australia

Shock rock pioneer Alice Cooper is heading Down Under with a new show, Theatre of Death. I’ve caught the Coop a couple of times in concert and he has never failed to entertain, even without his trademark stage show featuring a guillotine, and a Britney doll just plump for the skewering. I was impressed when he played a Gold Coast stadium one Easter the night following a Kiss concert: there was hardly anyone there, more’s the pity, but it didn’t faze him. He played his heart out.

The latest album, 2008’s Along Came A Spider, was superb, mixing vintage rock and metal in characteristic Alice style as he unveils the life of a serial killer.

Here are the tour dates, with tickets on sale on May 4!
Tuesday 18th August – Win Entertainment Centre, Wollongong (Theatre Mode)
Wednesday 19th August – Gold Coast Convention Centre (Theatre Mode)
Friday 21st August – Newcastle Entertainment Centre (Theatre Mode)
Saturday 22nd August – Brisbane Convention Centre (Theatre Mode)
Monday 24th August – Sydney Entertainment Centre (Theatre Mode)
Wednesday 26th August – Royal Theatre, Canberra
Friday 28th August – Palais Theatre, Melbourne
Saturday 29th August – Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide
Tuesday 1st September – Challenge Stadium, Perth (Theatre Mode)

Here’s more about Along Came A Spider and a 2005 pre-tour interview with Alice. And a triple-play from Spider:

Unfortunately, Gary Numan’s triumphant return to Australia, playing Brisbane’s Tivoli on March 2, coincided with my losing net access, hence the late post.

Suffice to say, Numan was superb. Brilliant light show; deep, timber-rattling bass that didn’t make the ears ring; hot young dudes on guitar, bass, keys and synths; and Gary, ah Gary, turning 51 next week, so clearly enjoying his renaissance since making such a profound impact with his Tubeway Army back in the late 70s (when he last toured Oz).

The two-hour gig concentrated on his most recent album, Jagged, recently released as a two-CD remix called Jagged Edge. But the crowd — and it was a pleasingly but not uncomfortably large crowd — also thrilled to the early hits including Cars and Are Friends Electric?. A blue-washed rendition of Down in the Park went over a treat.

The gig really did showcase how far electronic music has come, and Numan’s role in it.

The set unfolded almost continuously, and there wasn’t much chitchat from the man. Which was a pity. But Numan was a charismatic presence, stalking, sometimes a little meandering, and flashing a grin during those older tracks as the crowd responded.

It was a sign of a great gig that I had his Haunted running through my head the next day.