There was a time, albeit a long time ago, when “Shock Rock” wasn’t a thing. Blending the auditory elements of powerful rock and roll with visually stunning horror theatrics, a new style of music was born. There is one man, nearly universally credited for bringing “Shock Rock” to the people. That man, of course, is Alice Cooper.
Alice Cooper came to Eugene, Oregon, to rock and shock the Cuthbert Amphitheatre with Portland, Oregon’s own, $intax opening up for the evening. Oregon gets it’s share of rain, and the week leading up to this gig was no different. But somehow, the rock gods did us a solid and let us have a day off. Yes, it was a fine night for a rock show.
$intax played a long set, but considering that they were the only opening act on the bill, why the hell not? For nearly an hour, they rocked “The Cuthbert”, even performing a cover of “Outshined” dedicated to Chris Cornell. Lead singer Thomas Andersen tried to get the audience to jump in and help out on the chorus, but for some reason, these Oregonians just weren’t feeling all mystified.
Alice Cooper walked out onto the stage behind a shower of sparks to a completely electrified audience. Not a single attendee was seated as the Master of Macabre Metal belted out the lyrics to “Brutal Planet.” Things indeed got a little brutal when, during the third song of the set, “Under My Wheels,” Alice gave guitarist Nita Strauss a bit of a playful shove. That shove sent Nita halfway across the stage, head and shoulders first into the center stage monitors. Like the consummate professional, she got herself back up, shook it off, and got back to work. She soon realized that something was wrong with her guitar though, so she went backstage for a hasty replacement. By the fourth song, “Lost In America,” the perfectly orchestrated show was back in full swing.
Honestly, I’d love to write about all of the fascinating visual effects, stage props, and theatrics. Other writers may do just that. But really, this is a show to be seen, not read. This tour is kicking into high gear, stopping in cities all around the world. There’s a reason that this man and his merry band of misfits have been rocking crowds for more than four decades. Based on what I saw in Eugene at The Cuthbert, there will be plenty more for years to come.
