Cheap Trick's 1976 Concert History

Cheap Trick is an American power pop/rock n roll band from Rockford, Illinois that's played for over four decades, and in 2016 was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Having gained popularity in the late-70s centered within the Midwest and within Japan, the band members are Rick Nielsen (guitarist and main songwriter), Bun E. Carlos (born Brad Carlson) (drums), Robin Zander (vocals and guitars), and Tom Petersson (bass guitar). Though they...

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KISS / Cheap Trick on Apr 18, 1976 [064-small]

KISS / Cheap Trick
Apr 18, 1976
 Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada
  Uploaded by Zimtrim

Rock
Pop Rock
Hard Rock
Classic Rock
Soft Rock
Album Oriented Rock (AOR)
Mellow Gold
Art Rock
Power Pop
New Wave Pop
Glam Metal
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Beatlesque
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2024 65 concerts
2023 77 concerts
2022 97 concerts
2021 63 concerts
2020 35 concerts
2019 90 concerts
2018 81 concerts
2017 91 concerts
2016 73 concerts
2015 93 concerts
2014 78 concerts
2013 75 concerts
2012 69 concerts
2011 83 concerts
2010 94 concerts
2009 80 concerts
2008 93 concerts
2007 45 concerts
2006 59 concerts
2005 64 concerts
2004 48 concerts
2003 56 concerts
2002 32 concerts
2001 36 concerts
2000 15 concerts
1999 23 concerts
1998 37 concerts
1997 85 concerts
1996 24 concerts
1995 21 concerts
1994 33 concerts
1993 12 concerts
1992 11 concerts
1991 15 concerts
1990 15 concerts
1989 37 concerts
1988 72 concerts
1987 21 concerts
1986 40 concerts
1985 54 concerts
1984 20 concerts
1983 33 concerts
1982 54 concerts
1981 39 concerts
1980 58 concerts
1979 57 concerts
1978 60 concerts
1977 78 concerts
1976 6 concerts
1975 4 concerts
1973 10 concerts
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Ricky Racer Mar 29, 2023

Cheap Trick is coming to the Fred in Peachtree City!

Originally forming in 1973, Cheap Trick broke through to mainstream popularity in 1979 with their breakthrough No. 4 live album, At Budokan, and the Top 10 single “I Want You To Want Me.” The bands follow-up album, Dream Police reached No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart. The band has won over legions of loyal fans with 17 studio albums and a catalog of hits such as “Surrender,” “Ain’t That A Shame,” “Dream Police,” “The Flame,” and more. Throughout their career, which spans more than 5 decades, the band has performed more than 5,000 live shows and has sold more than 20 million albums. Cheap Trick was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016. Their heavy guitar-driven sound, laden with punk-rock undertones delicately balanced with power pop paved the way for arena rock acts and has been cited as influencing artists such as Nirvana, Green Day, Pearl Jam, and Smashing Pumpkins.


Richard Binder Nov 04, 2021

There is a date that needs added. My first concert was New England, UFO and Cheap Trick. Prairie Capital Convention Center. February 6th , 1981. I remember New England's drummer came down from the riser and having the longest hair I'd ever seen. Michael Shenker was playing lead guitar and his Marshall amp head quit working. He shoved the stack and it fell over. Roadies had another whole Marshall stack put in place quickly. Not just the head. My older friend's girlfriend was pulled up on stage along with quite a few others for Bun E. Carlos drum solo. They gave them Bun E. masks to wear. My friends are amazed I remember long term so well. Considering all the partying we did.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)


What is Cheap Trick?

Cheap Trick is a pop-metal-punk fusion band that has endured a great legacy from the 1970s to the present day, having sold over 20 million records. Despite the lineup changing several times over the decades, Cheap Trick has developed a cult following.

What genre is Cheap Trick?

Primarily a pop band with a real 1960s and '70s spirit, Cheap Trick also conveyed elements of rock and embraced elements of philosophic absurdism in their lyrics while their instrumentation blended power chords with pop-fused beats.

When did Cheap Trick start?

When Cheap Trick first started in 1967 by Rick Nielsen and Tom Petersson, it was called “Fuse,” but in 1972, the band assumed a new name: “Sick Man of Europe.” On August 15, 1973, the band changed its name a third time to “Cheap Trick,” performing their first concert with the new name in Wisconsin in 1974.

The following year, Cheap Trick recorded its first demo and began performing at small venues in the Midwest, gaining the attention of Epic Records, which signed Cheap Trick in 1976. Cheap Trick released its self-titled debut album with Epic on February 3, 1977 followed by In Color just seven months later.

Who were the original members of Cheap Trick?

The original members of Cheap Trick who are credited on their 1977 debut album are:

  • Frontman Robin Zander on lead vocals and rhythm guitar
  • Rick Nielsen on lead guitar, mandocello, and backing vocals
  • Tom Petersson on bass guitar and backing vocal
  • Bun E. Carlos on drums

Why did Bun E. Carlos leave Cheap Trick?

Bun E. Carlos left Cheap Trick in 2010 after 37 years with the band. Though there were several reasons for his departure, it primarily came down to a dispute between Carlos and Zander about the number of shows the band would perform in Las Vegas, which led to Carlos’s dismissal from the band. On March 9, 2010, the band issued a statement to the effect that Carlos was no longer recording, touring, or acting as a member of the band in any capacity.

That might have been the end of it, but in 2012, Cheap Trick stopped paying Carlos and refused to include him in any further business decisions, so Carlos sued the band for $600,000. On February 26, 2015, the case was settled out of court for an undisclosed sum with Zander announcing that Carlos was now a non-touring member of the band who would be involved in business decisions going forward.

What is the song "Surrender" by Cheap Trick about?

"Surrender" is about the intergenerational relationship between Baby Boomers and Gen. X. Released in 1978 on the album Heaven Tonight, it's a song engaging the adolescents of the 1970s and how they begin to question the generation that raised them. It contains themes about sex, coming-of-age, drugs, and most of all, a "surrender" to loosening inhibitions and garnering a kind of youthful, zestful freedom.

What Elvis Presley Song did Cheap Trick remake?

On July 13, 1956, Elvis Presley released the single “Don’t Cruel,” a B-side track that managed to defy the norm and become one of the biggest and most influential rock songs of history. The song would be covered by many artists over the next few decades including Cheap Trick, whose version of the song peaked at number four on the Hot 100 chart in the US in 1988.

How many concerts has Cheap Trick had?

Cheap Trick has had 2,611 concerts.

What genre is Cheap Trick?

Cheap Trick is most often considered to be Rock, Pop Rock, Hard Rock, Classic Rock, Soft Rock, Album Oriented Rock (AOR), Mellow Gold, Art Rock, Power Pop, New Wave Pop, Glam Metal, Glam Rock, and Beatlesque.

When is the next Cheap Trick concert?

The next Cheap Trick concert is on April 03, 2024 at The St. Augustine Amphitheatre in St. Augustine, Florida, United States. The bands performing are: REO Speedwagon / Cheap Trick.

When was the last Cheap Trick concert?

The last Cheap Trick concert was on March 23, 2024 at Seppeltsfield Barossa in Seppeltsfield, Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia.

What setlist does Cheap Trick play live?

The songs that Cheap Trick performs live vary, but here's the latest setlist that we have from the March 16, 2024 concert at Victoria Park Ballarat in Newington, Australia:

  1. Dream Police
  2. Hot Love
  3. Big Eyes
  4. If You Want My Love
  5. She's Tight
  6. Never Had a Lot to Lose
  7. Stop This Game
  8. The Flame
  9. I Want You to Want Me
  10. Surrender
  11. Goodnight

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