Alice Cooper - Brutally Live [VHS] [2000]

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Customer reviews

review by: date: 2007-01-31 rating:
Blows You A Kiss
I heard it's a so-so performance and was permanently discouraged against buying this DVD. If I only knew how bloody good it is! br / br /Now, the title 'Brutally Live' tells you already that the DVD was recorded while promoting the album 'Brutal Planet' and the title track from it is opening the set. Boy, what opening it is! Alice looks fine as a half-witch, half-samurai and the song itself - one of the heaviest ever in his career - puts you in a trance that won't stop soon. Then goes the dark and catchy 'Gimme'. After that, one of my favourite Cooper's classics - 'Go To Hell', re-arranged a little to fit the darker sound of the previous tracks. Then 'Blow Me A Kiss'. Then 'I'm Eighteen'... I could go on, you know - almost all of the songs here are treasures. And even when Alice goes for the tracks that I thought were a bit weaker when listening to the CD's, they all of a sudden start to make much more sense here - either because of the new guitarists playing the riffs or just because of Alice's additional body language that helps you understand what he meant when writing them. Take 'Blow Me A Kiss', for instance: Cooper performs so much acting here that you can't do otherwise but start appreciating the song after all - complete with the politically incorrect lyrics. br / br /Other highlights? 'It's The Little Things', for one, with Alice's introduction (pointing at a fan standing close to the stage): 'What pisses me is that this guy here in the first row is wearing a Marilyn Manson T-shirt... 'cause, you know, it's the little things... that drive me MAD!'. Also 'Under My Wheels', 'School's Out' and 'Billion Dollar Babies' stand out - the usual killer songs are here supported by Alice doing tricks with his hat, destroying balloons with an epee or throwing fake dollars amongst the audience; much more fun than you could imagine just reading my bland description of it - I can guarantee that! br / br /And the low points? I'd have to say, the ballads. They're still easier to bear here than on the albums ('Take It Like A Woman' is shortened quite a lot ...but only to metamorphose into 'Only Women Bleed' seconds later), however, no one will ever convince me that Alice really needs all his ballads. The second low is the audience: the only thing those dudes are interested in is touching Cooper's hand or knee or buttocks or whatever else... that I honestly can't understand! Personally, I go to concerts to listen to cool, loud music and feel this special vibe - and I really don't feel like grabbing the vocalist's nads to better the experience. br / br /During the whole performance you can choose alternate camera angles (so that it only shows Alice and ignores the rest of the band, for instance) but that doesn't do much to me. I'm happier to find the spooky video for 'Gimme' here: can someone please explain why I never saw this on TV? Never ever? br / br /One hot DVD, this. If you're an Alice fan you should start saving money for it right now. Or if you can't save - just get yourself one more job or something. This is a must-have.

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review by: date: 2005-06-24 rating:
****1/2. Some of the best live Alice ever released
There have been several Alice Cooper concerts released on video through the years, and this is quite possibly the best of the lot.p"Brutally Live" was recorded live on July 19th, 2000, at LaBatt's Apollo in Hammersmith, England. It finds Alice Cooper in fine shape, backed by one of his best ever touring bands, and if his voice shows small signs of wear, the band and the legendary "performance art" are there to pick it up.brThe ultra-tight combo is anchored by former Kiss drummer Eric Singer, and more than a few of these songs sound better and tougher than ever in these powerful but totally focused live renditions.brGuitarists Pete Friesen and Ryan Roxie may look like 80s hair metal leftovers, but their playing is totally devoid of gimmicks and aimless showing off. And if newer songs like "Gimme" and "Pick Up The Bones" sound better than ever, early songs like "No More Mr Nice Guy", "I'm Eighteen" and "Caught In A Dream" come off sounding as fresh as they did in the 70s.pThe 25-track DVD version is top notch with excellent colour schemes and terrific camera work, and the twenty-track CD features equally excellent fidelity. "Brutally Live" proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that Alice Cooper is much, much more than an oldies act.br4 1/2 stars. Terrific!

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review by: lukestacey12 date: 2004-08-09 rating:
Alice is brutal, but his voice is no longer!!!
I am a fan of Alice Cooper, and I was excited that his 2000 Brutal Planet tour was released on DVD, but although the usual 'Alice' theatrics are all there (and entertaining they are), it was evident (at least on this performance) that at over 50 (Mr Cooper was at least 52 here), the years of singing 'Alice' style have caught up with him (at least where 'live' performances are concerned. Mr Cooper's vocal performance is very subpar, and it is none more evident on his finest song (Poison).br Alice Cooper is still very much an entertainer, but he's been a long time without a recognisable big hit (which was probably Poison, about 15 years ago).pThis DVD is worth having, and all credit must be given to Alice, for banging out a large setlist post 50 years of age on tour, and he gives exceptional value for money, but Alice is not what he was.

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review by: date: 2003-09-27 rating:
Alice At His BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!
A pure master at work! His age has helped him improve his performance with experience. i loved the performance of songs like caught in a dream and Under my wheels. At the age of 52 he is as energetic as a 20 year old.pI'm only 12 and since i started to get interested in Alice and told my friends about him he has been revived in my school. brAlice has taken on a new more gothic look, singing songs like brutal planet. Which appeals to people more of my age groupe.pA must for an Alice fan!


review by: date: 2003-06-08 rating:
Brutaly Brilliant
Being an alice cooper fan i was thrilled at this DVD, many a time i have bought a Live video/DVD and have watched once and left it to collect dust, because without the atmosphere of a live show there is little point in watching axl rose run up and down a stage for 2 hours, or ozzy osborne banging his head up and down to a familiar tune [despite these both being exelent musicians in there own right]brhowever, Brutality live [among all other alice cooper live shows] really is live eye candy, with proggresion throughout the set, really one you'd want to watch aswell as listen. with an exelent set list with new and old material, and in such a good order, they run together so well, bri was pleasently surprised when i saw alice on the Monsters Of Rock tour in november 2002 when i found the set and stage antics were almost identical to that of this DVD and couldnt have hoped for anything better

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