By james art 
Review and photography by Manny Manson for MPM
Alice Cooper at the Utilita Arena, Birmingham, just thinking about it makes me smile as I make my way down the dreaded M6 to Brum.
I get to the place and it’s busy. The mix of ages, from the veterans who have followed Cooper since the 1970s to the younger generation soaking up his shock rock legacy, it was clear they had been here for a while for what was sure to be an unforgettable night. And with a seemingly eclectic line-up that promised everything from youthful punk grit to heritage British rock swagger and finished off with Cooper’s warped theatrics, it was clear we were all in for a treat.
The beginning of things was “THE MEFS”an Essex-based punk duo who burst onto the scene as if they had something to prove. Lily, vocals and guitar, and Louis, drums, filled the arena with a raw, unrelenting energy that gripped the crowd.
Their opener, “Stamp It Out,” was a growling punk anthem that made everyone sit up and take notice. Lily’s husky vocals and chaotic stage presence were electric, she stomped across the stage, stuck out her tongue, pulled faces at the microphone and at one point even asked the audience to boo them, a request met with amused cheers.
The Meffs blasted through their set at breakneck speed, their stripped down drum and guitar setup proving more than enough to fuel their ferocious sound.
Songs like ‘BBBB’, ‘Stand Up’ and ‘Breath’ were incredibly fast and raspy as Lewis pounded the drums with such intensity that it was hard to believe there were only two of them.
By the time they closed with “What,” they had left a real impression, with the crowd already fully warmed up and ready for what came next.
Enter “PRIMAL SCREAM”. These guys have been around for over four decades, evolving from their early indie roots into a band that has dabbled in everything from acid house to hard rock, and amassed a legion of fans along the way. When Bobby Gillespie and the band took the stage, the crowd cheered, ready for a dose of Screamadelica nostalgia and rock ‘n’ roll jamming.
They opened with “Love Insurrection,” though not without a little hiccup, a false start in the wrong key, but Gillespie laughed and they started again without missing a beat. From then on it was a seamless run through their hits, with ‘Jailbird’ and ‘Ready to Go Home’ carrying that signature Scream energy.
The band was bathed in superb lighting that matched the psychedelic undertones of songs like ‘Deep Dark Waters’ and ‘I’m Losing More’. “Gillespie walked around the stage all cool and charming while guitarist Andrew Innes played like a man possessed.
But the crowd favorites brought the house down. As soon as “Loaded” and “Moving on Up” started, the whole arena was on its feet, singing along, dancing and getting lost in the moment. Primal Scream still has that magic; decades later, they can turn any concert into a euphoric experience.
Their set ended with ‘Country Girl’ and ‘Rocks’ and by the time the final chords were played the crowd was well and truly warmed up. It was a masterclass in how to keep the crowd on the edge of their seats while hitting every emotional note.
After a quick change, the lights went out again and the atmosphere changed. The anticipation was next level; this was the moment we were all waiting for. Alice Cooperthe godfather of shock rock, was about to take the stage.
The opening music began and two figures wearing plague doctor masks walked slowly across the stage waving incense as the eerie aroma filled the air. The curtain fell to reveal another giant curtain hanging before us, a newspaper-style front page from the ‘English Gazette’. emblazoned with the words “COOPER IS FORBIDDEN”
Then, with a dramatic twist, Cooper’s silhouette is backlit against the giant newspaper. He appeared. He tore up the backdrop with outstretched arms and the crowd raised the roof as a huge cheer rang out. The band had opened with “Lock Me Up” from “Raise Your Fist and Yell” (1987), he showed the crowd exactly what they wanted, this wasn’t going to be just any concert; it was going to be a full-on rock ‘n’ roll show.
The crowd was on its feet from the start, clapping, singing along and feeding off the electric energy emanating from the stage. Cooper followed with “Welcome to the Show,” a newer song from “Detroit Stories” (2021), then dived right into the classic. “No More Mr. Nice Guy” and “I’m Eighteen” were met with thunderous applause, and the crowd belted out the lyrics as if they had been waiting all night for this moment. Cooper, now brandishing a crutch during “Under My Wheels,” strutted the stage like the rock villain we all know and love.
Each song came with its share of theatrics, from the monster-masked roadies to Cooper’s ever-changing arsenal of props. The real theatrics began. The hits kept coming; “Bed of Nails” from 1989’s “Trash,” followed by the title track of “Billion Dollar Babies,” in which Alice brandishes her iconic sword and throws fake dollar bills into the crowd.
Then came “Snakebite,” where, in true Alice Cooper style, he draped a live python around his neck and strutted around the stage like it was the most natural thing in the world. You could practically hear the gasps from those in the crowd who weren’t expecting it as they watched this surreal rock horror show unfold, it was classic Cooper on fire.
