The Hollywood Vampires Live at the O2 Arena in Greenwich: A Rock ‘n’ Roll Extravaganza – Gig Review

July 11, 2023 rocknews

What do you get when you cross a rock ’n’ roll vaudeville icon, a guitar hero and an actor?

“We’re The Hollywood Vampires, and we play music for our dead, drunk friends” was Alice Cooper’s call to arms on Sunday night to a packed-out O2 Arena in Greenwich.

The supergroup were in town as part of their 2023 tour. Named after Cooper’s 1970’s Hollywood drinking club – which included Keith Moon, Ringo Starr, John Lennon and Harry Nilsson – the current line up comprises of Cooper, Johnny Depp, Joe Perry and Tommy Henriksen. They are joined by former Cult and Ozzy bassist Chris Wyse, Aerosmith keyboardist Buck Johnson and Alice Cooper drummer Glen Sobel.

The premise is simple – a few original numbers, some Alice Cooper, a dash of Aerosmith and plenty of songs originally done by the aforementioned ‘dead, drunk friends’.

And it works beautifully. They are well-rehearsed and slick.

The lights went down and Bauhaus’ ‘Bella Lugosi’s Dead’ accompanied blood-red lighting and smoke, which cleared to show the band in place and ready to rock. Alice made his grand entrance – wearing a long red velvet coat, corset and leather trousers, he twirled his familiar cane as the set started with two storming originals, ‘I Want My Now’ and ‘Raise the Dead’ – the backdrop graphics perfectly accompanying the music.

Cooper’s ‘I’m Eighteen’ was next and sounded as urgent and intense as it did back in the early 70s. It’s snarling refrain proving just why John Lydon chose the song to mime to when he auditioned for the Sex Pistols.

The first ‘song of the dead’ came in the form of ‘Five to One (“No one here gets out alive”) / Break on Through’ by the Doors. This and The Who’s ‘Baba O’Riley’ had new life breathed into them by Alice’s distinct vocals, with the latter providing a platform for Sobel to go full “Moon” and dazzle us with his drumming skills.

By now the staging included a set of giant inflatable vampire teeth which were cleverly lit – blood-red one minute, white with dripping blood the next.

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Joe Perry took the mic for an emotional cover of Johnny Thunders’ ‘You Can’t Put Your Arms Round a Memory’ with Cooper on rhythm guitar, and then Johnny Depp (who received arguably the biggest cheer of the night) took vocal duties on Jim Carroll’s ‘People Who Died’ (the montage of dead rockers that accompanied this epic tune included everyone from Roy Orbison to Zappa), a superb ‘Heroes’ (which did the Bowie classic justice) and Killing Joke’s ‘The Death and Resurrection Show’. This was a strange choice given how recognisable the rest of the set was, but it paid off and we loved it!

Alice was back on the mic for ‘Walk this Way’ with Perry ripping up and down the fretboard and proving that he is still at the top of his game.

We had noticed a white Fender Stratocaster on a stand in front of the drum riser since the start and it soon became apparent why it was there. Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood arrived on stage after an introduction from Johnny Depp who payed tribute to the late, great Jeff Beck. Wood picked up the Strat – which was one of Beck’s own – and handed it to Joe Perry, stating that Jeff would have wanted him to play it.

What an incredible moment.

We were then treated to an instrumental Jeff Beck medley with Perry revelling in delight at playing his friend’s guitar and Depp and Tommy Henricksen also shining and showing us that Perry wasn’t the only guitar hero on stage.

The final song of the set saw Imelda May join Alice on vocals for Tiny Bradshaw’s ‘The Train Kept A-Rollin’’.

The encore came after much cheering from the O2 crowd – and it could only be one thing.

‘School’s Out’ had everyone singing, clapping and dancing.

So, what DO you get when you cross a rock ’n’ roll vaudeville icon, a guitar hero and an actor?

Answer – A ridiculously entertaining evening and the best cover band around! Catch The Hollywood Vampires in Birmingham on 11 July and in Glasgow on the 12th. They then head off around Europe before finishing the tour in the USA.