On Tuesday 22nd July around 6pm, a queue formed of thousands of Battle Jacket and Leopard Print clad people to beckon the shock rock Grandaddy Alice Cooper back to Wales.
Once we were filtered in and seated with a pint in hand a buzz of chatter and laughter filled the Utilita as we awaited the show. At that moment I thought it was strange that everyone was seated as I'm used to seeing people barrier hugging or forming mosh pits. If it wasn't for the all the animal print and Alice Cooper T – Shirts I'd have thought, I was at the West End. With hindsight, I should’ve expected it since it’s well known that an Alice Cooper concert isn't just a concert - It’s a show.
Around 7pm, Bobbie Dazzle (9) gave us a great kickstart with Flowers On Mars. These guys were high energy from start to finish and are superb instrumentalists. The audience were a bit quiet which was a shame but that didn’t deter Bobbie Dazzle who is not only a great vocalist, she whipped out a flute and solo’d for Merry Go Round and as if I wasn’t already impressed enough, Chris Dando’s followed suit with a keytar solo for Back To The City. It's been a long time since I've heard someone play a keytar. Just before she ended their set, Bobbie Dazzle announced and incidentally I found out that Ozzy Osbourne, the Prince Of Darkness himself had sadly passed away. She dedicated their set to him and closed with Lightning Fantasy which was a danceable yet moving song that was partly written by her late father.
We were plunged into darkness, and it was then everyone stood up and surged to the front barrier. As the clock ticked by and I was questioning whether I wanted to go to the bar, a slurry of sound and bass assaulted my ear. He’s here.
A spotlight shone down on a huge wanted poster mid stage and the band makes their entrance without a certain someone. A recording of a judge condemns Alice Cooper (10) for deeds against humanity, to which he replies; guilty. The music swells and the poster parts like curtains to reveal Alice Cooper in his black coat and top hat and begins with Lock Me Up and Welcome To The Show.
The atmosphere changed immediately, not a soul was still and that includes the band. The put on a remarkable performance and I was blown away. They played their classics like No More Mister Nice Guy and I’m Eighteen as well as some from his later albums. I could tell a tremendous amount of effort went into this show from the elaborate set design and costume changes. He wore his iconic red coat before coming out with a jacket branded with the US flag for Lost In America.
Then partway through the set Neal Smith took centre stage and performed the best drum solo I've ever seen, his pace kept increasing until it boarded on a drum roll which commenced Alice Cooper to slowly descend the set courtroom for Welcome To My Nightmare.
The night featured a myriad of acts; Sheryl Cooper emerges for Go To Hell brandishing a whip and performs multiple overhead cracks and the snake killer (the crack of the whip sounds like the hiss of a snake) until he takes the whip and strangles her with it. During Cold Ethyl, Alice Cooper dances with a mannequin before violently tossing it around. For He’s Back, a crazed fan ran out on stage only to be chased down and stabbed by Jason Voorhees from Friday The 13th. Later, a very rude photographer made his way on stage and got in everybody’s way, so Alice Cooper impaled him with a mic stand. There wasn’t a quiet moment, I felt like I didn't have enough eyes, and it was hard to keep up.
However, the best part of the show was the Ballad Of Dwight Fry which is a personal favourite of mine. After a short instrumental Alice Cooper came back out on stage wearing a strait jacket and gave a truly spectacular performance before Sheryl Cooper came back out, this time dressed as Marie Antionette to then have him dragged and beheaded on stage with a guillotine and spent the rest of the show waving his amputated head around.
To close, they played Schools Out interpolated with Another Brick In The Wall by Pink Floyd which was a fun rendition and Feed My Frankenstein featuring goodbyes from the band and an appearance of a 12ft tall Franken – Cooper. But before they took their leave, Alice Cooper gave a few words about Ozzy Osbourne and his influence he had on the rock industry as well as on everyone sat in that room. He dedicated that set to him and had every chant for Ozzy as well as give an applause.
The night was special; it was a pleasure to be there, and I felt really privileged in a way to find out about the passing of the world's biggest rock legend in the presence of another, it was a once in a lifetime experience.
Around 7pm, Bobbie Dazzle (9) gave us a great kickstart with Flowers On Mars. These guys were high energy from start to finish and are superb instrumentalists. The audience were a bit quiet which was a shame but that didn’t deter Bobbie Dazzle who is not only a great vocalist, she whipped out a flute and solo’d for Merry Go Round and as if I wasn’t already impressed enough, Chris Dando’s followed suit with a keytar solo for Back To The City. It's been a long time since I've heard someone play a keytar. Just before she ended their set, Bobbie Dazzle announced and incidentally I found out that Ozzy Osbourne, the Prince Of Darkness himself had sadly passed away. She dedicated their set to him and closed with Lightning Fantasy which was a danceable yet moving song that was partly written by her late father.
We were plunged into darkness, and it was then everyone stood up and surged to the front barrier. As the clock ticked by and I was questioning whether I wanted to go to the bar, a slurry of sound and bass assaulted my ear. He’s here.
A spotlight shone down on a huge wanted poster mid stage and the band makes their entrance without a certain someone. A recording of a judge condemns Alice Cooper (10) for deeds against humanity, to which he replies; guilty. The music swells and the poster parts like curtains to reveal Alice Cooper in his black coat and top hat and begins with Lock Me Up and Welcome To The Show.
The atmosphere changed immediately, not a soul was still and that includes the band. The put on a remarkable performance and I was blown away. They played their classics like No More Mister Nice Guy and I’m Eighteen as well as some from his later albums. I could tell a tremendous amount of effort went into this show from the elaborate set design and costume changes. He wore his iconic red coat before coming out with a jacket branded with the US flag for Lost In America.
Then partway through the set Neal Smith took centre stage and performed the best drum solo I've ever seen, his pace kept increasing until it boarded on a drum roll which commenced Alice Cooper to slowly descend the set courtroom for Welcome To My Nightmare.
The night featured a myriad of acts; Sheryl Cooper emerges for Go To Hell brandishing a whip and performs multiple overhead cracks and the snake killer (the crack of the whip sounds like the hiss of a snake) until he takes the whip and strangles her with it. During Cold Ethyl, Alice Cooper dances with a mannequin before violently tossing it around. For He’s Back, a crazed fan ran out on stage only to be chased down and stabbed by Jason Voorhees from Friday The 13th. Later, a very rude photographer made his way on stage and got in everybody’s way, so Alice Cooper impaled him with a mic stand. There wasn’t a quiet moment, I felt like I didn't have enough eyes, and it was hard to keep up.
However, the best part of the show was the Ballad Of Dwight Fry which is a personal favourite of mine. After a short instrumental Alice Cooper came back out on stage wearing a strait jacket and gave a truly spectacular performance before Sheryl Cooper came back out, this time dressed as Marie Antionette to then have him dragged and beheaded on stage with a guillotine and spent the rest of the show waving his amputated head around.
To close, they played Schools Out interpolated with Another Brick In The Wall by Pink Floyd which was a fun rendition and Feed My Frankenstein featuring goodbyes from the band and an appearance of a 12ft tall Franken – Cooper. But before they took their leave, Alice Cooper gave a few words about Ozzy Osbourne and his influence he had on the rock industry as well as on everyone sat in that room. He dedicated that set to him and had every chant for Ozzy as well as give an applause.
The night was special; it was a pleasure to be there, and I felt really privileged in a way to find out about the passing of the world's biggest rock legend in the presence of another, it was a once in a lifetime experience.
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