Review & photos by Joe Schaeffer
Alice Cooper, the architect of shock-rock, returned to Anaheim for a spectacular show. And VintageRock.com was there for the next to the last show of the Freaks on Parade co-headlining tour with Rob Zombie.
Seeing Alice Cooper is so much more than just an awesome rock concert; it’s a fantastic theatrical show as well. Cooper still controls the stage like it was 1973. Backed by an incredible band, his voice and theatrics pushed the evening’s show to its full potential.
Having three phenomenal guitar players (Ryan Roxie, Nita Strauss and Tommy Henriksen) allowed for a multi-layered sound to recreate the original studio tracks flawlessly. He also has one of the best rhythm sections in rock with Chuck Garric (bass) and Glen Sobel (drums).
Opening the show was a short snippet of “Lock Me Up,” and then came a barrage of non-stop hits like “No More Mr. Nice Guy,” “Under My Wheels,” and “Feed My Frankenstein,” as well as many of his classics like “Billion Dollar Babies,” “Elected,” and “Hey Stoopid.” Unfortunately, we did not get to hear any of his new music from his most recent release, Road, which includes his current touring band mates.
As always, a highlight of most of Alice Cooper’s shows is “The Ballad Of Dwight Fry” in which he appears onstage in a strait jacket. He then was dragged to the guillotine, this time by wife Sheryl, who was dressed as a bloodied and eye-patched Marie Antoinette.
Closing with “Schools Out,” the crowd was yearning for more, having just witnessed a non-stop 65-minute master class of real rock and roll.
He’s such a consummate showman with a flair for theatrics that it makes it hard to be let down. I’ve convinced people who aren’t fans to go see him, and they walk away amazed and surprised at how great the show truly is.
