Gigography

Madhouse Rock (1979)

Madhouse Rock Tour 1979

Press Release:

ONE FLEW OVER THE ROCK 'N' NEST

Alice Cooper's "Madhouse Rock" '79 Announced

Alice Cooper hits the road again with another rock'n'roll extravaganza that bankrolls in excess of $900,000 and is based on the controversial rock star's recovery a year ago from alcoholism.

Cooper's Rock Roadshow — officially titled "Madhouse Rock" — will visit on its first leg 18 U.S. cities, mainly in the Midwest, beginning Feb. 11.

Producer of Madhouse Rock, Joe Gannon, states: "This will become Cooper's most extravaganzant show yet — a highly surrealistic piece of rock theatre that emulates the fantasies and actualities of being in a mental institution."

Cooper's own recovery from alcoholism forms the loose basis of "Madhouse Rock" 1979 which in itself is a visual and audio recreation of Cooper's current hit Warner Bros. Records album "From The Inside" which he wrote with Bernie Taupin, former Elton John lyricist.

"Alice calls this his most personal album," says Gannon. "Our job is to give Alice's inner vision of his experiences an outside form."

Gannon as producer and Rob Iscove as director have made Alice's onstage Wonderland a multi media experience with much use of film, back projection stage props and special effects. Huge whiskey bottles bounce, 12 dancing dogs dance, and the only sound heard from a Rolls Royce onstage is Cooper's rock music. Confirms Gannon: "We are committed firmly to the visual approach, but without neglecting the musical side. Alice's Madhouse Rock is still very much a rock music show."

Alice Cooper's musical backup includes veterans of rock and previous Cooper tours: Fred Mandel, Whitey Glan, Prakash John, Davey Johnstone and Steve Hunter.

Alice Cooper goes out on the road with a back up road crew of 31 people including musicians and a 10 mad production crew. Executive producer of the Madhouse Rock tour is Cooper's manager Shep Gordon, producer is Joe Gannon and director is Rob Iscove. Travel is by three trucks and a four engine plane... and a lot of looking at the weather," states Gannon.

— January 17, 1979

Vincent Price Introduction / From The Inside / Serious / Nurse Rozetta / The Quiet Room / I Never Cry / Welcome To My Nightmare / Billion Dollar Babies / Only Women Bleed / No More Mr Nice Guy / I'm Eighteen / The Black Widow (Instrumental) / Wish I Were Born In Beverly Hills / Dead Babies / Ballad of Dwight Fry / All Strapped Up / Go To Hell / Wish You Were Here (Instrumental) / How You Gonna See Me Now / Inmates (We're All Crazy) / School's Out

Approximate set time: 80 minutes

Love It To Death (1971):
I'm Eighteen / Ballad Of Dwight Fry

Killer (1971):
Dead Babies

School's Out (1972):
School's Out

Billion Dollar Babies (1973):
Billion Dollar Babies / No More Mr Nice Guy

Welcome To My Nightmare (1975):
Welcome To My Nightmare / Only Women Bleed

Alice Cooper Goes To Hell (1976):
I Never Cry

From The Inside (1978):
From The Inside / Serious / Nurse Rozetta / Quiet Room / Wish I Were Born In Beverly Hills / How You Gonna See Me Now / Inmates (We're All Crazy)

Non-Album Track(s):
All Strapped Up

1979 February

  • 11: USA - Field House, GrandForks, North Dakota
  • 13: USA - Civic Auditorium, Omaha, Nebraska
  • 14: USA - Dane County Arena, Madison, Wisconsin with The Babys
    Ticket | Advert | Advert
  • 16: USA - Cobo Hall, Detroit, Michigan
  • 17: USA - Cobo Hall, Detroit, Michigan Ticket | Ticket
  • 18: USA - Roberts Municipal Auditorium, Evansville, Indiana
  • 19: USA - Kemper Arena, Kansas City, Missouri with The Babys
    Ticket
  • 21: USA - Richfield Coliseum, Cleveland, Ohio with The Babys
    Scene (Cleveland, OH) Review - February 1979
    Ticket | Advert
  • 23: USA - Met Center, Bloomington, Minnesota
  • 25: USA - Unidome, Cedar Falls, Iowa Audio recording is circulating
  • 26: USA - Veteran's Memorial Coliseum, Green Bay, Wisconsin
  • 27: USA - Market Square Arena, Indianapolis, Indiana
  • 28: USA - Checkerdome, St. Louis, Missouri

1979 March

  • 02: USA - Riverfront Coliseum, Cincinnati, Ohio Ticket
  • 03: USA - Freedom Hall, Louisville, Kentucky Advert | Ticket | Ticket
  • 04: USA - International Amphitheater, Chicago, Illinois Rolling Stone Review - May 3, 1979
    Ticket
  • 05: USA - Wings Stadium, Kalamazoo, Michigan Ticket
  • 06: USA - Milwaukee Arena, Milwaukee, Wisconsin Audio recording is circulating
  • 29: USA - McNichols Sports Arena, Denver, Colorado Ticket | Ticket
  • 31: USA - Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, California Audio recording is circulating
    Ticket

