Cheap Trick are touring Australia again for Red Hot Summer in 2024 and for Cheap Trick fans, the setlist in quite the roulette wheel.
A lot of major bands of this calibre have a setlist set in concrete. It doesn’t change from show to show. Those shows are like theatre. Cheap Trick are giving fans something different every night so that when you walk away from the show you know you have just experienced something only those in the audience will ever get to see.
After all these years Cheap Trick is still three of the four original members with Rick Nielsen (guitar), Robin Zander (vocals), Tom Petterson (bass) and new member Dax Nielsen, Rick’s son on drums.
1977’s ‘Elo Kiddies’ was played a couple of times in the USA earlier this year but this was its first appearance on the Australian tour. ‘Baby Loves To Rock’ and ‘Stiff Competition’ were first served for 2024 in Berry. It only appeared seven times in 2023 on the North American tour. ‘Borderline’ was also making its Australian debut for 2024 for Red Hot Summer in Berry.
Watching comments on social media are interesting. While true fans of a band thrive on the unique experience, the (what I call) Classic Hits fans are left a bit bewildered. The Classic Hits fans are the ones who have never owned or even listened a Cheap Trick album and only know the songs they hear on Classic Hits format radio stations. It would be easy for Cheap Trick to go out and perform the same songs in the same order every night. This is a band who have been around 51 years and have released 20 studio albums. There is Gold to mine in them there hills beyond the shiny nuggets on the surface.
Cheap Trick setlist, 2 March 2024, Berry NSW
Hello There (from In Color, 1977)
Elo Kiddies (from Cheap Trick, 1977)
Baby Loves To Rock (from All Shook Up, 1980)
Borderline (from Next Position Please, 1983)
Stiff Competition (from Heaven Tonight, 1978)
Need Your Love (from Dream Police, 1979)
I Know What I Want (from Dream Police, 1979)
The Flame (from Lap of Luxury, 1988)
I Want You to Want Me (from In Color, 1977)
Dream Police (from Dream Police, 1979)
Surrender (from Heaven Tonight, 1978)
Never Had A Lot To Lose (from Lap of Luxury, 1988)
Goodnight (from Cheap Trick at Budokan, 1978)
More shows to go:
Saturday 9th March 2024
Queens Park, Toowoomba QLD
Featuring SUZI QUATRO, CHEAP TRICK, Jon Stevens, The Angels, Baby Animals,
The Screaming Jets & Chocolate Starfish
*All patrons under 18 must be accompanied by an adult*
*Children under 6 years receive free entry and must be in attendance with paying adult*
Sunday 10th March 2024
Sandstone Point Hotel, Bribie Island QLD
Featuring SUZI QUATRO, CHEAP TRICK, Jon Stevens, The Angels, Baby Animals,
The Screaming Jets & Chocolate Starfish
*This is an 18-plus show*
Saturday 16th March 2024
Victoria Park, Ballarat VIC
Featuring SUZI QUATRO, CHEAP TRICK, Jon Stevens, The Angels, Baby Animals,
The Screaming Jets & Chocolate Starfish
*All patrons under 18 must be accompanied by an adult*
*Children under 6 years receive free entry and must be in attendance with paying adult*
Sunday 17th March 2024
Rochford Wines, Yarra Valley VIC
Featuring SUZI QUATRO, CHEAP TRICK, Jon Stevens, The Angels, Baby Animals,
The Screaming Jets & Chocolate Starfish
*All patrons under 18 must be accompanied by an adult*
*Children under 6 years of age are granted free entry*
Saturday 23rd March 2024
Seppeltsfield Wines, Seppeltsfield SA
Featuring SUZI QUATRO, CHEAP TRICK, Jon Stevens, The Angels, Baby Animals,
The Screaming Jets & Chocolate Starfish
*This is an 18-plus show*
https://www.redhotsummertour.com.au
Remaining Cheap Trick and The Angels sideshows
Anita’s Theatre, THIRROUL NSW
Tuesday, 5 March
Canberra Theatre Centre, CANBERRA ACT
Thursday, 7 March
Palais Theatre, ST KILDA VIC
Wednesday, 13 March
Costa Hall, GEELONG VIC
Thursday, 14 March
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