The crowd roared in approval as the snake slithered around him and Cooper continued to sing the lyrics like he was possessed. “Be My Lover,” another cut from “Love It to Death,” helping to keep the energy high as “Lost in America” hit, Cooper cheekily replaced “America” with “Birmingham” during the chorus, sending the crowd into a frenzy. exclaimed.
During The Man Behind the Mask, a crew member dressed as a photographer wandered around the stage taking pictures, only to be dragged out by a passenger holding a knife to his throat, further enhancing the theatrics of the horror. This was further enhanced when another photographer ran onto the stage during ‘Hey Stoopid’. Alice took care of it, running with the mic stand as the stage cleared to allow Glenn Sobel to have fun with a thunderous drum solo.
Alice had disrobed at the tapping of the beat with his cane. Smoke pours down the steps as the band launch into “Welcome to my Night Mare”, along with rain shown on the background screen, the band belting out solo after solo as Cooper parades his way through this brief interlude.
And then came another highlight of the night, “Cold Ethyl”. Cooper threw a stuffed doll down the stairs onto the stage and proceeded to manipulate it while singing about necrophilia in true Cooper fashion. It was dark and twisted, but you couldn’t look away. That’s the beauty of The Alice Cooper Show; it walks the fine line between horror and rock with a masterful touch.
Then came “Go to Hell,” where Cooper rattled off a set of four orange maracas, building the tension, before engaging in a mock whip fight with a character from Marie Antoinette, cracking the whip to end the song.
The classic ‘Poison’ was a huge highlight, with the crowd singing every word of his 1989 hit, brilliantly lit, the band performed this one like they’d just stepped out of the lab. “Feed My Frankenstein” brought one of the biggest spectacles of the night, a towering Frankenstein monster roaming the stage as guitarist Nita Strauss plowed her way through the solo, complete with screaming horse-style effects from her guitar. The band was absolutely on fire, with each member delivering the musical excellence you’d expect from the crew of a rock legend on tour.
Cooper introduced Black Widow with Vincent Price’s haunting voice booming from the screen behind him, a perfect nod to their longtime collaboration. Once again, Strauss delivered another brilliant solo before the band moved seamlessly into “Dwight Fry. “In which Cooper appeared in a straitjacket, stumbling around the stage as if truly lost in his deranged character. Ghoulish cattle rammed him as he kneeled on the step before fighting the Marie Antoinette character, which eventually led him to the guillotine.
The crowd roared as Cooper’s head was dramatically “cut off” and Antoinette walked her around the stage as the band played furiously.
But of course Alice wasn’t done yet. As the band launched into “I Love the Dead,” Cooper’s voice boomed through the speakers, his character seemingly speaking from beyond the grave. And then, as if by magic, he reappeared for The Chosen, wearing a white top hat and tails, playing the role of the ultimate showman-politician. Two American flags hung from the stairs as he spoke to the assembled crowd, adding to the spectacle of the performance. It was another classic from “Billion Dollar Babies” and the perfect start to the encore.
An encore was inevitable; Cooper yelled “1 more”? And then the unmistakable alarm bells of “School’s Out” began, with the entire arena erupting. Giant balloons bounced around the crowd and foam rose from the stage as Alice and the band tore this classic to new, he popped balloons with his sword like a mischievous usher. The band seamlessly weaves in part of Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall,” another school anthem, before returning to finish “School’s Out” with the fanfare that only Alice Cooper could deliver.
Before the night was over, Cooper introduced his all-star band – Ryan Roxie on lead guitar, Glenn Sobel on drums, Chuck Garrick on bass, Tommy Henriksen on lead guitar, another Hollywood vampire and finally, introduced as the Queen of Guitar, Hurricane Nita Strauss also on screaming lead guitar, along with a special mention to his wife Cheryl Cooper, who played multiple roles throughout the evening. With one last cheeky grin, Alice removed her top hat and in a classic Cooper moment replied, “And Alice Cooper, played by…” The rapturous cheers and cheers began and he milked them before shouting “ME!”.
From start to finish, this was Alice Cooper at his best, theatrical and timeless rock ‘n’ roll. Even after all these years, he’s still the king of shock rock, and nights like this prove why his reign will never end. It may have looked like a shortened version of his show, but Alice Cooper’s performance was simply a masterclass in theatrical rock.
From the opening notes of “Lock Me Up” to the final echo of “School’s Out,” it was vintage Cooper. Even after all these years, he still commands the stage like few others can. The band was tight, the theatrics were on point, and the audience? They left with popping ears and full hearts. Damn, that was classic Cooper, as good as when I saw him on the Special Forces tour in 1982. Long live the King of Shock Rock.