Las Vegas Mixtape v31: Rock’s Agelessness, an In-Town Getaway, and 90’s Vintage Threads

Track #1: Cheap Trick @Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino

Everyone wants to feel as young as possible—and for as long as possible. Which no doubt accounts for the enduring appeal of rock and roll. Taking the stage at the packed Westgate, Cheap Trick triumphantly celebrated the notion of a prolonged adolescence, as expressed in the immortal lines of their 1978 classic “Surrender”: “…when I woke up, Mom and Dad/Are rolling on the couch/Rolling numbers, rock and rollin’/Got my KISS records out.”

It helps of course that the three original members of Cheap Trick—lead vocalist Robin Zander, guitarist Rick Nielsen, and bassist Tom Petersson—have a built-in “assist” to sound so convincingly young.

Nielsen’s son Daxx energetically fills the role of drummer, the most athletic spot in any rock band. Zander also benefits from having his son, guitarist Robin Taylor Zander, double his vocals throughout the show, especially on the high notes. The two sons have given these Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees an extended life as a touring band.

Bless Cheap Trick for keeping rock and roll’s fire burning brightly. (Image: courtesy of David Plastik)

Cheap Trick’s best album remains 1978’s “Heaven Tonight”—with its power-pop-on-steroids mix of Beatles and Who influences—and tonight’s set included six of the album’s songs. It was hard not to fall for “Surrender” as well as two other tunes with sexually playful lyrics, “Stiff Competition” and “On Top of The World.” Judging by the loud response, the audience went home feeling satisfied and, well, eternally young.