REVIEW: Alice Cooper, SECC

REVIEW: Alice Cooper, SECC

IT MAY have been a week since Halloween but there were plenty of ghoulish goings-on at the SECC last night, as a Monsters of Rock tour rumbled into Glasgow.

Alice Cooper topped the bill with his trademark macabre stage show and wowed the capacity crowd after sets by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and veteran heavy metal band Motorhead.

Cooper, 59, showed he can still shock audiences - capping off his performance by faking his own execution!

It only added to the atmosphere as Cooper - with a throaty, sinister voice - belted out classics such as Under My Wheels and Billion Dollar Babies as he prowled the SECC stage.

The mock execution came near the end of his set, with the veteran showman first murdering' a woman, then being placed in a straitjacket and hanged from the gallows.

The crowd lapped up Cooper's theatrics.

He returned for a stirring rendition of his classic hit School's Out, which featured the shock rocker wearing a top hat while large balloons were thrown in the audience.

Cooper ended his show with a spectacular version of Elected - several fans were brought on stage holding placards demanding Cooper for President'.

Earlier, Joan Jett warmed up the crowd, leading the first sing-a-long of the night with a stomping version of her hit I Love Rock N Roll.

And Motorhead delivered a typically ferocious set of bone-crunching rock, blasting out classics like Ace Of Spades and Overkill.

However, there was no doubt it was Cooper's dramatics that stole the show.

JONATHAN GEDDES

What a pro!

EVENING TIMES photographer Lenny Warren hailed Alice Cooper as an "old pro".

Our photographer who caught Alice shopping in Glasgow city centre, as reported in last night's Evening Times was full of praise for the access he allowed and his ease with the public.

He said: "It was great to photograph a real professional like Alice. Unlike some of today's pretentious pop and rock performers, Alice was different class."

PICTURES: LENNY WARREN