Welcome to the maiden voyage of the new Pencil Storm series “The First One’s Free…But Then You Gotta Pay!” A celebration of the first time YOU saw some of OUR favorite bands! Who else would we start with but Rockford, Illinois’ finest – CHEAP TRICK! We’ve got quite a roster of responses here – from punk and alt-rock royalty to well-known authors, publishers and DJs, to everyday mega-fans. This was a blast to collect and compile – and we’ll do it again in a few weeks with another band. Meanwhile – what was it like the first time you saw Cheap Trick? 

Greg Renoff (Author of Van Halen Rising and Ted Templeman - A Platinum Producers Life in Music) I saw them for the first time opening for Mötley Crüe in Worcester in 1997. I only knew their radio hits, but man, once Bun E. got going and the rest of the guys locked in I got it. Great band. Honestly, they out-shined Mötley that night. (Click here for Setlist)

John Brannon (Negative Approach, Laughing Hyenas, Easy Action): I was listening to WABX or something, I was still in high school, and I heard this ad - “Would you let your daughter date a Cheap Trick?” and they played a couple bars of “Taxman, Mr. Thief” and Robin Zander, his vocals were so fucking great. Being the derelict I was, I went to Korvettes, and I totally shoplifted the album under this big blue down coat I used to wear. I didn’t have five bucks. So they came to town, and it had to be `77 – the first album – at the Masonic Temple in Detroit. They were the bottom of the bill and they were opening for Spirit, and the headliners were Styx, and they had just put out that “Come Sail Away” shit, just horrible, but I went just to see Cheap Trick. That was the first time I saw them, and it was one of the first gigs I could get in to.  

The next time I went to go see them it was a year later and they were playing the Royal Oak Theatre. It was right when the second album came out, or maybe Heaven Tonight, but before Budokan. And my friend just got his driver’s license. So they were playing two shows that night, and being the derelicts we were, I wanted my friend to follow me and hide in the bathroom to stay and see the second show. Somehow we got separated – he wasn’t as smooth as I was, and he left or got kicked out. So I ended up hiding out, and I saw both shows and it was great. Afterwards I was meandering around, I didn't know what the fuck I was going to do, how I was going to get home, and I went out back and Tom Petersson was back there drinking a Pabst Blue Ribbon – being the kid I am I was all “you got another one of those man?” He totally invited me in – so I’m backstage and there’s just a couple chicks back there, and some guys from Creem Magazine and shit, who were doing a story on them, taking photos, and I ended up hanging out with Robin Zander and talking about Alice Cooper, because that was my shit. And Robin loved Alice Cooper and Love it to Death was one of his favorite albums. I was all “You guys are way better than KISS or Aerosmith!” and he was saying “Well you need to call your local radio station and tell them that!” I think they were just getting a kick that I was so into them, but I was in heaven man.

So Rick Nielsen came up and gave me a pocket full of picks – to this day I still have a million Cheap Trick picks from over the years. He walks up and he goes “Come here kid, come here kid, I gotta tell ya,” he goes “there’s two things you need to do in life.” And I said “oh yeah, what’s that?” and he said “You need to kick ass, and you need to play rock and roll.” I was like “I will! I will!” So I’m hanging out with them all fuckin’ night, till they were all packed out, and there were some chicks back there, like in their 20s, then came the realization, like “How the fuck am I gonna get home?” I was stranded!  So I was outside wondering how the fuck was I going to get back home to Grosse Point – I had no money, no idea how to take a bus or whatever. So I told these chicks – “I’ll give you some picks! I’ll give you some picks!” because I was freaking out, and I was drunk, and I had school the next day. And they got me home, somehow. So those were my first two times seeing Cheap Trick! Over the years I’ve always gone and seen the gigs – KISS at Pontiac Stadium, Saint Andrew’s Hall three-night-stand.  

