Alice Cooper Setlist/New Tour Comment

[cooperrocks]

Let me begin by saying this is in no way any kind of a potshot against Alice at all and hope it is not taken that way. But I read a recent interview with Alice where they asked him about the setlist and the new Tour. And he stated they were going to add some new technology and things into the show coming up. I have no issue at all with that but it was the comment about new technology while playing the hits. Those comments by him and other artist always make me cringe a little because lately I have been reading about how poorly attended so many bands shows are these days. Cost is part of the problem but frankly at least for me, the setlists for so many bands are a problem for me. I will always go see Alice but unless I am a diehard of someone after I have seen them a couple of times and have heard the same songs over and over again a couple of times is enough for me.

I thought the playlist the last few years was one of the best Alice had in a while. I get that you have to play School's Out, Eighteen and Poison. While I personally could do without any of those for a tour, I get it but I find myself going to see shows these days simply to hear a few deep cuts like Freedom last year, Grim Facts five years ago etc. I also get tired of bands putting out new albums and then a week after an album is out it is forgotten about. Why record something if you don't stand behind the album? I guess and I know I am just venting and I already know people are going to talk about "play the hits" etc but it sort of like corporate radio. They play the same tired songs over and over again and I feel like too many performers do the same. Alice usually does about 20-22 songs a show if he is headlining. It would be nice to hear let's say 8-10 hits and then 10 deeper cuts. Just my two cents.

[RemarkablyInsincere]

You might as well come to grips that Alice is going to play the hits. However, he always includes some rarities in the set so I'd be surprised pretty surprised if there wasn't a surprise or two in the new show.

At least three shows have been listed as sold out already on this tour which is something. I can't remember another tour in the states when there were multiple shows sold out before the tour even started.

The formula is working... and it's now widely known that Alice and the band kick ass every night on tour while many bands that came long after are either completely washed up or limping towards the finish line.

[Public Animal #9]

I also wish each tour represented the album currently released. Last time Alice really did this was the Brutal Planet tour and as a result it was one of his best (along with the 1979 From The Inside Tour etc). I want to see the new songs live with the few best hits thrown in maybe during the encore.

[lordcatfish]

Yeah, I've pretty much accepted with each new tour we'll probably get one or two deeper cuts, and maybe a couple of new songs if we're lucky. The annoying part is some of these songs will likely get dropped for a different semi-regular song somewhere down the line.

[cooperrocks]

You might as well come to grips that Alice is going to play the hits. However, he always includes some rarities in the set so I'd be surprised pretty surprised if there wasn't a surprise or two in the new show.

At least three shows have been listed as sold out already on this tour which is something. I can't remember another tour in the states when there were multiple shows sold out before the tour even started.

The formula is working... and it's now widely known that Alice and the band kick ass every night on tour while many bands that came long after are either completely washed up or limping towards the finish line.

I respectfully am not disputing any of them. I do know that multiple people of told me they were going because they are fired up about Nita Strauss returning. Alice is still great live, the current band are amazing, it is still an amazing show. I never said otherwise. What I simply said (And I knew it would get misconstrued) is my frustration in general with so many bands playing the same songs over and over again. I really admire a band like Iron Maiden who will play the hits on some tours but they will also have tours where they come out and will tell you they are going to play new stuff and if you don't like it stay home. I just get frustrated because after I have seen many of my favorite bands play nearly the same setlist a few times then my desire to go again is diminished. Alice is the exception that I also go no matter what but at this stage, I always go to primarily hear the deep cuts. It is just frustrating how little bands support new albums and frankly fans that get stuck on one era when a performer has been performing decades. That's all I am saying.

[RemarkablyInsincere]

I really admire a band like Iron Maiden who will play the hits on some tours but they will also have tours where they come out and will tell you they are going to play new stuff and if you don't like it stay home.

I love Maiden, but am nowhere near a diehard Maiden fan, and I have no interest in those Maiden Tours where they play way too many songs from their latest album. I don't even want to hear Alice play 8 songs from his latest albums.

I'd love rarities from throughout his career, but you're going to get 1 or 2 of those usually and that's it. I came to terms with this a long time ago, you should too.

Alice is the exception that I also go no matter what but at this stage, I always go to primarily hear the deep cuts. It is just frustrating how little bands support new albums and frankly fans that get stuck on one era when a performer has been performing decades. That's all I am saying.

