Words and Photos by Jose Serrato
Alice Cooper brought his Alice’s Attic Tour to The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Irving last week, the second stop of the tour. As expected, Alice came in to deliver a night that felt equal parts theatrical horror show and communal celebration of rock history. With no opening act, Alice and crew were ready to hit the stage just a few minutes past 8pm.
What stood out immediately wasn’t just the spectacle onstage, but the crowd itself. There was a striking age range. Longtime fans in vintage tour shirts stood shoulder-to-shoulder with teenagers experiencing their first shock-rock show. Parents brought their kids; older fans compared memories of tours from the ‘70s and ‘80s. It gave the night a multigenerational energy that few artists can command. Proof that Cooper’s macabre theatrics and anthemic hits still resonate far beyond their original era.
Musically, the band was razor sharp, with special attention inevitably drawn to new guitarist Anna Cara, stepping in while Nita Strauss is away preparing for the birth of her first child. Cara didn’t just fill the role, she made it her own. Her playing balanced precision and attitude, and during the extended guitar showcase, she drew one of the loudest reactions of the night.
Cooper himself was in commanding form, moving through a setlist of classics with the ease of someone who has spent decades perfecting this exact kind of show. The performance leaned heavily into the theatrical elements he’s known for, dark humor, elaborate stage props, and choreographed chaos while never losing sight of the music. Songs like “No More Mr. Nice Guy” and “School’s Out” landed with the kind of crowd-wide singalongs that blur the line between performer and audience.
There was, however, a brief hiccup midway through the set. During one of the heavier numbers, the speakers began cutting out intermittently, creating a momentary dip in the otherwise relentless momentum. To the band’s credit, they powered through with minimal disruption, and the issue was resolved quickly. Maybe sometimes expected at the beginning of a tour.
Alice Cooper may be nearing 80 years old, but his voice and stage presence does not show that age. He still puts on an entertaining show that, as I saw, you can bring your kids along to and watch the master of shock rock put on a clinic on how it’s done.