Ricki C. (Pencil Storm Copy Editor) The first time I saw Cheap Trick was sometime in late 1976 at the Columbus Agora, where they were third-billed to two bands I don’t even remember. That’s strange to begin with, because I ALWAYS went to the Agora to see a specific act, not just to hang out. I must have gone to the Agora that night to see one of those two bands, and Cheap Trick blew them SO completely off the stage, Nielsen & company are the only thing I remember about the show. The act was solidly in place, they had everything going: Robin Zander all in white, singing his ass off; Tom Petersson in black for balance; and Rick Nielsen & Bun E. Carlos looking like they were from some alien rock & roll planet, bow ties & white short-sleeve shirts dominating their look. The only song I remember for sure was “Speak Now Or Forever Hold Your Peace,” because my buddy Cliff Phillips said, “Isn’t this a Terry Reid tune?” and I said, “Yeah, I think it is.” (Terry Reid was not a cover you heard in Columbus, Ohio rock clubs in 1976.) (Or anytime else, for that matter.) I saw them a bunch of times after that, including the Ohio State Fair, and then as a roadie for Watershed when we opened for them in 2014, but I’ll leave that story for Colin to tell.

Ira Robbins (Trouser Press, www.trouserpress.com) My first time seeing Cheap Trick was March 12, 1977, at a rarely used Upper East Side (NYC) venue called the Yorkville Palace. (I wish I’d seen them at Max’s Kansas City, a one-off in September ‘76 while they were in New York recording with Jack Douglas. My late friend Miki Zone of The Fast was at that show and he always raved about it.) In my memory it was like an oversized high school auditorium (minus seating), with a proscenium and a small stage. The band was loud and thrilling, one of those shows where you could feel the air pressure from the P.A. on your chest. I remember thinking that Robin's vocal power and projection were shocking -- just more sheer force than any singer I'd ever seen. I don't recall anything else about the show, but I was sold enough that I've seen them 49 times since then.

Brynn Arens (Flipp, As told to Colin G.) The first time I saw Cheap Trick was The Doctor tour. I went with my brothers Kii and Rhett to see them at the Valley Fair Grounds. Valley Fair as an event was closer to puppet show than an actual fair. Being good Midwestern boys, we polished off a case of beer before heading into the show. There were only about 30 people there but Cheap Trick were still amazing. In fact, they were so good that Kii and myself decided it would be a good idea to jump on stage and start doing the "walk like an Egyptian" dance across the front of it. Robin saw us and started laughing so hard that he had to back away from the mic. Security was less amused and threw us out of the fair. At this point things get fuzzy. I swear we snuck back in and and jumped on stage and did the whole dance again. Kii cannot confirm this actually happened.

Years later, my band Flipp toured with Cheap Trick as the opening act and when we told Robin the story he started laughing and said he absolutely remembered us walking like an Egyptian across the front of the stage. 

Kii Arens (aka Chia Karaoke – Flipp) I've seen them so many times I have a hard time remembering what the first time was. Maybe it was the time my brother Brynn and I jumped on the stage at Valley Fair and got kicked out of the park and snuck back in again.

John Burke (Los Angeles Musician) July 13, 1979 — I was ten years old when I experienced my first Cheap Trick concert, which also happened to be my first real concert ever. I was a big KISS freak at the time and my mom got us tickets to see KISS with special guest Cheap Trick at the Pontiac Silverdome in Michigan for my birthday. The Cheap Trick At Budokan album had come out that summer and my aunt played it incessantly on 8-track in her car, so I was pretty familiar with their songs by the time I saw them live. I remember being awestruck by the shear size of the Silverdome filled with some 35 thousand people. I wasn’t prepared for how loud it would be, though. Cheap Trick was so loud it literally hurt and being a newbie and not prepared with earplugs, I had to stuff pieces of napkin into my ears so I could tolerate it. The acoustics in that football stadium were pretty horrible, especially in the back-tier upper level where we were sitting. The band looked like ants from our vantage point (JumboTrons were still a couple of years away). Luckily I brought a pair of binoculars with me, which helped a little bit. Still, the excitement and electricity that you can feel listening to the live At Budokan album was palpable during their performance—even from the nosebleed seats—and would leave a deep and lasting impression on me. I became a die-hard Cheap Trick fan that night and have seen them perform 20+ times over the decades, thankfully in more intimate venues and usually with better sound. They remain one of the best rock and roll bands ever. (Click here for the setlist)

