Alice Cooper

Alice Cooper has been an institution in rock music for decades. He was shocking parents and spawning both urban legends and controversy before Marilyn Manson, Ozzy Osbourne or even KISS. His look has morphed from transvestite to horror movie host over the years, and with the look both the stage show and the music began to lean more into the horror aspects. Now he is considered the father of shock rock, and I have to say he still puts on a great show. I have seen him 4 times, and will be seeing him for the 5th this fall. The following pics were from a show he did with Rob Zombie about a decade ago. Nita Strauss was making waves as his new guitarist, mainly because some neanderthal rock guys were still shocked every time they saw a woman who could rock. He did a lot of his bits that night, including getting his head chopped off in a guillotine, creating a giant monster that got up and chased him around the stage, getting injected with poison from a giant hypodermic needle, dancing with both a sword and a snake, and so much more. In a later show I saw he had Jason Voorhees  from the Friday the 13th movies come onstage and start murdering people. But this show didn't have that bit in it. I'm not sure he could have fit it in. One thing that is always consistent, he is the consummate showman. Getting good pics at concerts is a tricky proposition. Everyone is running around, lights are flashing on and off, there are explosions and flames, people dart in and out of your shot. I took these with a small, cheap point and shoot camera, and considering all the difficulties I just described I think they turned out pretty well. It shows some of his costume changes over the course of the show, and includes some good shots with his band, which is always tight and always great. In one shot you can see the Frankenstein monster that he built onstage. I will conclude by saying, if you ever get a chance to see an Alice Cooper concert, go before it is too late and you miss your chance. Live music is fun, but this is more than that. It's an experience that will be very much different than most shows you've been to.