the guillotine!
This is what people want from an Alice show, shock rock at its best and let’s face it so many bands throughout the decades would not exist had Mr Furnier not donned the mascara and changed his name and shook the music scene by the scruff of the neck!
Even by todays standards some of the subject matter is considered controversial and uncomfortable ('Cold Ethyl' for example)
The set closes with Alice atop a staircase his head safely back on and the classic 'Elected' which at the minute is very topical and to be fair I reckon Alice could run a pretty good campaign.
Of course the encore sees the bubble machine fired up the white top hat and tails and that teenage rebellion anthem that Mrs Whitehouse tried to ban and the roof is raised as the Leeds throng bellow “Schools Out For Summer Schools Out Forever".
It was an interesting walk back through the Leeds city streets that Friday night, thousands of sweaty rock fans many with the blackened eyes synonymous with the legend all on a high from what they’d just seen.
Alice still looks totally at home on that stage and fitter than he’s looked in ages, here’s hoping that unlike a lot of our elder statesmen in rock 'n roll he’s not retiring from live shows just yet!
Photos & Review - G's Gig Shots
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