You really want Alice to tour and play a majority of songs from Detroit Stories, Paranormal and W2MN?

[cooperrocks]

You might as well come to grips that Alice is going to play the hits. However, he always includes some rarities in the set so I'd be surprised pretty surprised if there wasn't a surprise or two in the new show.

At least three shows have been listed as sold out already on this tour which is something. I can't remember another tour in the states when there were multiple shows sold out before the tour even started.

The formula is working... and it's now widely known that Alice and the band kick ass every night on tour while many bands that came long after are either completely washed up or limping towards the finish line.

I respectfully am not disputing any of them. I do know that multiple people of told me they were going because they are fired up about Nita Strauss returning. Alice is still great live, the current band are amazing, it is still an amazing show. I never said otherwise. What I simply said (And I knew it would get misconstrued) is my frustration in general with so many bands playing the same songs over and over again. I really admire a band like Iron Maiden who will play the hits on some tours but they will also have tours where they come out and will tell you they are going to play new stuff and if you don't like it stay home. I just get frustrated because after I have seen many of my favorite bands play nearly the same setlist a few times then my desire to go again is diminished. Alice is the exception that I also go no matter what but at this stage, I always go to primarily hear the deep cuts. It is just frustrating how little bands support new albums and frankly fans that get stuck on one era when a performer has been performing decades. That's all I am saying.

First of all, with apologies to the rest of the board but don't ever tell me what to accept and what not to accept. Hate to tell you but my opinion has as much value as yours. Grow up please.

You put words in my mouth. At no point did I say to only play new stuff. What I said was I would like to hear more new stuff included. It isn't a slam against Alice, I would say that about any artist. Recently went to a well-established artist show and he played three or four new ones. They sounded great and now I have been enticed to purchased the album and he told the crowd they weren't going to recognize every song but he put as much time and devotion into the songs as the hits and was proud of the songs.

Would I like to hear songs off the last three albums? 100 Percent I would. Give you example, something like Fireball would be great off of Paranormal.

But what I am saying and in Alice's case he usually plays 20-22 songs. No one is saying play tons of new ones but let's use a 20 song setlist as an example. You play 8-10 classics/hits. That still leaves 10-12 songs, play 3 new ones, 3-4 deep older tracks, and then 3-4 modern era songs. You basically cover a little something for everyone.

I am just someone that is stuck on one era of an artist who has been playing since the 60's. And the comment was toward repetitive setlists which I hear more and more people complain about regarding tons of artists. I will always support Alice.

[Dannorama]

I saw him in the late 90s with some friends. Some of the songs I could have lived without, but to them those songs were the highlight of the evening. Tonight is the opening night of the new tour. It will be interesting to learn more about the new show. Whatever they play, it’s bound to be great.

[Pitta]

I think before 2002 it was a good idea to play 5-6 new songs from the new albums, because they had good songs to play them live. The Eyes and the Dirty Diamonds albums had a couple of good live songs too, but I don't want to hear more than 2-3 songs from the newer albums, because they don't have good live tracks. I liked Go man go from the Detroit stories but Shut up and rock was boring, Social debris wasn't good enough and Rock and roll...it's only a bad cover. I prefered always more the new songs then the oldies. I like more the solo Alice than the band, but the albums from the last 15 years aren't good enough to make a whole tour for them. It really hurts me to say that, but I think so.

[scotty]

A set list that sees all of the great songs he’s had imo would run about 4 hours !! I’d hate to be Alice and the band trying to decide set lists.

[VinceRaven]

Like a lot of people, I regarded the covers section on the Raise the Dead tour as a waste of time but...

I'd like to see him take the bones of that idea and play some rare songs. If it was flagged up in advance, that part of the show could be dropped into the middle, maybe just after halfway and used as a toilet/bar break for those that are only really interested in the hits.

A fairly standard setlist with a section including the likes of Yeah Yeah Yeah, Former Lee Warmer, Generation Landslide, Wind Up Toy or whatever, could be very entertaining.

Or better still, expanding on the Raise the Dead, "Think back, way back" concept, how about the likes of Return of the Spiders and Don't Blow Your Mind!

Complete fantasy, of course, but it's an idea.

