The Act You've Known For All These Years

Note: Tyge in our Las Vegas bureau chimes in with a preview of a show I'm insanely excited about seeing. There WILL be a trip to Sin City in my fall travel plans.

Cheap Trick should have been the first concert I ever attended. When they came to Nashville in the early eighties, my parents (who are both alright but just seem a little weird) wouldn't allow me to go to the all-ages show. I think they were unimpressed with the Dream Police album cover that was in my collection. It would be another fifteen years before I would finally see the band live.

The first time I saw them they shared the bill with Flock of Seagulls and Missing Persons at Las Vegas' Beach nightclub. I caught two of Rick Nielsen's guitar picks. The second time was at another Vegas nightclub, The Drink, where the foursome did their Live at Budokan tour commemorating the 20th anniversary of the event. Using a disposable camera, I took an awesome picture of Rick Nielsen. The third time was in Nashville during River Stages weekend. Seeing Cheap Trick and The Cult perform on the same day was sheer awesomeness.

Cheap Trick is one of those bands that stands the test of time. They're the Rock of Gibraltar of pop/rock music. Although often out of the limelight, they're still at it, turning out new music that gets little radio play, but still manages to find ears. If you've heard the theme song to The Colbert Report or That 70's Show, you've heard Cheap Trick.

This September, the band that Japan refers to as "The American Beatles" will perform a limited engagement at the Las Vegas Hilton. On the menu; the entire album of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, front to back. A twenty-five piece orchestra will also be backing the band. Cheap Trick has performed the album live twice to critical acclaim. When The Beatles' released the album, it was said the songs could never be performed live. Cheap Trick has managed to get by with a little help from their friends however, as Geoff Emerick, co-producer of the original album, will be over-seeing the sound when Cheap Trick takes the stage for those nine nights in September.

Needless to say, I'm rather excited.

Tyge blogs regularly at The Neon Lounge, and has also recently started contributing to The Opening Acts.