REVIEW AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY NADINE SWIGER
Alice Cooper unleashed a night of pure shock ‘n’ rock at The Stanley Theatre in Utica, NY, delivering a performance fans will be talking about for weeks. From the moment the lights dimmed, his killer clowns stepped on stage, and the first chilling chords rang out, it was clear: we’d stepped into Alice’s nightmarish world, where rock and shock seamlessly collide.
The godfather of shock rock proved once again that he’s still the master of macabre spectacle. Wearing his signature top hat and wielding swords like a dark carnival ringmaster, Cooper commanded the stage with his trademark flair. Throughout the set, he swapped out props—from sword to cane, crutch, and dagger—each one adding a fresh layer to the twisted theatrics. His giant snake made a memorable appearance, draped around his shoulders, while the straightjacket returned for a chilling interlude. And, of course, the infamous guillotine took its toll—Alice’s head “rolled,” only for him to return moments later, just in time to shout the rallying cry, “School’s Out For Summer!”
The set closed with that classic anthem, sending the crowd into a frenzy as feathers, confetti, and balloons rained down. But the night wasn’t over yet. The lights dimmed once more as the band launched into a fiery encore of “Feed My Frankenstein,” complete with the arrival of a towering 13-foot Franken-Alice puppet stomping across the stage.
The band was tight and thunderous, delivering hit after hit with precision and raw energy that matched the onstage theatrics. The Stanley Theatre, with its grand architecture and pristine acoustics, added a sense of gothic elegance to the night’s controlled chaos.
It was loud. It was twisted. It was a spectacle in every sense—and it was unmistakably, unapologetically Alice Cooper.
The tour will continue overseas before returning for another North American run. Alice will be back in our area of New York on September 27 at SPAC with Judas Priest. Keep an eye out for the tour to come to your neck of the woods—and be prepared to join Alice in his Nightmare!
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