Heads, Sparks, and a CELL PHONE Flies at the Alice Cooper "Theatre of Death" Show

Wendover, Nevada Peppermill Concert Hall Oct. 17, 2009

A Memoir/Review of Alice Cooper's Mesmerizing Performance and my Journey to that Point in Time.


The small details I will leave alone, but I must tell you that the trip to Wendover, Nevada from Salt Lake City, Utah is not a thing to get excited about. It's a white, barren, desert landscape. Miles of nothingness and nothing would ever grow in the salt that makes up the desert expanse that is the Bonneville Salt Flats.

I have driven through this desert many times, and sober except for the adrenaline thrill of the gambling that awaited me in the past, and of taking my Z24 Cavalier past 100 MPH on the way. The ride home was always less thrilling, as I would have lost money I should not have been gambling with to start with. I was in my mid twenties and I was sort of a lost soul with a gaping emptiness I really did not know how to fill. In those days I always did everything to excess. Drinking, joking, searching,needing wanting, but never caring enough about my 1st marriage and it withered away. And my 20's withered away, too.

In my 30's I found myself divorced and struggling. What material things I did not lose, I gave away. I found myself leaving Utah and my kids for about a year. I went back to Detroit to live with my Dad for awhile, ended up in Canada (long story) and eventually living in a park until a long Greyhound bus ride brought me back to Utah as a new, and lost, and very different person. I found my 2nd wife not too long after my journey back to Utah. She helped me fight my demons of self doubt and provided the shovel and dirt so I could fill in my gaping emptiness.

I don't live in excess anymore. Actually I live a very minimal lifestyle. Save for a pretty good coin collection, and a large number of books, you would never find that I could be judged by what I own. I get a thrill these days by gaining knowledge and writing rambling blogs.

I could not start to write about my trip to Wendover to see Alice Cooper without mentioning all of that. It was very heavy on my mind that day, and for me, a large part of the story of seeing Alice again. The last time I saw him was in Detroit, October, 1987, as a 20 year old, just before I moved out to Utah. When I saw the ad for his show in Wendover, I HAD to go and see him, bought my ticket right away.

That was the journey that has led me to the trip on Oct. 17, 2009 (a synopsis anyway) so now, let me tell you about that day.

This time out to Wendover (my first time in many years) I decided to take a "fun bus" which for 15 dollars picks people up in Utah and delivers them through the desert to a casino where you are given a free meal, 5 dollars cash back, a free drink, and some other amenities that is actually worth more than 15 dollars. I decided that I was going to have a few drinks before getting on the bus, too. This could only enhance the trip (and it did). You guessed it, due to Utah liquor laws, they could not serve drinks on the bus. My friend Steve agreed to meet me on the bus near his home ( this almost did not happen, damned bus drivers! Long story here, too.) but the bus did pick him up and we rode out there together. This was at about 230, the show started at 7, so there was plenty of time.

The alcohol in my system helped me greatly to tolerate the corny jokes the bus hostess felt obligated to share. The alcohol also helped me to tolerate the bingo game I could never win, and I ended up distracting Steve from his game, too. It was his own fault though for riding out there sober. We finally arrived at the casino.

When the bus pulled in, it was about 4 pm. We were given our amenties by the casino hostess and we filed into the casino searching for the rest room, slot machines, and the buffet in that order.

There was something missing for me. It was the thrill of being in a casino. This was a theme I could not get over as long as I was there. My gambling was controlled by my common sense. When I did win, I mostly cashed out. I told Steve how different this felt for me, and he tolerated my speeches, but I was mostly talking for me anyway. I think he knew that.

The buffet dinner was fantastic. Shrimp, prime rib, some mexican food, wonderful chocolate cream pie, all included with my bus ticket. I had a rum and coke, too...oh and my flask full of tequila was with me as well.

So, after Steve and I ate, we gambled a little more. Steve won about 70 dollars. I won about 40. It was then time to make our way to the concert hall, a short walk through the parking lot. I had my ticket mailed to me, Steve put his in will call, so we went and got his ticket right away. We had about 30 minutes still before the doors opened. We wandered and joked as I drank the content of my flask. We saw some stretch limos come from the gated area that was back stage. Some hefty security guards were wandering around, too. A few people kept asking us if we had extra tickets ( sold out show) and I briefly wondered if I should have bought more just TO sell.

