I’ve seen a lot of rock shows in my life, but there’s something about an Alice Cooper concert that always feels like a rite of passage. When I walked into the Mississippi Coast Coliseum on this September night, I expected a spectacle—but I didn’t expect to witness a setlist that dove so deep into his catalog that even the most seasoned fans were gasping at the rarities. Alice has built his legend on shock, theater, and sheer hard rock muscle, but tonight wasn’t just a nostalgia trip. It was a career-spanning victory lap that reminded everyone why he’s still the king of rock theatrics more than five decades after he first scared the neighbors.
Opening Salvo: A Forgotten Classic Returns
The show began with a recorded snippet of “Hello Hooray,” a sly nod to the grand entrances Alice loves. Then, without missing a beat, the band launched into “Who Do You Think We Are,” a track that hadn’t been played live since 2004. The roar from the crowd was immediate and deafening—it was the kind of deep cut that longtime fans dream of hearing. Alice strutted out in his signature top hat and black leather, instantly commanding the stage with that familiar sneer. It was an opening shot that set the tone: this wasn’t going to be a by-the-numbers greatest-hits set.
Digging Deep Into the Vault
If the opener hinted at surprises, the next song blew the doors wide open. “Spark in the Dark,” which hadn’t been played since 1990, came roaring back to life with a muscular groove that felt as fresh as ever. Hearing this track live after so many decades was like finding a lost treasure. The band—featuring the ferocious Nita Strauss on guitar—played it with the kind of fire that made you wonder why it ever left the setlist in the first place.
From there, Alice pivoted into the more familiar territory of “No More Mr. Nice Guy,” the crowd singing every word like a giant, unruly choir. “House of Fire” kept the energy blazing, with Alice stalking the stage and cracking his riding crop in perfect time to the beat. The first big singalong of the night came with “I’m Eighteen,” a song that has lost none of its rebellious charm. Watching a sea of fans—many of them far older than eighteen—throw their fists in the air and shout the chorus was pure rock ‘n’ roll poetry.
Muscle, Monsters, and a Few Clones
The momentum kept building with a pounding “Muscle of Love,” followed by the theatrical highlight of the first half: “Feed My Frankenstein.” True to form, Alice brought out his giant Frankenstein monster, a towering puppet that lurched across the stage while smoke and sparks filled the air. The Mississippi crowd ate it up, and it was hard not to feel like a kid again, grinning at the over-the-top spectacle.
But the real surprises were still coming. “Clones (We’re All),” performed for the first time since 2011, was a deliciously weird detour into Alice’s early ’80s synth-rock era. The crowd embraced it, clapping along to its robotic beat. Then came “Caught in a Dream,” another long-lost favorite making its first appearance since 2015, a reminder of just how deep Alice’s catalog runs.
Hey Stoopid, Dangerous Tonight, and Pure Poison
The middle stretch of the show was a masterclass in pacing. “Hey Stoopid” brought a blast of early-’90s arena rock swagger, with the band locking into a groove that filled every corner of the Coliseum. Then Alice unveiled one of the night’s biggest surprises: the live premiere of “Dangerous Tonight.” Hearing a brand-new song from an artist with such a storied past is always a thrill, and this one delivered—a dark, chugging rocker with a chorus built to rattle arenas.
Of course, no Alice Cooper show is complete without the venomous “Poison.” As soon as the opening riff rang out, the place went absolutely nuts. Couples danced, friends threw arms around each other, and thousands of voices belted out that immortal hook. It’s a song that’s both dangerous and undeniably fun, and it sounded as lethal as ever.
Guitar Heroics and Brutal Planet
After “Poison,” Alice stepped back to let his secret weapon shine. Nita Strauss launched into a jaw-dropping guitar solo that was part shred clinic, part pure showmanship. Her fingers blurred across the fretboard as she wrung every ounce of emotion from her instrument, earning a standing ovation from the Biloxi faithful.
