Alice
Cooper
October 21, 2009
Warfield Theater, San Francisco
By Dan
Wall
Set List:
School’s Out/Department of Youth, I’m Eighteen, Wicked Young
Man, Ballad of Dwight Fry, Go to Hell, Guilty, Welcome to My
Nightmare, Cold Ethyl, Poison, The Awakening, From the Inside,
Nurse Rozetta, Is It My Body, Be My Lover, Only Women Bleed, I
Never Cry, The Black Widow Jam, Vengeance is Mine, Devil’s Food,
Dirty Diamonds, Billion Dollar Babies, Killer, I Love the Dead,
No More Mr. Nice Guy, Under My Wheels. Encore: School’s Out. 1
hour, 35 minutes.
It’s a daunting task-just try
convincing rock fans that Alice Cooper isn’t some washed up,
tragic old schooler who is out touring just to make a buck.
Cooper’s new show celebrating his Theater of Death tour
proved that Alice is still at the top of his game, and he still
puts on one of the best shows in the business.
Cooper has solidified his
career with a new tour each year and a rotating cast of
musicians who know his every move. Guitarist Damon Johnson
(ex-Brother Cane) is back with Kerri Kelli (ex-Pretty Boy Floyd)
on guitar, while longtime bassist Chuck Garric (once with Dio)
mans the rhythm section with former Y & T/Megadeth drummer Jimmy
DeGrasso. It doesn’t seem to matter who’s in the band, however,
as Alice always employs and trains a finely-tuned unit that can
play Cooper classics from any era.
All of those songs were all on
display during this show, another greatest hits and bits tour
that showcases the biggies, some rarities and three new ways to
kill our hero. Alice was beheaded, hung, and impaled on spikes
during the set, and that was all before the encore.
As has been the case since
Alice returned to the stage for good 23 years ago, it was a
rousing success. A great setlist, a wonderful band and a show
that has become the template for theatrical rock, despite what
KISS, Motley Crue and the others say. Cooper was in fine voice
(and make-up), his band aced every single song, and the crowd,
sensing something special, really let go during the bigger pops
in the show.
The highlights were plentiful
however, including “Billion Dollar Babies,” still one of my
favorite rock songs of all time. “Department of Youth” is a
great way to start a show; the rousing finale of “Under My
Wheels” is a great way to finish. In between, there were a few
surprises, including “Guilty,” “Nurse Rozetta” and “From the
Inside,” along with two versions of “School’s Out” and a
wonderful “No More Mr. Nice Guy.” And you simply can’t go wrong
with tunes such as “Be My Lover,” “Is it My Body” and “Cold
Ethyl” to fill out a 95-minute set.
Despite the continuing
excellence coming from the Cooper camp (he still puts out very
good studio records), Alice is definitely a lot closer to
retiring than he was 10 years ago, and one day this will all be
a memory. Before he goes, however, wouldn’t it be nice to right
one of the greatest wrongs in the rock industry and celebrate
Cooper’s 40-year career in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? How
can the place even open the doors without one the industry’s
biggest legends standing on the outside? A good singer, a great
songwriter and the original shock rocker who has influenced half
the bands on the planet definitely deserves to be in on the next
ballot, alongside the original members of the Alice Cooper Band.
