Concert Reviews Review & setlist: Cheap Trick heats up Hot Stove Cool Music 25th anniversary concert Cheap Trick certainly did its part to energize the audience. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famers burned through a fiery, but brisk, 70-minute, 14-song set. Lead singer Robin Zander of Cheap Trick performed at the Hot Stove Cool Music 25th anniversary concert. (AP Photo/John Locher)
BOSTON — Cheap Trick added plenty of fuel to the fire at the 25th annual Hot Stove Cool Music anniversary concert, Friday night at the Paradise.
The Rockford, Illinois, quartet batted cleanup at this year’s sold-out benefit for Theo Epstein’s Foundation To Be Named Later. The event was an overwhelming success, raising $600,000, with all proceeds going to the Peter Gammons College Scholarship fund.
Cheap Trick certainly did its part to energize the audience. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famers burned through a fiery, but brisk, 70-minute, 14-song set, which contained more hits than Wade Boggs on a good night.
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Playing in front of a jam-packed house, lead guitarist Rick Nielsen felt right at home.
“We’ve played this place about 100 [expletive] years ago,” said Nielsen, 76, whose band last visited the Comm. Ave venue back in 2001.
Nielsen opened the set ripping into the familiar chimes of “Clock Strikes Ten.” The inventor of the 12-string bass, Tom Petersson provided added crunch on “Big Eyes.” Both tracks hailed from the band’s 1978 sophomore release “In Color” establishing the early tone. Rick’s son, drummer Daxx Nielsen maintained the band’s momentum, bringing the rousing stomp of “Just Got Back” to a fevered pitch.
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And then there was singer Robin Zander. The 72-year-old singer remains the standard by which all other rock vocalists are measured. All dressed in white, the blonde with the golden voice covered all the bases, showcasing his amazing range. From hitting the high notes of “California Man,” and carrying the sheer swagger of “She’s Tight,” to going full crooner-mode on “If You Want My Love,” Zander continues to raise the bar.
His young son, Robin Taylor Zander, appears destined to follow in his father’s footsteps. Backing the band on rhythm guitar, RTZ provided a strong lead vocal nod on another “In Color” classic, “Downed,” handling it with equal aplomb.
Always the showman, Rick Nielsen showcased his amazing arsenal of guitars, trading them with each song. The ball cap-wearing guitarist reintroduced the crowd to “Uncle Dick,” a full-bodied double-neck rendering of himself, for “She’s Tight.” Other eye-catching instruments included a boxy replica of the “Rockford” album cover, and a Sgt. Pepper-inspired Beatles tribute, with faces of the Fab Four on full display.
Faced with a shortened set, Cheap Trick let the music do most of the talking. They skipped doing anything off their last six studio albums, opting to go with more of a retro feel. The closest they got was a snippet of “It All Comes Back To You,” off their criminally overlooked 1997 self-titled release. The song served as an awesome acoustic intro to their No. 1 hit single “The Flame,” highlighted by Zander’s searing vocals.
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Signature set staple “I Want You to Want Me,” which single-handedly put Budokan on the map, continues to be a real crowd pleaser with fans old and new. “Dream Police” manages to confound with its flying-by-the-edge-of-your-seat approach, with Nielsen gunning fistfuls of picks into the audience. The anthemic “Surrender” remains the ultimate showstopper, leaving many diehard fans in attendance wanting more, this writer included.
The Hot Stove All-Stars opened the show, led by HCSM founder and Hall of Fame journalist Peter Gammons, Theo Epstein, and Letters to Cleo singer Kay Hanley. The band sported a Major League pedigree with former New York Yankee outfielder Bernie Williams and Red Sox pitcher Lenny DiNardo on guitar.
The show also featured a very special performance by keyboardist Greg Hawkes, performing the music of The Cars, including seven nuggets off their 1978 debut album.
Backed by the highly talented ensemble Eddie Japan, Hawkes jumpstarted his 45-minute set with the bopping riff of “Good Times Roll.” He kept his foot on the gas with the hand-clapping percussion of “Best Friend’s Girl,” while supplying added keyboard wizardry on familiar hits “Just What I Needed” and “Bye Bye Love.”
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Cars drummer David Robinson also made a rare cameo appearance. The bearded drummer joined in on drums for the always trippy “Moving in Stereo,” as the band crossed the finish line.
Setlist for Cheap Trick at The Paradise, April 12, 2025:
Clock Strikes Ten
Just Got Back
Big Eyes
California Man (The Move cover)
She’s Tight
If You Want My Love
Downed (Robin Taylor Zander vocal)
Tom Petersson Bass Solo
I Know What I Want (Tom Petersson vocal)
The Flame (with snippet of It All Comes Back to You)
I Want You to Want Me
Dream Police
Surrender
Goodnight