I saw Alice Cooper at Edinburgh Playhouse and more artists should follow his lead

At 77, there has been no let up for the engaging Cooper who led a revolving cast of characters through a theatrical, near two-hour, set that took fans through his more than 50 year career.

The set was an example of how Cooper has often been at the forefront of the genres that he straddles. There were the hard rock of 70s numbers like Schools Out and Eighteen, before a venture through the extremely 80s glam metal of Poison and Bed of Nails.

Each of the songs was a perfect example of an artist who has aged like a fine wine. Cooper sounds as good as he has ever done, something that cannot be said for some of his peers. He moves about the stage as well as he did during his 70s heyday. And the sheer campiness of a Cooper show is as brilliant as always.

I first saw Cooper 20 years ago at Glasgow’s SECC, a cavernous shed that never felt like the right venue for any artist - never mind one that has a show that feels right at home in a place like the Playhouse.

Cooper is pure theatre. The show is vaudevillian and pantomime in its execution, of which there are many executions. It is one of the few gigs you will attend where those in the front row are likely to get just a spot of fake blood on them from one of the show’s numerous death scenes.

Alice Cooper took to the Edinburgh Playhouse stage for the first time in 20 years | NW

But it is not all style over substance, Cooper’s band is one of the best in the business. His long-term band consisting of Ryan Roxie (guitar), Chuck Garric (Bass), Tommy Henrickson (guitar), Glen Sobel (drums) and Nita Strauss (guitar) was in fine form.

There was, of course, an emotional nod to fellow legendary rocker Ozzy Osbourne, who passed away aged 76 on Tuesday, 22 July. Cooper led the crowd in a chant of the Black Sabbath frontman’s name at the end of the set.

This felt like the perfect venue for Cooper. He could, and did, pack out the Hydro and give a good show - but it feels like more artists should embrace rooms like the Playhouse. And one that once played host to acts like this regularly - my dad who joined me was keen to remind me that he’d seen The Who and The Jam on that very stage.

It had been two decades since Cooper last appeared at the Playhouse, here’s hoping he doesn’t leave it as long next time.