It’s hard not to end up gushing when talking about Alice Cooper, with a fully prepared and considered live show; he really brings theatrics fully into the realm of Rock and Heavy Metal. This show was the final show for the current tour he is on, though you will only have to wait 2 months before you get to hear and see his phenomenal live show as he will be back in October. Getting back to today, No introductions were needed for Alice, kicking straight into his set with Black Widow, and breaking out his spider suit for his first of many costumes of tonight. Almost instantly the crowd were cheering, clapping, headbanging and singing along. Whether you knew the songs before they started, everyone in the audience knew the choruses by the end!
The rest of the band were not going to let Alice take all the limelight, between 3 guitarists, 1 bassist and 1 drummer as well the limelight had plenty of people to shine on and that it did. With plenty of solos across all band members, as well as every one of them helping to rev up the crowd, play flawlessly and also to ooze style and confidence. This maybe a front man named band, but every member puts in as much effort to the performance and the music on that stage! Other songs played include I’m Eighteen, Hey Stoopid and No More Mr. Nice Guy. For the latter the crowd were almost as loud as the band themselves during the chorus, every single person was singing along to it.
Alice also brought his Boa to BOA (hey geddit?), which duly obliged to be wrapped around his neck during part of the set. This was only the start of his set antics, ranging from conducting the guitarists in turn to when to play, through to lots of costume changes to suit different songs. To the song Feed My Frankenstein and huge moving Frankenstein came on stage to harass the members of the band, though the top part of stage antics was at the end of Wicked Young Man where his Nazi persona in the song was beheaded for his wicked deeds! This led into him getting the crowd to chant “I Love The Dead” before developing into School’s Out coming out dressed in a leather top hat and spiked jacket with an enormous cane to boot! Other crowd favourites like I’ll Eat Your Face Off and Poison made their appearance during the set, which led to the loudest amount of singing yet!
Today’s set finished off with I Wanna Be Elected, with Alice bringing out a Union Jack teamed with a White Suit. Lyrics updated to fit in with the UK made for an excellently fitting ending. Firing out of canons white paper (probably the ballots of for everyone in attendance to vote him in!) just added yet more latyers to the already excellent Atmosphere.
As a way to end a festival, Alice Cooper is probably one of your best choices. A man who has managed to create a flawless live show, with everything perfectly planned and thought out, musicians who can all play better than almost any other band on the bill this weekend, perfectly executed aesthetics and everything else you could look for in a performance was there. This was the best to end Bloodstock by far, roll on 2013!