Alice Cooper Group: Playhouse Review (1972)

On November 10, 1972, the original Alice Cooper Group delivered a legendary, sold-out performance at Green's Playhouse in Glasgow, Scotland—their sole UK show that year and a key stop on the School's Out Tour '72. This concert is remembered for its explosive energy, theatrical spectacle, and the crowd's unrestrained enthusiasm, which reportedly led to fans wrecking three rows of seats in the venue. The event drew a predominantly male audience of around 3,000, who were on their feet from the start, chanting "Alice, Alice, Alice," dancing on balconies, and even tossing lit cigarettes onstage, creating an atmosphere that stunned the band. Tickets cost £1.20, and the show kicked off the UK leg of the tour, showcasing Alice Cooper's signature blend of hard rock, horror-themed theatrics, and shock value.

The performance was a high-octane mix of music and macabre stagecraft, opening with bubbles enveloping the stage as Alice emerged in gold lamé pants and a black leather top, evoking a Hammer horror villain. Highlights included handling a boa constrictor named Yvonne, a sword-wielding standoff with bandmates and fans, and a choreographed "West Side Story"-inspired knife fight among Jets and Sharks gang members amid garbage-strewn props, ending in mock executions. The climax featured Alice's dramatic "hanging" on a gallows (with a realistic jerk via piano wire, thunder, lightning, and smoke), followed by his resurrection as a presidential candidate in a white tailsuit, handing out posters with his cane. The encore of "School's Out" devolved into chaos as Alice chewed and spat poster bits into the front rows, igniting a dancing frenzy. Musically, the band—featuring Alice Cooper (vocals), Glen Buxton (guitar), Michael Bruce (guitar/keyboards), Dennis Dunaway (bass), and Neal Smith (drums)—delivered a tight, polished set with sharp timing and phrasing, backed by superior lighting, though the drums were critiqued as visually flashy but sonically underwhelming. An audio recording of the full show circulates among fans.

The opening act was Flo & Eddie (aka Phlorescent Leech and Eddie), who arrived late due to flight delays but still warmed up the crowd effectively. Post-show, Alice reflected that the violence in his act served as a cathartic release for fans' energy rather than incitement, and he hinted at plans for a new, even more elaborate production in the UK by mid-1973. Contemporary reviews hailed it as one of the best gigs since early Led Zeppelin, praising the seamless integration of theater and rock. Photos from the night capture Alice mid-performance, amplifying the event's iconic status.

Review from Disc Music Paper, November 11, 1972.

Scotland is Alice's wonderland

DISC November 18, 1972

Alice couldn't have got a better reception anywhere. He was knocked out afterwards-so were the whole band. Where else in England would everybody be on their feet before you're onstage; dance on the very parapet of the balcony; sing along perfect; chuck lighted cigarettes from the balcony on to people below so the air smelt of singed hair. word

That's how it was for Alice Cooper's only British date of 1972 at Green's Playhouse, Glasgow. And the Scottish kids who so often seem to miss out on big acts really made their gratitude felt.

Sadly, because the plane was late we missed Phlorescent Leech and Eddy, but every-one I spoke to said they were great. Alice has improved drastically since I last saw him at the Rainbow over a year ago.

Musically now, the band is very tight and the act much more polished and continuous than it used to be. Plus they have a really excellent lighting system.

Although Alice still isn't the ultimate in showmen, it was the best gig I've been to since early Led Zeppelin. Going to shows mainly round the London area you tend to forget what audiences are really like, ones who enjoy themselves and leap about and get off on the band.

With the band playing so well now, and the sound balance so good, Alice is a bit of a let down. Thank God he's stopped wearing that appalling black suit with specially drilled holes in it, but for the gold sequined trousers and top he's now sporting, he could lose half a stone for a start. One term at drama school could make Alice.

At the moment all his ideas are great, but go off at half-cock because he hasn't the ultimate panache to carry them off. His movements are inhibited and self-conscious, he has virtually no stage presence and he never MOVES, just sidles.

For all that he and his man-ager's ideas are lovely. The act starts off with some of their best rock and roll numbers, well linked and leading into Alice's famous little the sword on-trappings stage, the python which he all but stuffs down his trousers. Then there's sequence from "West Side Story," the Jets song, which would probably make Leon-ard Bernstein blench but is always good for royalties.

That culminates in a street fighting sequence with the audience screaming for Alice as he attacks his guitarist with a knife. With much wobbling and knocking over a high hat the drummer manages to leap over his drums and also joins in, at which point two police sirens go off at the back and the stage blacks out apart from the revolving siren lights. This point was a too lengthy link with much scuffling on-stage as Alice was rigged up to his scaffold and after an even more tedious interlude of mock thunderstorms, the lights went up and Alice was hung with a nicely realistic jerk of the trap going from under his feet.

back again for goodly rock, and a lengthy encore of "Schools Out" with Alice chucking out posters. Or if you were in the front few rows Alice spat some chewed up poster at you. The band is a joy to watch. The guitarists move really well, the drummer is impressive to look at if not to listen to, and they play an excellent set with some of the best timing and phrasing you could wish to hear.

CAROLINE BOUCHER in Glasgow