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| Cheap Trick singer Robin Zander at Pure Imagination Festival. |
Who: Cheap Trick, Matisyahu, Arrested Development, The English Beat, Kelsey Waldon, Ponderosa Grove, Bird and Byron, more
Where: Watson Lake Park in Prescott, AZ
When: Saturday, May 17, 2025
Information: pureimaginationfestival.com
Review by Robert Kinsler
Photography by Daryl Weisser
Before catching Cheap Trick's headlining performance at the Pure Imagination Festival in Prescott, AZ on Saturday night, I hadn't caught the beloved Rockford, Illinois-spawned outfit since their appearance at the GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles back on Sept. 12, 2013 (read my review of that event HERE). Over the subsequent dozen year span, Cheap Trick was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (in 2016) and marked the band's 50th anniversary (in 2023). I'm old enough to remember running out when I was in high school to purchase their self-titled debut album on cassette tape in 1977, drawn to the group's sound that somehow blended melodic rock and punk with 1970s hard rock stylings in the service of top-tier songwriting. Between the early 1980s and 2013, I caught the band a number of times at both major concert venues and even at relatively intimate club shows. But until Saturday night I had never seen Cheap Trick at a festival.
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| Cheap Trick lead guitarist Rick Nielsen |
To say how much I was impressed with Cheap Trick's 90-minute appearance on the Dells Stage at Pure Imagination would be a definite understatement. Singer-guitarist Robin Zander, lead guitarist Rick Nielsen, bassist Tom Petersson and drummer Daxx Nielsen (Rick Nielsen's son replaced original drummer Bun E. Carlos in 2010) delivered a master class on how to entertain a festival crowd while showcasing the band's timeless brand of power pop.
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| Cheap Trick, from left, guitarist Rick Nielsen, bassist Tom Petersson, drummer Daxx Nielsen and singer-guitarist Robin Zander |
Opening with the propulsive rocker "Hello There," the band proceeded to play one favorite after another for the enthusiastic crowd. Early standouts for this listener included the powerful rocker "Big Eyes," soaring anthem "If You Want My Love," fiery punk rock-paced "He's a Whore" and seldom-played "Borderline" (the latter a track off the band's Todd Rundgren-produced 1983 album Next Position Please).
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| Bassist Tom Petersson |
Concertgoers were later treated to high-octane takes on many of Cheap Trick's best-known songs including a cover of Fats Domino's "Ain't That a Shame," an emotional reading of the power ballad "The Flame" showcasing Zander's high-reaching tenor, freewheeling "Dream Police" and an encore highlighted by a rousing run through "Never Had a Lot to Lose," "Surrender" and "Goodnight."
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| Cheap Trick drummer Daxx Nielsen |
Cheap Trick's mighty turn capped a full day of diverse performances delivered across three stages.
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| The FBR's Tim Hunter, on left, with Malarie McConaha |
The day started with a stripped down version of the Nashville, Tennessee band The FBR appearing on the Entry Stage. The husband and wife team of Tim Hunter and Malarie McConaha played a mix of originals and covers; a highlight was an affecting performance of their "Deadman's Highway" from the band's debut album Ghost with the two musicians utilizing strong guitar playing and Hunter's blues harmonica shadings on the song.
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| From left, CheekTones' Nick Canuel, Drew Hall and Don Cheek performing on the Entry Stage at the Pure Imagination Festival |
Following up on the Entry Stage was Prescott's own CheekTones, featuring lead vocalist-guitarist Don Cheek, lead guitarist-vocalist Drew Hall and bassist-vocalist Nick Canuel playing a mix of Cheek's songs and classic rock favorites. Highlights were a take on the Crosby, Stills & Nash classic "Long Time Gone" as well as Cheek's buoyant "Beside That Train" bolstered by Hall's sharp magic on the fretboard and wonderful vocal harmonies from the trio.
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| Brothers Will Belcher (lead vocals, guitar) and Kenny Belcher (drums) of The Hawthorne Experience rocking on the Lakeside Stage in Prescott, AZ |
Kicking things off on the Lakeside Stage was the Tucson-based trio Hawthorne Experience. The Will Belcher-fronted threesome has a sound blending reggae, rock and blues. Memorable selections included the psychedelic-tinged original "Disbelief" and artful cover of Sublime's "Slow Ride."
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| Dutch Holly's Jen Juniper, on left, with Tres Ikner at the festival |
I was not familiar with the Arizona-based duo Dutch Holly before I caught them on the Dells Stage on Saturday afternoon, but their dreamy sound built around MIDI programming, hypnotic rhythms, plaintive vocals from singer Jen Juniper and live musical layers from keyboardist-guitarist Tres Ikner was perfectly suited to the beautiful setting.
