Post by Pete on Mar 19, 2010 16:42:29 GMT -5
Cheap Trick got the 2010-11 season of "Austin City Limits" off to a rocking start on Thursday night with a 17-song SXSW-week taping at the program's headquarters on the University of Texas campus.
Starting with a special intro tape that includes a Japanese DJ Homer Simpson and a demure woman's voice formally welcoming "the best f***ing rock band in the world," Cheap Trick came out roaring with "Way of the World" and "When the Lights Are Out," mixing hits ("I Want You to Want Me," "Surrender," "Voices," "Dream Police") with less- celebrated catalog gems such as "Baby Loves to Rock" and a particularly generous selection from 2009's "The Latest," including "Closer, the Ballad of Burt and Linda," "Sick Man of Europe," "Miracle" and "Miss Tomorrow."
Pick-tossing guitarist Rick Nielsen was in jocular form throughout the show, hawking the 8-track version of "The Latest," quipping about "'Austin City Limits' 36th year, Cheap Trick's 36th year -- this is the first time they've been lucky enough to have us" and noting that the group has "been in a lot of buildings before they've been torn down. "ACL" is moving to a new studio facility in downtown Austin later this year.
But things turned serious when Cheap Trick paid tribute to the late Alex Chilton, whose Big Star song "In the Street" was the basis for the group's theme song for TV's "That '70s Show." After Nielsen noted that "a good friend of ours passed away," the group fused "Sleep Forever" with "Heaven Tonight" before playing "That '70s Song." Nielsen's son Dax sat in on drums for an ailing Bun E. Carlos at the taping, while two keyboardists -- Magic Christian and Jellyfish alumnus Roger Manning, were along to help fill out the sound.
Cheap Trick's "ACL" episode will premiere in October. Meanwhile, the group is scheduled to perform a free public SXSW concert Friday night at Austin's Auditorium Shores.
Starting with a special intro tape that includes a Japanese DJ Homer Simpson and a demure woman's voice formally welcoming "the best f***ing rock band in the world," Cheap Trick came out roaring with "Way of the World" and "When the Lights Are Out," mixing hits ("I Want You to Want Me," "Surrender," "Voices," "Dream Police") with less- celebrated catalog gems such as "Baby Loves to Rock" and a particularly generous selection from 2009's "The Latest," including "Closer, the Ballad of Burt and Linda," "Sick Man of Europe," "Miracle" and "Miss Tomorrow."
Pick-tossing guitarist Rick Nielsen was in jocular form throughout the show, hawking the 8-track version of "The Latest," quipping about "'Austin City Limits' 36th year, Cheap Trick's 36th year -- this is the first time they've been lucky enough to have us" and noting that the group has "been in a lot of buildings before they've been torn down. "ACL" is moving to a new studio facility in downtown Austin later this year.
But things turned serious when Cheap Trick paid tribute to the late Alex Chilton, whose Big Star song "In the Street" was the basis for the group's theme song for TV's "That '70s Show." After Nielsen noted that "a good friend of ours passed away," the group fused "Sleep Forever" with "Heaven Tonight" before playing "That '70s Song." Nielsen's son Dax sat in on drums for an ailing Bun E. Carlos at the taping, while two keyboardists -- Magic Christian and Jellyfish alumnus Roger Manning, were along to help fill out the sound.
Cheap Trick's "ACL" episode will premiere in October. Meanwhile, the group is scheduled to perform a free public SXSW concert Friday night at Austin's Auditorium Shores.