Doug Brod (Author “They Just Seem a Little Weird – How Kiss, Cheap Trick, Aerosmith, and Starz Remade Rock and Roll) The first time I saw Cheap Trick was on the Dream Police tour, when they headlined Manhattan’s Madison Square Garden on May 12, 1980. The Romantics, riding high on “What I Like About You,” opened. I was 16. I honestly don’t remember too much about Cheap Trick’s set, just that they were fantastic, the sound was very boomy in that grand arena, and I was thrilled to finally see my then-favorite band in concert. I also bought a bootleg baseball jersey out on Seventh Avenue, before hopping on the Long Island Railroad for the trip back home to Far Rockaway. Little did I know, Tom Petersson would soon be out of the band. The second time I saw them was back at the Garden, when Cheap Trick were at their commercial peak (and, some have said, creative nadir), touring Lap of Luxury, which featured their No. 1 single “The Flame.” Only this time, Robert Plant was headlining, and it was a big deal that Tom was back. I never saw the Tom-less band live—I don’t think they played New York all that much then, and I was too busy going to hardcore matinees at CBGB to notice. But once he rejoined, so did I. Forty-eight (or so) shows later….. (Click here for setlist)

Shawn LeZotz (Drummer for Detroit band The Zotz, Cheap Trick Super-Fan): I actually cannot remember the FIRST time I saw them as I have seen them so many times that they kinda all blur together, but one of my most memorable times was about 4-5 years ago at the Motor City Casino when we decided to see how close we could get and went to the side of the stage. We were so close that we could take about three steps forward and be right on stage with them.. It was right before or on Tom's Birthday. I shouted “HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TOM!” and he walked over, smiled and handed me a pick.... I just about passed out!

Another time at the Motor City Casino we were down front and I got a really close short video of Robin right by the edge of the stage, and I reached up and touched Robin's boot... he immediately snapped his boot back... I mouthed to him "sorry" and he smiled. It was awesome. One of these years I will invest in a VIP so I can actually meet them. They are one of, if not THE hardest working bands in rock.

Colin Gawel (Watershed/Pencilstorm Founder) My first Cheap Trick show is well chronicled on pages 10-12 of Joe Oestreich's book Hitless Wonder. We were in 8th grade and the two of us took the COTA bus to the show. My Mom had taken me to see KISS four years earlier so while this was technically my second concert, the gap in time made it feel like my first. It was the One on One tour and we were sitting halfway back on the floor. For some reason the only song I remember is “I Want You” and screaming “Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah.” On the bus ride home I convinced Joe to buy a bass (I already had a guitar) and we should start a band and get signed to Epic Records one day. That was the night Watershed was born and we are still playing today. And we actually did get signed to Epic Records. (And dropped!) (Click here for a setlist from the same week this show happened)

Kelli Gates (Radio Personality – Los Angeles, New York, Lexington, KY) I'm almost embarrassed to say that I didn't see Cheap Trick until I was over 10 years into my radio career. All of that time where I missed touting their awesomeness over the radio airwaves!!!! But finally, that was fixed when I was living in Los Angeles and started dating a guy from their hometown of Rockford, Illinois. He couldn't have loved them more and kept telling me I'd feel the same way after seeing them live...that there was nothing like it. He took me to my first show of theirs...I believe it was the House of Blues in LA. It didn't take me long to understand why their fans feels the adoration and connection that they do. Just the anticipation of them walking out on stage was electric. (And as years went on, I couldn't wait to see what snazzy outfit/hat Robin was going to waltz in wearing.) "Hello There Ladies and Gentlemen!!!"...yes, they were "ready to rock". I was struck by how the audience knew EVERY SINGLE WORD TO EVERY SONG..and even what song was probably going to come next. The joy they felt singing along and then jockeying for a guitar pick Rick flung, or a Bun E. drumstick. And if they got the KISS record during "Surrender"...look out! I left there knowing that I hadn't just seen a show, it was an EVENT. One I looked forward to seeing over and over again. Yep, I was hooked! 

