The air had a bit of a chill in it on Sunday night. Most people will tell you that it was because summer was ending and the fall season was getting ready to begin. Others will lead you to believe that is was the breeze coming off the Ohio River. 

But for those that were there, we know the truth. That dark chill in the air was the legendary macabre maestro, Alice Cooper.

Alice Cooper and his amazing five-piece band rocked and shocked the crowd at the Riverbend Music Center playing a variety of classic Cooper anthems as well as a few newer hits. The almost 70 year old singer is just as entertaining as ever, hardly missing a beat as he kept the crowd of both life-time and younger fans raising their fists and singing along throughout the evening.

Opening the night with the heavy hitting, “Brutal Planet”, the show was off and running. Alice Cooper’s concerts have long been known for the variety of shock and performance art and on this evening, Cooper did not disappoint. The stage show hasn’t been changed much in recent years, but if something isn't broke, it does not need to be fixed.

The group was quick to play classic songs, “Billion Dollar Babies”, and “No More Mr. Nice Guy” early into the set. Alice, ever the showman, would spin and throw canes and swords as he went through several costume changes in the early part of the show.

The MTV area classic, “Poison”, was played in all of its mid 80’s glory. And no 80’s area hard rock music is complete without an amazing axe man. Except when that guitarist is Cooper’s own Nina Strauss. Strauss’s guitar skills were a force to be reckoned with as she shred that song and many more throughout the evening.

Shortly after, Alice donned a lab coat for, “Feed my Frankenstein”. Halfway through the song he went through a monstrous transformation compete with explosive electrical charges and plenty of thick smoke. A 10-foot tall “Frankenstein-ed” Alice Cooper would finish the song in front of a roaring crowd.

Regrettably, it was time for the show to come to an end. Alice found himself being dragged to the guillotine for his stage show’s time-honored tradition of beheading the shock rocker. After Alice’s head was separated from his body, the band went into the song, “I Love the Dead”.

It wasn't long until Alice Cooper was back on stage proudly holding his severed “head”. The band ended their set with two of Cooper’s biggest hits; “I’m Eighteen” and their classic anthem, “School’s Out.”

Before ending the night, Alice spoke to the crowd, “You’re all paranormal! Go home and have wicked and paralyzing nightmares!”

We will Alice.  We will.