Hollywood Vampires: The Piece Hall, Halifax

Hollywood Vampires| The Damned
The Piece Hall, Halifax
22nd August 2026

Hollywood Vampires, comprising of Alice Cooper, Joe Perry, Johnny Depp and Tommy Henriksen, alongside Buck Johnson, Chris Wyse and Glen Sobel, they take their name from a rather more notorious gathering born on the Sunset Strip in the 1970s. The original Hollywood Vampires gathered in the upstairs bar of the legendary Rainbow Bar & Grill, a favourite haunt for rock stars living in or passing through Los Angeles. With members including John Lennon, Harry Nilsson, Keith Moon and Micky Dolenz, entry comes with one simple requirement. “To join the club, one simply had to outdrink all of the members,” recalls Cooper, a founding member of the original Vampires.

Decades later, the infamous boys’ drinking club has evolved into a star-studded celebration of rock ’n’ roll and a tribute to the friends and musical heroes lost along the way. Formed in 2012 by Cooper, Johnny Depp and Aerosmith’s Joe Perry, Hollywood Vampires bring together some serious rock pedigree with a catalogue drawing on both their own material and the cover songs that shaped them.

On this summer night in Halifax, Louder Than War’s Claire Glover (words) and Melanie Smith (photos) travel to the magnificent Piece Hall. Its historic 5,500-capacity courtyard provides a suitably dramatic setting to discover how this celebration of rock ’n’ roll history and its legendary past merriment goes down.

The Damned are tonight’s support, although calling a band of their stature a support act doesn’t feel quite right. They are headliners in their own right and tear through a high-energy set packed with classics including Neat Neat Neat, New Rose and Smash It Up, setting the mood perfectly for what’s to come.

Formed in London in 1976, The Damned bring together the distinctive vocals of Dave Vanian, guitarist Brian James, Captain Sensible, initially on bass before switching to guitar and drummer Rat Scabies. They quickly secured their place in punk history, becoming the first UK punk band to release a single with 1976’s New Rose, followed by the first British punk studio album, Damned Damned Damned, in 1977. They are also the first UK punk band to take their music across the Atlantic and tour the United States. With the band members now hovering around the 70-year mark, there’s absolutely no sign of them slowing down. Still oozing charisma, talent and punk prowess, they command the stage with enormous enthusiasm and show exactly why they have endured for so long.

It’s authoritative gothic punk rock delivered with just the right amount of showmanship and humour. Captain Sensible, dressed in his signature striped top and red beret, delivers a masterclass in guitar playing, creating a formidable foundation for the songs, all with his usual mischievous glee. Dave Vanian, sporting a black fedora, sunglasses and black suit, glides and swoops majestically around the stage, performing songs several decades old that somehow still sound genuinely fresh. Wait for the Blackout, Love Song and Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow are among the highlights.

The build-up to the Hollywood Vampires is electric. The light fades and then disappears altogether. As darkness falls, the huge vampire-esque backdrop lights up and a roar erupts from the packed courtyard. There’s no gentle introduction. Everyone on stage throws themselves straight into the fray with the band’s own material. I Want My Now, Raise the Dead and My Dead Drunk Friends come thick and fast, delivered with precision and genuine zest. Cooper even launches his ringmaster’s stick into the crowd for one lucky fan to claim, as the Vampires make it clear from the outset that this is going to be a full-blooded rock ’n’ roll show.

Alice Cooper, naturally, owns the stage. With all the familiar theatrics and props, the band grind into one of his best-known songs, I’m Eighteen. More than half a century after its release, it remains packed with the same teenage angst it carried in 1970. Amid the glorious wall of sound, Cooper’s voice cuts through with remarkable clarity. He is the central pivot of Hollywood Vampires, holding everything together, the leather-clad ringleader, complete with top hat and whip.

Yet, despite his theatrical charisma, Cooper never overwhelms or overshadows the rest of the band. Everyone gets their moment. Joe Perry steps forward to deliver his own distinctive take on Aerosmith’s Livin’ on the Edge, while Depp takes the lead on two tracks, most notably Bowie’s Heroes, which he delivers with understated confidence. One of the real standouts is a ferocious version of Killing Joke’s The Death and Resurrection Show.

As expected, much of the set is made up of covers, but it is an intriguing and sometimes unexpected collection. Who’s Laughing Now features an astonishing bass solo from Chris Wyse, while The Who’s Baba O’Riley, Aerosmith’s Bright Light Fright and Jeff Beck’s Beck’s Bolero demonstrate just how wide the Vampires cast their musical net. The latter provides one of the night’s most poignant moments. Images of Jeff Beck fill the screen as the band play the 1967 instrumental. There’s s no need for a lengthy introduction or sentimental speech. The pictures and the music say enough. Beck is clearly deeply missed.

Then it’s straight back into the rock ’n’ roll with exhilarating versions of The Doors’ Roadhouse Blue and Aerosmith’s Walk This Way. Henriksen’s vocals clearly stand out throughout the night, especially in his lead on AC/DC’s Highway to Hell.

The main set reaches its spectacular conclusion with School’s Out, woven together with Pink Floyd’s Another Brick in the Wall. Huge balloons bounce across the frenzied crowd, with Cooper gleefully bursting them with his knife before proudly introducing each of the Vampires and calling them forward onto the runway. But this crowd is not going to let them go that easily. The chants for more echo loudly around the Piece Hall and, inevitably, the Hollywood Vampires oblige. They return to deliver The Train Kept A-Rollin’before bringing the night to a rousing conclusion with Hi Ho Silver Lining.

There is certainly nothing here to suggest that anyone on stage is simply going through the motions. Every member appears completely committed to putting on a great show. At times the tongue is firmly in cheek; how could it not be with this particular collection of characters? But that only adds to the fun.

Hollywood Vampires are loud, theatrical, gloriously excessive and steeped in rock ’n’ roll history. Beneath all the spectacle, though, there is a genuine affection for the music and the musicians they celebrate. The result is an intoxicating experience that is almost impossible not to get swept up in.

Please note: Use of these images in any form without permission is illegal. If you wish to contact the photographer, please email: [email protected]

© Melanie Smith / Mudkiss Photos. All rights reserved

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You can find The Damned on Facebook,  X (Twitter), Instagram, and their website.

Follow The Hollywood Vampires: website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

All words by Claire Glover. More writing by Claire on Louder Than War can be found at her author profile here. You can also find her on Twitter

All photos by Melanie Smith – Louder Than War | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Portfolio