Tesla has long been a favorite of mine, and I enjoy seeing them live, so I was delighted to see they were stopping by the Pittsburgh area on their latest tour. They have a new album, Shock, due out on March 8, and the tour is in support of that. It seems they never take a break, either touring solo, or supporting other bands. I don’t know how they keep up the pace!
They had two supporting acts with them - The Cringe and The Year of the Locust - two bands that had nothing in common. Neither were my cup of tea, really, but were reasonably entertaining.
Waiting for Tesla to come on, I noticed some of the people there. The guy to the right of me was another long-time fan who extolled Frank Hannon’s guitar playing abilities. The people to my left were older and looked like someone you might find in a casino (maybe taking in a more sedate show), though the ladies were discussing the meet-&-greet they went to with their male companion. Younger people dotted the crowd, showing this band has continued appeal beyond their original fans. Many were up and dancing thru the whole show, which is always great to see in this little theater.
Finally, the lights went down and the band took the stage. For a music fan, it doesn’t get much better than that moment! They played a mix of their biggest hits and some things that don’t get played live too often, and included their new single, “Shock”. Don’t ask for the playlist - I didn’t write it down, and couldn’t get a picture (and my memory isn’t what it used to be!). Jeff Keith was his usual, crazy self, making faces and interjecting comments. He still sounds just the same. Dave Rude and Frank Hannon played guitar with incredible skill and showmanship (Dave Rude has some of the best guitar faces!). Brian Wheat and Troy Luccetta provided a solid rhythm section, though Brian always looks mildly bored. I guess he just gets in a zone during a show. They played for a full 90 minutes, every minute a wonderful experience.
I can’t wait to hear the rest of the new album, and see what their next tour brings.
