During the early '70s, the original Alice Cooper put on amazing live shows, cranking out mega-decibel hard rock anthems and combining theatrics with high-energy performances. But after the band split up in 1974, Alice went in a much more theatrical direction, almost as if the music were secondary to the live performance. Despite the fact that the original band excelled in a live setting, a live album from the era was never issued; AC's first live release turned out to be 1977's Alice Cooper Show. The album wasn't culled from the best performances of his most recent tour; instead it was limited to a pair of shows at the Aladdin Hotel in Nevada. Alice was still in the throes of alcoholism, and all the contributing factors add up to a largely lackluster live collection. Sure, such classics as "Under My Wheels," "Eighteen," "Billion Dollar Babies," and "School's Out" benefit from a crowd's presence, but the production and the performances are pretty darn flat and uninspired throughout. AllMusic Review by Greg Prato