The Academy House is Rockin'
Cheap Trick (with Anchor Lane) – 02 Academy, Glasgow, 21st July 2019
Cheap Trick (with Anchor Lane) – 02 Academy, Glasgow, 21st July 2019
Hello there ladies an’ gentlemen of Glasgow, are you ready to rock in the company of Rick, Robin, Tom, Daxx and Robin Jr following their Ramblin’ Man rumble the previous day?
Turns out that was an emphatic yes from a packed out Glasgow 02 Academy as the five-piece Cheap Trick (Rick Nielsen’s son Daxx, who took over drum duties from Bun E. Carlos back in 2010, has since been joined in the Cheap Trick & Family department by Robin Taylor Zander on second guitar and backing vocals) gave it plenty across a near two hour Best Of set that concentrated on the band’s initial rise to fame phase (from self-titled debut to Dream Police via At Budokan).
The set did, however, also include the odd nod to later successes – 'Baby Loves to Rock' (from the George Martin produced All Shook Up) got an airing as did 1988’s huge hit 'The Flame' and raunchy rock 'n' roll number 'You Got it Going On' from latest release (and top Trick album) We're All Alright! (the latter followed perennial opener 'Hello There' to get the 'Trickified party started.
While Robin Zander remains one of the most consistent voices in rock (he still hits that last "Flame" of the aforementioned hit single with a big, round, full-voiced high) the addition Zander Jr (aka Taylor Zander, in his singer-songwriter guise) can’t be understated.
Adding a second guitar behind the manic (but mainstay of the CT sound) six-string stylings of Rick Nielsen (and three-guitar sonic when Robin Zander is on rhythm guitar) makes for a thicker sound but it’s Zander Jr's backing vocals, particularly prevalent on a song such as the infectious vocal pop of 'Voices,' that really make their layered harmony mark.
Given that it was a Best Of set there weren’t too many surprises but a few deeper cuts went down a Cheap Trick treat with those in the audience that have been with the band since the debut album (guilty as charged).
Heavy ballad 'Taxman, Mr. Thief' was a highlight of the set as was the darkly contrasting 'The Ballad of TV Violence,' which positively snarled on the night; three guitars added to the edgy intensity of the song before Robin Zander delivered those final, anguished "I’m not the only boy!" shouts at the top of his voice.
'Hot Love' and 'California Man' rocked, 'Big Eyes' and 'Elo Kiddies' rolled and for two hours the Trick faithful were On Top of the World while the 02 Glasgow Academy House was rockin' with no problems whatsoever.
The At Budokan album, which almost overnight became responsible for the phrase "Big in Japan," was given a nod by way of the band’s now classic rendition of 'Ain't That a Shame' (from Daxx Nielsen’s perfectly copied Bun E. Carlos drum intro (including cow bell) to the guitars and bass play-offs) and 'Need Your Love,' which was based more on the Budokan version than the Dream Police studio recording.
Tom Petersson then got to flex his 12-string bass muscles before stepping up to the mic for the Velvet Underground's 'Waiting For the Man' (a song that first appeared in sets when the legendary Cheap Trick were just the embryonic Cheap Trick); that set up the mandatory Greatest Hits finale of 'The Flame,' 'I Want You to Want Me,' 'Dream Police' and 'Surrender' encored by 'Auf Wiedersehen' and 'Goodnight Now.'
'Surrender' also got the biggest backing vocal chorus of the night award courtesy of the reappearance of Glasgow’s Anchor Lane, who opened proceedings with a 40 minute support set that showcased their contemporary rock-metal wares in fine and weighty fashion.
While the Bang, Zoom Crazy, Hello (there) music of Cheap Trick and the twin guitar, metal-sheened muscle of Anchor Lane are not obvious musical bedfellows, the heavyweight blues rock swagger of new number 'Clocks' and the band’s beefy, mid-tempo rock-metal – 'Casino,' the bass driven 'Cruel World and 'Dead Run' (the latter written with Ricky Warwick) were particularly notable – point to not just a very confident and talented quartet (Conor Gaffney - vocals, guitar, Lawrence O’Brien - guitar, Matthew Quigley - bass, Scott Hanlon - drums) but a forthcoming debut album that will be well worth a listen or three.
'Surrender' also produced Rick Nielsen’s best (of many) dry humoured quip of the night.
When asking the young Anchor Lane lads if they had ever heard the song Surrender, he immediately followed up with "you heard it from your grandmothers?"
Cheap Trick. Not just quick with the quips but still, as the female intro voice so emphatically announced, "the best fucking rock band you’ve ever seen…"
Whether you accept that slightly tongue in huskily voiced cheek (but not far off the truth) remark or prefer one of Rick Nielsen’s more measured and oft-quoted lines ("I’m in a pretty good band" / "We’re everyone’s fifth favourite group") the fact remains they ain’t making them like Cheap Trick any more.
