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Concert Review

Alice Cooper
Astoria Tue, Wed 9

Not being the biggest Alice fan, I rather feared that knowing little more than 'School's Out' wouldn't exactly make me the best qualified person to write this preview. Until I noticed that the tour is called 'School's Out '97', which suggests if that particular slice of rebellious rock Americana is what he's still peddliing himself on, then surely I can do the same. Oh, and of course the 'we're not worthy' career-boost circa 'Wayne's World', natch.

You have to suspect too, that while there will be the hardcore fans out in force to sing along to 1977's '(No More) Love At Your Convenience' (complete with brackets) or the encouragingly titled 'Dance Yourself To Death', many will be there to tap into the good old world of rock'n'roll where the troupers never die, they just wrinkle into tighter and tighter trousers. These punters will be hanging around waiting for the throb of 'Teenage Lament '74' and the inevitable moshing choruses of 'skooool's out, fah-evah!'.

His recent live album, 'Fistful Of Alice' (EMI), featured a more 'stripped down' approach, allowing Alice to do his 'sort of unplugged' thing and thereby rerun old faves. The album includes his good rockin' buddies Slash, Sammy Hagar and Bob Zombie from, yes, you guessed it, White Zombie. With a touring line-up that includes former Winger, David Lee Roth and Suicidal Tendencies crew members, expect the rowdy bomhomie to continue on Charing Cross Road.