Vampires, Villains & Rock ’n’ Roll: Hollywood Vampires Raise the Dead in Colchester

Review & photos by Ali Burman

There are some concerts that feel like a gig, and then there are concerts that feel like an event. Hollywood Vampires’ appearance at Castle Park, Colchester, on Friday 21 August was very much the latter. With Alice Cooper, Johnny Depp, Joe Perry and Tommy Henriksen bringing their collective rock pedigree to the stage, the evening promised a potent mixture of classic rock, nostalgia and theatricality – and it delivered on all three fronts.

The concert formed part of the Colchester Castle Summer Series, with punk-rock legends The Damned providing support. Hollywood Vampires were returning to the UK after almost three years away from live performance, making this show particularly anticipated.

From the moment the band appeared, it was obvious that this was not going to be a conventional rock show. Hollywood Vampires have always been built around the idea of celebrating the music and personalities of rock’s fallen heroes, and their Colchester set embraced that concept wholeheartedly. Rather than simply relying on the celebrity status of its members, the band created a powerful live sound that allowed the songs themselves to take centre stage.

The opening pairing of “I Want My Now” and “Raise the Dead” immediately established the mood, before the band launched into “I’m Eighteen”. The latter was particularly fitting, given Alice Cooper’s history with the song, and Cooper remained an unmistakable presence throughout the performance. His voice, stage persona and theatrical instincts gave the show an authenticity that could never be manufactured.

Johnny Depp, meanwhile, looked entirely at home on the guitar. Whatever preconceptions audiences might have had about an actor stepping onto a rock stage were quickly dispelled. Depp played with confidence and enthusiasm, contributing to the band’s dense, muscular guitar sound rather than attempting to dominate it. Joe Perry was equally impressive, providing the swagger and unmistakable guitar character associated with Aerosmith. Alongside Tommy Henriksen, the three guitarists gave the performance an enormous sonic presence.

One of the strengths of the evening was the variety within the set. Hollywood Vampires moved effortlessly between their own material and songs associated with some of rock music’s biggest names. “My Dead Drunk Friends” and “The Boogieman Surprise” sat comfortably alongside covers including “Venus in Furs”, “People Who Died”, “You Can’t Put Your Arms Round a Memory” and “Livin’ on the Edge”.

The atmosphere really caught fire when the band reached “Baba O’Riley”. Hearing that familiar opening in the open-air surroundings of Castle Park was one of those moments that reminded everyone why classic rock remains so enduring. The set continued to build through “Roadhouse Blues”, “Heroes”, “Highway to Hell” and “Walk This Way”, each song bringing another wave of recognition from the crowd.

The setting itself also played a major part in the evening. Castle Park provided an impressive backdrop for a large-scale outdoor rock concert, with the historic surroundings adding a sense of occasion that an indoor arena simply could not replicate. The

combination of a summer evening, a packed audience and some of rock music’s most recognisable songs created an atmosphere that felt celebratory rather than merely nostalgic.

The encore was suitably chaotic and fun. “The Train Kept A-Rollin’”, “Hi Ho Silver Lining” and “Anarchy in the U.K.” brought the evening to a suitably raucous conclusion.

Ultimately, Hollywood Vampires’ Castle Park performance succeeded because it understood exactly what its audience had come for. This was a celebration of rock music, its history and its larger-than-life characters. Alice Cooper supplied the theatrical heart, Joe Perry the rock-star swagger, Johnny Depp and Tommy Henriksen the guitar firepower, and together they produced a show that was energetic, entertaining and packed with memorable moments.

For fans of classic rock, it was difficult to ask for much more. Hollywood Vampires did not simply revisit the past; they made it feel alive again for one memorable night in Colchester.

Verdict: 4.5/5

A loud, theatrical and hugely enjoyable celebration of rock’s past, delivered by musicians who clearly still love playing it.