From raising the dead to busting out of school, Alice Cooper’s Friday night concert in Moose Jaw had it all — and audience members loved it to death.
The veteran performer brought his trademark combination of horror, theatrics and rock to Mosaic Place, playing for an estimated 2,500 spectators.
His set included songs originally recorded by the Alice Cooper band in the early 1970s, such as No More Mr. Nice Guy and School’s Out, as well as selections from throughout his 37-year solo career, like Poison, Feed My Frankenstein and Go To Hell.
Doug Campbell, director of business operations for the facility, said Cooper and his crew had traveled to Moose Jaw after performing in Saskatoon on Thursday night, hitting the road before the snowfall started.
“The show was never in peril,” he said, adding that the nearly sold-out concert was considered a “bucket list” event by many local fans.
Attendee Randy Nesvold agreed with that assessment, as did his friend, Earl Harding, who said they expected the show to be “a trip down memory lane.”
“We grew up in that era,” said Harding, adding that they both listened to Cooper’s records in high school and wanted to “see if he still sounds the same.”
In addition to many longtime fans, there was a healthy contingent of attendees in their teens and twenties, and others even younger than that.
Cody Statham, 12, who attended the show with his mother, Corina, said he was somewhat familiar with Cooper’s music, while his friend, Parker Marzolf, shook his head when asked if he knew any of the artist’s songs.
“I heard he put on a good concert,” said Corina Statham. Both she and Marzolf’s mother, Gerilynn, said they weren’t overly concerned about bringing their boys to the show.
“I think they’ve pretty much seen it all,” said Marzolf, while Statham added, “Compared to what they listen to now, it’s pretty tame.”
Singer Geoff Tate of the prog metal group Queensryche served as the opening act on Friday, performing songs like Sacred Ground, The Thin Line and A Dead Man’s Words with a six-piece band.
Cooper’s band included bassist Chuck Garric, drummer Glen Sobel and guitarists Ryan Roxie, Tommy Henriksen and Orianthi, who Cooper described at one point as “beautiful and deadly.” She wowed the audience with her shredding and solos at several points during the show.
For more information, please pick up a copy of Saturday's Times-Herald.
