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Alice Cooper welcomes fans to nightmare at Fair

Apply black eyeliner liberally and get ready to scream. Alice Cooper takes over the York Fair Grandstand Sept 17.

His "Theater of Death Tour" comes complete with hard rock tunes and horrific stunts.

"(Cooper) is a little further out there than other styles we present," fair entertainment director Cres Ottemiller said.

But the fair found out that Cooper has a "sizeable" following in the area. Ottemiller said the fair negotiated for six weeks to book him -- blood, guts and all.

Phone calls from excited rock fans have already started to pour in, he added.

Cooper's been scaring up hits since the '70s. His concept albums have inspired the likes of Marilyn Manson and a new generation was introduced to his songs thanks to "Guitar Hero."

Last summer, Cooper released his 25th album, "Along Came a Spider." The 61-year-old heads to York after a summer touring Europe, North America and Australia.

Onstage, Cooper portrays a spider-obsessed serial killer.

But, off stage, he's one of the nicest guys Chris James of WTPA-FM (93.5) has ever met.

"A lot of people have a bad perception of (Cooper)," James said. "He's not a devil-worshipper. His shows are more tongue-in-cheek."

Actually, Cooper's a born-again Christian, husband of 33 years and father of three. He's also an avid golfer, James said.

When Ottemiller called WTPA to gauge interest in a few possible fair acts, James gave the Cooper concert a thumbs up.

James has seen Cooper three times and hoped he'd return to the area. Cooper's last local show was in Hershey more than a decade ago.

"It's definitely something different for the fair," James said.

He added that, since WTPA's been playing "Welcome to My Nightmare" and "School's Out" for decades, the station will celebrate its 29th Anniversary at Cooper's York Fair concert.

IF YOU GO

What: Alice Cooper "Theater of Death Tour"

When: 7:30 p.m. Sept. 17

Where: York Fair Grandstand, 334 Carlisle Ave. in West Manchester Township

Tickets: Go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday at the York Fair Box Office, by phone at 848-2033 and online at www.yorkfair.com.

Cost: $30 for track, plaza and center grandstand and $28 for side track, side plaza and side grandstand seating

(Originally appeared online at the York Daily Record.)