The Hollywood Vampires live in London

Words: Kahmel Farahani

Images: Dawn Osborne

Alice Cooper , Joe Perry & Johnny Depp , Tommy Henriksen are the star players that makeup the Hollywood Vampires, An all star band completed by Glen Sobel on drums,  virtuoso Chris Wyse on bass and Buck Johnson on keys, The Vampires are marked their 10th anniversary as a band last year and now they’ve returned to Europe for a summer of spectacular shows that includes a performance at London’s O2 Arena.

A genuinely pleasant surprise comes in the form of the opening act The Tubes. The classic tongue in cheek riffing of White Punks On Dope to the polished 80s pop rock of Talk To Ya Later, The Tubes singer Free Waybill is still in fine form vocally and in his performance, going topless and donning a ballroom mask while the rest of the band rock their red velvet suits.

The Hollywood Vampires emerge in a cloud of smoke and kick off with their own original cry to arms, I Want My Now. It’s followed an absolute classic, Alice Cooper’s own I’m 18.

 

The theme of The Hollywood Vampires setlist is to mix their own compositions with cover songs dedicated to fallen, much loved musical icons or, as Alice Cooper calls them, “Our dead drunk friends”. It’s a very clever concept and one that allows the band to blend their own compositions like The Boogieman Surprise with classics like The Doors Break On Through (To The Other Side).

Joe Perry takes centre stage to sing a heartfelt tribute to Johnny Thunders. You Can’t Put Your Arms Around A Memory is given a slightly warmer, less punk rock take than the famous GN’R cover version and the sentiment  suits The Vampires just right. It’s followed by an absolutely glorious version of The Who’s Baba O’Riley, dedicated to two of rock and roll’s greatest musicians and drinkers, Keith Moon and John Entwistle.

The Captain AKA Johnny Depp takes the mic for the fantastic People Who Died  which is the perfectly ghoulish sing along anthem. t’s followed by AC/DC’s slow and dirty Blues number The Jack .

Johnny Depp takes the spotlight again for The Vampires glorious cover of David Bowie’s Heroes. Depp himself is genuinely fine singer and even better guitar player. Trading licks and solos with Joe Perry would put the fear of God into almost any guitar player but Depp manages to hold his own and compliment Perry with his own inimitable syle. Aerosmith’s Bright Light Fright is given  a tough kick around before the industrial boogie of The Death And Resurrection Show .

Walk This Way is still the anthem of anthems that get’s the entire 02 Arena dancing and singing along. With the spotlight on Jeff Beck’s white Stratocaster, Johnny Depp takes the mic and introduces special guest Ronnie Wood.

The classic instrumental rumble os followed by a tremendous  Beck’s Bolero with Ronnie on guest guitar duties.  Alice returns to the stage and they launch into The Yardbird’s Train Kept A-Rollin while Imalda May is also invited onstage for an impromptu vocal mid song!

The Hollwood Vampires bring the balloons and streamers for their grand finale, the medley of School’s Out and Another Brick In The Wall PT2 .

Tonight’s gig was an absolute rock and roll entertainment blockbuster, as well as a masterclass in showmanship. No matter the age, the Vampires very much  still do have their bite.