Sgt. Pepper Live featuring Cheap Trick

I saw this show… I’ve seen just about every quality Beatles tribute show in the U.S. I even played lead guitar in a band called Silver Hammer (Beatles tribute) in Detroit.
This is by far the best Beatles show I’ve ever witnessed. It was amazed.
My favorite part was the sitars on Within Without You. Simply incredible!

I will start this off by admitting, I am not a big fan of the Beatles. I like some of their stuff, but the Sgt. Pepper Album is far from anything that I have ever enjoyed (maybe I need to do more acid).
I had family in town (one uncle really wanted to see the show) the other couples decided to come with, all were extremely impressed with the entire show.
When you take your seat there is a pamphlet on you seat that tells you the set list as well as who all the people in the show are.
This is a one of a kind show, where else are you going to see an 80’s band with a full orchestra, a male chorus, and an Indian ensemble, getting together to play another band’s songs from the 60’s?
The stage is a very minimalistic set, there’s a big bridge like structure, the orchestra and the male chorus are on the top, and cheap trick plays on the main stage, and ducks into the bridge for costume/​instrument changes.
Lightning effects and smoke machines are used very liberally, but I didn’t mind them.
I didn’t know about 2/​3rds of the songs they played, but I found myself lost in the show. The Beatles songs that I did know I really enjoyed, it was nice to hear the orchestra and cheap trick both put their sound to the classics. And the Cheap Trick portion of the show was purely amazing!
This is hands down my favorite non magic show in vegas, great music, amazing vocals, showgirls, some amazing visuals, and a great ending.
This show is worth checking out if you are a fan of the Beatles, Cheap Trick, or just want a show that is fun and not full of it’s self. It’s worth it to hear Cheap Trick’s Surrender played with a orchestra and a male chorus.
If people hadn’t brought their kids I’m 99% sure I would have been the youngest person in the theater, but I enjoyed myself.
Hopefully it comes back for another set of shows, I will with out a doubt be checking it out again.

Had won a raffle for a pair of tickets to the Sgt. Pepper Live featuring Cheap Trick at the theater in Paris Las Vegas. I went with a friend from school and we were seated in row A seat 73 – 74.
This is my first time watching a famous band performed, and it brought tears to my eyes, literally. It wasn’t the songs or the performance, but the stage lights that shot painful beams of bright white light into the crowd during the first couple of songs. My eyes were hurting so much that it teared up and to the people sitting next to me, it must have looked like I was moved to tears by the songs. Unfortunately that set such a negative tone for the rest of the performance, that I think I would have enjoyed it more had I just closed my eyes and just listened to it. The lighting is not the band’s fault, but the person responsible for orchestrating the the stage lights to set the mood and enhances the performance, and that was –5 stars for me.
Anyway, the performance of the band and the singers were good. The highlight for me was the Sgt. Pepper Orchestra and the Indian Ensemble. I love the music performed by skilled musicians with instruments, especially the string instruments like the violin.
This show is highly recommended for Cheap Trick fans and fans of Beatles music. From looking at the audience in attendance, the avg age is up there, but they were really into it.
Advice: if you are staying at a different casino or hotel, make sure to budget plenty of time for the cab ride to Paris, because Las Vegas Blvd is always grid locked during that time of the evening.
Performance: 3.5 stars for me overall and 5 stars for the orchestra and the Indian Ensemble
Seats: 2 stars, because it is not comfortable and it is not roomy either. Think flying coach on a budget airline and the seats are locked in the upright position.
Lighting: –5 stars

My friend had free tickets to the show tonight and invited me to come with. With that free ticket caveat in mind, I am compelled to upgrade my star rating by one. What a difference those first five songs make (I missed them last time). From the moment they come out and start playing I Am The Walrus, the show is just a blast. (That song isn’t part of the Sgt Pepper album, but it’s the perfect choice to get the show rolling).
Like I said in my previous review, Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is probably the best Beatles album from start to finish. And they play it from start to finish, in order. It’s a concept album that the Beatles created once they decided to stop touring and become purely a studio band. The fictional band created by the Fab Four translates well to a live setting. Actually, I find it interesting that John Lennon (according to the slideshow) once said that Sgt Pepper could never be performed live. Cheap Trick and pretty much the entire audience (myself included) would have to disagree. They do an amazing job and really capture the essence of the album.
This time around, I enjoyed the Cheap Trick section of the show a lot more. However, there is still a fall-​off for me. I’ve become a bit of a Beatles fan the last couple of years and once Sgt Pepper ends, the show loses a bit of steam. Luckily, they end with two more Beatles songs (In The End and All You Need Is Love) and this kind of brings the show back around. Strangely enough, the song that ended up in my head as I walked out? Surrender.

