Turn On The Video: Cheap Trick On YouTube
Posted in Music, Reviews, Video |
“I’d like to thank the Academy.”
Providence RI, 1980
There seems to be some disagreement amongst the YouTube commenters on the exact location of the venue, but everyone seems to be unanimous that it’s an astounding performance. And, in fact, it is nearly perfect, despite a few minor sound problems during “Downed.”
I don’t know if it was tensions amongst the band members (which prompted Petersson’s departure later that year) or what, but they sound amazing. My personal favorite might be the performance of “Can’t Hold On,” one of my favorite Cheap Trick songs ever. (Or as Tom introduces it, “Can’t Hold AHN.”) “Oh Candy” starts with a synth bit from “High Priest Of Rhythmic Noise” which is super cool. The “Dream Police” fakeout at the beginning of “Hello There”/”Clock Strikes Ten” is also great and the instrumental break is mind-blowing, particularly Tom’s bass. But nothing tops his playing during the intro to “Auf Wiedersehen” (and throughout). All this while he’s wearing puffy white cotton pants and some sort of gun holster (yet he still manages to look handsome). To be fair, it was 1980 and he’s not the only one who committed fashion crimes: Robin has some sort of blunt cut and between that and his pink suit and bolo tie, he actually looks like Jodie Foster at an Oscar ceremony. These are superficial quibbles, after all; the band is ON FIRE.
Live Television, 1981
I think the two performances here might be from a well-known, longstanding television sketch comedy show, but I can’t be sure. Ahem. Regardless, it’s nice to see two live performances from All Shook Up, which is one of those albums that many Cheap Trick fans seem to despise for some bizarre reason. Petersson had recently left the band, so Pete Comita plays bass here. . . and does a good job, particularly during the guitar/bass instrumental parts of “Baby Loves To Rock.” I like Robin’s keyboard playing during “Can’t Stop It” as well.
Hard Rock Acapulco, 1988
With the exception of a slightly sloppy “Surrender,” all these performances are top-notch, proving my long-standing claim that Cheap Trick sounds just as great in a small club as they do in an arena. Tom had just recently rejoined the band, fresh from his stint as Marty Willson-Piper’s understudy. Okay, that was a joke. (Seriously though, watch “California Man” and you’ll see what I mean. He still manages to look good, though; how does he do that?)
Not the guitarist for The Church,
but an amazing simulacrum!
9 Responses to “Turn On The Video: Cheap Trick On YouTube”
July 30th, 2009 at 10:22 pm
[...] Turn On The Video: Cheap Trick On YouTube, Popshifter July/August 2009 issue [...]
July 31st, 2009 at 1:56 pm
Love Cheap Trick’s channel on Youtube. Some of their best performances are on there, ’77 Huston, Rockplast, Chicagofest, more! Love the oddball stuff too. Glad they have the humor to post it.
I thought it gets hot on stage, under the lights? All the members of Cheap Trick must get cold a lot. I’ve seen them wear incredibly heavy looking clothing and/or many layers on stage. Would not be surprised to see them in snow shoes at some future point.
July 31st, 2009 at 2:45 pm
HAHA! I have said many times that Tom Petersson must have a very sweaty painting in his attic.
LLM
August 4th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
[...] Trick linked to our “Cheap Trick On YouTube” article (first on the list!) and our review of The Latest (#4) on the Cheap Trick [...]
August 20th, 2009 at 2:09 pm
[...] – live review Blender.com – 8-track charting Revelationz.net – album review Popshifter.com – “Cheap Trick on YouTube” – channel review The Advocate (LA) – album review The Oklahoman – album review Pop Shifter – album review Popmatters [...]
October 23rd, 2009 at 11:32 am
” I can’t take it” is one of my favorite videos from Cheap Trick. Zander in duck feathers! Too funny. The Dream Police trilogy of videos is very cool. I wish though that they would release all of these complete concerts on dvd.
October 23rd, 2009 at 1:30 pm
The first time I saw CT was on Chicago Channel 11 Sound Stage broadcast of Chicagofest. The audio was simulcast on WXRT FM (i think). I was blown away and am still a big CT fan (saw them at the Hilton in Vegas their 2d night there).
Missing from the youtube collection is MTV Martha Quinn interview with Rick in his home in Rockford. CT performed in Rick’s basement for that MTV show.
February 5th, 2010 at 9:47 pm
[...] Turn On The Video: Cheap Trick On YouTube, Popshifter July/August 2009 issue [...]
March 29th, 2010 at 12:05 pm
[...] surfing YouTube” (although I have personally found YouTube to be a fantastic source of inspiration), while typographer Erik Speikermann thinks we should “avoid Google—it takes too long to [...]