Blondie & Cheap Trick
Surrender to The Rapture
And It’s All Alright

There are definite limitations to 70’s touring bands hitting all the right notes in each of the markets they perform. It’s hard to sell out in this day and age unless you are Lady Gaga or Aerosmith or any of those faceless soundalike arena bands like Journey, Styx, or REO - and even then they have to either play in a package deal or die. These bands may suuuuck but at least they have a few tarnished old hits to roll out – crap music that is little more than riffs as opposed to songs – yep, these hits are still being played on classic rock stations. Not a problem in the east or west coasts. They’ll listen to anything. But the Midwest is another story. The crowds are tough and the market is dumbed down – big time. People forget you when you’re not on the radio or on television. Even sixties/seventies icons such as Leon Russell, Dave Mason, or Dr. John are relatively obscure and forgotten. They never did serve up too much of that radio friendly gruel. Nowadays they can’t even buy a high profile gig – it’s all small clubs and waterfronts. But when two great ahead of the pack bands join forces, it reduces the pressure, socializes risk and maximizes their ever dwindling margins. This is exactly what Cheap Trick and Blondie did – to perfection.

The sexy, affable girly girl host and radio jock introduced Cheap Trick as the best FUCKING rock & roll band in the world. Despite the potty mouthed hyperbole Cheap Trick opened the show like a Jane Fonda gang bang - plenty of screaming guitar, pounding drums and a throbbing monster 12 string bass that wouldn’t give it up. The crowd was up on its collective feet begging for more in an orgasmic spasm of screams and howls. Cheap Trick had us by the gonads and just kept on squeezing us dry. And we kept begging for more.

Way of the World was a strong opener- Nielson’s melodic superfreak guitar riffs complimented Robin Zander’s soaring spot on vocals. Clock Strike Ten was a sonic rock and roll dream. Good stuff but as the set wore on I noticed that this gig was much like listening to the 1995 Cheap Trick Box Set – Sex, America and Cheap Trick. After you get past the hits the other songs are, well, kind of boring. Zander’s voice is intact – he can hit them higher-than-eagles-fly notes without ever losing pitch. Incredible. But he’s no longer very pretty. He’s no longer timeless, not like his visage on those videos or album covers. He’s turned into a middle aged man; damn him - his beautiful blonde locks are thinning out and darkening. Hmm, I’m not, ya know - hey I’m just saying. But anyway I just couldn’t give Cheap Trick my full undivided attention to filler songs such as On Top of the World, If You Want My Love, Sick Man of Europe and few other obscurities. Ok … I’m shallow. I just wanted to hear those incredible power pop gems that put them on the top. They did not disappoint - I Want You to Want Me, Surrender (perfect), and Dream Police. They even did a heavy rockin’ version of the Beatles’ psychedelic Magical Mystery Tour. I must admit the relatively unknown Baby Loves to Rock and Lookin’ Out For Number One were excellent. Rick Nielson appeared to be the defacto leader of the band. He actually talked to the audience and introduced songs. His presence was visually compelling as he paced the stage mugging, goofing, and slinging his guitar like a body appendage. Any band that covers Alex Chilton (In the Street for That 70’s Show) and Roy Wood/The Move (California Man) has my deepest respect. I bow in awe of their incredible vision of rock & roll.

Blondie headlined. I was eager to hear this legendary band that made their big splash at CBGB’s in the emerging punk scene of New York in the mid-seventies. Debbie Harry was an almost mystical figure competing for the top dog position with singer/poet Patti Smith. Both prevailed and carved their own niche in rock & roll history. Blondie is an excellent band with original members guitarist Chris Stein and drummer Clem Burke holding down the fort. But all eyes are on Debbie Harry. She has a visually stunning presence with platinum blonde hair and a puffy skirt you see in pre-school dance classes across the nation - an odd fashion statement either to cover up her middle age spread or to underplay her sex appeal. The black war paint on either cheek was either a personal manifesto or an attempt to hide “old eyes”. Still, she is a beautiful woman with a fantastic voice. In fact her vocal strength and range is surprising. She sounded better live than she does on record. They opened with D Day, one of the five new songs performed from their yet-to-be-released LP Panic of Girls. Harry moved around the stage, danced, introduced songs, sang her ass off and served as the un-official cheerleader for Blondie. She did it all with a tongue in the cheek irony and warm smile on her face. I was amused, even delighted at Harry’s arrhythmic movements. Hell, she danced more like Elaine Benes on Seinfield – George described it as a full bodied dry heave set to music - than a rock & roll warrior. It only made her performance more human and endearing. Blondie performed familiar songs such as Atomic, Hangin’ on the Telephone Line, the sexed up The Hardest Part and the incredible Maria. But it was the big commercial hits that the crowd was calling for – and she did not disappoint us. We got the early rap-styled, ahead of its time rocker Rapture, The Tide is High, the playful One Way or Another, Call Me and their breakout monster hit Heart of Glass. They even did a rousing cover of Taio Cruz’s club hit Break Your Heart.

In the final analysis both Blondie and Cheap Trick are serving up a dialectical brew of past hits and recent material with an updated sound and renewed energy. It was a thrill to finally experience two great bands that are well past their hit-making days yet are still creating vibrant music. Salute!

Peace
Bo White