Rudolf-Weber-Arena, Oberhausen, Germany20th June 2022
Hollywood Vampires - Support: Circus Electric
“The most expensive cover group in the world” (as Cooper himself said) came to Oberhausen to play one of their celebrated shows in front of more than 8,000 fans - some of them with perfect vampire make-up. In the front rows, many fans had painted posters with messages or drawings for the band. The evening was opened by Berlin-based CIRCUS ELECTRIC.
Circus Electric
The trio CIRCUS ELECTRIC from Berlin, founded in 2019, plays grooving, riff-based Rock with an American influence. The band’s sound is timeless and international, containing elements of Soul, Blues and Funk. The band consists of Adrian Dehn (vocals, guitar), Leonard Vaessen (drums) and Oskar Pursche (bass). When they got together as a band, they already had many years of experience in the music business, which they describe as “interesting”. There’s a distinct energy and sense of adventure in every note, not only on their records, but also live on stage. Good warm-up for the evening by a band you will surely notice in future. https://www.circuselectricofficial.com / https://www.facebook.com/circuselectricofficial
Hollywood Vampires
HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES are back in Germany again! The band around Johnny Depp, Alice Cooper and Joe Perry (AEROSMITH) then stripped off their live image as “the most expensive cover group in the world” (ALICE COOPER). While they primarily presented classics like ‘Whole Lotta Love’ (LED ZEPPELIN), ‘Cold Turkey’ (John Lennon) or ‘My Generation’ (THE WHO) on their debut in 2015, it was already different on ‘Rise’ (2019). This CD contains 13 originals plus three covers including the ‘Heroes’ tribute sung by Johnny Depp. The song, which is currently at the top of the iTunes charts (metal, rock), was recorded where David Bowie & Co. recorded the original between July and August 1977: in the Hansa Studios in Berlin. https://www.hollywoodvampires.com / https://www.facebook.com/hollywoodvampires
Music & Performance
Unmistakable: The band - Alice Cooper (lead and backing vocals, harmonica, rhythm guitar), Johnny Depp (slide, rhythm and lead guitar, backing and lead vocals, keyboards), Joe Perry (lead and rhythm guitar, backing and lead vocals) and Tommy Henriksen (rhythm and lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals) - plus the current touring musicians - Glen Sobel (drums), Chris Wyse (bass, backing vocals) and Buck Johnson (keyboards, rhythm and lead guitar, backing vocals) - have pure joy in making music together and their post-modern, handmade (Hard) Rock and this is also shown on stage. When the HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES fly in full of bite for evening performances, then one thing is certain: their concerts are THE celebrity (Rock) event of 2023!
Despite breaking his ankle in May, Johnny Depp rocks the arena. The leg orthosis hardly seems to bother him. The HOLLYWOOD prove that “old man” cover Rock can also inspire a younger audience, even though most of them probably screamed for Johnny Depp. When do you have the chance to see this Hollywood star so close? It is probably several decades ago that young fans screamed at Alice Cooper and Joe Perry. Of course, the two living legends are revered by fans all over the world, but the days when the Aerosmith string wizard made teen hearts beat faster must have been over since the 1990s - just like with shock rocker Alice Cooper. So it’s just right that both have been making the stages of the world unsafe with ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ star Johnny Depp.
Already when the intro, BAUHAUS’ ‘Bela Lugosi’s Dead’ sounded through the arena, there was no holding back from the fand. They were already on fire and celebrated the band from the very start. The stage design was not too extraordinary, but big screens in the back were extensively used for pictures and videos. Some vampire teeth-style curtain decorated the stage later on when it fell down during ‘Who’s Laughing Now’. I was watching most of the show from the back in the infield and enjoyed a very good light show. Just the sound was a bit dull with strange noises every now and then. I hope it was better in other areas of the venue. The setlist was a good mix of own songs and cover versions the band is famous for.
Not much has changed in the well-known stage performance for the two hard rock veterans, Perry and Cooper. As usual with AEROSMITH, Joe Perry plays in a cool and nonchalant manner. As always, Alice Cooper struts across the stage as a stick-wielding prince of darkness. But how is Johnny Depp doing? Now, he has already some stage experience after several years with the VAMPIRES. Most of the songs were of course sung by Cooper, but Depp took over vocal duties for some, like for ‘The Jack’, originally by AC/DC. The Hollywood star doesn’t just work his six strings very well and proves that he’s quite a decent guitarist and that his vocals aren’t out of the ordinary either. He was not playing the big star, just acted as part of a super-group.
After around 90 minutes and one encore, the show is over and lots of vampires are released into a warm summer night. I am sure most of them were very satisfied with the evening. After all, this tropu is a MUST-SEE once in your life.
Setlist
01. I Want My Now
02. Raise the Dead
03. I’m Eighteen (Alice Cooper cover)
04. Five to One / Break On Through (to the Other Side) (The Doors cover)
05. The Boogieman Surprise
06. My Dead Drunk Friends
07. You Can’t Put Your Arms Round a Memory (Johnny Thunders cover)
08. Baba O’Riley (The Who cover)
09. Who's Laughing Now
10. People Who Died (The Jim Carroll Band cover)
11. The Jack (AC/DC cover)
12. As Bad as I Am
13. Heroes (David Bowie cover)
14. Jeff Beck Tribute
15. Bright Light Fright (Aerosmith cover)
16. The Death and Resurrection Show (Killing Joke cover)
17. Walk This Way (Aerosmith cover)
18. The Train Kept A-Rollin’ (Tiny Bradshaw cover)
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19. School’s Out (Alice Cooper cover) (with ‘Another Brick in the Wall, Part II’ snippet)
Rating
Music: 8
Performance: 9
Sound: 7
Light: 8
Total 8 / 10
All pictures by Daniela Vorndran (http://www.vorndranphotography.com / http://www.facebook.com/blackcatnet)
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