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March 28, 2024

Cheap Trick’s Robin Zander happy to portray ‘Sgt. Pepper,’ but not forever

Sgt. Pepper Live

Leila Navidi

Robin Zander sings during “Sgt. Pepper Live” featuring Cheap Trick Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2009 at the Las Vegas Hilton.

Sgt. Pepper Live highlights from LV Hilton

Sgt. Pepper Live

Cheap Trick performs Launch slideshow »

The question is so simple: Does the dry climate in Las Vegas affect your voice?

But somehow, in a phone interview from Atlanta with Cheap Trick's Robin Zander, that question meanders, halts and U-turns like a hamster lost in a maze.

"We've talked to a lot of vocalists over the years about this: Johnny Mathis, Tony Bennett, Pat Benatar. Celine Dion had misters at the front of the stage to help keep her voice from drying out. They all said that the climate here was hard on their vocal chords. You've sung here a bunch of times over the years — I saw you perform three times in one year, 2006 — and I've not noticed any particular problem. You have trouble with the climate here, drying out our voice? Is it worse than other places — you're in Atlanta now, which is really humid — you have performed? Is it harder for you to sing here than other places?"

Whew. Funny, when I test-drove that question to myself, it went a lot smoother.

The response:

"No."

Zander's curt answer was Lennonesque, which was appropriate as we were discussing Cheap Trick's return to Las Vegas for its stage tribute to "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band." The show, titled "Sgt. Pepper Live" opens at 8 p.m. Friday and runs for a total of 20 dates through July 31. (Tickets are $75, $100, $125 and $250 (plus tax and fees). Go to Paris Las Vegas' website for details).

For fans of either or both bands, it might be a good idea to book tickets for this run. As Zander said, the rest of the year is slammed for all four members of the band. And as for performing a version of this production in 2011, he said, "I don't like to say we'll never do it after this year, but can't imagine that."

The well-received show moves from the Las Vegas Hilton Theater, where it was staged in the fall of 2009, to the recently renamed Paris Theatre (renamed when Barry Manilow moved in earlier this year). As before, Cheap Trick and a 25-piece orchestra will power the production. The sextet of sitarists return, too, for the dizzying "Within You Without You." Bill Edwards is still producing the show, and its music director remains the great Geoff Emerick, who worked on the original "Sgt. Pepper" recording sessions in 1966-'67.

But there will be changes. There are no "guest" performers. Joan Osborne, Rob Laufer and Ian Ball won't take center stage to sing such classics as "Can't Buy Me Love," "Across the Universe," and "I Am the Walrus." Zander says songs other than the "Sgt. Pepper" numbers will be played by the orchestra.

"I'm not sure what will be played, but for us, we're planning just the album," he said. "We do plan some surprises, though."

Such as, performing Cheap Trick songs?

"Who let the cat out of the bag on that?" he shot back, in mock horror? "I thought that was supposed to be a secret."

Zander said that if Cheap Trick were not allowed to perform their own songs — and there will likely be three or four — "I can't imagine we'd do this again."

The band first was asked to perform the classic album during the spring of 2007, for an August concert at Hollywood Bowl. Zander liked the idea because he likes the album, likes the Beatles and likes the Hollywood Bowl. But it's not his favorite Beatles album.

"It really isn't," he said. "If I were to have to pick a favorite, I'd take 'Revolver.' I like 'Rubber Soul,' a lot, too. But it is a brilliant, important record, and everyone loves the Beatles, so we've just had a lot of fun doing it."

Zander said one of his favorite Beatles shows is "Love," at The Mirage, and it has been rumored that MGM Mirage was looking for a way to bring the show to one of its properties but could not because it would compete with that Apple Corps-authorized production.

"We're really a compliment to what they're doing," he said. "It's not the same type of show, but you can enjoy them both, definitely."

Asked if the band would consider performing a similar show for yet another legendary band — say, "Houses of the Holy" by Led Zeppelin or the recently re-released "Exile on Main Street" by the Rolling Stones — Zander laughed.

"I know we COULD do it," he said. "But it would cost a lot of money. An awwwwwful lot of money."

Follow John Katsilometes on Twitter at twitter.com/JohnnyKats.

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