On November 5, 2002, Alice Cooper played a concert in Moscow, Sports Palace Luzhniki (capacity – 8,000). That was part of a world tour to present the DragonTown album. It was the second visit of the rock artist, organized by the JSA Promoter team. The event went well despite some difficulties at that time.
The concert started with the unusual rock band – L.A. Guns. After this, Alice Cooper introduced the powerful rock show – Descent into Dragon Town. The audience appreciated the uncompromising rock and roll that sounded on the stage. According to musical critics, it was a solid mix of comedy, nightmare, and rock and roll.
Unfortunately, that evening the hall was not full due to the tragic events that happened a short time before in Moscow at the Nord-Ost musical in the Theater Center on Dubrovka. The terrorist attack – taking spectators hostage, the bad actions of the security forces – there were many dead people in the final. Therefore, many people were scared, and some of them returned their tickets, as they thought the concert would be canceled. The situation was difficult – at the initiative of the JSA, Alice Cooper sent the message to fans before his arrival:
“You can’t stop rock ‘n roll. And, you can’t stop Alice Cooper. I’m looking forward to coming back to Moscow. The last time we did a show there it was one of my favorite cities on the whole tour. I have every confidence in the Moscow people and the Moscow security that there will be no problems. We will be there with our entire show! See you soon!”
People continued to buy tickets only when Alice Cooper had already arrived at Sheremetyevo Airport.
To more optimism of the public, a big Press Conference was held on the same day in the editorial office of the Moskovsky Komsomolets newspaper. Thanks to Dmitry Shavyrin for his cooperation in this matter and to other media for info helping.
Alexander Strizhak, managing director of JSA and promoter of this concert, expressed deep condolences to the families of those who died as a result of the terrorist attack in Moscow and said that Alice Cooper’s concert in Moscow is not canceled.
“The tragedy that we all experienced is still too fresh, it’s not easy to talk about future events. And yet, despondency is a great sin. We must continue to live.”
Alice Cooper had an open walk around Red Square the next morning and good shopping at GUM for public promotion that he is here.
JSA thanked the Moscow Government and Police Department for their understanding, interaction, and good work. And, of course, the JSA team thanked the audience for their faith and trust. And special thanks to Alice Cooper and his team for their courage and partnership in this case.
MK.RU Newspaper / 11/06/2002: Alice Cooper: I’m like Dali, only more modern.
Dni.Ru Internet News Portal / 10.11.2002: Uncompromising rock and roll in the Luzhniki!
InterMedia News Agency / 16.10.2002: Alice Cooper will immerse Moscow in the Dragon Town
Komsomolskaya Pravda Newspaper / 02.11.2002: I am Alice Cooper, this explains a lot
ZVUKI.RU Rock Music News Portal: The second concert of Alice Cooper in Russia
The Internet portal “Russian AMERICA” (based on materials from Dni.Ru) / 11/06/2002: The truth about Cooper – the king of horror
News Internet Portal UTRO.RU / 08.16.2002
– The Witcher always flies twice?
– Reflections of the witcher in the Moscow “Luzha” (wordplay – Luzha is a short word by Luzhniki and in Russian sounds like – puddle)
Below you can see some more photos of Alice Cooper – just the man without a mask of the “King of Horror” on the world rock scene. The photos are from the JSA archive (they were taken during his second visit to Moscow).
Версия на русском языке: ALICE COOPER С АЛЬБОМОМ DRAGONTOWN В МОСКВЕ. ТЕРРОРИСТИЧЕСКИЙ АКТ НЕ ОСТАНОВИЛ РОКЕРА
© All photos and promo stuff are the copyright of JSA Stage Company.