Silver
The favorite musical sons of Rockford, Illinois, since 1974, Cheap Trick have long since become beloved rock vets and the inspirational godfathers to a host of younger alt and metal stars. But their path hasn't been easy, especially during the '90s and beyond. Plagued by myriad record company woes and fickle critics, the band has survived by playing each and every one of its live gigs like their lives depended on it--which, in a very real sense, they do. This double-disc set documents Trick's 1999 25th-anniversary show, a homecoming and musical love fest held in a sprawling Rockford municipal park. And though 5,000-plus live gigs preceded it, the band turns in one of its most riveting performances, ripping with manic abandon through a one-time set list that includes key tracks from all its albums and a few gratifying surprises. There are guest turns by Billy Corgan, Everclear's Art Alexakis and Slash, occasional backing from the Rockford Symphony Orchestra (especially effective on "Stop This Game")--even vocalist Robin Zander's and guitarist Rick Nielsen's kids make appearances (including an impressive vocal turn by Miles Nielsen on John Lennon's "I'm Losin' You," a song his dad originally recorded with the ex-Beatle). Owing to the outdoor venue, the sound is at times a bit "boomy," but the band is never less than spectacular on this most special of nights. A must for any Cheap Trick fan and a dazzling way for novices to introduce themselves to the band's intoxicating pop/metal/punk brew in its incomparable live setting. Here's to the next 25 years.--Jerry McCulley