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Alice Cooper - Motorhead - JOAN JETT AND THE BLACKHEARTS
from: eGigs.co.uk
Sheffield Arena, Sheffield on Tuesday 6 November 2007
Who better to start tonight’s triple bill of rock greats than JOAN JETT AND THE BLACKHEARTS. Looking very well for 49, we are treated to ‘I Hate Myself For loving You’ and ‘Naked’ from the album of the same name. Her raspy voice covers the whole arena, and you can imagine many of the rockers eyes (male and female) are on her short - haired and leather clad look.
Near the end we are treated to ‘I Love Rock And Roll’, as lets face it, a lot of people who have not been long time fans are here for the hits from the three acts. The crowd have their hands in the air performing big claps as Jett bounces around the stage and does not show any signs of slowing down to match her age; she’s rocking like she’s back in The RUNAWAYS.
Motorhead start on a dimly lit stage, and to be fair the sound quality is very muffled; it is quite impossible to hear what is being said or sang (Lemmy asking if people would like the music turning up does not really help the clarity of sound). Now I love it loud (you’re talking to someone who has spent an entire gig a metre away from Dinosaur Jr’s speakers, unaided by earplugs. Erm, don’t try this at home) but if it compromises the sound across a huge space the size of this arena, is it worth it? The band are quite static on stage, with Lemmy doing his usual thing of singing upwards into his downwards facing microphone.
Tracks tonight that stand out are ‘Killers’ from ‘Inferno’, ‘I Got Mine’, ‘In the Name Of Tragedy’, 'Going to Brazil’ and the long winded but true title ‘Just Cos You Got The Power, Don’t Mean You Have The Right’. Lemmy mentions something about William Shakespeare and the fact that most of us were not around when 1983’s ‘Another Perfect Day’ was released.
Both Guitarist Phil Campbell and drummer Mickey Dee have a chance to show off their musician skills, with Campbell driving his guitar sound in just about every track and Dee pounding the living crap out of the drum kit for a good ten minute solo treat, after which he jokingly slumps forward with his head hitting the drum in front of him.
Lemmy states we are are to be amazed by ‘Whorehouse Blues’, a noticeably quieter Motorhead song involving acoustic guitars and a tiny drum set up (Dee plays both instruments). Lemmy sings the bluesy country melody and performs harmonica duties, before it’s time for the track many are waiting for. ‘Ace Of Spades’ is followed by the similar riff of ‘Overkill’, and the arena is a sea of nodding heads.
Now you can always be sure of entertainment value when you see Alice Cooper. Not only is he backed by some very talented musicians (who are in on his act of ruler of the stage, bowing down to him and letting him order them about) he has some very clever looking stunts. The 59 year old does not need an autocue to remember his lines like some performers his age do, and to change costumes a good four times keeps the show interesting.
At times singing to a life size doll wearing a likeness of his face, then having it removed by Death’s henchmen, to throwing a bride about on stage (played by his daughter Calico Cooper, who is performing some over exaggerated but brilliantly performed dance moves).
Cooper can keep the crowd transfixed, and he can swing a baton effortlessly (he throws a couple into the crowd at the end). For ‘Billions $$$’ what looks like Cooper Currency bank notes which are skewered onto yet another baton are sprinkled over the mosh pit (expect to see them on ebay soon), and bit balloons filled with glitter are released and burst over the crowd.
Yes the show is over the top, but this is what Alice Cooper is good at. A born performer, you may, depending on your disposition, look away or wet your pants when he hammers a stake through a toy doll in a pram ("Little Betty!") and is locked in a straight jacket (twice). My favourite bit is just before the encore, where Cooper is strung up and hung using a specially constructed guillotine.
No Cooper show is complete without his well know classics, and unlike some artists who are visibly sick to death of playing their hits to fans who pay to see them (sometimes for that one track) Cooper gives ‘Skool’s Out’ and ‘Poison’ ("Raise Your Hands If You’re Poison!") all he’s got. The singing at times during his most famous song is not what it used to be, but he must be a little pooped after a long show.
Set list:
It’s Hot Tonight
Mr. Nice Guy
Under My Wheels
Eighteen
Is It My Body
Woman Of Mass
Dirty Diamonds
Raped
Muscle Of Love
Frankenstein
Halo
Nightmare
Only Woman Bleed
Steven
Dead Babies
Dwight Fry
Devils / Killer / Dead
Skools Out
Billion $$$
Poison
Elected
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