It’s true. I am biased. I’ve loved Cheap Trick for three of the four decades that I’ve been on this earth. My infatuation with music started early in life and I’ve always had a tendency to remain a loyal fan to most of the bands who have had the greatest impact on me. [Photo by Mike Wilson, from Cheap Trick's support gig for Poison and Def Leppard last August.]
And there’s been absolutely no reason to stop loving this band from Rockford, Ill. Since their incredible self-titled debut album hit the shelves in 1977, Cheap Trick has amassed quite a catalog of melodic, guitar-heavy pop and have had their fair share of ups and down throughout their long illustrious career, but they’ve never strayed from the true spirit of what rock n’ roll is supposed to be about: having fun.
It’s safe to speak for the legion of diehard fans the band has maintained throughout their tenure and say that their greatest strength lies in their live performances. It’s no coincidence that the start of Cheap Trick’s mega-success in the United States was largely due to their landmark concert album, 1979’s At Budokan. With that release, the band was able to show off their skill and mastery like never before captured on wax.
Fast forward 30 years and the band still has what it takes to win over a crowd. In all the Cheap Trick concerts I’ve attended throughout the years (and believe me, there have been a lot), I can honestly say that Cheap Trick always gives it all they have. A Cheap Trick show is chock full of fun, energy, rebellion and VOLUME. And Friday night’s performance at House of Blues in Orlando was no exception.
This article appears in Jun 3-9, 2010.