Join me on a gorgeous Southern California evening at San Diego’s Petco Park with Def Leppard, Journey and our featured artist Cheap Trick. The venue was huge and my view was partially blocked for the performance but I could still hear the music.

Cheap Trick started the show with “Hello There” which has been their opening song at all the concerts I have seen and is the opening song on side one of their 1978 best-selling release “Live at Budokan”. Since my view was obstructed it was hard to see what instruments they were playing but I did notice someone playing Rhythm guitar alongside Rick Nielsen. Cheap Trick normally consists of Robin Zander on lead vocals and guitar, Rick Nielsen on lead guitar, Tom Petersson on Bass and replacing Bun E. Carlos on Drums is Rick’s son Daxx Nielsen. It appears that the mystery person on stage is Robin Zanders son Robin Taylor Zander, who is playing rhythm guitar, piano and backing vocals. I could hear that something was different but couldn’t quite figure it out until I spotted Robin’s son.  The sound was not quite as good as it usually is, I noticed a  few missed notes and chords and flat vocals here and there.  This is strange because Robin Zander is one of my favorite vocalists of all time. Must have been something wrong with the monitors on stage and missed chords could have been Rick letting Robin Taylor take the reins. I honestly could only tell by what I was hearing and could not see if the band was struggling with the sound.  Overall the band pulled it off and played many of their hits.  The best song of the show was Robin and his acoustic performing “The Flame”.

Cheap Trick at Petco Park is”

Robin Zander – Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar

Rick Nielsen – Lead Guitar

Tom Petersson – Bass Guitar

Daxx Nielsen – Drums

Robin Taylor Zander – Rhythm Guitar, Backing Vocals and Piano

Petco Park San Diego Set List:

1. Hello There
2. You Got It Going On
3. California Man
4. She’s Tight
5. Ain’t that a Shame
6. The Summer Looks Good on You
7. The Flame
8. I want you to want me
9. Dream Police
10. Surrender

Cheap Trick

Review by Storm@backstage360.com

Venue:  Petco Park, San Diego