Cheap Trick Takes Sgt. Pepper To Vegas

Quite possibly the best reason to take a trip to Las Vegas since the legendary "cheap cocaine in the Nevada desert" incident of several years ago...

By Blurt Staff

It was forty-three years ago today, when Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play... Okay, so technically it will be 43 years this coming Wednesday - on June 2, 1967, the Beatles' epochal Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band was released and nothing was ever the same in the rock world.

Meanwhile, it was exactly a year and one day ago when we reported the news about Cheap Trick planning to release a live recording of them performing Sgt. Pepper's in its entirety- although that news turned out to be premature, and it took them several months to get around to issuing the CD and DVD. When it did come out, however, reviewers were quick to praise the music as well as original Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick's work on the sound and the New York Philharmonic's orchestral contributions. It also included an Abbey Road medley encoure of "Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End."

Now comes word that Cheap Trick will be doing a limited engagement in Las Vegas at the Paris Las Vegas Theatre from June 11 through July 31, 20 shows in all, in which they do the Sgt. Pepper's album. Emerick will once again supervise the audio production, while Emmy-award winning production designer René Lagler designed the sixties-evocative sets that include a 60'-wide by 12'-high elevated orchestra stage and three turn-table entranceways. The band, accompanied by an orchestra, will also be doing "select" originals that "lend themselves" to orchestral arrangements.

"We have created an energetic and spectacular interpretation of an album that was absolutely groundbreaking when it was released 43 years ago," said producer Bill Edwards, in a statement.  "These songs are known and loved by millions of people and Cheap Trick has captured the essence of ‘Sgt Pepper' in their unique style and recreated one of the most beloved and timeless musical works of modern times."

Added Emerick, "The album will come to life in its entirety as never before presented in "Sgt Pepper Live" at Paris Las Vegas. I'm happy to be a part of this event and to revisit this celebrated music once again."

More details, naturally, can be found at the band's website.

[Photo Credit: Michael Graham / via CheapTrick.com]