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A Solid Well Done Tribute Nov 18, 2009
This tribute is an exciting return to the album, Sgt. Pepper. For die-hard Beatles fans (me) there is always going to be something missing, but the "something missing" will always be the Beatles themselves and there is no remedy for that. (No practical remedy, sci-fi fans.)
There is just enough of the spirit of the Beatles to give one that Beatle rush, and just enough of the spirit of Cheap Trick to admire the task they've set for themselves.
The dedication is apparent in the guitar that the lead guitar player plays at one point, with pictures of the Beatles on the face and the pearl (abalone, for purists) inlay along the fretboard. Take a look. It's an amazing guitar.
The crowd seems a little sedate, but maybe they were asked to be sedate and not distract the band. I hear that happens sometimes in filming one of a kind live shows.
Overall, I subtracted one star for a feeling that I didn't have and that Cheap Trick through no fault of their own couldn't produce. That, and the insipid performance of the young man who sang "When I'm Sixty Four". It was a cringe moment in a mostly worthy concert.
 A Real Goose-Bumper!! Nov 11, 2009
I have been a huge Cheap Trick fan for decades. This show looks and sounds great. The guests are great and they truly do capture the essence of the Pepper album while still adding personality.
 Too faithfull to the original songs Oct 17, 2009
A mere three months after the release of its latest studio album (called "The Latest"), now comes this live album from a show performed with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra and various other guests.
"Sgt. Pepper Live" (14 songs; 46 min.) brings the setlist from the original Sgt. Pepper album, and the band sticks to the original songs note-by-note. In my opinion, the band is far too faithfull to the original songs. When you hear them like this, all it makes me want to do is put on the actual Beatles album, I mean what is the point of it? I can imagine that if you were in the audience, it was quite a different experience, but on CD it all comes across too serious and too close/faithul to the original songs.
For whatever reason, an extra track was thrown in at the end, "Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End" from Abbey Road. I don't understand this at all. Either you're going to stick to the Sgt. Pepper Live concept, and just do those tracks, OR if you're going to expand beyond Sgt. Pepper, why not throw in a few more or a bunch more, given that this CD only runs 46 min. In all, I find "Sgt. Pepper Live" a very curious album, despite what I'm sure are the best of intentions from the band.
Their production will be second to none Oct 17, 2009
Cheap Trick has never shied away from their love of The Beatles. From the early cover of "Day Tripper" to making "Magical Mystery Tour" to lone new cut on their original Greatest Hits CD, Robin Zander, Tom Peterssen, Bun E Carlos and Rick Nielsen could knock 'em out like nobody's business. But to recreate the landmark Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album as a live event, played from start to finish? That takes some Ernie Ball strings of steel.
The surprise is just how well Cheap Trick pulls this off. From the instantly familiar power of the opening chords to the fun Abbey Road encore medley, the band starts strong, works it hard and finishes solid. Guest performers Joan Osborne gives a twist to "Lovely Rita," and Rob Laugher channeling George Harrison for "Within You Without You" is one of many highlights here. The mandocello recreation of George's sitar here is jawdroppingly good.
The band and their pals all sound like they're having a blast doing this, but they're taking it dead serious, too. Geoff Emerick, The Beatles' original engineer, was brought in for the sound. The NY Philharmonic fleshes out the orchestral parts (along with Zander's vocals, you'll get goose bumps during "She's Leaving Home"). Almost all the musical intricacies of the original album are brought out (at least the ones that aren't sound effects, anyways), and Tom just flat-nails McCartney's bass parts.
"Sgt Pepper Live" could have been a train wreck of pigpile proportions, but Cheap Trick makes it work. For a band that has long been out of the limelight (their 16th studio album, The Latest, is way better than you'd expect), "Sgt Pepper Live" avoids the pratfall of sounding like a cover band and shows that rock and reverence aren't always mutually exclusive.
Cheap Trick Still The Best Oct 13, 2009
I just recently got Sgt Pepper Live. All I can say is WOW! I had the pleasure of seeing this awesome band live twice in 1997. Once at a bar gig and the other was at Vet's Auditorium In Des Moines opening for Motley Crue on 11/22/97. They were allowing videoing that night. Front row center. Still one of my fav vids in my collection. I've been a fan since day one and as a Beatle fan, always enjoyed when they recorded a gem from the Fabs. Robin Zander, hands down, is rock's greatest vocalist and I think it's overdue that he be recognised as such. Rick Nielsen is still great as always, Tom Peterson is truly in my mind the original God Of Thunder with his 12 string bass. When I saw him use it in Des Moines that year, I was awestruck. Bun E is 2nd only to Ringo. The entire performance of the lp is flawless. No one else could have pulled this off. Another thing that makes Trick so good is that they honor those that came before them. Throughout their career, the influence by the Fabs is obvious. I hope they endure for years to come. And anytime they come close to Des Moines, I'm there. I can't wait to get the DVD of this to add to my ever expanding Cheap Trick Collection. This is one band who as always stayed true to themselves and has never let me down as a fan. Five Stars boys. You do as you always do.....GREAT!
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