Legendary combo Cheap Trick returned to San Diego for a sold out show at Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay. The band played a twenty-song set, including a three-song encore. Nashville based singer-songwriter James Hatem opened with a well received 30-minute set.
Founded in 1973, Cheap Trick still features singer Robin Zander, guitarist Rick Neilsen and bassist Tom Petersson, alongside newer members, drummer Zach Nielsen and guitarist / singer Robin Taylor Zander, the latter two children of the group’s guitarist and singer. Anticipation was high as to what might be played at this concert since the band changes up their set list pretty much every night. For this show there was a pretty good mix of songs covering their entire career, though only one song from their excellent current album, All Washed Up, was played: “Twelve Gates.”
Robin Zander was in fine voice, while Rick Nielsen mentioned having a cold, but the band gave it their all with much of the audience on their feet for most of the show. Nielsen no longer careens around the stage as he once did, but he still hits the power chords, plays wild guitars, including one shaped like a saxophone, and tosses out fistfuls of guitar picks like I’ve witnessed since I first saw the band in 1977 at the Sports Arena.
Highlight’s at this concert were many, starting off with the second song, a storming version of “Heart On The Line” from 2016’s Bang, Zoom, Crazy…Hello, with other favorites including two from 1982’s One On One album, “She’s Tight,” which featured Nielsen playing his famous double neck caricature guitar, and a really strong version of “If You Want My Love.” Also really good was Robin Taylor Zander’s lead vocal on “Downed” (1977, In Color), with his vocals and guitar really adding to the band’s sound throughout the night.
But the obvious high point of the evening was the set closing versions of “I Want You to Want Me” (1977, In Color), and “Surrender” (1978, Heaven Tonight). It was nice to see just about everyone, including the venues employees, from security to ushers, smiling and singing along.
The three-song encore was the cherry on the cake, with Zander encouraging audience participation on “Never Had a Lot to Lose” (1988, Lap of Luxury) and a crowd pleasing, “Dream Police” (1979, s/t), complete with a police siren intro, topping a fun set. Over the past 50 years Cheap Trick has established themselves as one of San Diego’s favorite touring bands, never failing to put on a great night of rock ‘n’ roll.
Cheap Trick returns to the area on August 04, 2026 at the North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre in Chula Vista, where they’ll be opening for fellow classic rockers, ZZ Top.
- Cheap Trick April 24, 2026 Humphrey’s Concerts by The Bay
Hello There
Heart on the Line
Stiff Competition
On Top of the World
She’s Tight
Ain’t That a Shame
If You Want My Love
He’s a Whore
Twelve Gates
The Ballad of T.V. Violence (I’m Not the Only Boy)
Heaven Tonight
Downed
I Know What I Want
The Flame
I Want You to Want Me
Surrender
Encore:
Never Had a Lot to Lose
Dream Police
Goodnight
