Update on Cheap Trick’s shows

Add comment October 22nd, 2009

Though the third leg of Def Leppard’s tour  has been canceled for “unforeseen personal matters,” Cheap Trick isn’t taking much of a break. The Rockford-based Tricksters opened for Def Leppard and the tour’s third leg was to have started today with 20 shows.

Cheap Trick will perform close to home Dec. 10 at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont at Jack’s Cheap Christmas Event.

Cheap Trick’s fantastic Vegas show, and the Rockford band back on the road again

2 comments September 14th, 2009

The 1,635-seat theater at the Las Vegas Hilton last night was about two-thirds full for opening night of Cheap Trick performing “Sgt. Pepper Live,” according to Brian Kramer of Rockton.

And the audience gave the group a standing ovation at the end of the show where Cheap Trick sang all of The Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” album and a few more Beatles songs.

Kramer said the show was “completely fantastic” and that vocalist Robin Zander’s voice “worked so well, so dynamically with the album.” Guitarist Rick Nielsen of Rockford wore a red coat and red pants with vertical dark lines, rather than his typical checkerboard-patterned clothes.

AMY J. CORRENTI | ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR
Brian Kramer and his daughter Danielle Burdick, 13, wearing clothes with the checkered pattern Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick is fond of sporting

Kramer’s 13-year-old daughter, Danielle Burdick of South Beloit, said the show was an eight on a scale of 10. Burdick said seeing and hearing the orchestra perform with Cheap Trick makes her want to become a better clarinet player. “But it started off a little slow,” she said. At the beginning, guest musicians played a medley of Beatles songs.

Cheap Trick performs a total of nine Sgt. Pepper shows this month at the Hilton. There may be talks to make the gig a longer-standing one if the shows sell well, a company spokesman has said.

Meanwhile, Cheap Trick said last week that it will play another 20 or so shows opening for Def Leppard.

Vegas paper notes lots of Cheap Trick ties to Beatles

1 comment September 14th, 2009

On Friday, before Cheap Trick’s Sunday opening at the Las Vegas Hilton of “Sgt. Pepper Live,” Cheap Trick members outline their connections to The Beatles in this Las Vegas Review-Journal story.

Nielsen jams with Les Paul in this photo

2 comments August 13th, 2009

Rick Nielsen, guitarist for Cheap Trick and a Rockford resident, jams with Les Paul in this undated (and provided) photo taken at Iridium Jazz Club in New York City.

Nielsen (left) e-mailed me this photo this afternoon. Guitar legend Les Paul died today.

Colbert’s face on new Nielsen guitar

Add comment July 28th, 2009

Wonder how long it’ll take for Stephen Colbert to book Rick Nielsen to play on “The Colbert Report” again?

Not long, I’ll bet, seeing as how Nielsen’s new DiPinto guitar has Colbert’s face and upper body plastered all over it.

(photo at dipintocustomshop.com)

The last time Cheap Trick guitarist Nielsen and vocalist Robin Zander played on the show was June 29. Colbert was impressed with the Rockford-based power poppers’ release on 8-track of its new CD, “The Latest.”

Cheap Trick to play on Conan in midst of career second-wind

1 comment July 27th, 2009

On the inaugural show of “The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien” on June 1, O’Brien “ran” from New York City, where his former late-night show broadcast from, to Los Angeles, his new base city, while Cheap Trick’s “Surrender” hit played in its entirety.

On Sept. 1, the 35-year-old, Rockford-based power popsters who are in the midst of a busy second wind in their career, will play a song off their latest album,  “The Latest,” on O’Brien’s show, according to the quartet’s Web site. The song, “Sick Man of Europe,” rocks more than pops, thank you very much.

Cheap Trick will be winding down in California that week from a summer tour with Def Leppard. Then it’s on to Las Vegas. At the Las Vegas Hilton, band members will “take on one of the most ambitious projects of their career - performing what is perhaps rock’s most iconic album, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, according to glidemagazine.com.

The show runs for nine nights Sept. 13-15, 17-19 and 21-23. Tickets cost $65 to $95.

Girl group covers Cheap Trick song for new ABC show

Add comment July 2nd, 2009

A video where girl group KSM covers Cheap Trick’s “I Want You To Want Me” is being used in promotion spots for  a new ABC Family channel show, “10 Things I Hate About You.” It debuts at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 7 (Comcast 25).

The show is a half-hour high school series directed by Gil Junger, who also directed the 1999 film by the same name, which provided Heath Ledger’s breakout role. “I Want You To Want Me” was featured in the movie.

(KSM with ‘10 Things’ cast. J-14.com)

According to the ABC Family Web site: Rockford-based power-pop quartet “Cheap Trick released a studio version in 1977, but it was the live take from their 1979 concert album, “At Budokan,” that made it a huge hit. It’s been covered a lot; even Lindsay Lohan did a version in 2005.”

Cheap Tricksters on Colbert show Monday

Add comment June 26th, 2009

Rick Nielsen and Robin Zander of Rockford-based Cheap Trick will appear Monday night on “The Colbert Report” on Comedy Central (Comcast 45). The theme song for the Stephen Colbert program is “Baby Muggles,” a Cheap Trick piece. Nielsen has appeared before on the show.

(Stephen Colbert)

Local musicians playing Chicago soon

Add comment June 12th, 2009

Taste of Randolph Street festival features Miles Nielsen Friday, June 19, and Tinted Windows, headlining act with Bun E. Carlos of Cheap Trick, on Saturday, June 20.

The Last Vegas, July 2, which includes Rockford-reared Adam and Nate Arling, at the Double Door in Chicago, opening for Duff McKagan’s new band.

Corey Chisel and the Wandering Sons, which includes Miles Nielsen,  plays the Metro on July 30, opening for Josh Ritter.

Cheap Trick gets big, maybe bigger, Vegas gig

Add comment June 12th, 2009

Tickets go on sale Saturday for the  three sets of Cheap Trick performances at the Las Vegas Hilton, the band’s Web site says.  The Rockford-based band will perform Beatles music, “Sgt. Pepper Live,” for nine nights Sept. 13-15, 17-19 and 21-23.

(Photo provided. Rick Nielsen, Robin Zander, Tom Petersson and Bun E. Carlos)

If negotiations are successful, “Sgt. Pepper Live” will be performed on a recurring basis in the future, perhaps alternating with resident headliner Barry Manilow, this Las Vegas Sun story says.