Alice Cooper’s return to Paris felt like a homecoming for fans who hadn’t seen him perform solo in nearly five years. Last time Alice graced the French capital, it was with the Hollywood Vampires, but now, on the first night of his European "Too Close For Comfort" tour, the French crowd got treated to a revamped show with new stage sets, props, and even a couple of twists in the setlist.
Of course, the essentials were all there—no one’s leaving an Alice show without seeing the snake, the guillotine, or the inevitable balloons and confetti finale. It’s like a ritual, and Alice knows better than to mess with tradition. But even with his signature antics, he still keeps the die-hards on their toes with deep cuts like “Lock Me Up” (albeit in a snappy, shortened version) and “Snakebite.” From his latest album Road, we only got “Welcome To The Show,” a title that felt fitting for the night’s proceedings.
His band of course was top-notch, tight and polished, yet the performance never crossed into some over-polished variety act. It’s still raw, gritty, pure rock ‘n’ roll—with all the humor, shocks, and a touch of sleaze that Alice does best. This goes beyond shock-rock, glam rock, heavy metal or what have you. This is the greatest rock show on Earth, and the most fun you can have with three guitars, drums, bass and a male singer with a girl's name.
