Alice Cooper and Judas Priest rocked Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre

Here in the Valley, we claim Alice Cooper and Rob Halford as our own, even though they were both born far from the desert. They have both been the pulse of rock and metal for decades in our neighborhood, and they’ve given us some well-deserved bragging rights.

Frankly, we will take all we can get. The two Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees who are touring together for the first time paid a visit to Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre on October 22 and brought hits, nostalgia and devil horns.

Alice Cooper took the first stab (he had swords, knives, and his iconic guillotine throughout his set) with 1981’s “Who Do You Think We Are?”  As impressive as Cooper is as a performer at 77 years old — his longtime touring band consisting of drummer Glen Sobel, bassist Chuck Garrick and guitarists Ryan Roxie, Tommy Henriksen and shred queen Nita Strauss — is a perfect match for the ‘king of shock rock,’ and Cooper made sure their talents were showcased throughout the evening.

’70s rock anthems like “No More Mr. Nice Guy” and “I’m Eighteen” had the older crowd reliving their rebellious adolescence. It wasn’t just the grey-haired folks who were digging the scene, though; many of them brought their kids who were probably forced to listen to “Love It to Death”  in dad’s 1980 El Camino or their uncle’s bitchin’ Camaro. 

“Feed My Frankenstein,” “Poison” and “Hey Stoopid” were moments where his band members were able to really shine as the guitar players traded solos and shared the spotlight. The three-guitar attack really filled out the tunes sonically and gave songs from decades ago new life.

The theatrics peaked during “Ballad of Dwight Fry” as Cooper sported a straitjacket before he ultimately lost his head in a massive guillotine execution. His wife and fellow stage performer, Sheryl Cooper, then paraded around the stage with what was left of Alice’s noggin. These onstage shenanigans were the things that gave parents and conservatives fits back in the day, and though they don’t feel dangerous today, they are still a fun part of the show.

Original Alice Cooper band guitarist Michael Bruce joined the band for the closer “School’s Out” as Alice popped huge balloons filled with confetti as he swung his sword before the band took their final bow on a night that provided everything you’d want to experience during a Cooper performance.

The ‘metal god,’ Rob Halford and Judas Priest hit the stage about 45 minutes later and came out swinging with opener “All Guns Blazing.” While Halford may appear to have some metal Santa Claus vibes going, it became evident pretty quickly how potent his voice is once he started belting out the high notes.

Through the years, Priest have had lineup changes and the health of original guitarist Glenn Tipton has sidelined him from performing with the band regularly, but their current cast absolutely does justice to the band’s massive catalogue. Axeman Richie Faulkner absolutely has a bit of K.K. Downing’s personality onstage, but with his own spin on it, with a youthfulness that lends itself to the band.

Like Alice Cooper, Priest scattered in radio singles like “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin'” and “Breaking The Law” while visiting staples like “Electric Eye” and “Painkiller.” It’s truly remarkable how well Halford’s voice has held up over the years at 74 years young. 

As the night came to an end with “Living After Midnight,” you had to wonder how many more times we’ll get to experience these legendary pioneers in the future. While we cannot answer that question, we all felt 18 years old last night, and some of the attendees probably don’t stay up after midnight much these days.     

More photos from the Alice Cooper and Judas Priest tour: