The Hollywood Vampires - Scarborough Open Air Theatre 15.08.2026
- 29 minutes ago
- 4 min read
The Hollywood Vampires
The Damned
Arriving at the box office the queue is already snaking its way down from the gates to the seafront many hoping to race to barriers to secure a spot to be close to their heroes.
Walking past there’s a mix of black eye makeup and pirate costumes amongst the usual denim and leather brigade which can only mean one thing …. Hollywood Vampires are back in Scarborough. The sea air and fish 'n chips must’ve agreed with them last time and they wanted to return for seconds!
First up though warming us up suitably is punk legends The Damned, Dave Vanian wastes no time in taking advantage of the extended runway from the stage out into the crowd to take a good look at the early comers.
'Street of Dreams' and 'Blackout' get things underway followed by the classic 'Love Song' which immediately transports me back in time remembering dance floors filled with punks crashing into each other whilst this blasted out of the disco pa.
The beret wearing Captain Sensible is a revelation as I’ve somehow never seen the band before and didn’t realise just how good a guitarist he is, something I heard a number of people discussing as well. With Rat Scabies back behind the drums we have 3/4 of the original live up back onstage with long time member Paul Gray on bass.
It’s a varied set and they have their work cut out for them with this crowd but things definitely liven up with 'Eloise' and 'Neat Neat Neat' and when Vanian invites one of the many “Capt Jack Sparrows” to have a sing along he definitely got the crowd onside! Punks first UK single 'New Rose' and 'Smash It Up' finish out a very enjoyable set and it was a nice touch having a huge photo of the late Brian James as a backdrop at one point.
As the Scarborough Open Air Theatre sky darkens the back projection fires up with the image of four coffins, the lids emblazoned AC, JD, JP, TH, the smoke cannons fire and the band take the stage and blast straight into the new album banger 'I Want My Now'. Instantly you’ve no idea where to look first, Alice Cooper out front straight down the walkway cane twirling takes command like a maniacal ringmaster, but hold on, over there is movie superstar Johnny Depp cranking out rhythm guitar looking like he’s in the role he was born to play, then there’s the human dynamo Tommy Henriksen throwing shapes dropping riffs for fun. Glen Sobel, Chris Wyse and Buck Johnson (drums bass and keyboards) keeping it all together while the man in black Mr Joe Fucking Perry stands on the riser the very definition of the image of cool!
AND THIS IS JUST FIRST BLOODY SONG!!!
Hollywood Vampires was originally the name of Alice’s drinking club with all of his rock 'n roll buddies in the 70's living life to excess so the bar room boozey blues of 'Dead Drunk Friends' seems like quite an aptly titled biographical song as Alice is one of the very few members still with us and thank the whatever you believe in that he is.
Unlike a normal (normal ???) Cooper show there’s very little use of theatrical props tonight however the sight of a crutch gets a huge cheer as it can only mean one thing … yes the AC classic 'Eighteen' still sounding as fresh as ever Alice hobbling down the runway then waving said crutch above his head like a flag of victory.
The show is a celebration of those other club members who sadly didn’t make it and Alice hands the reins over to Johnny Depp who takes us through an epic 'Venus In Furs', Wyse on upright bowed bass and Alice on a fourth guitar creates an orchestral wall of sound with Johnnys almost spoken vocal creating quite the atmospheric vibe.
I still remember as a kid reading music magazines seeing photos of Alice and Keith Moon clowning about together so I knew he would pay tribute at some point. Stripping 'Baba O’Riley' back to an acoustic guitar from Buck with Alice on vocal was inspired especially with the images of both Moon and Entwhistle being beamed on the screens, then as you think you have a handle on it the familiar synth pattern kicks in and there’s Perry windmilling those power chords in true Townsend fashion! I wasn’t sure just how one of my favourite songs was gonna be handled but I need not have worried! Mint!!!
So many tributes paid to lost friends like Johnny Thunders, Jim Morrison, Jim Carroll and more it’s hard to pick stand out moments but for me seeing Joe using an ebow on Bowie’s 'Heroes', Depps take on Killing Jokes 'Death & Resurrection Show' with a lot of effects on the vocal, the guitar barrage of Becks Bolero and Tommys nailed on 'Highway To Hell' were certainly up there'
All the Aerosmith fans were in for a treat too 'Living On The Edge' the classic 'Walk This Way' (with added hilarious intro video clip of Young Frankenstein) and the electrifying 'Bright Light Fright' gave us the Toxic Twins fix.
The familiar white tail coat and top hat signals Alice’s anthemic 'Schools Out'. Alice bursting the giant balloons being bounced around the sold out crowd reminiscent of the sword busting the bubbles on Top of the Pops all those years ago when it topped the charts.
The rock 'n roll classic 'Train Kept A Rollin’' and Xmas party floor filler 'Hi Ho Silver Lining' see us off into the night and what a night it’s been. Rock legends, movie superstar, set list of ages, but best of all good times had by all, in the crowd and on the stage, all great mates having a ball!
Yeah it was a bit raw at times but that’s what rock 'n roll is meant to be innit? Innit??
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