Pijama Piyama, pictured above, was a six-member collective that brought their original blend of Cumbias, Salsa, Frank Zappa experimental sonics and Spanish language songcraft to the Lakeside Stage.
Following that 30-minute set, Los Angeles trio Kids In America, pictured above, brought a melodic modern rock sound to the Dells Stage. The band impressed with the infectious single "Feels Like Heaven" and dance-minded "My Escape."
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| Singer Blake Bird |
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| Guitarist Nick Byron |
Bird and Byron is a Nashville-based group featuring singer Blake Bird and guitar master Nick Byron that thrilled across a 35-minute set at Pure Imagination. Bird is an amazing vocalist and his falsetto-anchored voice soared on mesmerizing originals including the soulful ballad "I'll Always Be There" and more uptempo sortie "By My Side," as well as a heartfelt cover of Dr. Dog's "Where'd All The Time Go?"
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| Ponderosa Grove singer Candace Devine, on left, with lead guitarist Drew Hall. |
Ponderosa Grove performed on the Dells Stage on the same day the popular Prescott-based band released their sophomore studio album (Two Trips Around The Sun). The six-member group used the occasion to perform cuts from that new release, along with older material well known to Ponderosa Grove fans. The 55-minute set allowed plenty of time to perform the far-flung likes of the shimmering "Waterline," beautiful "I'm Sorry" and gospel-tinged "Save My Soul." I continue to be impressed by how the collective taps into the best roots rock of the 1970s while bringing a modern-day warmth and authenticity to their sound.
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| Kelsey Waldon at the Pure Imagination Festival |
Kelsey Waldon is a Kentucky native whose sound is rooted in traditional country and Americana stylings. Armed with a rich voice and real life-mining lyrics, the songstress impressed across her 45-minute set. Among her strong tracks was the uptempo "Traveling the Highway Home," new single "Falling Down" from her forthcoming album Every Ghost (due June 20), and the set-ending Hazel Dickens-penned country ballad "Ramblin' Woman."
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| Gone Gone Beyond performing on the Dells Stage |
Gone Gone Beyond brought a luxurious soundscape to the Dells Stage, performing original material that blended indie rock, Americana and folk courtesy of the vocal and musical strengths of the group. The soulful ballad "Riptide," rootsy "Little Moon" and gorgeous "Gravity" were among the highlights.
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| Dave Wakeling of The English Beat |
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| Antonee Fire Class of The English Beat |
The English Beat launched their set with the catchy "Rough Rider" and from there the popular six-member troupe never looked back. Led by founding member, singer-guitarist Dave Wakeling and vocalist Antonee First Class, the English Beat's surefire blend of reggae, ska, New Wave and good vibes turned the grassy field in front of the Lakeside Stage into a fun-filled dance floor. Energetic takes on Wakeling's hits scored with both the English Beat and General Public in the 1980s hit their mark; "I'll Take You There" (a solid reworking of the Staple Singers gem), "Tenderness," "Save It For Later" and the set-ending "Mirror in the Bathroom"
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| Speech (rapper Todd Thomas) of Arrested Development |
Arrested Development brought its positive and progressive style of hip hop to Prescott, with Speech (rapper Todd Thomas) leading the four-member ensemble through an hour of feel good sounds. Highlights included the opener "Give a Man a Fish," the gospel-tinged "Let Your Voice Be Heard" and the melodic classic "Ease My Mind."
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| Matisyahu performing on the Lakeside Stage in Prescott, AZ |
Matisyahu is an American artist who has crafted a singular sound blending spiritual themes with hip hop, rock, reggae and beatboxing sounds. His well-received set on the Lakeside Stage included material from across his career, including the reflective "Shadows of My Heart," confessional "Surrender" and the anthemic "One Day."
I have been to countless music festivals since attending the US Festival in 1983 and I continue to be impressed by the Pure Imagination Festival, which provides a mix of diverse artists and cultural-minded activities for everyone - including children - to enjoy in the most beautiful of natural settings.
Below is a gallery of additional photographs taken by Daryl Weisser on May 17.
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| From left, Peg Millett, Susann Hutchinson and Barbara Palguta of the Western Heritage Museum |
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| Singer-guitarist Kelsey Waldon performing with her band at Pure Imagination |
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| Singer-guitarist Robin Zander of Cheap Trick |
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| Concertgoers at the Pure Imagination Festival in Prescott, AZ |
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| Candace Devine of Ponderosa Grove during the band's performance on the Dells Stage |
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| Cheap Trick's Robin Zander at the Pure Imagination Festival |
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| Cheap Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen during the band's headlining set |
