Tesla with Cinder Road
Cotillion Ballroom
February 17, 2008
Wichita, Kansas
By Jeb Wright
Set List:
Comin' Atcha Live | What A Shame
| Modern Day Cowboy | Heaven's Trail | Mama's Fool | Hang Tough
| Dear Private Ledbetter | Paradise | Love Song | What You Give
| Freedom Slaves | Saturday Night Special | Into the Now | Signs
Encore: Little Suzi | Edison's
Medicine
Over two thousand
Midwestern Rock n' Roll maniacs packed the legendary Cotillion
Ballroom on Sunday night; their fists in the air, ready to party
down with Tesla.
Before Tesla took
the stage, however, a band of kids called Cinder Road rocked
the Tesla faithful. The band hails from Maryland and has a
strong classic rock influence. They started off slow, sounding
like a mix between modern rock and Night Ranger. They were good
enough that the crowd stayed interested but were being treated
as a basic unheard of opening band.
Lead singer Mark
Ruocco is a charismatic front man and before the evening was
over he had the crowd chanting, cheering and grooving to the
music. While the best original played was "Get In Get Out,"
the crowd came to life during a near perfect rendition of Billy
Idol's "Rebel Yell." In the end, they were a refreshing
surprise proving that the seeds of classic rock have been sown
and are sprouting. Check out the band at their official
website
http://www.cinderroadmusic.com.
After a short break, Tesla
took the stage with the house lights still on. Guitarists Dave
Rude and Frank Hannon put on a fret board display that had
everyone on their feet and screaming. After a killer
call-and-response session, the two axe masters blasted into a
harmony run that segued into "Coming Atcha Live." The song was
expanded to include several intense guitar passages. The house
lights went down and the spot lights took over as vocalist Jeff
Keith began singing the tune.
The set list was a mixture
of classic hits and deep album cuts including "What A Shame,"
"Hang Tough" and "Freedom Slaves." The band's biggest fans
hooted and hollered at the inclusion of songs they didn't expect
to hear but the classics dominated and drew the loudest
response. "Modern Day Cowboy" and "Heaven's Trail" were played
back-to-back early in the set and set the mood for a night that
was dominated by Frank Hannon's powerful guitar solos.
Hannon may be one of the
most underrated soloists on the circuit today. He plays with
speed, intensity, melody and passion. While Frank may be the
focal point, the band's newest addition, Dave Rude, is no
slouch. Anyone who can replace fan favorite Tommy Scheoch, in
both chops and stage presence, is one hell of a talent. Young
Rude has the look, the presence and the skill to fit seamlessly
into the band.
Rude and Hannon stole the
show on several occasions. As a prelude to "Love Song" the
guitarists took center stage with two acoustics and improvised
back and forth with a mixture of flamenco, classical and blues
riffs. Finally, Hannon went into the opening of the classic
tune and he and Rude played harmony guitar as the song built to
the dramatic E minor chord and Keith's "So you think that it's
over" opening line.
Keith was the usual fun
loving and goofy front man that Tesla fans have grown to love.
At the end of "Heaven's Trail" he said, "I ain't no fool -- I
just look like one." One of the most interesting moments came
when Keith introduced a song the band had written only two weeks
earlier titled "Dear Private Ledbetter." The song is a
patriotic anthem that examines the sacrifices our young men and
women are making for our freedom. "Paradise" went down well as
did "What You Give." The band played a rocking rendition of
Skynyrd's "Saturday Night Special" from their new album Real
to Reel before finishing the main set by cranking out the
title track to Into the Now and the classic "Signs." The
band returned after eardrum breaking applause by the elated
crowd. Tesla were all smiles as they came out for the encore.
They looked out at the crowd and expressed their thanks for the
support.
Tesla songs have
great hooks and each member of the cast plays an important role,
giving 110%. Keith and Hannon are the stars while Rude plays a
strong supporting character. Drummer Troy Luccketta and bass
player Brian Wheat are the unsung heroes who keep the show going
and allow the others to shine. The bottom line for these
musicians is that it is the music that t matters most. Need
proof? Then you should have been there for the two-song
encore. The band returned to
Mechanical Resonance for the pop
rock classic "Little Suzi" and then ended the show by bashing in
everyone's skull with the "Edison's Medicine."
Sunday night the perfect
marriage between band and audience was realized as both were
perfectly in synch. Tesla seems to be getting better with every
passing year and their live show beckons back to the mid-70's
when all that mattered were Les Paul's and Marshall amps and how
loud they could be cranked up.
As good as the concert
was, the most impressive thing about Tesla is how they have
returned from the ashes of internal strife, drugs and booze to
regain their prior success. On this night, there was no Pabst
Blue Ribbon being sloshed on stage, instead they drank plenty of
water and focused their energy on their music, the result being
the best show we have seen so far this year.
Visit Dave Rude's MySpace
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