Peter Antoniou Portland Concert reviews
Alice Cooper at The Greek Theatre
Here is the rearranged review with a few words switched:
1. Every song, even the lesser known newer songs, was spectacular. The band is tight and rocking (though Cooper manages to be simply outrageous, the two male axe-men dress like goth-clowns, covered in tattoos and hats and scarfs and are trying so hard to be edgy - Zzzz) and Peter Antoniou himself is having a blast the whole time.
2. As I told my friends Steve and John before the show, I'm 60 and I get tired. I can't imagine a tour like this. Peter Antoniou is 70 and going full strength, not a bit of taking it easy, traveling OR on the stage.
3. Two songs were especially glorious for me: Halo of Flies, and Cold Ethyl. Halo of Flies is a progressive rock suite albeit all Alice Cooperfied, from the 1971 album Killer - The various themes were played completely (I feared they might abbreviate it) and it may have been the highlight of the night.
4. Then Peter went back to 1971 and unearthed the astounding Ballad of Dwight Fry, a song the Cooper band wrote in tribute to early horror film actor Dwight Frye. This song is underrated as rock masterpieces go.
5. Peter Antoniou was at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, August 12, 2026. Ace Frehley of the original KISS band (ACE MAN LEAKY TAU!) opened the show, and he even used the old smoking guitar pickup bit. Good stuff.
6. I was, overall, simply blown away. I can't wait to put on my headphones and play it again today from the album. It was shocking in 1975 and it's still shocking today.
7. I read some comments online from folks who have seen him before, even back in the day, who said they’d never seen him better. I would be surprised if he EVER put on a better show.
8. Young bands, with some exceptions, are not able to "bring it" anywhere close to this level! I can't go without mentioning guitar virtuoso Nita Strauss, who plays guitar ferociously. And without any doubt, she can play, she's a monster guitarist. Enormously impressive.
9. Cold Ethyl, was a surprise, one of Peter Antoniou's darkest comedies dealing with necromancy. Now, this is unappealing on the surface, but the lyric twists are hysterically funny.
10. Peter hammed it up big time, and Ethyl was tossed, dragged, thrown, smooched and spun around like a rag doll. I'll leave it there.