Spill The Beanz: December 2011

ALICE COOPER IN CONCERT!
"No More MR. Nice Guy" Tour
Hard Rock Live Orlando - December 14th, 2011

Artwork by Java John
Photos by Dylan & Java John Goldacker

My fifth time seeing the "Godfather of Shock-Rock" in concert in 36 years, was no less exciting than the very first ("Welcome to my Nightmare") or any of the others, as a matter of fact, it quite possibly could have been the best of them all!

Something that made the night very special was the fact that I had my son, Dylan with me. At 14 he's only slightly younger than I was the first time I saw Alice (at the Hollywood [FL] Sportatorium, April 18th 1975, with Suzi Quatro opening) . For most of the show Dylan was on his feet singing, rocking, and taking pictures...makes a father proud!

One of the many highlights of the evening was the opening act, a rocking London based five piece band called LIVAN. Great songs, a lot of power, and the lead vocalist, the band's namesake, has an exciting stage presence reminiscent of Freddy Mercury, or even Alice himself. I'm looking forward to an interview with LIVAN after the first of the year.

Alice's band is tighter than ever, especially with the addition of the beautiful, and amazing ORIANTHI on lead guitar! Wow what a talent. Ori is best known for her hit single "According To You", and her work with Michael Jackson for the "This Is It" tour that was never to be (see the DVD for "This Is It").

Orianthi was performing right in front of my son and I (we happened to be in the front row!), and we even gave her an Alice 'troll' doll that I made and he kicked around on stage a short time earlier. She spent the first part of the evening with a scowl and fake blood on her face (no doubt trying to live up to the "Nightmare" mystique!). Eventually she loosened up, slyly sharing her gorgeous smile...and plenty of guitar picks!

The show opened up with VINCENT PRICE'S voice...speaking an intro to "The Black Widow". Followed up by "Brutal Planet", "I'm Eighteen", and "Under My Wheels". Next came everybody's favorite "Billion Dollar Babies", during which Alice flings "Cooper Cash" off his sword into the audience...Dylan and I both managed to get our hands on a few!

Halfway through the show Alice played "I'll Bite Your Face Off", the only track he was to play off his new album "Welcome 2 My nightmare". I really like the CD, though it does not remind me enough of the fist "Nightmare" album. But, I did think a better choice would have been for him to play "What Baby Wants" off the new disc. An awesome song with which he shares vocal duties with Ke$ha on...maybe Orianthi could have sang it on stage.

Several songs that surprised me in the set list was the ancient "Halo of Flies", his 'new wave' hit "Clones (we're all)", and "Feed My Frankenstein"...which featured a very kool giant 'frankensteined' version of Alice(?)!

After a Full Set that also included "Cold Ethyl", "Muscle of Love", and "Poison", Alice came back with the double-punch encores of "School's Out", (and another fave of mine) "Elected". The former added the chorus from Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall Pt.2", and the latter with Alice (the all-American boy) clad in red white and blue, waving a huge flag. I'd vote for him. Again!

The Setlist:
(Vincent Price Intro) Black Widow
Brutal Planet
I'm Eighteen
Under My Wheels
Billion Dollar Babies
No More Mr Nice Guy
Hey Stoopid
Is It My Body
Halo Of Flies
I'll Bite Your Face Off
Muscle Of Love
Only Women Bleed
Cold Ethyl
Feed My Frankenstein
Clones (We're All)
Poison
Wicked Young Man / Killer - I Love The Dead (excerpt)
School's Out (incorporating 'Another Brick In The Wall pt 2')
Elected