On Tuesday September 12, 2023 The Freaks on Parade Tour made a much needed stop at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. This highly anticipated night of shock and rock included Rob Zombie, Alice Cooper, Ministry, and Filter had fans packing into the 20,000 capacity arena anxiously awaiting what was in store.
First band of the night was American Rock band Filter. Formed in 1993 out of Cleveland, Ohio this four piece band was prepared to start the night out strong. With fans on their feet and singing along during their 6 song set, Filter opened with “The Drowning” as well as played “Take A Picture,” and “Obliteration,” before closing out the night with “Hey Man Nice Shot.” With their most recent album The Algorithm just releasing in late August they had several fans both new and old in the crowd. They were just what the fans needed to open up for such a powerhouse of a night.
Second band of the night was American industrial band Ministry. Formed in 1981 out of Chicago, Illinois they made their name as one of the pioneers of industrial rock and industrial metal in the late 1980s. Vocalist, Al Jourgensen gave fans exactly what they wanted as he entered the stage with insane energy and crowd interaction. Playing several fan favorites which include “Thieves,” “Stigmata,” Just One Fix,” and the Black Sabbath cover of “Supernaut” Ministry really showed up and showed out on this tour. Fans in the pit, all the way to the nosebleeds chanted the lyrics until the final note, but as the set finished the energy could be felt for miles for who was next.
As a giant curtain that appeared as a news article of the Tennessee Times stating “BANNED IN TENNESSEE! ALICE COOPER! SET FOR TRIAL: FOR DEEDS AGAINST HUMANITY!” the roars amongst Bridgestone Arena were deafening. Suddenly the lights dimmed, and a spotlight appeared, to our surprise the silhouette of none other than Alice Cooper was right before our eyes. As Cooper burst through the curtain the fans went wild. American Rock singer Alice Cooper, also known as the Godfather of Shock Rock has been performing for over five decades. His sets consists of numerous props including stage illusions, guillotines, electric chairs, and giant beach balls which really give fans a interactive experience. Releasing 29 albums to date, this 75 year old has no signs of slowing down, and was truly remarkable to witness. Cooper’s stage presence, energy, and showmanship was like nothing we have seen before, and is just another reason behind why he has helped shape the music industry into what it is today. Performing a seventeen song setlist, Cooper performed several hits which included “Lock Me Up,” “No More Mr Nice Guy,” “Poison,” and closed out the night with “Schools Out.” Fans went wild as confetti, and Alice Cooper dollars danced across the sky, one lucky fan in the front row even catching a prop directly from Alice himself. As our adrenaline raced, we thought the night could not get any better, but the headliner Rob Zombie was ready to put on a show.
As the night was coming to a close our final act was about to go on, Rob Zombie. American singer, songwriter, record producer, filmmaker, and actor is the only artist to experience unprecedented success in music and film. Known for his horror and sci-fi based music with a nice element of suspense Zombie has really became widely known for this Shock Rock theatricality. Selling an estimated 15 million albums worldwide to date, this 4 piece band has musical influences that include no other than Alice Cooper, Kiss, Queen, and Elton John. Ironically enough, Zombie has previously stated the first album he purchased was by Alice Cooper, so the joy of being on tour with his idol is indescribable. With 7 albums to date, the most recent in 2021 titled The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy Zombie gave Bridgestone a wide variety of fan favorites. Playing “Feel So Numb,” “Superbeast,” “The Lords of Salem,” “Living Dead Girl,” Zombie also played a House of 1000 corpses re-release trailer before closing out the night with “Dragula.” The stage setup, pyro, lighting, and outfits all flowed so nicely, and was everything fans could have dreamed of. From the high rise Zombie skull he was elevated on in the first song to the pentagram glow in the dark microphone stand the props were endless and lived up to his horror theme. From the first note to the final, Rob Zombie demanded the entire stadiums undivided attention and left us all with our jaws on the floor. We will gladly let the freaks parade through our city again anytime.
The Freaks on Parade Tour began on August 24th in Dallas and will hit several major cities including Des Moines, Scranton, and Concord before finishing up on September 24th in Phoenix. There is still time to catch these legends in action, click Here for more information on where you can see them next.
Photos By: BrittMae Photography
Keep up with Rob Zombie: Website//Instagram//Twitter
Keep up with Alice Cooper: Website//Instagram//Twitter