Brian Phillips (Host of “The Morning Show” on CD92.9 FM, Columbus, OH) In 1979 I walked down the street in my hometown of Port Angeles, Washington from my parent's Hallmark store and into Angeles Music. A lot of my friends were talking about this band Cheap Trick so I went in specifically to buy At Budokan on cassette. I was instantly obsessed. Especially with the song "Lookout." I'd play it over and over again. For a long time that tape would be as close as I would get to seeing Cheap Trick or any other band live for a long time. 

Back then going to Seattle was like going to the moon, especially after a massive windstorm - with gusts up to 100 miles per hour - sank the Hood Canal Bridge in February 1979. The only dudes making that trip for concerts were the stoner kids. They'd come back like pirates, with swashbuckling tales of seeing AC/DC in the Coliseum or The Who in the Kingdome. Some of the really hardcore dudes talked about Iron Maiden at this place called the Moore Theater. I didn't know what happened at those concerts.... Did you step over overdose victims? Were people fucking in the aisles? Were there knife fights and murders? I had no earthly clue. It seemed so far away and so dangerous. I wanted to go and I suppose if I had any confidence I could have made it happen. I just wasn't that kind of kid. 

So long story short I got older and saw tons of concerts, but Cheap Trick just never seemed to work out. It wouldn't be until 2005 that I saw them open for, of all bands, Def Leppard. (I remember the high school heshers bragging about seeing them on the High N Dry tour at..... The Moore Theater). I'd see them open for Aerosmith a few years later. Fine live documents, but nothing beat the night at the LC in Columbus in July of 2010. They opened with “Way Of The World” and I about died. Thank God Robin Zander took good care of that voice for all those years. I really felt like I was seeing a band at the height of their powers, even all those years later.  (Click here for Setlist)

Mark Chatfield (The Godz) I was aware of Cheap Trick when the 1st album was released. Guy Evans from WCOL-FM gave me a promo copy. Really dug the band (still do!!!). But the first time I ever encountered them live, they opened for my band The Godz at a Sold Out Music Hall show, in Cleveland Ohio, June 16, 1978. It’s surreal watching a band that you think is bigger than life open for you! They were great that night.....but so were we!!!

Scott Carr (Guitarist/Radio Tramps, Lost Weekend Records, Pencil Storm Contributor, Columbus, OH) My first Cheap Trick concert was Wednesday September 30th, 1978 at the Huntington Civic Center in Huntington, WV opening for AC/DC. Powerage tour for AC/DC and Heaven Tonight tour for Cheap Trick, pretty epic night. I tagged along with my older brother to this concert like I had done previously to see KISS, Heart, Blue Oyster Cult, Angel, etc. This concert stands out as being a game changer for me because up until then I had been completely into KISS and not much else. After this show, Cheap Trick became my next "favorite" band and I've seen them another couple dozen times since. Still the best live band around.

Jeremy Porter (Jeremy Porter and The Tucos, Pencil Storm Chief Editor, Author – Rock and Roll Restrooms – A Photographic Memoir Volume 1 – A Unique Look into the Seedy Underbelly of Small Time Rock and Roll): My first Cheap Trick show was slated for August 1986 at the UP State Fair in Escanaba, Michigan. After destroying my parent’s Monza after an afternoon of day-drinking, that was off the table. My chance finally came on January 21, 1989 when they played The Palace of Auburn Hills, Michigan on the Lap of Luxury tour. My pal John Burke (read his account above) and I had great seats, the band was enjoying a new resurgence, and it was a fantastic show (documented in amazing quality below!). I had a tape deck in my pants and captured the whole thing, as I used to do a lot back then. Upon arriving at my apartment complex in Ypsilanti after the show, it was promptly snatched from hands by three bullies in the parking lot who seemed best not messed with, to put it mildly. My pleas to “Just give me the tape! Keep the deck!” fell on deaf ears. I’ve now seen them 35 times in 16 cities and two countries. 

When was your first time seeing Cheap Trick? Leave a comment below or post one to the Pencil Storm Facebook page!