First Time Listen: Yes, but I don’t really remember too much.

Impressions: Okay. I’ve already tried to articulate my weird indifference for the hard rock/power pop of Cheap Trick, but maybe a live album of theirs will change things up. Let’s fire this one up!… Energy is great from the beginning. “Hello There” is a classic intro, blasting out of their speakers with their hooky, hard rock roar. The guitars sound more muscular on “Come On, Come On” and drummer Bun E. Carlos really shines live. He’s the motor that makes the band go, providing a great stomping beat for “Big Eyes,”  flying on songs like “Surrender,” and showing off the full kit on the Fats Domino cover “Ain’t That A Shame.” “Lookout” just blasts along with abandon. Never my favorite singer, Robin Zander’s vocals do the job here. I get a better idea of their appeal here, but I still feel like seeing them in person is the true way to understand the Cheap Trick experience. Some of the songs still fail to connect with me, like the longish “Need Your Love,” but the sheer power of the performances even makes the iffy stuff work. You can hear the origins of the buzzy Smashing Pumpkins guitar sounds along with scores of other rock bands in these cuts. Before, “I Want You To Want Me” came off as monotonous on record, but here just plain rocks– along with a towering version of their best song “Surrender.” The second half of this record leaves it all on the table and finally gave me an idea of what the fuss was about. (Lights lighter with one hand, swigs beer with other.)

Starred Songs: “I Want You To Want Me,” “Surrender”
Sneaky Track: “Come On, Come On,” “Ain’t That A Shame”
Will you listen to this again? I might
Should this album be on the list? Yes.
Summary: Influentual ’70s power pop/hard rock live album captured their abandon in a way their more-restrained studio albums couldn’t.