Sitting beside my mom in Row J section 104, the very last row at the Event Center at Turning Stone, I felt a sense of panic. My heart was pounding inside my chest as I eagerly checked to see what time it was. Ten more minutes before the Hollywood Vampires were scheduled to play. I rocked my body back and forth and said to myself, “It’s going to be OK. It’s only Johnny Depp.” This did nothing to calm me down. My palms were sweating and I nervously rubbed them along my pants. Breathing deep and slowly, I was anxious for a moment I wished 10 years for to finally happen. I glanced down at my watch again and realized at any minute they would be on stage, at any minute I finally would be able to say I watched as Johnny Depp stood in the same room as me.
The lights dimmed and the crowd led out a loud applause of excitement. My heart raced faster as I sat motionless in the seat leaning forward awaiting the entrance of the band. The lights flickered and the stage became impossible to see as you heard “Dah-Dah-Dah-Dah-Dah-Dah-Dah”. Then all at once the room was lite up and there Depp was rocking out alongside Alice Cooper and Joe Perry.
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Although the Hollywood Vampires do not have a lot of their own music just yet, aside from a few songs, particularly, “As Bad As I Am”, lyrics written by Depp himself as a toast to his deceased Step Father, Robert Palmer. Most of the songs they performed that night were a tribute to Alice Cooper, The Beatles, Guns N’ Roses, and The Who.
The Hollywood Vampires threw an array of oversized beach balls with their logo out onto the crowd. Depp tossed a few guitar picks, that I am envious I did not catch, and Cooper tossed a few beaded necklaces. The madness of those down below I can only image as they scrambled for souvenirs from the band members themselves.
With lights of neon green, purple, and red, the concert appeared to give off the full-blown essence of Rock.
Cooper, who wore his usual heavy black eye make-up, was dressed in what appeared to be a white pirate shirt, black vest, and leather pants. Depp looked to be more Bohemian-Rock, in his loose white button down with rolled up sleeves and vest, accompanied by numerous jewelry and scarves around his neck, while Perry wore a black leather jacket over a purple shirt and an unbuttoned vest.
The energy that was exuded from the stage positively carried out toward the crowd. Every direction you turned audience members were standing up head banging to the music, or casually swaying and singing along. It was a concert that allowed Cooper, Depp, and Perry, to show audience members once again how talented they all are.
With Cooper on vocals, Depp on back-up vocals and guitar, and Perry on guitar, they were able to showcase their talents to the crowd, as individuals and as a band.
After the performance ended the band came back to do an encore and finished with “Schools Out”, a song by Cooper that was released in the summer of 1972 and became an instant hit.
The Hollywood Vampires was formed in 2015 by Alice Cooper, Johnny Depp, and Joe Perry. They are an American rock super-group that honors the music of the rock stars who died in the 1970s. The band name itself actually derives from The Hollywood Vampires, a celebrity drinking club formed by Cooper in the 1970s, with members like Ringo Starr of The Beatles and Keith Moon of The Who.
Cooper, known for his heavy make-up, tattered clothing, and Hard Rock music, Depp, for his outlandish characters he portrays in movies, and Perry, for the band Aerosmith, clearly make for an interesting and entertaining trio.
The group's debut live performance was held at the Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles on September 16 and 17, 2015, with guest performances with Kesha, Marilyn Manson, and more.
It was not until February of this year, when the group performed at the Grammy Award ceremony as a tribute to Lemmy that they announced their first concert tour which began at Turning Stone Resort & Casino on May 24, this past Tuesday.
When the tickets for this first concert went on sale, they sold out in less than thirty minutes. I was one of the lucky few that managed to get tickets before they sold out.
The concert was only about two hours long, but it was two hours of screaming and an occasional tear or two. Being that it was their first concert of their tour, I expected them to be anxious but there appeared to be no anxiety as you watched the three of them play music harmoniously on stage together.
For those that missed out on the opportunity to watch Cooper, Depp, and Perry rock out together at Turning Stone, I recommend checking out their 2016 tour dates on their website and finding a venue that is suitable and convenient for you. Whether you are a Cooper, Depp, or Perry fan, I promise you will not be disappointed.
