ALICE COOPER
Zénith - Toulouse, France
November 5 2011

Alice Cooper making a French Tour? That would have seemed impossible until not so long ago.
For more than a decade, Alice Cooper only performed in Paris when coming to France. But since he headlined the Hellfest 2010, he has visited several cities.

I have some friends in Toulouse and the concert was on saturday, so it was the perfect excuse for a weekend away.

The Zénith of Toulouse is a bit smaller that the one in Paris, but still quite large. The concert was not sold-out but the venue was still well packed. I'd say there were between 3500 and 4000 atendees.

A curtain with the face of Alice Cooper covered the stage. When the lights were turned off, we heard the Vincent Price intro and the curtain fell down just before the first song: The Black Widow.

Alice was standing on a platform during this tune, wearing a spider suit. Only 5 days after Halloween, we were invited to another night of horror, with Alice Cooper on stage!

The Alice Cooper Band line-up has been totally revisited since last year: Only bass player Chuck Garric remains.

There are 3 guitar players for this tour, and that's a very good news: Steve Hunter, Tommy Henriksen and Orianthi.

Tommy Henriksen goes crazy on stage. He can't refrain from moving and jumping, while taunting the first rows with his guitar.

Long time guitar player Damon Johnson joined Thin Lizzy earlier this year.

He was replaced by Orianthi, an australian girl that you might know for her work with Michael Jackson. She appears in the movie This Is It.

Well not only she's a gifted guitar player, but her sweet figure adds somthing sexy to the Alice Cooper show! Especially now that Calico Cooper, Alice's daughter is not performing on this tour.

She plays several solos durig the show, and she even plays the solo of I'm Eighteen at the same time with Steve Hunter.

It's just great to have Steve Hunter back after more than 30 years! His vintage guitar sound gives another dimension to the songs, a little touch of class that's been lost over time.

Earlier this year, there were a few selected shows with Steve Hunter, Michael Bruce, Dennis Dunaway and Neal Smith from the original Alice Cooper Group. I would have loved to see this, but I'm glad that Steve Hunter remains in the band.

The show was outstanding but it was less theatrical than some previous tours. But don't expect just the band performing on stage: Alice danced with a doll, he was decapitated, and even Frankenstein came to say Hello! I'll tell you more details on the review from Paris.

The setlist was very pleasant! From the begining, it was impossible no to get into the show. The band played seven hits in a row, including Brutal Planet, I'm Eighteen, Under My Wheels and Billion Dollar Babies.

We had a few very pleasant surprises, like Hey Stoopid and Clones, two songs that haven't been played for years.

During School's Out, they added a verse of Pink Floyd's Another Brick In The Wall Part II, that we all sang as loud as we could.

But only one song from the album was played, I'll Bite Your Face Off! I don't understand why, this record is just so good.

For the last song, Elected, Alice Cooper came with a flag of France and started his campaign for president.

He made fun of politicians by saying "I know we have problems in Marseile, we have problems in Paris, and personally I don't care!".
Then he pointed people in the audience when saying they could be elected too!
Well done, especially in those troubled political and financial times.

At the end of the gig, Alice thanked the audience and wished us a happy Halloween! That's right, It's never too late for a Halloween party, especially if Alice Cooper is in town!
He threw his top hat to the rear and Glen Sobel caught it with a drumstick.

Next stop on Alice Cooper French Tour: Paris. Click here to get your ticket and expect a review very soon!

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Setlist Alice Cooper – Zénith - Toulouse, France – November 5 2011

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