Whether you call it hard rock, heavy metal, cock rock, hair metal, melodic rock, pop-metal, AOR, glam or sleaze, this is the place to find out what became of your favorite 80's rock bands.
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Whether you call it hard rock, heavy metal, cock rock, hair metal, melodic rock, pop-metal, AOR, glam or sleaze, this is the place to find out what became of your favorite 80's rock bands. |
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ALICE COOPER: COOPER'S SHOWMANSHIP SHINES THROUGH: Brandon Sun, May 17, 2006 By Joanne F. Villeneuve 
Rock fans that were not at last night's Alice Cooper concert at the Keystone Centre missed a phenomenal performance. Despite his 58 years, Alice did not disappoint. Far from it. From his dramatic entry on stage onward, he held the audience in the palm of his hand. The show was non-stop energy, theatrics and plenty of high quality musicianship. This was not merely the playing of a list of hits. True to form, Alice and his band -- four pretty boys who played the Dickens out of their instruments -- performed an opera-like series of macabre scenes, inspired by the songs they were playing. With smoke underlining the ghoulish mood, the king of shock rock entered the stage to a lugubrious melody played on the organ, while the screams of a woman filled the air. His costumes -- a black tuxedo with various accessories, a ruffled red shirt with black leather pants and a blood-smeared white tuxedo -- added to his dramatic delivery. From the very first song, it was hit after hit, including No More Mister Nice Guy, Dirty Diamonds, Billion Dollar Babies, Lost in America, I Never Cry, Welcome To My Nightmare and of course, School's Out. During Go To Hell, a woman dressed like a dominatrix, complete with thigh-high boots, a mask and whips, appeared on stage, while during I'm Eighteen, Alice poked fun at himself by leaning on a crutch, then shaking it in the air in defiance. A blonde modern dancer, made up to appear slashed at the face, neck and upper body, joined the band for Only Women Bleed, which concluded with a stint for Alice in the straightjacket, followed by the famous guillotine trick. Some of the other props that were used to illustrate the songs included mannequin body parts reassembled in an upright coffin -- the head used looking very much like Alice Cooper's, decapitated from his body in the guillotine. A sword, assorted daggers, a straight-jacket and a snake -- a live, pale yellow, six-foot long snake -- also played supporting roles in the show. Alice's rapport with the audience was more than simply in his gestures, his looks. He threw plenty of souvenirs into the crowd, including his cane, strings of rhinestones, and giant beach balls filled with confetti, which he took much pleasure in bursting with his sword. The multi-generational crowd -- there were as many new teen followers as original, middle-aged fans -- drank in everything the band dished out, There was even a little blood spattered out in the audience during a grisly dance with the decapitated head and nobody seemed to mind. The warm-up act was Toronto-based Crash Kelly, supplying arena-style rock 'n' roll, with plenty of long undulating hair flying as heavy bass grooves and plenty of guitar calisthenics were offered to the beat of the shirtless drummer. The only negative aspect of the evening was the dismal turn-out -- the arena was less than half full -- something which may very well colour how promoters see Brandon for future shows. Buy Alice Cooper CDs: |
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