By Roger Crow, August 2026
Life is strange. Back in the late eighties, the annual Christmas or New Year event would be down the local pub singing ‘Hi Ho Silver Lining’ with my friends and locals I’d never met. Jeff Beck’s classic was the social glue that bound no end of randoms together at parties, events, festivities.
And then the decades flashed by, and I find myself singing the same song with my wife and a few thousand strangers… along with Alice Cooper and Johnny Depp.
Alice, like some comic book ‘villain’, has tapped into that memory, and taken me and thousands of others back decades, to countless happy events, and found that sweet spot. Alice Cooper: a few feet in front of me, in his late seventies, and better than ever.
Suddenly I’m both Wayne and Garth, mentally thinking “I’m not worthy”, but of course I am. We all are, because this is one of the greatest gigs you’ll ever see, with some of the world’s greatest showmen. And the undisputed king of the Hollywood Vampires is the man who reminds us that ‘School’s Out for Summer’, that evergreen classic which cemented his status as a rock legend decades ago.
“Absolute maestro”
The evening at The Piece Hall begins with The Damned. Has there ever been a better support act for the Hollywood Vampires? They look and sound phenomenal; Captain Sensible is having a terrific time in his red beret, playing guitar behind his head and playing the crowd like an absolute maestro.
There’s plenty of ‘Happy Talk’, but no rendition of his surprise eighties number one, no doubt for fear of alienating the fans. A shame, because at least one aficionado has come just to see the support act.
The punk and goth-rock icons brought five decades of groundbreaking music to The Piece Hall as part of their 50th anniversary celebrations. The thunderous sound and theatrics were a joy to behold and a beautiful aperitif for what followed.
“Phenomenal”
This was the last night of the Vampires’ UK tour, and clearly as emotional for us as it was for them. Before heading to Europe, Alice Cooper, Johnny Depp, Joe Perry and Tommy Henriksen delivered a phenomenal celebration of some of rock’s greatest icons, alongside powerhouse material from the band’s own catalogue.
“Thank you Halifax! This is our last show in the UK and you’ve been the best audience!” enthused Cooper. To paraphrase a Jim Steinman classic, ‘I bet you say that to all the crowds’.
Naturally many eyes were on Johnny Depp, who was having a ball on guitar and occasional vocals. Singing David Bowie’s ‘Heroes’ was something I’ll never forget, and the rest of the band were equally phenomenal. An out-of-this-world drum solo here; another outstanding act of behind-the-head guitar playing there, and the crowd went wild for it all.
“What an honour”
They opened with Hollywood Vampires’ ‘I Want My Now’ and ‘Dead Drunk Friends’, powering through the next 105-minute set with classics including Aerosmith’s ‘Livin’ On The Edge’, AC/DC’s ‘Highway To Hell’ and Run-DMC’s ‘Walk This Way’.
One of many highlights was, of course, Cooper’s ‘School’s Out For Summer’ effortlessly merged with Pink Floyd’s ‘Another Brick in the Wall’.
As huge balloons sailed overhead and bounced around us, they found their way back to the stage where Cooper promptly burst them.
And then, following an earlier tribute to guitar legend Jeff Beck, the Vampires closed the night with Jeff’s ‘Hi Ho Silver Lining’. It’s one of the greatest singalongs in history, and what an honour to have been a part of it.
“Panda-eyed ringmaster”
Yes, many came to the gig for Depp, but this was Cooper’s stage, and that included the Spinal Tap-worthy teeth that arched over them, and us in the first few rows. The panda-eyed ringmaster and rock legend proved why he’s the ultimate showman, with superb vocals, incredible stage presence and that sense of outrageous fun.
We stood for five hours until there was little feeling left in our feet, and guarded our space like the prime real estate it was. And when the gig was over, and we learned how to walk again, while staggering back to the car for the 50-mile journey home, one thing was obvious. If we could do it all again tomorrow, we would. In a heartbeat.
Thanks Alice and company. What a wonderland that was.
Images: Cuffe & Taylor
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