Cheap Trick Rocks Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
By Daedrian McNaughton | Premier Guide Miami
How often does the near-identical lineup of one of Rolling Stone magazine’s all-time favorite live recording artists come to town? Not often, so when the chance arises, it’s best to take advantage of it! SoFl, this means you!
Cheap Trick’s iconic album, Cheap Trick at Budokan, has long been a benchmark against which live albums are compared. It’s pure energy and rock ‘n’ roll—a staple at any 1970s-themed party. Try listening to “Big Eyes” without tapping your feet. And then there’s “Surrender,” capturing the conflict of the typical 1970s teenager’s curiosity about sex clashing with the rigid upbringing imposed by their parents. Who could forget the narrator’s vivid imagery of his parents, “rolling on the couch” while rocking out to Kiss?
The band performed at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino last Friday, October 22, 2015 and while there weren’t legions of hormone-charged Japanese girls like those who attended the original concert, this band hasn’t missed a step nearly forty years later.
Guitarist Rick Nielsen still launched a constant stream of guitar picks into the audience, showcasing his trademark style of using a different guitar for every song. Lead singer Robin Zander’s voice remains eerily similar to what we heard on Budokan. In fact, it’s almost uncanny—one might wonder if he discovered some secret recipe to preserve his vocal cords through decades of relentless touring. With over 5,000 concerts under their belt, Cheap Trick demonstrates remarkable staying power.
Currently up for election to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016, it’s no surprise considering the number of artists who have cited them as an influence. Nirvana, Mötley Crüe, Guns N’ Roses, and Smashing Pumpkins have all acknowledged Cheap Trick’s impact on their music. They’ve certainly earned our vote for the Hall, and fans would do well to catch this legendary act live while they can. Or at the very least, download Budokan. This is precisely why you pay Apple Music that monthly fee: for access to music you likely would have missed. After all, a million screaming Japanese girls can’t be wrong.