I posted this on Cheap Trick message boards, but decided to add it to my very neglected blog.
Got back last Tuesday ni
ght from vacationing in Florida with my daughters, so sorry for the delayed HOB review. This spring I considered bringing the kids to Disney World right after school got out at the end of May. When the HOB show was announced, I discovered it was an all ages show and took it as a sign that I was supposed to travel to the Sunshine state and take my 9 and 11 yr old daughters not only to see Mickey Mouse and friends, but to their first rock concert. So glad we did. (note: if you only want to read concert info, skip to about half-way through the post)
I wanted to make sure the girls were up front, so I got on line about 4pm. They went off in Downtown Disney looking for gifts for friends while I chatted with a guy who is the bass player for the Tampa AC/DC tribute band Highway to Hell. Speaking of hell, did I mention that central Florida was hotter than Hades and the humidity was about 1000%? We joke that Colorado is hot, but it’s a dry heat. I haven’t been in Florida during the summer in decades, and this was not only hot, but the stickiest I’ve ever felt. Downtown Disney should include a big pool filled with ice to cool oneself off. I’ll take the Nestea plunge there any time.
Around 6pm the girls got hungry for a Haagen-Dazs milkshake, so I told them to wait on line (which was now getting fairly long) and I went in search of the store at the other end of downtown. While ordering their high caloric snack, the heavens suddenly opened and a huge downpour soaked everything in sight for about five minutes. I, fortunately, watched the mini-monsoon from inside the air conditioned Pretzle Wetzle/Haagen-Dazs shop. When I got back to the line, everyone looked like wet rats. The AC/DC guy said the girls were troopers and stayed in line and held our spot. I believe this could be considered a rock concert baptism of sorts, an initiation into the world of rock fandom and the kind of things we go through to see our favorite band up close and personal. They wore their Cheap Trick logo t-shirts with pride…or maybe it’s just me that’s proud, but I was happy they didn’t run for cover as their mother would have because I’m a wuss and my hair was already in a really bad mood from all of the humidity.
The front of the “pass-the-line” line grew as friends of people ahead of us showed up closer to 7pm when the doors opened. I was getting concerned that the girls wouldn’t get next to the stage. They’re tall for their ages, but still wouldn’t see much if they weren’t right up front. When we got in to the theater, all of the spots along the barrier were taken except for the extreme right by Tom, and I said to the Highway to Hell dude that it sucks if you wait in line for three hours and still can’t get upfront. Upon hearing that, two women turned around, moved a bit to the right, and invited my daughter to squeeze in. I thanked them profusely, and the younger one’s head just made it over the barrier. Her sister stood behind her so they both had a good view.
I had earplugs for everyone, but no matter what I did, the 9-yr-old’s ear canal was too small and the plugs kept popping out like dandelions in July. All through opener Ricky Warwick I was trying to shove little pieces of foam into her head which she didn’t appreciate… I even ripped some in half…didn’t help. When Trick came on, I attempted once again to block some of the noise with the now mutilated earplugs, and after about 10 minutes, I gave up. Someone later told me that they sold children’s ear plugs at Walmart. Next time I’ll be better prepared, but she was fine and can still hear clear as a bell, though for some reason she seems to become a bit deaf when I ask her to take out the garbage or turn off the TV.
Anyway, if you’ve read this far, here’s my concert musings… MFSITWWWMRZ did a great review (sorry I missed you at the show!) and I’ll just add a few things. The guys definitely were in fine form. The first surprise was “Hot Love.” They really tore it up, and then “Cry Cry” after “Miss Tomorrow” was a wonderful treat. The guy to the left of my daughter and the woman to the right knew each other and kept hi-fiving over my kid’s head every time the band pulled out an oldie but goodie. They were totally stoked.
The boy they brought on stage (with the “My 2nd concert and I’m 7 years old” sign) was very cute. Glad he got the band’s autographs and will tell all of his 2nd grade friends how amazing Cheap Trick is. My 9-yr-old kept asking me if they’d play “Sick Man of Europe” and I said they probably would…and they did, which brought a big grin to her face. Her friends listen to “The Latest” in the car when I’m shuttling them after school to various classes. Just trying to do my part to help the next generation appreciate good rock ‘n’ roll.
Back to the show. Maybe it’s just me, but the past few times I’ve heard “Heaven Tonight” in concert, it sends me into some kind of alternate reality. It’s so hypnotic that I close my eyes and allow the song to take me into the stratosphere and beyond. It’s like I’m communing with the Big Cheese or something way mystical every time I hear it live. Why do drugs when you can listen to “Heaven Tonight?” There’s no side-effects and it doesn’t give ya a hang-over. Dentists should use it when conducting a root canal instead of Novocaine. “Would you like me to shove a needle into your jaw, or would you prefer some Heaven Tonight?”
At the beginning of “Closer,” Robin headed over to Tom’s side of the stage and started walking as if he were on a tight-rope when he sang “one step closer to mine.” I don’t know why, but that sticks out as one of my favorite moments of the show. He was super animated all night long, and when he sang the initial “Gonna Raise Hell” line, he looked at my daughter after saying “hell,” put his hands on his cheeks and then did a little “o” of surprise with his mouth as if he were saying “I just said a bad word! Naughty-naughty.” My daughter didn’t quite get it, but I thought it was pretty amusing.
“Ballad of TV Violence” rocked, but I gotta say “Gonna Raise Hell” was superb. It was hotter than hell standing in line for hours, but totally worth it just for this song alone. Talk about sending your consciousness into an alternate reality. When Rick and Tom groove toward the end of the tune, it’s freakin’ cosmic. Just incredible. I really needed a swimming pool to jump into after that one since I think my body temperature shot up to about 110 degrees.
As we left the venue, the 11 yr old was walking like a 111 yr old and said, “Mom, my back is killing me. This is the longest I’ve ever stood in one place in my entire life! How can you do this?” Just cracked me up. Pain dissipates in the presence of the master musicians known as Cheap Trick for they channel the healing power of music. Oh, and both girls each got a pick, one red and one orange. The red one was in a pocket unbeknownst to me and just got washed and dried so now its sorta orange and a bit bent. She can tell her friends that the guitarist bit it and then spit it at her, though I’m not sure if that would be cool or creepy.
It’s hard to top Disney, Sea World, and Busch Gardens in the eyes of a kid, but Cheap Trick put on such a great show that the girls said it was more fun than Disney’s Hollywood Studios Aerosmith Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster ride. I personally don’t do roller coasters, but Trick’s alternating between ballads and rockers provided all of the emotional ups and downs and loop-de-loops I could handle. A Cheap Trick concert is the best ride of them all.