Infamous Detroit rockstar Alice Cooper brought his Too Close For Comfort Tour to Mystic Lake on Friday night. It was my first time seeing Cooper and his insanely talented band live. It had everything; plague doctors, snakes, monsters, a corpse, a guillotine, top hats, canes, swords, thunderstorms, costume changes, and pretty much everything else you could dream up.
The show started with plague doctors ringing unsettling bells while roadies in balaclavas took down the curtain to reveal a massive newspaper reading “Alice Cooper Banned In Minnesota.” A silhouette appeared on the backdrop donning a top hat and cane. This was unmistakable – Alice Cooper had arrived. He broke through the screen and we were on. “Lock Me Up” and “No More Mr. Nice Guy” lead the way.
It was shocking to me just how good Alice Cooper sounded. I’ve never heard anything on the contrary, but one can assume that being 57 years past 18 would put a little stress on the vocals and movement. No. He was IMMACULATE. If I closed my eyes, I would have thought we were at one of his shows in the 70s. His screams in a straightjacket during “Ballad of Dwight Fry” were absolutely haunting.
In this shape, it would be easy for Cooper to put his band behind a scrim and be the only star of the show. However, that’s just not his style. He knows how talented each member is, and he lets them do what they’re best at – absolutely shred.
They are a rock-solid foundation made up of Ryan Roxie (guitar), Tommy Henriksen (guitar), Nita Strauss (guitar), Chuck Garric (bass), and Glen Sobel (drums). Watching each of them play off each other and interact with Cooper was so much fun. They kept the solos coming and kept the entire horror aesthetic at the forefront. Seeing how each member was able to shine enhanced the performance so much.
This was all about the fan experience. The theatrics and showmanship took us through familiar songs like “School’s Out,” “Feed My Frankenstein” (excellent), and “I’m Eighteen”. It was way more comprehensive than hits, though. “Cold Ethyl,” “Billion Dollar Babies” “Bed of Nails” and so many more filled out the setlist.
Through vignettes of horror scenes, the show wove through different backgrounds – a guillotine execution, a haunted mansion, and even a padded cell. I walked away having seen a career-spanning set that made me excited to get into deeper tracks.
While the show was 100% sold out and packed, almost every seat was empty. It was a “fist in the air, out of your chair” kind of event. It was so fun to watch these regulars headbang along to the blistering music. This is a tour that you should not miss if it’s coming your way!
