By Victoria Holdsworth, August 2026
No crypt was left unturned tonight as the legendary Hollywood Vampires took to the stage in Scarborough, proving there is plenty of life left in these old bones. This supergroup has seen big names come and go over the years. However, they have been replaced with epic talents, all bringing their own magic to the stage.
As the ever-theatrical Alice Cooper bounded out to greet their sold-out crowd, introducing all his other bandmates for the evening, it was deafeningly noticeable that the loudest cheers were for one band member in particular: Mr Johnny Depp.He is still nursing a busted ankle and foot, and I would hazard a guess that many middle-aged women came just to glimpse him alone.
“Gets the blood flowing”
The Hollywood Vampires were not messing about. They got straight into their set, blasting out ‘I Want My Now’ from the 2019 album Rise, and this is one hell of an opener. Marauding guitar work from Joe Perry, Tommy Henriksen, and Depp really gets the blood flowing and it set the scene perfectly for the rest of the night.
‘Raise the Dead’ again sees Cooper command his crowd. His vocals from the outset are just pitch-perfect, as a giant inflatable set of lips and fangs starts to frame the stage. There is nothing fancy here. There are no pyrotechnics going off every five minutes, no elaborate stage sets like a usual Alice Cooper gig. It is just seven guys on stage who love playing, and they nailed it! Charismatic Alice is clearly the ringleader of these troubadours, yet, he never puts himself above anyone on stage. All are equal, and he is just the mouthpiece.
The set list comprises their own material alongside a healthy dose of covers. It also includes hits from their own bands. This is kick-started by an Alice Cooper ’70s classic, ‘I’m Eighteen’, which still sounds as good as ever. Then, not missing a beat, we are treated to two The Doors covers.
“Great cover”
Alice takes vocals on ‘Five to One’ before teasing with an interval of ‘My Dead Drunk Friends’. Names of dead rock stars flash across the backdrop before weaving into ‘Break on Through (to the Other Side)’. The crowd lapped it up. Personally, I am a Doors fanatic, so I get a bit angsty with covers. However, The Hollywood Vampires delivered a great cover, doing The Doors proud.
There is some chat with the audience. Alice asks if everyone is ready for ‘The Boogieman Surprise’. This is a more light-hearted, bouncing tune from Rise. It’s fun, dark, and would even make a goth smile.
‘My Dead Drunk Friends’ is a standout song tonight. The lyrics form a poignant, poetically crafted shanty styled into a blues-rock ballad. It is a musical masterpiece. There are killer key riffs from Aerosmith’s touring keyboardist Burleigh “Buck” Johnson. These are held together by a dark, menacing bassline from Chris Wyse, one-time member of The Cult. The snapping drums of Glen Sobel punctuate the track. The whole performance shows great camaraderie.
Joe Perry steps up to perform another standout song, ‘You Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory’. This is a Johnny Thunders track released back in 1978. It was sublime. Watching Joe Perry play this up close was a joy to behold. Perry almost becomes one with his instrument, and pure emotion bleeds through the strings. His vocals are on a different musical level to Steven Tyler’s. However, his rich, gravelly, blues-slick voice draws you right into the story. The crowd absolutely loved it. It was a truly mesmerising performance.
“Raptorial bass”
Alice takes the helm again. The unmistakable intro of The Who’s ‘Baba O’Riley’ echoes around the sound systems. He makes a respectful shout-out to his old friend, legendary bassist John Entwistle. The vocals are great, with each band member chiming in one by one. The sound of the crowd builds until it becomes deafening. It raised hairs on arms when Alice shouted, “You’re all wasted!” Many people around me were, and they were ready to party harder.
‘Who’s Laughing Now’ features a raptorial bass intro from Chris Wyse. It is so gutsy you feel it in every bone. It is heavy as hell. The track nods to The Sisters of Mercy and Siouxsie and the Banshees. The southern licks Joe Perry throws across it are staggering.
The atmosphere suddenly shifts as Alice introduces Johnny to perform ‘People Who Died’. The crowd went crazy as Joe and the band backed him up vocally. This is a display of pure vigour, and I was blown away. The boy really can play and sing! Granted, he could not run around much with his ankle in a cast, but nobody cared. Naysayers say he should not give up the day job because he lacks dynamic frontman energy. I say you are wrong. His personality is not ‘out there’. He will not change just because he has a guitar instead of a camera.
“A ball of expanding energy”
Keeping things heavy, they knocked AC/DC’s ‘The Jack’ out of left field. Alice’s voice took on a delightfully sleazy blues tinge, with Joe Perry executing a fine solo.
‘As Bad As I Am’, from their first album, is a ball of expanding energy. It delivers punk-driven guitar lines and drums to rattle your soul. They just keep getting better with each song played tonight.
Johnny Depp steps forward to the microphone as Alice straps on a guitar and blends into the background. Together, they slowly build into David Bowie’s classic, ‘Heroes’. I am not the biggest Bowie fan, but I really enjoyed Depp’s rendition. I was incredibly impressed with his vocals. Harmonies lent by Alice and Perry were phenomenal.
Johnny Depp thanks the crowd: “Just thinking about what that song means. We too lost one of our heroes from the band, Mr Jeff Beck. I would like to introduce you to his best friend.” Depp walks over to pick up his white American Stratocaster. Holding it to the sky, he pays tribute to his fallen bandmate. He declares only one person is worthy enough to play it: Mr Joe Perry. Perry takes it gingerly and straps it on. He dedicates lavish guitar work to Beck’s material as career images flash on screen. It was a touching moment, and he is clearly missed.
“Hypnotic”
Switching guitars, Perry rips into a lesser-known Aerosmith track, ‘Bright Light Fright’, from Draw the Line. It was ballsy and bluesy, and I did not want it to end.
Depp took vocals again, giving a cracking rendition of Killing Joke’s ‘The Death and Resurrection Show’. All I can say is wow! You really need to experience this live. It was hypnotic.
‘Walk This Way’ saw Alice and Buck Johnson share vocals. Joe Perry gave his all to one of his greatest songs. I think I prefer this version, if I am honest, it was vocally fresh and gave the track a new lease of life.
The main set closes with a cover of Tiny Bradshaw’s 1951 track, ‘The Train Kept A-Rollin”. It proved a fitting testament to the outstanding musicianship on display.
“Masters of their craft”
There is, of course, an encore after a quick swig of drinks off stage. Alice returns and commands everybody to sing along. They blast out ‘School’s Out’ to a raucous reception. To top it off, they weave in Pink Floyd’s ‘Another Brick in the Wall’. Midway through, Alice thanks and introduces the band members again. Without missing a beat, they pick right up and rock out to the last note.
Watching these guys tonight was a mixtape dream come true. Everything you love, you can find with The Hollywood Vampires. They may be self-indulgent, but they have earned that right. They are masters of their craft who produce something spectacular together.
It was fast-paced, in-your-face rock and roll. It was a joy to see them enjoy each other’s talents on stage. They are an experience to behold.
Images: Cuffe & Taylor
Victoria Holdsworth( Writer )
Victoria is a former English teacher and lifelong musician who has successfully combined her two great passions: words and music. Over the past 20 years, she has written for a variety of publications, giving her the opportunity to witness outstanding talent and meet some truly inspiring individuals. With a deep love for rock, indie, metal, and all things weird and wonderful in between, Victoria also co-runs an independent record label.
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