Boston with special guests Cheap Trick

Boston brought their rock & roll band to Las Vegas with a full house at Hard Rock Hotel’s Joint, with special guest Cheap Trick opening the show with a hearty “Hello There” to kick off a long night of classic rock.

Cheap Trick played a hour long set with some of their most notable hits, with a repertoire of 16 studio albums there is bound to be songs you want to hear that don’t make it to stage, but “I Want You to Want Me” and “Surrender” always make the list. Rick Nielsen still jumps and throws hundreds of pics and Robin Zander in military garb belted out rowdy sing a long rock and tear jerking ballads. Tom Peterson holds down the bottom end and for the last few years Nielson’s son Daxx has been the timekeeper behind the drumkit. No new recordings on the horizon, but ever consistent and ever a crowd pleaser, Cheap Trick has been a mainstay for four decades in the classic rock touring scene.

Cheap Trick at the Joint Las Vegas ©Jo Anna Jackson/Stardogphotos.

Cheap Trick Vegas Setlist

Boston began their show with the classic Boston spaceship hovering on video behind the stage as they kicked off “Rock & Roll Band” for the start of a almost two hour set. Boston is out on tour with their newest release from 2013 Life, Love & Hope, and gave the audience a mix of new tunes off the album and huge hits Boston fans just won’t leave without hearing. Original guitarist and engineering mastermind Tom Scholz led a veteran group with Tommy DeCarlo on vocals, long time member Gary Pihl on guitar, Tracy Ferrie on bass, and Kimberly Dahme on rhythm guitar and for this leg of the tour Curly Smith on drums. Scholz’ amazing guitar solos on classic Boston anthems and guitar and keyboard work on instrumentals throughout the set highlighted the night amid the powerful light and video show going on behind. There were too many high points of the night to single any out, and fans sang and danced in the aisles until the final songs of the night “Long Time” and “Party”.

Boston will be continuing to tour throughout the US all the way into September, and on some dates the band is selling a promotional Greatest Hits cd that gives you a chance to win an autographed guitar. Proceeds are benefitting the Sea Shepherd Conservations Society and Shriners Hospitals. Check out the merch area at the show in your town to see if you can win and contribute. More on Boston on tour and the band at http://www.bandboston.com/

Boston at the Joint at the Hard Rock Las Vegas. ©Jo Anna Jackson/Stardogphotos.com

Boston set list Las Vegas