1979 April

  • 01: USA - LA Forum, Los Angeles, California Ticket
  • 03: USA - Washington Center Coliseum, Seattle, Washington Audio recording is circulating
  • 04: Canada - Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver, British Columbia
  • 08: USA - The Aladdin, Las Vegas, Nevada
  • 09: USA - San Diego Sports Arena, San Diego, California Audio recording is circulating
  • 10: USA - Tucson Community Center Arena, Tucson, Arizona Ticket
  • 11: USA - County Coliseum, El Paso, Texas Ticket
  • 13: USA - Tarrant Convention Center, Fort Worth, Texas Audio recording is circulating
  • 14: USA - Norman Center, Norman, Oklahoma Audio recording is circulating
    Ticket
  • 16: USA - Convention Center Arena, San Antonio, Texas Ticket | Ticket
  • 17: USA - Centroplex, Baton Rouge, Louisiana Audio recording is circulating
  • 18: USA - Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston, Texas Ticket | Ticket
  • 29: USA - Civic Center, Rapid City, South Dakota

1979 May

  • 12: USA - The Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania [CANCELLED] Spectrum press release from April 26th states: "The Spectrum is one of 6 sites throughout the country forced to call off the concert because of the cancellation of the Alice Cooper tour." Tickets had gone on sale April 7th.

Tour Materials

Mad House Rock 1979 (Press Release)

Mad House Rock 1979
(Press Release)

Mad House Rock 1979 (Press Release)

Mad House Rock 1979
(Press Release)

Mad House Rock 1979 (Pass)

Mad House Rock 1979
(Pass)

Mad House Rock 1979 (Pass)

Mad House Rock 1979
(Pass)

Dane County Arena, Madison, WI - February 14, 1979 (Ticket)

Dane County Arena, Madison, WI - February 14, 1979
(Ticket)

Dane County Arena, Madison, WI - February 14, 1979 (Advert)

Dane County Arena, Madison, WI - February 14, 1979
(Advert)

Dane County Arena, Madison, WI - February 14, 1979 (Advert)

Dane County Arena, Madison, WI - February 14, 1979
(Advert)

Cobo Hall, Detroit, MI - February 17, 1979 (Ticket)

Cobo Hall, Detroit, MI - February 17, 1979
(Ticket)

Cobo Hall, Detroit, MI - February 17, 1979 (Ticket)

Cobo Hall, Detroit, MI - February 17, 1979
(Ticket)

Kemper Arena, Kansas City, MO - February 19, 1979 (Ticket)

Kemper Arena, Kansas City, MO - February 19, 1979
(Ticket)
Courtesy of John Schmidt

Richfield Coliseum, Cleveland, OH - February 21, 1979 (Ticket)

Richfield Coliseum, Cleveland, OH - February 21, 1979
(Ticket)

Richfield Coliseum, Cleveland, OH - February 21, 1979 (Advert)

Richfield Coliseum, Cleveland, OH - February 21, 1979
(Advert)

Riverfront Coliseum, Cincinnati, OH - March 2, 1979 (Ticket)

Riverfront Coliseum, Cincinnati, OH - March 2, 1979
(Ticket)

Freedom Hall, Louisville, KY - March 3, 1979 (Advert)

Freedom Hall, Louisville, KY - March 3, 1979
(Advert)

Freedom Hall, Louisville, KY - March 3, 1979 (Ticket)

Freedom Hall, Louisville, KY - March 3, 1979
(Ticket)

Freedom Hall, Louisville, KY - March 3, 1979 (Ticket)

Freedom Hall, Louisville, KY - March 3, 1979
(Ticket)

International Amphitheater, Chicago, IL - March 4, 1979 (Ticket)

International Amphitheater, Chicago, IL - March 4, 1979
(Ticket)

Wings Stadium, Kalamazoo, MI - March 5, 1979 (Ticket)

Wings Stadium, Kalamazoo, MI - March 5, 1979
(Ticket)

McNichols Sports Arena, Denver, CO - March 29, 1979 (Ticket)

McNichols Sports Arena, Denver, CO - March 29, 1979
(Ticket)

McNichols Sports Arena, Denver, CO - March 29, 1979 (Ticket)

McNichols Sports Arena, Denver, CO - March 29, 1979
(Ticket)

Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, CA - March 31, 1979 (Ticket)

Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, CA - March 31, 1979
(Ticket)

Los Angeles Forum, Los Angeles, CA - April 1, 1979 (Advert)

Los Angeles Forum, Los Angeles, CA - April 1, 1979
(Advert)

Tucson Community Center Arena, Tucson, AZ - April 10, 1979 (Ticket)

Tucson Community Center Arena, Tucson, AZ - April 10, 1979
(Ticket)

County Coliseum, El Paso, TX - April 11, 1979 (Ticket)

County Coliseum, El Paso, TX - April 11, 1979
(Ticket)

Norman Center, Norman, OK - April 11, 1979 (Ticket)

Norman Center, Norman, OK - April 11, 1979
(Ticket)

Convention Center Arena, San Antonio, TX - April 16, 1979 (Ticket)

Convention Center Arena, San Antonio, TX - April 16, 1979
(Ticket)

Convention Center Arena, San Antonio, TX - April 16, 1979 (Ticket)

Convention Center Arena, San Antonio, TX - April 16, 1979
(Ticket)

Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston, TX - April 18, 1979 (Ticket)

Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston, TX - April 18, 1979
(Ticket)

Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston, TX - April 18, 1979 (Ticket)

Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston, TX - April 18, 1979
(Ticket)