Cheap Trick News

Veteran powerpop band Cheap Trick, who have famously cover the Beatles' "Magical Mystery Tour" and John Lennon's "Cold Turkey" in the past, performed the entire Sgt. Pepper album from start to finish during a two-night stint at L.A.'s world-famous Hollywood Bowl this weekend.

The performances, which took place on August 10 and 11, were accompanied by the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra as well as special guests Aimee Mann, Joan Osborne, Gomez's Ian Ball, Ministry's Al Jourgenson, and singer-songwriter Rob Laufer. For the George Harrison-penned "Within You Without You," an Indian instrumental ensemble also joined in.

The first half of the concerts featured the following handpicked Fab Four classics :

"Magical Mystery Tour" (with Cheap Trick, orchestra)
"Strawberry Fields Forever" (with Ian Ball, orchestra)
"Norwegian Wood" (with Rob Laufer, orchestra)
"Blackbird" (with Aimee Mann)
"Eleanor Rigby" (with orchestra)
"Lady Madonna" (with Joan Osborne, orchestra)
"The Long And Winding Road" (with Joan Osborne, orchestra)
"I Want You/She's So Heavy" (with Cheap Trick, Al Jourgenson, orchestra)
"Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/End" (with Cheap Trick, orchestra)

The recreation of the Sgt. Pepper album was performed during the second half of the concerts, with the following setlist:

"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" (vocals by Cheap Trick's Robin Zander)
"With A Little Help From My Friends" (vocals by Robin Zander)
"Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" (vocals by Joan Osborne)
"Getting Better" (vocals by Robin Zander)
"Fixing A Hole" (vocals by Aimee Mann)
"She's Leaving Home" (vocals by Robin Zander)
"Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite" (vocals by Ian Ball)
"Within You Without You" (vocals by Rob Laufer)
"When I'm Sixty-Four" (vocals by Ian Ball)
"Lovely Rita" (vocals by Aimee Mann)
"Good Morning" (vocals by Robin Zander)
"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - Reprise" (vocals by Robin Zander)
"A Day In The Life" (vocals by Robin Zander)

For the encore, all participating musicians (even the black-clad, normally scouling Jourgenson) came onstage and linked arms to sing "All You Need Is Love"--a most fitting finale to this feelgood evening.