But then they never did. Ladies and Gentlemen, Cheap Trick. Accept no substitute.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Turns out that was an emphatic yes from a packed out Glasgow 02 Academy as the five-piece Cheap Trick (Rick Nielsen’s son Daxx, who took over drum duties from Bun E. Carlos back in 2010, has since been joined in the Cheap Trick & Family department by Robin Taylor Zander on second guitar and backing vocals) gave it plenty across a near two hour Best Of set that concentrated on the band’s initial rise to fame phase (from self-titled debut to Dream Police via At Budokan).
The set did, however, also include the odd nod to later successes – 'Baby Loves to Rock' (from the George Martin produced All Shook Up) got an airing as did 1988’s huge hit 'The Flame' and raunchy rock 'n' roll number 'You Got it Going On' from latest release (and top Trick album) We're All Alright! (the latter followed perennial opener 'Hello There' to get the 'Trickified party started.
While Robin Zander remains one of the most consistent voices in rock (he still hits that last "Flame" of the aforementioned hit single with a big, round, full-voiced high) the addition Zander Jr (aka Taylor Zander, in his singer-songwriter guise) can’t be understated.
Adding a second guitar behind the manic (but mainstay of the CT sound) six-string stylings of Rick Nielsen (and three-guitar sonic when Robin Zander is on rhythm guitar) makes for a thicker sound but it’s Zander Jr's backing vocals, particularly prevalent on a song such as the infectious vocal pop of 'Voices,' that really make their layered harmony mark.
Given that it was a Best Of set there weren’t too many surprises but a few deeper cuts went down a Cheap Trick treat with those in the audience that have been with the band since the debut album (guilty as charged).
Heavy ballad 'Taxman, Mr. Thief' was a highlight of the set as was the darkly contrasting 'The Ballad of TV Violence,' which positively snarled on the night; three guitars added to the edgy intensity of the song before Robin Zander delivered those final, anguished "I’m not the only boy!" shouts at the top of his voice.
'Hot Love' and 'California Man' rocked, 'Big Eyes' and 'Elo Kiddies' rolled and for two hours the Trick faithful were On Top of the World while the 02 Glasgow Academy House was rockin' with no problems whatsoever.
The At Budokan album, which almost overnight became responsible for the phrase "Big in Japan," was given a nod by way of the band’s now classic rendition of 'Ain't That a Shame' (from Daxx Nielsen’s perfectly copied Bun E. Carlos drum intro (including cow bell) to the guitars and bass play-offs) and 'Need Your Love,' which was based more on the Budokan version than the Dream Police studio recording.
Tom Petersson then got to flex his 12-string bass muscles before stepping up to the mic for the Velvet Underground's 'Waiting For the Man' (a song that first appeared in sets when the legendary Cheap Trick were just the embryonic Cheap Trick); that set up the mandatory Greatest Hits finale of 'The Flame,' 'I Want You to Want Me,' 'Dream Police' and 'Surrender' encored by 'Auf Wiedersehen' and 'Goodnight Now.'
'Surrender' also got the biggest backing vocal chorus of the night award courtesy of the reappearance of Glasgow’s Anchor Lane, who opened proceedings with a 40 minute support set that showcased their contemporary rock-metal wares in fine and weighty fashion.
While the Bang, Zoom Crazy, Hello (there) music of Cheap Trick and the twin guitar, metal-sheened muscle of Anchor Lane are not obvious musical bedfellows, the heavyweight blues rock swagger of new number 'Clocks' and the band’s beefy, mid-tempo rock-metal – 'Casino,' the bass driven 'Cruel World and 'Dead Run' (the latter written with Ricky Warwick) were particularly notable – point to not just a very confident and talented quartet (Conor Gaffney - vocals, guitar, Lawrence O’Brien - guitar, Matthew Quigley - bass, Scott Hanlon - drums) but a forthcoming debut album that will be well worth a listen or three.
'Surrender' also produced Rick Nielsen’s best (of many) dry humoured quip of the night.
When asking the young Anchor Lane lads if they had ever heard the song Surrender, he immediately followed up with "you heard it from your grandmothers?"
Cheap Trick. Not just quick with the quips but still, as the female intro voice so emphatically announced, "the best fucking rock band you’ve ever seen…"
Whether you accept that slightly tongue in huskily voiced cheek (but not far off the truth) remark or prefer one of Rick Nielsen’s more measured and oft-quoted lines ("I’m in a pretty good band" / "We’re everyone’s fifth favourite group") the fact remains they ain’t making them like Cheap Trick any more.
But then they never did. Ladies and Gentlemen, Cheap Trick. Accept no substitute.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