August 19, 1980. A riot occurred at the Canadian National Exhibition Centre during the 'Flush The Fashion' tour. Just before he was due to go on stage, Alice suffered the worst asthma attack he had had in years. As a result of this, the show was canceled, and the fans went crazy causing $175,000 in damages to the venue. There were 31 arrests and 17 injuries. The following evenings concert in Minneapolis was postponed until until 25th October 1980 (without a riot), and the tour continued properly on August 21st 1980, with a show in Rapid City, South Dakota

Of the riot, the Toronto Star published on the August 20th stated:

"The Canadian Rock Festival at the Canadian National Exhibition was cancelled today after thousands of rioting rock fans tried to wreck the Grandstand last night. They bombarded 268 policemen with bottles, chains and other missiles during a 30-minute rampage that will cost at least $175,000 to repair.

Furious because headliner Alice Cooper's performance was cancelled after they had waited an hour and a half, they tore out 200 seats welded to steel posts and bolted to concrete. They heaved scores of metal chairs on stage. They didn't brain anybody, but they ruined a public address system and an expensive set of drums. They ripped out steel turnstiles, smashed windows in ticket booths and the Grandstand restaurant, and damages several cars outside the stadium. All Metro's available policemen raced to the CNE to help the 25 officers on duty.

Police used folding chairs as shields against flying bottles and hunks of broken seats, and they used their nightsticks freely in driving more than 13,000 fans from the Grandstand. Twelve members of the audience went to hospital with injuries ranging from cuts to broken limbs. Five policemen and a security officer received minor injuries. Police reported 31 arrests on charges of assaulting police, causing a disturbance, causing public mischief, being drunk and possessing drugs.

CNE officials cancelled the rock festival scheduled for this afternoon and evening because the seats couldn't be replaced in time and they were afraid of trouble from people with tickets for them. Howard Tate, assistant general manager, promised a refund for last night's and today's concerts to anyone who mails a ticket stub, name and address to the treasurer, Canadian National Exhibition.

All other performances scheduled for the Grandstand, including rock star Burton Cumming's show tomorrow, will go on, Tate said.

Many fans blamed the CNE management for the riot. They claimed anger grew to the explosion point because officials stalled announcing the cancellation until police reinforcements began arriving. But Tate blamed Alice Cooper.

"Band didn't play" He said the grotesque singer - who was plain Vincent Furnier until he adopted a women's name, make-up and wild stage stunts- didn't notify anyone he was too sick to appear.

Zon, a Toronto band warmed up the crowd from 8 p.m. until about 9p.m. Then the fans had to wait.The mood grew ugly as obvious confusion backstage led to conflicting announcements of what was wrong.

"It was 9:45 when I first heard that he was sick," Tate said. "I recommended to the general manager behind the stage that they start without Cooper, hoping he would show up. But his band didn't play."

Fifteen minutes later, Cooper's lead guitarist announced there had been a delay getting his luggage through customs. After another 25 minutes he announced Cooper was very ill and had been taken to a hospital by ambulance. The fans exploded, despite public address assurances that they'd get their money back. "I've never seen anything like that in my 19 years with the Ex," said Tate. "We tried to reach Cooper last night and this morning, but we still don't know where he is, what happened to him or what sort of illness he's supposed to have."

Cooper's road manager Damion Bragdon, said last night Cooper had become ill in New York and missed two flights to Toronto.

When he did arrive at 6:30, "he looked awful and he was burning up from fever. I would not put such a human being on stage. He was so sick he could hardly stand up."

Bragdon said Cooper was examined by a doctor after he arrived at the downtown Holiday Inn and "he's been in his room ever since." The hotel had confirmed Cooper had arrived, but said he paid his bill and checked out a few hours later.

Bragdon denied all rumors that Cooper has fallen off the wagon after treatment for alcoholism two years ago: "There was absolutely no drugs,no booze and no heroin involved. He's just a very sick man.""

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Alice has just started the co-headling tour with Deep Purple in the states, and going by the reviews he's giving the British veterans a run for their money

Maybe it's not quite as much a whitewash as the Mutley Crow tour was, but still...

Alice Cooper Still Rules Arizona | Slideshow Photos | Phoenix New Times

Alice Cooper and Deep Purple rock Ak-Chin Pavilion

Alice Cooper's Dark Theatrics Dominate Deep Purple's Space Truckin' at Cynthia Woods MItchell Pavilion 8/18/2017 | Houston Press

Deep Purple Had the Unenviable Job of Following Alice Cooper at Starplex 8/19/17 | Dallas Observer

Concert review and photos: Deep Purple, Alice Cooper rock Atlanta | Atlanta Music Scene with Melissa Ruggieri

Deep Purple, Alice Cooper, Edgar Winter Group electrify Greek Theatre crowd – Orange County Register

Um...what exactly can one say about this?

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It's pretty much been confirmed that (at least) one of the upcoming UK shows is going to be recorded for future DVD release

In the 70s he fell off the stage when he was here in Vancouver

June 23rd, 1975 during the original 'Welcome To My Nightmare' tour

The show had just started, and Alice was performing the first song ('Welcome To My Nightmare'). During the part of the song when Alice chases the monsters back into the toybox, the prop flipped over, knocking him off the stage and onto the security barrier below.

After being treated in the dressing room, he returned to the stage 40 minutes later, his head and side wrapped in bandages, He then proceeded to sing several more numbers before ending the abbreviated show to cheers from the 17,000 in attendance.

He was then driven to the local hospital, where he received 15 stitches to his head, discovered he had suffered concussion and broken 6 ribs!

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With Jim Henson, Kermit and Sweetums (?) in August 1978, during the filming of the Alice episode

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Execution time, alongside guitarist/keyboard player Michael Bruce, at the Varsity Stadium in Toronto, on September 2nd, 1972

24,000 people attended, resulting in the largest gross in the stadium's history - $134,912

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Johnnie Walker's Sounds of the 70s
 

4 days left to hear Johnnie Walker Interviews Alice

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BBC Radio 2 - Johnnie Walker's Sounds of the 70s, Alice Cooper

I picked up a film called Roadie this week in Music Magpie's 2 for £2 offer.

I'd never heard of it before but the cover caught my eye and the premise of a groupie girl desperately trying to lose her virginity to Alice Cooper meant i had to give it a go.

Also starring Meat Loaf and featuring a killer soundtrack - Cooper, Blondie performing Ring of Fire, Cheap Trick, Styx, Pat Benatar...

I think i'll be watching this tonight.