[RemarkablyInsincere]

First of all, with apologies to the rest of the board but don't ever tell me what to accept and what not to accept. Hate to tell you but my opinion has as much value as yours. Grow up please.

You posted a topic that's been discussed on here a thousand times as if it's some novel idea. And it remains to be seen if your opinion has any value at all. So far you're not doing so well.

You put words in my mouth. At no point did I say to only play new stuff.

You cited Iron Maiden and their tours comprised of mostly new material. Most of your argument has been about playing newer material.

What I said was I would like to hear more new stuff included. It isn't a slam against Alice, I would say that about any artist. Recently went to a well-established artist show and he played three or four new ones.

Alice does play new material, on the tour subsequent to the album's release in 2021, there were three songs from that album and one from the album before it. The only one of those songs I thought went over really well and I wanted to remain in the set was "Go Man Go". Detroit Stories and Breadcrumbs are probably my favorite Alice releases since TEOAC, but truth be told a lot of those songs didn't go over well live. And "Fallen In Love" is a snooze fest if I'm being honest but I can appreciate the moment in the show.

But what I am saying and in Alice's case he usually plays 20-22 songs. No one is saying play tons of new ones but let's use a 20 song setlist as an example. You play 8-10 classics/hits. That still leaves 10-12 songs, play 3 new ones, 3-4 deep older tracks, and then 3-4 modern era songs. You basically cover a little something for everyone.

I don't know what you mean by "modern era", but if that's post-2000 stuff then you're suggesting that 6-7 songs in the set should be ones that won't go over well live and barely anybody in the audience knows. Be realistic.

Alice just has too many hits over a 50 year career to only play 8-10 classics. That's never going to happen. Alice can see better than anybody which songs get a big reaction in the set. If the new stuff got a big reaction, it wouldn't be so quick to go. They play new songs and people stand there and tap their toes. They play the classics and the crowd goes nuts.

I'm all for rarities in the set. The fact that he's playing a lot of 80s material is terrific as I love that era and it seems those songs get a response. Case in point, he saw that that "Freedom" was going over well last year and immediately suggested they move it to the encore. The set does change and evolve, but Alice has to play his biggest hits. It gets a big reaction and the shows are selling out.

[Feezle-Nuts]

Given the setlist from lastnight, I think we have taken a step backward from the past few years.

Has ANYBODY ever seen a crowd get excited for Lost in America?

[Si]

Show opener was 'Lock Me Up' - which was missed on setlists.fm last night and wasn't on tape as initially reported.

[Feezle-Nuts]

Show opener was 'Lock Me Up' - which was missed on setlists.fm last night and wasn't on tape as initially reported.

I assumed it was just the opening dialogue with Alice and Robert Englund. Was it not?

[Si]

Show opener was 'Lock Me Up' - which was missed on setlists.fm last night and wasn't on tape as initially reported.

I assumed it was just the opening dialogue with Alice and Robert Englund. Was it not?

I thought it was a tapoe too from initial reports but no. There is a instagram clip showing Alice arriving onstage and singing it and the band playing.
I am thinking it was only a short part of it (like 90 seconds or so) but we'll see.

[RemarkablyInsincere]

Given the setlist from lastnight, I think we have taken a step backward from the past few years.

Has ANYBODY ever seen a crowd get excited for Lost in America?

I love LOST IN AMERICA actually.

Considering I'm seeing the show tonight, I was purposely avoiding the setlist spoiler thread only to have stuff posted here in this thread.

[Feezle-Nuts]

Given the setlist from lastnight, I think we have taken a step backward from the past few years.

Has ANYBODY ever seen a crowd get excited for Lost in America?

I love LOST IN AMERICA actually.

Considering I'm seeing the show tonight, I was purposely avoiding the setlist spoiler thread only to have stuff posted here in this thread.

Sorry.

[Si]

Given the setlist from lastnight, I think we have taken a step backward from the past few years.

Has ANYBODY ever seen a crowd get excited for Lost in America?

I love LOST IN AMERICA actually.

Considering I'm seeing the show tonight, I was purposely avoiding the setlist spoiler thread only to have stuff posted here in this thread.

Sorry.

To be fair anything in the 'On Tour' section is likely to contain spoilers...

[mkayers]

Lock Me Up was definitely NOT tape it was them playing it live like Si said, about 90 seconds.