Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper: Freaks on Parade Tour Back in Utah
August 28, 2024
The stars have continued to align this year for metal and shock rock lovers as Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper have hit the road for the second time on the Freaks on Parade tour with support coming again from Filter and Ministry. The tour recently made a stop in Utah at the Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre where over 16,000 Freaks came out to see the incredible show.
Filter was the first band up for the evening and wasted no time in getting things started. The industrial metal act pulled out fan favorites from the catalogue including “Take A Picture” which felt a little out of place with the rest of the songs but got the crowd singing along and then things got going heavier again before closing out with “Hey Man Nice Shot.”
Ministry was up next, which made perfect sense for this lineup as Ministry helped bridge the gap between Zombies and Cooper’s eras. Ministry’s set is all about the music as vocalist Al Jourgensen doesn’t do as much moving around as Cooper or Zombie. That’s ok though when you have one of the pioneers of Industrial Metal on stage performing live, you just sit in awe and watch and listen.
After a brief interlude a banner was raised covering the stage and proclaiming Alice Cooper banned in Utah which got the fans in attendance cheering as the first notes hit the speakers and the band strode out before Cooper himself walked through the banner leading the band into “Lock Me Up.” For the next 16 songs we were all treated to a set that blended a rock show and a rock opera together perfectly. By far it was one of the most theatrical sets I have ever seen, the highlight of which is Cooper getting beheaded in the guillotine. Other memorable moments were when Cooper brought out a boa constrictor that he moved around the stage with while performing “Snakebite,” had puppets of giant proportions come out to the stage throughout the set including a mesmerizing Frankenstein for “Feed My Frankenstein.” Of course, the set is about the music and Cooper has one tremendous lineup of musicians on stage with him in bassist Chuck Garric, drummer Glen Sobel, guitarist Ryan Roxie, fellow Hollywood vampire and guitarist Tommy Henriksen and queen of the guitar, Nita Strauss. Together these musicians took us on a journey through Cooper’s impressive catalogue with hit after hit keeping the fans on their feet and singing the entire time. At the end of the set Cooper performed his monster single “School’s Out” with some parts of “Another Brick in the Wall Part 2” thrown in.
It was hard to imagine after Cooper’s performance that we still had one set left but when Rob Zombie took the stage, he demanded everyone’s attention with his production and performance. Zombie parades around the stage with a charisma that is unmatched and an energy level that rivals any other performer out there today. From the opening song “Demon Speeding” to the closing number of “Dragula” Zombie’s show is one thrill ride after another. Fans are treated to hit after hit Zombie classics including White Zombie hits “Thunder Kiss ’65,” “Super-Charger Heaven” and “More Human Than Human.” The most energetic song of the night had to be when the fans let out screams and shouts when “Living Dead Girl” hit the speakers, and the audience screamed and sang along. Visually Zombie’s set is hypnotizing as the pyro and lightshow dazzles you while the performance blows your mind reminding you why Zombie remains one of the best acts out there today.
Overall, this stop was a massive success, and the tour looks to keep up the momentum as it speeds along now through the closing night in Fort Worth, TX on September 18th. If you have the chance to see this show I highly recommend it.
