June 4, 1978 review: REO Speedwagon and Cheap Trick at the Century Theater

Grand larceny at the Century Theater.

June 4, 1978 review

Cheap Trick on Shortcut to the Top

        REO Speedwagon’s Kevin Cronin bursts into song Friday midnight as he bounces into the chicken wing bash Epic Records is throwing after the sold-out show in the Century Theater.

        “Goin’ to a party,” he goes. “Meet me on after school.”

        The song belongs to Cheap Trick, the first band on the bill, and the spirit of the evening pretty much belongs to Cheap Trick as well. An aura of excitement is building around this newly emerging quartet.

        Though they’ve been on the national scene for less than 18 months, it’s getting so they can’t go places without being recognized and besieged by fans. Even a policeman disguise failed for drummer Bun E. Carlos when he tried to see REO Speedwagon from the crowd Friday.

        Earlier, a throng of young admirers virtually mobbed them at an afternoon autograph session in Record Theater. Bassist Tom Petersson says it reminded him of the group’s recent tour of Japan, which was little short of Beatlemania.

        The growing craze for Cheap Trick is built on two things – three albums of short, thundering rock tunes with a teenage bent to the lyrics and the distinctive character of the band members themselves.

        Petersson and singer Robin Zander are your basic gorgeous rock stars, while Carlos and guitarist Rick Nielsen appear to be wacked-out zanies.

        Nielsen, in his baseball cap, baggy pants and wide-eyed expression, looks like one of the Bowery Boys. Carlos, with his slicked hair, mustache and cigarette, has been characterized as “a Panamanian Sydney Greenstreet.”

        Nielsen, who’s written most of the songs, says the thing he wants Cheap Trick to have is impact. Impact they’ve got. Their 45-minute set, based mostly on their new “Heaven Tonight” album, slams home one explosion after another.

        Nielsen is a nimble soloist who has the sense not to get excessive. He hops wildly about the stage and flips autographed guitar picks to the crowd. Carlos adds emphasis to his powerhouse drumming by picking up a pair of sticks big as baseball bats in the goodnight version of “Hello There.”

        Petersson revs up the massive guitar sound with an instrument custom-built for the job – a 12-string bass with guitar strings tripling the force of his four bass notes. Zander, who sang quiet ballads before joining the group, cuts through it all with an incredible leather-lunged shout.

        REO Speedwagon, having seniority on the national scene (eight albums) and in sales, plays the boogie set they’ve developed barnstorming the Midwest for 10 years. As headliners, they’ve extended their numbers and that strategy takes its toll in the steamy, airless Century as the full house gets listless.

        They wait until the end to charge the crowd up. Guitarist Gary Richrath suddenly struts his stuff in a lengthy solo. Singer Cronin does his big rap about how when you feel good you don’t want anybody to bother you. Then out comes the big REO sign, the strobe lights flash and the smoke bombs explode.

        Having achieved big-time boogie, Cronin says the group now is looking for a hit single. It’s a slow but steady course for REO Speedwagon. They’ve taken the long road. Cheap Trick seems to have found the shortcut.

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IN THE PHOTOS: REO Speedwagon and Cheap Trick in 1978 publicity photos.

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FOOTNOTE: REO Speedwagon got their first hit that summer, with "Time for Me to Fly" from their recently released album, "You Can Tune a Piano, but You Can't Tuna Fish." After that, mainstream success was right around the corner. Their ninth album, "Hi Infidelity" in 1980, went 10 times platinum and singles like "Keep on Loving You" topped the charts. 

       As their fortunes faded in the late 1980s, guitarist Gary Richrath left to form his own band. He died in 2015. Singer Kevin Cronin is still carrying the flag. REO will be on the road again in 2024.

       Cheap Trick was riding a wave. They toured Japan in April that year and recorded their epic live album, "Cheap Trick at Budokan," then released that third studio album in May. The Budokan album made them international stars.

       Guitarist Rick Nielsen and singer Robin Zander have stuck with the band right up to the present day. Bassist Tom Petersson ducked away for seven years, but has been back since 1987. Drummer Bun E. Carlos left in 2010 after a falling out with Zander. Replaced by Nielsen's son Daxx in the touring band, Carlos has performed with them only once since then – for their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016.

        They're still touring – a lot. They’re all over Australia in February and March and doing stadium dates this summer with Def Leppard and Journey.

       No record on setlist.fm of what REO Speedwagon played that night in the Century Theater, but it was probably a lot like what they did June 5 in Lewiston, Maine:

Son of a Poor Man

Like You Do

Lucky for You

Roll with the Changes

Golden Country

Keep Pushin'

Ridin' the Storm Out

(Gary Richrath guitar solo)

157 Riverside Avenue

The Unidentified Flying Tuna Trot

       Nothing on setlist.fm for Cheap Trick that night, either. Here's what they did the following night in the Spectrum in Philadelphia:

Hello There

Come On, Come On

Stiff Competition

On Top of the World

Big Eyes

Southern Girls

High Roller

Need Your Love

California Man (The Move cover)

Surrender

Clock Strikes Ten

Goodnight