by Marija Brettle
– Columnist —
AT THE UTILITA ARENA – BIRMINGHAM, 19 AUGUST 2026
After almost three years, American supergroup Hollywood Vampires are back in Birmingham as part of their European summer tour, promising iconic hard-rock anthems and unforgettable, high-energy rock shows filled to the brim with star power. As expected, that’s exactly what we were treated to at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena last night!
Following an opening set from Scottish alternative rock band The Jesus and Mary Chain and a short set change, the screen visuals introduced the four protagonists: shock rocker and frontman Alice Cooper, backed by a trio of guitarists consisting of Aerosmith’s Joe Perry, producer Tommy Henriksen, and Hollywood superstar Johnny Depp. They were joined by Chris Wyse and Glen Sobel, keeping the live set tightly bound together musically.
Alice Cooper anchors the group with his trademark shock-rock theatricality, backed by iconic guitarist Joe Perry, Johnny Depp, “The Man of a Thousand Faces,” and touring musician and guitarist Tommy Henriksen.
The premise is that Hollywood Vampires are paying their respects to legends and their personal heroes of rock. The reality is much like what you can find on the tribute-band circuit, just with far higher production values, featuring covers of The Who, The Doors, and Jeff Beck, as well as their version of Bowie’s “Heroes.” Another Depp-fronted cover is a heinous, Hammer Horror-meets-Marilyn Manson rendition of The Velvet Underground’s “Venus in Furs.”
As the last wolf howls, they “sink their teeth” into the tracks “I Want My Now” and “Raise the Dead.” The next Vampire needs no introduction: Aerosmith’s Joe Perry emotively performs “You Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory,” dedicated to Johnny Thunders. The slower pace offers a welcome breather from the high-octane set. Perry navigates the fretboard with ease, delivering the trademark blues infusion he has owned since the ’70s.
At the end of the main set, they return to more familiar territory: the glorious stomp of AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell.” Perry chops out the riff to “Walk This Way,” while Cooper declares, “School’s out for summer!”, bringing a smile to the already excited crowd.
With a thunderous bassline courtesy of Chris Wyse and a zombie-laden video, this dark and dramatic number had the crowd on its feet. The cap-imbued Johnny Depp took the solo, much to the delight of everybody in attendance.
“My Dead Drunk Friends,” a rather slinky, bluesy number, celebrates the lives of one or two rock legends who took the term “drink until you drop” a little too literally. With the keyboard talents of Buck Johnson heavily featured and some rather solid tub-thumping from drummer Glen Sobel, this number once again had the crowd mesmerised.
The Alice Cooper classic “I’m Eighteen” followed, with Alice waving a wooden crutch in the air, clearly mocking the fact that, at 78, he is still performing that track. Tommy Henriksen was the focus guitar-wise. Highly energetic, Henriksen is the baby of the Vampires at a mere 62. He was thrashing around like a 20-year-old, his guitar slung low. Every note he played was spot on!
When Alice puts the hat on for “The Boogieman Surprise,” you know things are about to get serious. Depp takes on the darkly beguiling “Venus in Furs,” with bondage imagery filling the screens, before “People Who Died” arrives with a punk sneer as lost stars flash behind them. A stunning keyboard opening leads into a super-fast start with Depp on lead vocals, followed by Alice Cooper on backing vocals.
“Who’s Laughing Now” starts with Chris Wyse taking centre stage for a bass intro, while the rest of the stage is shrouded in red dry ice and a pair of huge inflatable fangs appears above the stage. This is also the last of the Vampires’ originals as they head into the second part of the set.
“Living on the Edge” is the first Aerosmith cover, and Cooper sings it well, backed by Tommy Henriksen, who takes care of the higher notes. Then comes “Baba O’Riley,” dedicated to the court jester of rock, the greatest drummer of all time, and the greatest bassist of all time: Keith Moon and John Entwistle.
Perry takes on the vocals on “Bright Light Fright” while Alice parps on harmonica, leading up to a tribute to the late, great Jeff Beck. The three guitarists flowed like the blood from one of Dracula’s victims: Tommy with his power stance, Joe working that slide, and Johnny doing a Lindsey Buckingham-style fingerpicking display.
After a quick change of shirt, Alice is back on vocals for “Roadhouse Blues” before “The Death and Resurrection Show” flies out of the traps with its Amazonian feel and rather mad guitar and vocal effects. Featuring Depp on vocals and Cooper shaking his skull-imbued maracas, this song continues the emphasis on lost rock legends, with images of tombstones featuring Bowie, Ozzy, Beck, Lemmy, and Bonham, among others.
Let’s face it, no party would be complete without a blast of “Hi-Ho Silver Lining,” and Hollywood Vampires did not disappoint.
Led by everybody’s favourite rock god, Alice Cooper, the Hollywood Vampires are loud, boisterous, and bags of fun. With Joe Perry, Tommy Henriksen, and Johnny Depp on guitar, the Utilita Arena became their own personal playground.
Whatever way you see it, Hollywood Vampires were here, and they were here for a “bloody” good time! They simply gave their all in a curated celebration of rock music!
Concert Photo Gallery
Images appear courtesy of Jadranka Jade.
Setlist:
I Want My Now
Raise the Dead
I’m Eighteen
My Dead Drunk Friends
The Boogieman Surprise
Venus in Furs
People Who Died
You Can’t Put Your Arms Round a Memory
Who’s Laughing Now
Livin’ on the Edge
Baba O’Riley
Bright Light Fright
Beck’s Bolero
Roadhouse Blues
The Death and Resurrection Show
Heroes
Highway to Hell
Walk This Way
School’s Out / Another Brick in the Wall
Encore:
The Train Kept A-Rollin’
Hi Ho Silver Lining
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