Show Review: Alice Cooper at The Palace Theatre in Albany 09/16/2022 -By Peggy of Troy

Friday night at the Palace Theatre , I was in attendance of an amazing performance of the legendary Alice Cooper, the 74 year old King Of Shock Rock is the originator of histrionic stage performance that is cult like and has inspired millions of fans with his sing along anthems of simple yet brilliant lyrics . Many bands have been influenced by his use of makeup, his wardrobe (which he changes several times throughout his shows,) his stage is decorated with often macabre backgrounds that also are revised during the sets. He has several characters come out during the songs such as a masked knifed killer, a giant horrific baby, a 20 feet tall Frankenstein, several sexy women are also in the production which is so well timed and perfect with the words of his timeless and still relevant songs that resonate with us all especially yours truly who grew up on this music.

The setlist was definitely that of a Rock N Roll hall of fame. No More Mr. Nice Guy was sung to a singing back audience that was 99% standing, Bed Of Nails, Hey Hey Stupid led into Billion Dollar Babies from the #1 self titled Album in 1973. This started the show with the giant psychotic diapered baby stomping across the stage that had us all humorously horrified. He’s Back had the masked  knife wielding Michael Myersish guy stalking his young female victim. Fallen In Love, House Of Fire and Go To Hell are some nice dark love songs. I’m 18 has every young man questioning themselves, so brilliantly poetic. Under My Wheels then Teenage Frankenstein with a costume change for Alice, out of his straight jacket. Another giant Frankenstein joins the boys for some fun . I Love The Dead after the 80s classic Poison with the signature great intro, I Love The Dead is the climax, the guillotine decapitation of his gruesome head being swung around by a sexy lady in this psychodramatic display. Aliens, monsters, demons, sexily clad girls with whips, a visual cornucopia to great garage rock chords. Kane Roberts recently rejoined the tight band alongside Ryan Roxie and Tommy Hendricks and a world class percussionist in Glen Sobel.

The night closed out with the bells ringing and the unmistakable riff of rebellion shredding our eardrums, I looked around the Palace and not one person was not screaming out, I was back in 2nd grade in 1972 when first heard this rock gospel. The prolonged version used Pink Floyd’s Another Brick In The Wall as part of the song. We Don’t Need No Education with Alice teaching all of us. Huge balloons came down at the end with Mr. Shock Rock popping them and glittering dandruff on the audience. An audience young and old and quite diverse for this icon, many dressed accordingly in a punk/goth dark manner with appropriate make up including yours truly,  such fun.!