What happens when you get three of the longest rocking bands, not to mention Rock-N-Roll Hall of Fame members on one stage? You get an amazing night of music, history and a great time. This past Friday night in West Palm, that’s exactly what happened. It was the last night of the Cheap Trick, Joan Jett and Heart tour and all three put on one hell of a show.
Cheap Trick, who has graced many a stage in south Florida in the past, kicked off the night with a great set. Led by one of the most charismatic frontmen Robin Zander, and the colorful guitar changes of Rick Nielsen, they lit up the stage. One of the best live bands for the past 40 years, Cheap Trick does not disappoint. Coming off of their recent induction into the Rock-N-Roll HOF, they ripped through their lengthy catalog of fan and radio hits to what was a giant sing-along. It’s always a great time when Cheap Trick is on stage. One of the few bands from an era of great music, that should, and could keep going for years to come.
Another recent inductee into the RNRHOF is Joan Jett. Getting her start with The Runaways before carving her own musical path, Joan has been an icon to many rock music fans since the seventies. She is a one-woman conglomerate and powerhouse among an industry dominated by men, and has been for over forty years. As Joan and her band, the Blackhearts took the stage, the crowd was on their feet and were ready to go after a great Cheap Trick set. As she ripped through hit after hit, the crowd just became louder and happier. The atmosphere at a show of this magnitude with a lineup this strong is always a sight to behold. Fifteen thousand plus in the crowd and most singing along, well you would be hard pressed to say the show was anything but amazing. *(Joan didn’t approve any photographers)
When Ann and Nancy Wilson broke into the rock music scene a few years before Joan Jett, they came in guns blazing. The same happened when they took the stage to close out the show on Friday night. With Ann’s dynamic vocals, and Nancy’s legendary guitar playing, they still got it! Heart, Joan Jett, Cheap Trick, individually are amazing bands and musicians in their own right. Put them together on one stage, and the show becomes epic, which is the best way to describe Friday night.
Every song from these three bands that you know and love came to life on stage. These bands and many others from this era never disappoint. There are dozens of adjectives that come to mind when describing the talent of the artists’ and the music they play. For me, in it’s most simplest and purest definition, it’s just good ole’ rock-n-roll.
