Legendary rockers restarting Las Vegas Strip residency

REO Speedwagon had never played all of “Hi Infidelity” in concert, until this year at The Venetian Theatre.

Similar to the top-selling 1981 album, the two-night production in November was a hit. “An Evening of Hi Infidelity … And More” is back for six shows over two runs, May 8, 10 and 11; and Oct. 2, 4 and 5.

“The idea of, of the whole thing was to do something that was not what you would hear us play in concert,” REO front man Kevin Cronin said last week. “And we had never performed the ‘Hi Infidelity’ record live.”

Tickets start at $45, plus fees. and will go on sale to the general public 10 a.m. Friday Pacific time at Ticketmaster.com, VenetianLasVegas.com, any box office at The Venetian Resort, or by calling 702-414-9000 or 866-641-7469. Presale is 10 a.m. Tuesday, use the password REOROCKS for access.

Cronin was in fine voice and storytelling mode during the shows last month at The Venetian.

“Honestly up until a few years ago, since I’ve been working with my new vocal coach, I don’t know that I could have sung that whole album live,” Cronin said. “It’s a mouthful, man.”

That coach was introduced to Cronin through Cronin’s son, Shane, a recent graduate of the USC School of Music as a Pop Vocal major.

“Shane is an amazing young singer. He’s 24 years old, he would come home and and tell me about his vocal professor, the head of the department named Jeffrey Allen,” Cronin said. “He said, ‘He’ll change your life, he wants to work with you, you love him.’ And it occurred to me, how many times as parents do we tell our kids, ‘Listen, you might not understand this, but I love you and am trying to help.’ That’s what this is.”

The “Hi Infidelity” show is customized to a Vegas residency crowd by using such time-stamped effects as vintage clips from KLOS-FM in L.A. as the album was being released. The show incorporates a 21-page “Rockbill,” designed as a theater Playbill, available in with a QR code.

The program lists band and executive bios, is fulled with vintage photos and posts the set list as Act I, II and III. “Hi Infidelity” is Act I.

The effect can throw off fans who are used to the epic “Keep On Loving You” performed as a walk-off song to close the set, not the second song out out of the chutes. But the catalogue is deep with hits, with “Ridin’ The Storm Out,” “Can’t Fight This Feeling” and “Roll With The Changes,” in the encore.

Musically, the band was as tight and energetic as the days when it played “Day On The Green” at the Oakland Colisuem. with Cronin toggling his role as rock star and theater showman. He tells the story of how he met the late guitar great Gary Richrath and joined the band in the ’70s.

“We go back to what it was like for a young guy in the 1970s to front a rock band,” Cronin said. “I’ve always liked the idea of connecting the songs with the audience, giving them a little story about how the song was written or maybe something that happened in the studio. It kind of helps the audience get inside the song.”

The 72-year-old Cronin remembers the Vegas of yesteryear, fueled by the Rat Pack and showroom headliners. He loves the idea of being a catalyst for its continued expansion to rock residencies.

“Las Vegas has grown so exponentially, and, and the theaters that the various resorts have built are so incredible,” Cronin said. “At this point, the idea of having a having a room upstairs on the 36th floor at The Venetian, you know, ‘Oh, it’s time for soundcheck?’ And I just jump on the elevator and come down. It’s really pretty cool.”

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.