Friday, June 12, 2009

Cheap Trick at the Hilton

Cheap Trick has found a Las Vegas home at the Hilton. A formal press conference is scheduled for this morning to announce a series of special engagement concerts. They will take over Barry Manilow’s theater at the Hilton when he is on a hiatus between his show schedules for the remainder of the year.

Cheap Trick members Rick Nielsen, lead guitarist, Tom Peterson, electric bass, Robin Zander, lead vocals and rhythm guitar, and Bun E. Carlos, drums and percussion, have been together since 1974 and still regularly go out on tour 35 years later. Their song “In the Street” was the theme for That ’70s Show, and their "Baby Muggles" is used as the theme of The Colbert Report.

The group’s performances are unrelated to Dee Snider’s occasional Monster Circus shows there, which will continue. They are still regarded as superstars in Japan , where they are referred to as “The American Beatles,” and their hits include “The Flame” and “I Want You to Want Me.”

Updated at 12:26 p.m.: Tickets will go on sale Saturday for the three sets of Cheap Trick performances at the Las Vegas Hilton. The band will perform Sgt. Pepper Live for nine nights Sept. 13-15, 17-19 and 21-23. The performances will feature special guests to be announced later and a symphony orchestra, audio production by Geoff Emerick and set design by Rene Lagler.

“One of America’s greatest bands ever, doing their live interpretation of this classic rock album, an album nobody believed could be performed outside the recording studio, sets a new standard for rock and entertainment in Las Vegas,” said Ken Ciancimino, executive vice president of the Las Vegas Hilton, at this morning’s press conference announcing the epic undertaking.

Producer Bill Edwards added: “We are going to make rock ’n’ roll history by incorporating this legendary American rock group with the music of The Beatles. This is a groundbreaking performance that everyone said couldn’t be done live, but Cheap Trick has perfected it.”

Tickets start at $65. Previous performances of Sgt. Pepper Live featuring Cheap Trick drew tens of thousands of fans for sold-out performances in Los Angeles , selling more than 53,000 tickets. Cheap Trick recorded the album All Shook Up in 1980 with Beatles associates Sir George Martin and Geoff, producer and engineer of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.

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Wonder how often they will cancel? Just thought I would put the question that everyone else is thinking out there.

4 comments:

texas_fan said...

Probably...NEVER. The stage is set for a "permanent" replacement. You watch.

Survivor said...

Just makes me glad I rescheduled for July!!!!

Bonnie said...

Looks like the Hilton may have already found Barry's replacement. They will perform when Barry is on hiatus? Seems like lately he is always on hiatus.

Time will tell how popular the show will be, but at least the Hilton won't have an empty showroom like they do now.

Peachy said...

Survivor, I hope you have better luck than I did.