NIGHTMARE CONTINUES

Cooper still rocks and shocks

1. Classic shows

Before there was Gwar, Kiss, and myriad copy-cat acts, there was Alice Cooper. The original shockrocker, Cooper’s shows are a spectacle, and include ( but are not limited to) fireworks, clowns, and executions.

2. Classic tunes

Only Women Bleed, School’s Out, Billion Dollar Babies, No More Mr. Nice Guy, I’m Eighteen — the shockmeister born Vincent Furnier has more than enough hits to fill out a 90-minute set.

3. Fans in high places

His most recent albums, including 2011’s Welcome 2 My Nightmare and 2017’s Paranormal, feature star-packed rosters, including top-40 party girl Kesha, stalwart U2 drummer Larry Mullen Jr., and horror maestro Rob Zombie. According to reviews, some of the songs on Paranormal were actually even pretty good.

4. He has a rocking band

The Alice Cooper band circa 2018 includes veteran bassist Chuck Garric, who has played with Cooper since 2002; drummer Glen Sobel, who has been with Cooper since 2011; backing vocalists/ guitarists Tommy Henriksen and Ryan Roxie; and newest member guitarist Nita Strauss. According to local writer Alan Ranta’s review of Cooper’s 2016 QET show, “Strauss constantly flicked picks into the crowd, helicopter-whipped her guitar around her neck by its strap, and worked the stage from one side to the other, effortlessly bounding across it like a majestic rock antelope.”

5. He’s 70

Cooper released his first album, Pretties For You, in 1969, and he’s engendered an enormous amount of goodwill in the nearly five decades since. Each concert is abuzz with excited fans, many of whom have seen the singer numerous times, and who trade memories of past shows and experiences. Cooper continues to tour into his 70s, but there’s no telling how much longer he’ll want to execute himself live onstage for the pleasure of strangers.

ALICE COOPER

When: Aug. 20 at 8 p.m. Where: Queen Elizabeth Theatre Tickets: $45 to $99.50