Monday, September 3, 2018

Alice Cooper Live in Edmonton August 23rd 2018


Well it has been well over a week now since Janis and I went to the sold out Alice Cooper show here in Edmonton at Jubilee Auditorium. This would be my seventh time seeing Alice in concert. This tour was dubbed a Paranormal Evening With, therefore no opening act, just Alice Cooper in all his glory. Paranormal is the album Alice released last year in which he is touring for.

Alice and his band opened with a song called "Brutal Planet", a song I wasn't that familiar with, it's the opening song and title song from his 2000 release. It was a rocking song and instantly had the sold out audience on their feet right from the start, there was no sitting down at this show. After that song it was right into the classics, which is what everyone was there for. "No More Mr. Nice Guy", "Under My Wheels", "Billion Dollar Babies" and "Be My Lover" were up next. What an awesome start to the show. Alice's back up band were excellent. Nita Strauss who has played in Cooper's band since 2014 was especially entertaining, she didn't stop running around the stage the whole show, she is an amazing guitar player and looked to be having a lot of fun. The rest of the band which included Chuck Garric on bass who has played in the band for the past 11 years, Ryan Roxie on guitar and has been since 1996, Tommy Henriksen also on guitar and been in the band since 2011 and rounding out the band is drummer Glen Sobel who has also been in the band since 2011. So this band was tight. And of course you have Alice Cooper in all his make-up glory who at the age of 70 still brings it to the stage every performance. His voice sounded great and still pulls out all the theatrics he has been come to known for. The guillotine and electric chair are being used for this tour, no noose hanging this time around.

After the four classics songs in a row it was time for some newer songs which sounded great at fit into the set list good, it did give me time to run up and grab a drink. One song he did do that really surprised me was the song "Serious" from his very underrated 1978 album From The Inside. Nita Strauss ripped out a decent guitar solo, but to be honest guitar solos, or any solos for that matter really just bore me. After her solo it was the song "Poison" next, this is a song I have always hated since it's release on Alice's 1989 album Trash. Well on this night I actually enjoyed this song with Alice belting it out and pointing his wand at members in the audience and singing it with some real attitude, and of course the crowd loves this song, and I now too don't mind it.

Alice brought out the electric chair in which he was put into during the song "Feed My Frankenstein" in which he turned into giant Frankenstein. Then it was two classic song from his album Welcome To My Nightmare, the songs "Cold Ethyl" and "Only Women Bleed", two songs in which Alice still can stir up controversy with. Alice was throwing around a rag doll and such. Then it was time "Ballad of Dwight Fry" in which Alice was put into a straight jacket, I love this song. Alice closed out his set with more classics like "Killer", "I Love The Dead" and "I'm Eighteen" and then for the encore "School's Out". A wickedly fun and entertaining show as usual from Alice Cooper and his band. Good times!!!

Alice Cooper at the Jubilee Auditorium.

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