Gig

Alice Cooper – Gig Review & Photo Gallery 8th February @ RAC Arena, Perth WA

Gareth Williams

Senior Writer/Ranga

/10

Feb 9, 2020

7 min read

Alice Cooper
RAC Arena, Perth WA
8^th February, 2020

Alice Cooper the godfather of shock rock. He’s done all the booze, all the drugs and upset everyone from the pope to yo mama. Of course, now he’s clean and sober, but the onstage persona is no less dangerous. Looking at his schedule he may be the hardest working man in show business. Constant touring, making new music and delighting the world over. Looking around a packed RAC Arena Perth certainly can’t get enough of Alice. Personally, I’ve lost count of the times I’ve seen the man with the girl's name live. And if I’ve learned one thing it’s no two tours are ever the same. It's a horror, theatre, vaudeville blast from a heavy metal elephant gun. This time around was no different.

When rock’s original leather clad villain explodes onto the stage, makeup smeared, microphone in one hand and cane in the other to opening number ‘Feed My Frankenstein’ it really was a case of hitting the ground running. There’s no easing into an Alice Cooper show, you just strap in and enjoy the ride.

Alice’s Nightmare Castle is the setting for tonight’s ride, it’s faux brick facade housing all manner for freaks, creeps and nasties. No Alice Cooper show is complete without his cavalcade of perpetrators and victims. With the tour called “Old Black Eyes Is Back” it was anyone’s guess who we were to encounter. A giant Frankenstein’s monster made an early appearance, but as the hits rolled on, both old and new we had to wait until the theme song from Friday the 13^th Part VI for the hockey masked killer to appear. To the tune of ‘He’s Back (The Man Behind The Mask)’ a machete across the throat saw the relentless stalker dispatch a pair of selfie obsessed teens … I wonder if that will end up on their TicToc. Although the Alice Cooper show has always been theatrical it’s evolved over the years. Nurse Rosetta and giant spiders of the 80’s have given way to the social media generation, but always with the same result, no one escapes, not even Alice.

Having just celebrated his 72^nd birthday Cooper stalked the stage delivering his musical nightmare with the energy of someone half his age. Digging deep into his seemingly endless catalog of hits we were treated with timeless classics the likes of ‘I Love The Dead’ and ‘Billion Dollar Babies’ along with the deeper cuts ‘Raped and Freezin’ and ‘My Stars’. One thing is certain, there was something for everyone. But it wasn’t just Alice and the monsters who shone on the night, the man’s insanely talented band all had their moments in the spotlight. By his own admission, Alice is only as good as the band around him, whether that’s long time collaborator Chuck Garrick on bass or the guitar force majeure of Nita Strauss, everyone plays their part in the insane musical tapestry.

All I can say is this is a hell of a show and regardless how many times you’ve seen Alice Cooper, old black eyes is back and you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.

Review by Gareth Williams

Set List

Feed My Frankenstein
No More Mr Nice Guy
Bed Of Nails
Raped And Freezin'
Fallen In Love and I Can’t Get Up
Under My Wheels
Muscle Of Love
He’s Back (the man behind the mask)
Eighteen
Billion Dollar Babies
Poison
Nita Strauss solo
Roses On White Lace
My Stars
Devils Food
Black Widow
Steven
Dead Babies
I Love The Dead
Escape
Teenage Frankenstein

Encore
Department Of Youth
Schools Out

Photo Gallery by the Matt Gedling. Facebook: V_N Photography Instagram: @raiiv_n
Please credit Wall of Sound and Mat Gedling if you use published photos

Alice Cooper