Let me start by saying I had no idea who or what Cheap Trick was before I went for their show. My husband was able to snag 2 tickets to this show and was super excited to go. I decided to indulge him and went to meet him at the Paris Theater (right after a deep tissue massage — so this was a big deal that I even went there instead of going home and plopping into a bath).
So…2 hours later, I walked out of the show and thought that this was an AMAZING concert. Cheap Trick along with the Sgt. Pepper Orchestra (violins, wind instruments, cellos, harp) performed a medley of Beatles songs (24 songs in total!) and they did this with an exhilarating energy.
Loved:
1) The vocals of Robin Zander. This guy was out of the world. He had one of the best voices I’ve heard and there was no loss of energy throughout the show. And he sang more than 20 of the songs. I loved it! I know exactly why this band did so well in their day (per the husband)…this guy was just on another level!
2) The piece «Within You Without You» which Tom Petersson (bass) sang. They brought out an Indian ensemble (tabla, sitars, indian violin etc) to join him. It was surreal. Tom did an exquisite job and it was a mellow moment to a very lively concert
3) The Sgt Pepper Orchestra was also a very talented bunch of classical musicians. It lent a special touch to the show
4) The background vocalists, drummer (Daxx Nielson) and musicians were also so talented. It was cute that the background vocalists (all guys) tried to emulate the Beatles in their hairstyles!
5) The closing item was «All You Need is Love» and the blowers started blowing out paper hearts… tacky you may think but I LOVED it… there were soooo many hearts (seriously hope they recycle) and it was just so fun! A perfect touch to a wonderful night
Now, I have to mention the total unnecessary use of the 2 Vegas showgirls. They were on stage for 2 minutes and added nothing to the show’s repertoire. I guess this is Vegas so I need to shut my trap about this.
All in all. a great night with a great band and musicians. I’m glad my husband got me to go to this concert! This is why I love living in Las Vegas.

Positively transcendent.
I’ve seen hundreds of shows, and this is near the top. Aside from the lame-​ish crowd, this is almost certainly the best way to spend a night in Las Vegas.
Even those who are not fans of the Beatles or Cheap Trick should be able to enjoy the sheer technical brilliance of the performance.
Perfect in every important way.

Wow.
This show, along with Love, is the best show I’ve seen in Vegas so far. Cheap Trick really knocks it out of the park with this rock and roll orgasm. Yes, that’s the only way I know how to describe this show. It’s loud and mind blowing. I want to go back and see it multiple times this summer.
In case you are unaware of this show, Cheap Trick has been touring for a few years playing the entire Beatles Sgt Pepper album, accompanied by a full orchestra to commemorate the 40^th anniversary release. They also play many of their own hits, including Dream Police, Surrender, I want you to want me, and others. If you’re a fan of the Beatles, Cheap Trick, rock and roll, or just music in general, you will love and appreciate this show. You would never think that Cheap Trick and the Beatles music would work well together, but it is almost as if they belong together, kind of like chocolate and peanut butter. They bring their own ingenious spin on the Beatles that really reinvents the music.
The tickets are pricey, but as I have said in my other show reviews, if paying for strip shows is what you like to do when you are in Las Vegas, this is more than worth the price. It is running in Barry Manilow’s theater while he is on break, and what a treat it is.

We got tix to this last minute and I knew it was the last night of it’s run at Hilton. Those 9 nights went by fast!
I don’t know what all this recession talk is, I’ve seen many casinos and all have been busy the past few weeks. This was even before football season began. I can understand a lot of locals praying for a few thousand easy dollars nowadays.
The tickets had 2 coupons on them, which I suppose is worth mentioning, 2−4−1 drinks until midnight night of the show. also, on the way out, there was a bar next to the exit with employees barking out specials to passers by.
We get sat and I’m waiting for mob idiocy to raise it’s head when the show begins. There was a warm up/​opening acts section of the show. Most noticeably was Joan Armstrong and a few others that asks the question, why didn’t they get guest billing status on the posters?
I believe there was another group doing Sgt. Pepper at Railhead about a year or so ago? I don’t know about that version. also, I can understand Rock Star was premeditated, but all the other Beatles Music tie ins lately… How much was orchestrated by Michael Jackson to make money from the rights and how many were rushed after he died, to make money for the estate? I can’t imagine Macy’s come together being intentionally planned too far in advance.
There were a lot of surprises and a lot fo appreciation applause going on in the audience. This was a respectable crowd, but there’s a part of my mind tugging at comparing to Monster Circus, the other rock show I saw there months before (also reviewed).
Strange, no smell of pot during the concert. The «wildest» thing were a few girls standing up and «old fogies» (tongue in cheek, they’re my age) yelling at them to sit down.
There were little if no synthesizer, prerecorded crap during the show. the doorbells when I’m 64 were there, a 6 person vocal backup, a sitar section, a kid’s choir, strings and horns. Even Will Farrel’s favorite instrument was featured in probably the only Beatles song of the night to have cowbell (name that song).
Rick threw out cusom pics all night (not just off stage) with some sweet revenge from the orchestra after the last number. holy crap, he even gave his guitar to some kid int he audience after the song. Everyone was so stunned, the kid kept standing there waiting for him to take it back until halfway thru the next song.
I cheated, I looked at the program. I was toying with the idea of leaving before the last song to buy a shirt at the stand out front. Of course I didn’t and the last song was a big confetti shooting, everyone coming back out, everyone in the audience standing up and singing along spectacular.
I have seen this and Love at the Mirage. they’re probably the only 2 shows in town that made me tear up in memories, joy and appreciation.
And then a couple of things I noticed, probably very minor bitching all things considered. I noticed Ricks 6-​neck guitar sitting behind him all night ready to be played and it wasn’t. And at the end of the show, that was it. It’s probably the only concert I’ve ever been to that didn’t have an encore. And they could have played one of their songs, I couldn’t get She’s Tight out of my head. Everyone’s played the other top 5 requests out.
So we were herded out, I decided to pass on the shirt. And later in my insomnia almost killed myself after seeing what the shirts went for on ebay. I’m picky about my shirts, I want there to be a date, the group and where. A lot of band’s shirts don’t even say Vegas. and there was their shirt highlighting all the dates «at the Hilton» they played. @$%#@$
They’re supposed to be doing another run in Vegas. I hpoe it doesn’t get recession canceled so I can get a damn shirt!