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Thursday, May 20, 2010
Photos / Live Reviews / setlist / News Live review: Gruesome Twosome
Posted By Jeff Hahne on Thu, May 20, 2010 at 10:52 AM
Gruesome Twosome Tour with Alice Cooper and Rob Zombie
Uptown Amphitheatre
May 19, 2010
The Deal: Kings of horror rock storm into Charlotte with theatrical performances.
The Good: The night started out around 8 p.m. when Alice Cooper took to the stage. Kind of odd to see this legendary performer in daylight, however.
Cooper's set started with three of his biggest hits, "School's Out," "No More Mr. Nice Guy" and "18." He waved canes and swords around, pushed around "technicians" that had come out to repair stage things and appeared to be having a great time — though you wonder how many times he's gone through the same motions over the last 40 or so years. He also found time to wield a giant bone crutch.
Each song seemed to have its own theatrical quality to it. At the end of "Wicked Man" he was placed into a straight jacket. He was later "killed" in a variety of manners — guillotine, hanging, giant needle, spikes. He was pushed onto the stage in a wheelchair, stood on top of a giant metal staircase and waved an American flag while in a shiny metal suit. Sure, a bit of it leaned toward the cheesy, but remember he's a legend and that he started some of this back in the 1960s made the 62-year-old seem just a bit cooler.
Each artist played an hour-and-15-minute set, and Rob Zombie's kicked off with "Call of the Zombie." Drenched in red and green lighting for the duration of the night, Zombie was a wildman — running around stage, flipping his hair in every way and stomping away to rev the crowd into a frenzy.
He also offered his own bit of theatrics with plenty of fireballs lighting up the stage, a 10-foot robot behind him during a cover of White Zombie's "More Human Than Human" and a number of other robots and massive zombie-like animitronics dancing behind him. There were also a number of video screens playing various horror clips from his own movies and classics, including some TV footage from The Munsters.
Aside from a Charlotte replacement or two in the lyrics, Zombie didn't often address the crowd. He asked if they were ready for a rock and roll show — when the crowd said yes, he said, "Well, too bad. This is a zombie party!"
Drummer Joey Jordison — who also plays with Slipknot — hammered away on the drums and also found time for a brief solo. Guitarist John 5 — formerly with Marilyn Manson — tore into a lengthy solo in the middle of the other White Zombie cover "Thunder Kiss '65."
During that solo, Zombie walked out around the audience, even in front of the lawn to get a little bit closer to the crowd. Earlier in the night, he spent part of a song singing from the pit and barricade in front of the stage. He also let the crowd know he was there for business — "Don't hug me. I didn't come out here to take p
The Bad: With Cooper's set, I'm guessing if you've seen it once, you've seen it all... but having never seen him live, I was entertained. I would have liked to have heard "Welcome to My Nightmare."
The Verdict: Two fantastic performances — you could easily see how Cooper has been an influence on Zombie and so many other acts. Incredibly energetic performances from both of them.
Alice Cooper setlist
School's Out
No More Mr. Nice Guy
18
Wicked Man
Dwight Fry
Go to Hell
Guilty
Cold Ethyl
Poison
The Inside
Nurse Rozetta
Be My Lover
Women/Cry
Black Widow
Vengeance
Diamonds
Babies
Killer
Love the Dead
Elected
Wheels
Rob Zombie setlist
Call of the Zombie
Superbeast
Scum of the Earth
Living Dead Girl
More Human than Human
Never Gonna Stop
Mars Needs Women
House of 1000 Corpses
Drum Solo
Demonoid Phenomenon
What?
Thunder Kiss '65
Encore
Werewolf Women of the SS
Dragula
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