Hard Rock hopes to land Rick Nielsen, Cheap Trick for Rockford's opening night

Hard Rock Casino Rockford officials are working to ink contracts with nearly a dozen acts for the second half of 2024 at its planned Hard Rock Live performance and events venue.

But there is one act Hard Rock Casino Rockford President Geno Iafrate would love to land for the inaugural concert when the casino opens Labor Day Weekend: Rockford's Rick Nielsen and Cheap Trick.

"We're currently working with Cheap Trick and their booking agent to secure a date," Iafrate said. "It does feel like Rick Nielsen, at a minimum, has to be the first entertainer in that live venue. So we're working on that.

"Whether it's with the full Cheap Trick ensemble or not, I am not sure. But we are very dedicated to making sure that at least Rick is there on opening night and then as far as the full band, hopefully it's opening night, but if not, shortly thereafter."

More: Rockford's historic Coronado 'prepared' to compete with new Hard Rock Live casino venue

Rockford will be one-of-a-kind

Nielsen and his family are investors and have been part of the effort to bring the Hard Rock Casino to Rockford from the beginning.

Nielsen is the lead guitarist for Rockford-based Cheap Trick, a rock band that formed in 1973 and hit it big with its “Cheap Trick at Budokan” album in 1978. It reached No. 4 on Billboard charts in July 1979 where it appeared for 53 weeks and sold more than 3 million copies.

Cheap Trick was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016. Some of the hundreds of guitars in Nielsen's vast collection are on display at Hard Rock locations around the world.

A 60-foot tall replica of one of his signature Hamer checkerboard guitars will stand at the main entrance to the Hard Rock Casino Rockford — which Iafrate said will make it the only Hard Rock Casino in the world without a replica Gibson Les Paul out front.

Entertainment cornerstone

Entertainment is a cornerstone of the Hard Rock brand. The Rockford casino will feature three stages.

The largest will be the Hard Rock Live venue, which can be configured as a 1,600-seat concert hall for nationally or internationally known acts. The space can also serve as a large banquet hall for weddings, events or conferences capable of seating 600 to 800 people.

A secondary stage for local and regional acts will be located in the Hard Rock Café. And a smaller stage will offer entertainment in the Hard Rock's fine dining restaurant called Council Oak.

If other Hard Rock venues are an indication, Rockford can expect plenty of comedians to perform at the Live venue in addition to musical acts ranging from country and rhythm and blues to pop music and hard rock.

Comedians Hannah Berner and Nikki Glaser are set to play at Hard Rock properties in Gary, Indiana and Cincinnati, Ohio in March. Bill Burr and Chelsea Handler have shows scheduled in Gary and Gabriel Iglesias is in Cincinnati in August.

Through June, Hard Rock lists shows from country music star Trace Adkins, Prince tribute artist Marshall Charloff, rock band Godsmack and Boys II Men slated at the Hard Rock Live venue in Gary among others. Few if any shows are listed deep into the summer.

Jeff Kolkey writes about government, economic development and other issues for the Rockford Register Star. He can be reached at  (815) 987-1374, via email at [email protected] and on Twitter @jeffkolkey.

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Eyeing late August opening, Hard Rock Rockford seeks Cheap Trick show