What a way to close out the summer concert season at Pine knob music theater Thursday night with rock legends Alice Cooper and Judas Priest giving their fans something to remember until next concert season. What a fitting why to end the season with Detroit’s own Alice Cooper nobody throws a party better than Detroit rock city.
The co-headlining tour brought some friends along with special guests Corrosion of Conformity kicking the night off with a bang on a gorgeous fall night for a concert. The band hit the stage around 6:45 opening with “Bottom Feeder” off their 1996 album Wiseblood. The track had a nice blend of guitar licks and drum beats to go along with the slow winding sadistic kind of sound that comes from metal rocking bands.
COC have two original members in 2025 and that is original guitarist Woody Weatherman and singer/guitarist Pepper Keenan from the 1990s lineup. The seven-song set leaned more on the 90’s and that was ok with the still early arriving fans. The tone was set for what was to come and we didn’t have to wait long for that. The highlight from the set was “Albatross” just a great ass kicking heavy metal track to let loose with. The whole set was the in your face with attitude kind of music the kind that leaves you with a sore neck for the next couple of days.
Following a short break Rob Halford and Judas Priest hit the stage around 8 o’clock. Before coming on stage, the ever-growing crowd sang along to the intro “War Pigs” you have to love a good concert sing along. Rob Halford and the boys took the stage delivering the old one two punch hitting you with “All Guns Blazing,” and “Hell Patrol,” both from the 1990 album Painkiller. The crowd was staggered, but not out it was only the beginning. The tour commemorates the 35th anniversary of Painkiller.
If that wasn’t enough “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming” which happens to be my favorite Judas Priest song hits you next with some heavy guitar rips from swaggy guitarist Ritchie Faulkner, the crowd erupted joining in with Halford singing word for word throwing horns along the way. Halford commanded the stage from the get-go like he’s done for decades. The 74-year-old heavy metal rocker may have lost a step but his vocals still say otherwise.
A trip down memory lane hit me and I’m sure other in attendance with the 1980 smash hit “Breaking the Law” I was still in school and singing along at the local backyard parties and still taking place years later. The crowd at times seemed to take over or at least sounded like it. From the top of the hill all the way down to front row the sing-along could be heard from the locals and surrounding areas.
Priest’s stage set had some screens in the back, with lots of song-graphics displayed. Halford and Faulkner prowled the stage like a couple of lions looking for prey. For those who dig the deeper side of things “Solar Angles” I think happen to be the only deep track played. Before ending the night Priest paid tribute to the fallen metal heroes with “Giants in the Sky,” which featured video backdrops of the faces of departed rockers from Janis Joplin to Maiden’s Paul Di’Anno, and others. The biggest roar coming when Ozzy’s face showed up last on the video board. The night ended with the smash hit “Living After Midnight” which we all have done rocking to the dawn.
Rob Halford remains the Metal God and that will never change. You never know when Halford will call it quits and that would not set well with those who missed out seeing Judas Priest let’s hope there’s one more go around in 2026. The Birmingham legends are touring with Alice Cooper for the first time since 1991.
The moment was finally here Detroit’s own Alice Cooper hits the stage and is greeted with a loud thunderous roar, that was Motor City love right there. Cooper hits you with “Who Do You Think We Are?” which led into “Spark in the Dark,” from the 1989 Trash record. Cooper kept it going with the 1973 classic “No More Mr. Nice Guy.”
The queen of shredding the strings Nita Strauss shredded the Pine knob crowd during “Brutal Planet,” with an extended solo that drew loud pops of Nita, Nita, Nita. The solo set the stage for Cooper’s return with his theatrics part of the set. Launching into “Ballad of Dwight Fry,” and “Cold Ethyl.” Alice’s ageless wife/dancer Sheryl Cooper took center stage for “Only Woman Bleed.” Of course, Alice must die before the end of the show, and Sheryl took the lead, manning the guillotine and beheading her husband. “Ballad of Dwight Fry,” had Alice in a straitjacket, his eerie looks and eye twitches along with manhandling a lifeless doll named Ethel gave you that Halloween feel.
Besides going with the vintage stuff Cooper played a track from the band’s final album from the original line “Muscle of Love.” Going back in time to the 80’s and 90’s with tracks like “Feed My Frankenstein” (featuring the giant monster), along with “Hey Stoopid,” “Dangerous Tonight,” and the more recent, “Dirty Diamonds. “Second Coming” was resurrected for the first time since 1971 a nice change of pace indeed.
Pine knob wasn’t ready for the rock icon with fans turning the place into one massive sing-a-along and backyard get together with a few thousand close friends. The night ended with “School’s Out,” which was released in 1972, which by the way I was still in school. Years later when the song was played on the radio, I could walk home saying yes school is finally out for ever. Before walking off the stage one last time in 2025 the band added Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall” with band intros, and giant balloons floating around the crowd, Alice manages to pop them with his sword.
Alice’s attic tour packed in the Detroit faithful like a can of sardines. The tour runs through the end of October before heading across the pond. Do yourself a favor and checkout the one and only Alice Cooper, you won’t be sorry. Thanks for stopping by and keep rocking America.
Alice Cooper performing live at Pine Knob Music Theatre October 2, 2025