Doors opened, we bought t-shirts and got seated. Steve sat on the other side of the very intimate venue (seats 1,950 people) I got seated and noticed a guy that looked like a 1970's version of a young Elton John....with a pretty blonde by his side. My first thoughts were if size DOES matter, certainly looks DON'T matter.

After a brief period, the houselights dimmed, and the school bell rang curtain came down and it was Alice, in top form and in an intimate venue where I could actually SEE him. SCHOOL'S OUT FOR SUMMER!! But, not really. School just BEGUN. Alice taught the audience that night what a rock and roll show SHOULD BE. Not just band playing instruments and a guy singing songs, but a PERFORMANCE. From the skeleton clad stage hands that rolled out the guillotine, the huge syringe, the death spikes, the gallows that killed Alice all night, to the menacing nurse that made sure Alice was put away while she made every man in the place fall in some sort of strange love with her, to Alice's mesmerizing stage presence and his non-tolerance of having a cell phone camera from a jack ass in the front row stuck in his face (he smacked that damned camera so hard out of the assholes hand that it flew a good six feet away) Alice taught us lessons all night long.

As soon as he and his very tight band rocked you to your core with "Under My Wheels" you were soon swooning to "Only Women Bleed" and "I'll Never Cry".

Fantastic, a marvel, still at the top of his game.

Alice taught me a personal lesson that night. The thrill I did not feel in the casino was soon felt in the concert hall with Alice. Alice taught me that I really am not the same person I used to be. I have grown, I have learned and I have conquered all sorts of obstacles that had brought me to that night with him as my teacher.

I hope some day people will describe me as "fantastic, a marvel, still at the top of his game."

But I know I will never forget the night Alice, and the trip to Wendover, taught me about how the journey makes the trips in life memorable.

See him if you can!!
alicecooper.com

"All the young girls love Alice...." Alice Cooper, tomorrow!!

Ok, so it's a little weird to throw a few of Elton John's lines from his ode to lesbianism into a blog about Alice Cooper....but life is a little weird, too!

Tomorrow at 2 I'll be heading west on a fun bus to (1) meet up with my friend Steve, and (2) head out to see Alice Cooper at the Peppermill Concert Hall. The show is at 7, and it's a 2 hour road trip, so there will be plenty of time for some drinking, gambling and a buffet meal before the show starts.

I have been excited all week for the show. I have not seen Alice perform in 22 years, and this is the first time in about ten years I have crossed state lines. I don't get out much anymore as my financial situation and school and family obligations don't permit me as much fun as I used to have, so it will be nice to actually go have some "fun" for a change.

The road trip to Wendover, Nevada is nothing at all to write home about. It's a barren desert landscape that has three highlights. (1) There is a surreal otherwordly feel to it as the dirt around the road is mostly salt, and at dusk, and with a bright moon, it's actually (sort of) inspiring. Think Joshua Tree landscape without the band and no trees or any living thing.(2) The "famous tree". Not THAT tree, but an artists idea of a bad christmas tree, or actually bad xmas tree ornaments. Sort of Dali-ish, but not as interesting. It's only a highlight because when one sees that tree, it means you are really close to getting to Wendover and your chosen buffet or casino. It also means you are about to NOT be in Utah anymore...which is a grand thrill on it's own. (3) You (kinda) get to see the Bonneville Salt Flats. I am not a car freak so it means almost nothing to me, but hey, it IS famous and one does get to be near it. Think having a pic with Bono's hair dresser while Bono is too busy to be bothered with you, and you get how I feel.

So, I am very excited. I have read all sorts of accolades about the show, and to see the show in an intimate (1950 people hall) atmosphere is a thrilling prospect to me as well. OH and yeah, the flask will be going on the long ride, too. It can only make it better :)

I'll post a review of the show as soon as time allows.

Have fun y'all!!