Rock artist Alice Cooper, left, and guitarist Tommy Henriksen perform “18” Tuesday, Oct. 10, at Hobart Arena in Troy.
Jim Davis | For Miami Valley Today
By Jim Davis
TROY — Halloween came a little bit early to Hobart Arena.
No candy, sorry, but rock legend Alice Cooper helped turn the historic venue in Troy into a colorful house of horror Tuesday by bringing his “Too Close for Comfort” tour to Hobart.
The Godfather of Shock Rock served up 90-minutes of familiar Alice Cooper hits — with a scoop or two of new material mixed in — and he did it with the flair Cooper fans have become accustomed to during a career dating back to 1964.
Cooper’s theatrical rock show featured a four-panel video screen, a snake, movable twin staircases, a 12-foot-tall monster, swords, daggers, a straitjacket and multiple costumed characters.
And let’s not forget the guillotine.
Following “The Ballad of Dwight Fry” and “I Love the Dead,” Cooper was led to the guillotine — a longtime prop in his shows — by his wife (Sheryl Cooper) and … well, you know the rest: Cooper’s character loses his head.
Fortunately for the near-capacity crowd, Cooper was alive and well. And at age 75, the rock icon filled his performance with a career-spanning setlist ranging from “Hey Stoopid,” “Welcome To My Nightmare,” “Be My Lover,” “Under My Wheels” and “Billion Dollar Babies” to “No More Mr. Nice Guy,” “Poison,” “Black Widow” and “Feed My Frankenstein” — which featured the aforementioned 12-foot monster that chased members of the band onstage.
Cooper sang with a live snake around his neck during “Snakebite,” shared the stage with his wife during “Only Women Bleed” and made a pitch for elected office by climbing atop a staircase festooned with red, white and blue bunting and American flags for “Elected.”
The Detroit native — decked out in white tails and a top hat while confetti, streamers and confetti-filled balloons filled the air — closed out the show with one of his most recognizable songs (“School’s Out”) and introduced members of the band: Guitarists Ryan Roxie and Tommy Henriksen, bass player Chuck Garric and drummer Glen Sobel.
Although this may be Cooper’s seventh decade of performing, the famed rocker never slowed down … never stopped moving. Vintage Alice Cooper.
And, no, it may not be Halloween yet on the calendar, but for one night at Hobart Arena, it sure felt like it.
For more information about Alice Cooper or to check out his upcoming tour schedule, visit online at: www.alicecooper.com
