Question for all you old rockers who’ve been recording and touring for more than half a century: What’s your way of keeping things fresh?
For lead guitarist Rick Nielsen and lead singer Robin Zander of power pop band Cheap Trick, it’s pretty simple: bring your musical offspring on the road with your band.
So with sons Daxx Nielsen on drums and Robin Taylor Zander playing second lead guitar, it was a family affair at a recent (April 22) Vina Robles Amphitheatre show (plus of course original bassist Tom Petersson).
Another way to keep things spicy along the rock nostalgia circuit is varying your setlist every night with deep tracks in addition to staples like The Flame, I Want You . . ., Surrender and Dream Police.
But that doesn’t always work out as planned. The sparse crowd of about 1,300 didn’t seem to mind early on, but appeared to get a little bored until their favorite hit song riff blasted toward the end.
I know it was a weeknight show in April, but a less-than-half-full audience for this influential Hall of Fame group with a plethora of powerful, melodic songs felt pretty lame.
Of course, ticket prices ranging from $60 to $100 for an 85-minute performance from a band that performed less than two years ago at the Mid-State Fair didn’t help.
It certainly made for a pleasant experience at the scenic venue, but not exactly a thrilling one. You want some goose bump moments from coming-of-age musical icons like Cheap Trick, but those were nowhere to be found on this night.
One positive from the evening: no long guitar or drum solos, just 18 four-minutes-plus pop tunes.”
Full disclosure: Cheap Trick is one of my Top 5 all-time faves and this was my fifth time seeing them. But there comes a point of diminishing returns.
For me, the main reason for the subpar event resided with their setlist. Aside from the aforementioned staples plus regular show finale Goodnight, the band has written a dozen or so great rock songs like Need Your Love and Tonight It’s You and usually perform cool covers such as Don’t Be Cruel, Ain’t That a Shame and California Man.
On this chilly Paso weeknight, the fellas only played two or three of their many radio hits and no covers: mostly new material and deeper tracks that seemed to give everyone the blahs. Go ahead and play those deep tracks but choose your BEST ones.
And don’t forget the worst thing patrons want to hear at a classic rock concert: “We’re gonna play a new tune for you now.”
One positive from the evening: no long guitar or drum solos, just 18 four-minutes-plus pop tunes.
. . . a big shout-out to local dream rockers B and the Hive who played a quick but engaging 25-minute set to open the show.”
If these aging rockers aren’t your cup of tea, don’t fret: North County’s scenic outdoor theater has a packed line-up of entertainment coming up that features all musical genres and even a headliner comedian, Jim Gaffigan.
I also want to give a big shout-out to local dreamy pop/rock band B and the Hive who played a quick but engaging 25-minute set to open the show. Our major venues should do this more often given the immense musical talent along the Central Coast.
The bottom line remains that rock ‘n’ roll as a viable musical genre desperately needs to revitalize and reinvent itself. And fans wanting the formulaic same ol’, same ol’ (myself included) gotta embrace the new.
Otherwise, it becomes stale noise, and irrelevance awaits.