The heaviness continued with “Brutal Planet,” a menacing, industrial-tinged track that shook the venue to its core. The lights flashed blood red as Alice snarled his way through the verses, a reminder that he can still summon real menace when he wants to.
Madness, Ballads, and a Return to the Asylum
Alice has always balanced horror with heart, and the next run of songs showcased that duality perfectly. “Ballad of Dwight Fry” brought the theatrical madness to a peak, with Alice donning a straitjacket and acting out the tragic descent of its title character. It was chilling, heartbreaking, and mesmerizing all at once.
Then came a softer moment with “Cold Ethyl” and the tender “Only Women Bleed,” a song that’s lost none of its emotional power. Couples swayed, lighters and phone screens lit up the arena, and for a few minutes, the godfather of shock rock reminded everyone that beneath the guillotines and gore, he’s always been a songwriter with a poet’s heart.
Resurrections and Rarities
The night’s biggest historical shock arrived next. The band performed “Second Coming,” marking its first live performance since 1971. Hearing such a deep, early track resurrected after more than fifty years felt like a gift to the diehards in the crowd. The band followed with the live premiere of “Going Home,” delivered as a haunting vocal piece by the band while Alice prowled the stage like a silent phantom. It was an eerie, mesmerizing interlude that felt unlike anything else in the set.
The Ultimate Graduation
Of course, no Alice Cooper concert would be complete without the grand finale. As the opening chords of “School’s Out” rang out, the arena exploded. Giant balloons bounced across the floor, confetti cannons fired into the air, and the entire Coliseum shouted along to the timeless chorus. It was the perfect ending to a night that celebrated not just the past, but the enduring joy of rock and roll itself.
Reflections on a Night of Shock and Awe
Walking out of the Mississippi Coast Coliseum, I kept thinking about how Alice Cooper continues to defy time. At an age when most rock legends are content to coast on autopilot, he’s still digging deep into his songbook, dusting off long-forgotten gems, and even premiering brand-new material. The production was everything you’d expect—elaborate props, sinister theatrics, and just the right amount of tongue-in-cheek humor—but what struck me most was the music itself. These songs, whether written in the early ’70s or the 2020s, still sound vital.
The band deserves huge credit for that vitality. Nita Strauss remains a force of nature, her guitar work alternating between melodic elegance and ferocious shredding. Ryan Roxie and Tommy Henriksen provided razor-sharp rhythm guitars, while Chuck Garric’s bass anchored the chaos and Glen Sobel’s drumming gave every song its explosive heartbeat. Together, they gave Alice a foundation sturdy enough to support his wildest ideas.
A Career-Spanning Triumph
This wasn’t just a concert—it was a living history lesson in alternative theatrical rock. From the resurrected oddities like “Spark in the Dark” and “Second Coming” to the eternal anthems like “Poison” and “School’s Out,” Alice Cooper reminded Biloxi why he remains the ultimate showman. He’s the rare artist who can make a massive arena feel like an intimate theater one moment and a twisted carnival the next.
For fans who’ve followed him since the early days, it was a night of jaw-dropping surprises. For newer converts, it was a masterclass in how to put on a rock show. And for everyone in attendance, it was proof that Alice Cooper—still sneering, still shocking, still having the time of his life—remains one of the most essential performers on the planet.
If you ever doubt the staying power of classic rock, find your way to an Alice Cooper concert. You’ll walk out like I did: ears ringing, heart racing, and grinning from ear to ear, amazed that after all these years, the master of shock still has so many tricks up his sleeve.
Setlist:
Who Do You Think We Are (preceded by “Hello Hooray” intro)
Spark in the Dark
No More Mr. Nice Guy
House of Fire
I’m Eighteen
Muscle of Love
Feed My Frankenstein
Clones (We’re All)
Caught in a Dream
Hey Stoopid
Dangerous Tonight
Poison
Guitar Solo (Nita Strauss)
Brutal Planet
Ballad of Dwight Fry
Cold Ethyl
Only Women Bleed
Second Coming
Going Home
School’s Out