- Dawn Osborne
- 2 minutes ago
- 5 min read
HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES
02, London
12 August 2026
Where else would you get a blockbusting actor and heartthrob to millions, the American king of Shock Rock and the guitarist of the impossibly cool Aerosmith all on stage together?
There’s a lot of excitement tonight, largely due to the sheer quantity of star quality onstage. Where else would you get a blockbusting actor and heartthrob to millions, the American king of Shock Rock and the guitarist of the impossibly cool Aerosmith all on stage together? The 02 was packed out and the vibe was high. Something else makes the night seem an exciting one. Minutes before the support band are on, the almost total solar eclipse was happening, such a rare astronomical event that there won’t be another so spectacular for several decades. Outside, everyone is staring up to the sky. I borrow a pair of eclipse glasses and the moon on the sun is so spooky, so perfect for the visit of The Hollywood Vampires.
Appropriate for a horror themed show, the crowd were already screaming before the band go on.
Not sure about the choice of the support band though, as it’s low key Goth stuff Jesus And Mary Chain. Either you love it or you hate it. It is what it is. I prefer higher energy myself. One thing’s for sure though, it is 1000 percent Goth, and no one can say that it is an unusual choice for Alice.
Appropriate for a horror themed show, the crowd were already screaming before the band go on. The screams raised in intensity following graphics of the large Hollywood Vampires bats logo and bloodshot eyes appearing on the big screen, with a quote from ‘Dracula’ in a spooky voice. In a moment, Joe Perry emerged from the bright red plumes of smoke for introductory big riffs. As he is joined by Tommy Henriksen, this turns into a Rock ‘n’ Roll guitar duet. Alice Cooper soon comes to the fore, twirling his black and white topped cane, and pointing at the audience insistent in the repetitive chorus of ‘I Want My Now’. He backs up to allow Perry to join him on vocals.
Characteristically, Johnny Depp is playing it low key on the left in a beautiful grey military coat with spiky collars.
Characteristically, Johnny Depp is playing it low key on the left in a beautiful grey military coat with spiky collars. But he steps up for the solo of ‘Raise The Dead’ when Alice joins him. Alice naturally takes command on stage, taking on the personality of frontman extraordinaire Alice Cooper by default. He holds court at the front, taking off his striking red coat to reveal a blood spattered, white frilly shirt. ‘My Dead Drunk Friends’ is the third of the Hollywood Vampires tunes they kicked off with. It is very obviously a tribute to the original members of the drinking club The Hollywood Vampires, quite a few of whom are already gone, like Keith Moon. Alice’s ‘I’m Eighteen’ is up next. Joe Perry contributes a blistering solo, and drummer Glen Sobel does his two handed stick twirl as a flourish at the end. Alice put on a colonial looking top hat as he mimes the gait of an old-timer for ‘Boogieman Surprise’. In reality, even though he’s in his late seventies, Alice is a fit as a fiddle, and doesn’t look older in the face than he has done for decades!
‘Venus In Furs’, with Depp on vocals, is a little too Gothy for me, but I appreciate Joe Perry’s inventive searing guitar solo, and the ethereal sounds created with a bow by Chris Wyse on his electric upright bass (which is like a weird cross between a double bass and a cello). Not singing, Alice menaces Depp with his leather crop, which makes Depp smile.
Jeff Beck is honoured on the big screen with pictures of him, as the guitarists play the instrumental ‘Beck’s Bolero’.
I prefer the upbeat ‘People Who Died’, and flashing across the screen are pictures of the many Rockstars we have lost, like Ozzy and Phil Lynott. I like the Johnny Thunders song ‘You Can’t Put Your Arms Around A Memory’, and this time it’s Perry’s turn to take the lead vocal. Alice picks up a guitar and leans on Perry in Rock ‘n’ Roll solidarity as Perry sings. Wyse runs up the ego ramp and plays his bass behind his head for ‘Who’s Laughing Now’, during which enormous inflatable vampire teeth are unfurled above the stage.
It’s the first time the Vampires have played Aerosmith’s ‘Living On The Edge’. They add a new twist to it by flashing on the big screen snippets of headlines together with pictures of all the ways the world has been going to hell in a hand basket recently. It and ‘Bright Light Fright’ sandwich ‘Baba O’Riley’ (a Who cover), again in honour of Moon, and in which Sobel gets massive cheers for the dexterity of his drum tricks. Alice pretends to stagger drunk for the line “You’re All Wasted”. Jeff Beck is honoured on the big screen with pictures of him, as the guitarists play the instrumental ‘Beck’s Bolero’. For Jim Morrison, described as “one of the most dangerous vampires of all time”, it’s The Doors cover ‘Roadhouse Blues’. It’s the right kind of Rock ‘n’ Roll loose. For ‘The Death And Resurrection Show’, the loud and heavy Killing Joke cover, Depp takes the vocals again, while Alice shakes two maracas that look like shrunken heads with red streamers coming out of the bottom like blood. At the same time, on the big screen, graphics of headstones in a grave yard show more names of dearly departed Rockstars like Lemmy, Bon Scott, Eddie Van Halen, Chuck Berry and David Bowie. Speaking of which, ‘Heroes’ is up next. Alice and Perry join Depp, doing the main vocals for the last verse.
Next is a rousing version of ‘Highway To Hell’ with Tommy Henriksen on vocals. It’s an inspired choice and the driving tempo gets everyone going.
Next is a rousing version of ‘Highway To Hell’ with Tommy Henriksen on vocals. It’s an inspired choice and the driving tempo gets everyone going. Followed by the Aerosmith/Run DMC song ‘Walk This Way’, the energy remains high and Joe Perry shines with an incendiary solo. A school bell signals the monster ‘School’s Out’. Alice is in his element now, donning a white top hat and tails. Henriksen is, of course, in the Alice Cooper band too, and he joins Alice on the ego ramp, high kicking next to the master. Alice pops the enormous balloons that are now flying around the arena with his cane.
How are they going to top that? Difficult, but they do it by inviting Ronnie Wood on the stage for inspired versions of ‘Train Kept A Rollin’’ and ‘Brown Sugar’. The last song is the Beck cover ‘Hi Ho Silver Lining’ and live shots of the audience flash up on the big screen. Hilariously one of them is holding a sign “Alice, I’m sorry for running over your foot in 2023.” Like many of the stories of the Hollywood Vampires, it remains untold.
It’s always a thrill for me to see The Hollywood Vampires. They embody the phrase “Larger Than Life”. By analogy, I can’t think of anywhere more appropriate to be for such an important day, when the influence of the moon and stars also loomed so large.
It’s always a thrill for me to see The Hollywood Vampires. They embody the phrase “Larger Than Life”
Photo Gallery (courtesy of Dawn Osborne)
Photo Credit: Dawn Osborne Photo Credit: Dawn Osborne Photo Credit: Dawn Osborne Photo Credit: Dawn Osborne Photo Credit: Dawn Osborne Photo Credit: Dawn Osborne Photo Credit: Dawn Osborne Photo Credit: Dawn Osborne Photo Credit: Dawn Osborne Photo Credit: Dawn Osborne Photo Credit: Dawn Osborne Photo Credit: Dawn Osborne Photo Credit: Dawn Osborne Photo Credit: Dawn Osborne Photo Credit: Dawn Osborne Photo Credit: Dawn Osborne Photo Credit: Dawn Osborne Photo Credit: Dawn Osborne
Review: Dawn Osborne
Photos: Dawn Osborne
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