Having found our seats at Rod Laver Arena (12 May) and checked out the stage and incredible rigging, an overwhelming anticipation of what was to come set in.
Tracks that resembled roller-coaster rails stretched from the drummer's platform, up across and over the ground area, to the far end of the sound techies platform. It was easy to deduce this lay ready for Tommy Lee's grand, and final, drum solo showdown.
Click here for photos from the show.
But first came supporting act Alice Cooper, who was nothing short of faultless. A true rocker who time has not touched, he proved that age is no barrier. He appeared and sounded as he did in his 40s, and catered consistently to his crowd by showering them - literally - with gifts such as cash notes, pearl necklaces and even one of his iconic walking canes.
Image © Carl NeumannCooper's entourage were also a visual rock delight, which included his super-hot female guitarist Nita Strauss and super-sexy, macho bass player Chuck Garric – both not only wowed us with their musical skills, but also provided welcome eye-candy for both sexes within the audience.
Image © Carl NeumannThe playlist included many hits, such as his cover of 'Poison', which brought the house down, and, of course, 'Feed My Frankenstein', throughout which Cooper pulled out all his visual tricks. Wearing a blood-stained lab coat, he dramatically put on a torturous-looking face mask and seemingly vanished into an enormous contraption, only to 'transform' into a ten-foot-tall monster.
This horror-filled act ended with him being strapped into a straight jacket by a gruesome monster-nurse (replete with huge boobs, of course) and then beheaded by way of a medieval guillotine. Cooper kept us fully entertained right to the very end, with his cover of 'Schools Out for Summer', during which he strode around the stage in a massive Uncle Sam top hat under a rain of bubbles blowing overhead, this time throwing massive, multicoloured balloons into the audience.
In a nutshell, Alice Cooper stills holds his ground firmly as a rock legend – an entertaining act.
Following Cooper came the main act, Motley Crüe, in their first of two final shows (for ever) in Melbourne. They kicked off with 'Saints Of Los Angeles', sending the audience into an instant frenzy with an extravagant pyrotechnics display. Two tantalising dancing girls, ridiculous (as in, amazing) light rigging and seemingly never-ending pyrotechnics gave us a visual treat throughout their whole performance.
Singer Vince Neil fully owned the stage as usual, and told us how he'd missed us Melburnians since their last tour. The Crüe satisfied their clearly devoted fans with a good pick of favourites, including 'Same Ol' Situation', 'Looks That Kill', 'Smoking In The Boys Room', 'Mother Fucker Of The Year', their cover of The Sex Pistols' 'Anarchy In The UK', 'Girls Girls Girls', and - of course - 'Dr Feelgood' (complete with dancing, semi-naked nurses).
Image © Carl NeumannThe drama continued when, shortly into 'Shout At The Devil, a bass guitar suspended above the stage was set alight and left to burn throughout the song. Then at the end of the song Nikki Sixx's bass guitar shot out a succession of five-metre flames from what appeared to be its jack.
Image © Carl NeumannAnd then came what we’d all been waiting for, when Tommy launched into his anticipated drum solo and he and his drum kit proceeded to lift and ride the huge and impressive coaster tracks. It was once he’d made it over to the sound techies platform – having played along the entire ride, 50 metres in the air turning upside down more than once - that Tommy explained: “I’ve been waiting my whole fuckin' life to ride this thing, man!” and that he’d named this one 'The Crucify'.
It was with a kind of melancholy feel their performance ended, which is not surprising given their solid 34 years together. But in their usual manner, they did it well and looked after their fans right to the end.
Bravo, Motley Crue - very well done.
Click here for photos from the show.
