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Maybe he's no nice guy, but Cooper still puts on show

How does rock become cliche? Go ask Alice.

Actually, Alice Cooper's performance on Friday night was memorable because the packed crowd could watch the shock­rock icon from the intimate confines of the Rave.

Alice came out with riding crop in hand, and pretty soon, had the entire place singing along with the old familiar tune, "No More Mr. Nice Guy."

Soon, riding crop was discarded and a man in a clown suit stepped out of the shadows to drape the icon Alice with his boa constrictor.

And when Alice stuck his tongue out at the snake, it was easy to forget that the music was made virtually indistinguishable by the dank acoustics in the Rave.

He paraded around the stage, making gestures to the audience that in his early '70s heyday would have been taken as a provocation. Now Alice is older and wiser, and what is left is the performance of provocation.

Alice has grown quite a bit over the years. It's apparent in his performance that he understands he has a lot more history than he has future, and that he intends to make the most of what's left.

His opening acts were all glam-metal bands - Dokken, Warrant and Slaughter. Of the three, Warrant at least seemed to try to loosen up.

The singer introduced the band with: "Hi, we're Warrant. We're a glam band from the '80s." While Warrant played its late-'80s megahit, "Cherry Pie," the band segued into Queen's "We Will Rock You."

Don Dokken and George Lynch of Dokken, on the other hand, came out sporting short bleached hair and trendy sunglasses in an attempt to keep with the times. Too bad. The band made serviceable work of its hits "In My Dreams" and the once-ubiquitous "Alone Again."

Slaughter played but otherwise left no discernible impression.

What is the difference between rock and cliche? Go ask Alice.