Tesla
February 20, 2019
Atlanta, GA
The Buckhead Theater
We all have those bands that are we have clung onto all through the years, through thick and thin, through changes in relationships, and changes in the musical climate. Tesla has been one of those bands for me ever since first hearing them when I first heard and saw the video for “Modern Day Cowboy” off of their 1986 debut album Mechanical Resonance. When Tesla announced that they would be performing at Atlanta’s Buckhead Theater, nothing was going to keep me away from this show… and I mean nothing!
Seeing Tesla is always an awesome and unpredictable experience. Unlike many of their peers, Tesla changes their setlist from tour to tour so you never know what you’re going to get. Guitarists Frank Hannon and Dave Rude took the stage and kicked things off with a dueling guitar solo while the house lights remained on. I literally lost my fucking mind because I know that this meant that they were going to kick things off with “Cumin’ Atcha Live.”
The song kicked in and lead vocalist Jeff Keith took the stage sounding better than I’ve heard him in years. Trust, that’s a compliment because he’s sounded amazing for a while but something was in the air as he just seemed to take things to a whole new level and seemed to be connected to the crowd and the music in a way I hadn’t seen before. Just when I thought I was going to get a breather Tesla followed “Cumin’ Atcha Live” with “Modern Day Cowboy,” “Be a Man,” and “Heaven’s Trail.” If you’re a Tesla fan and you just read that your head probably fell right off of your fucking shoulders.
The sold-out room was so responsive and honestly, how could you not? Tesla was up there on stages just fucking killing it and doing so better than ever. Their stage production was absolutely outstanding featuring three screens behind the stage that had visuals tied into each song. This actually reminded me how visual of a band Tesla is lyrically so this added to the experience of hearing these great songs in a really unique way and it fucking worked flawlessly.
Tesla did bust out a couple of new songs from their forthcoming album, Shock which was produced by Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen. “Shock” is a great fucking song and trust me when I say that hearing it live far surpasses the studio version that has been released. I wasn’t so into “Taste Like” as it just seemed to stick out like a sore thumb. Tongue in cheek isn’t something I’ve ever associated with Tesla so this song just didn’t do it for me.
As for the rest of the set, classics like “Changes,” “Call it What You Want,” and “What You Give” always rile the audience up but it was “Edison’s Medicine” that absolutely blew the roof off of the theater. The interplay between Rude and Hannon is just undeniably amazing and honestly, at this point, Rude has done such an amazing job integrating into Tesla that I forget that he hasn’t been in the band since day one. The visuals tie into the song and Hannon’s lead playing was absolutely stratospheric.
Tesla’s set closer of “Signs” just floored me and left me with a huge smile on my face. I don’t care what anyone says but Tesla revived that song in the ‘90s and it became a social anthem for all of us freaks just as it was by the Five Man Electrical Band did back in 1971. It’s a song that will always have a meaning for all generations to come and in opinion it’s one of the best anthems ofo all time. With that being said, it was the song played before “Signs,””Love Song” that truly brought it all home for me.
No matter how much people may say that this song was overplayed, it’s every bit as beautiful, touching and healing as it was the day I first heard it. Dave Rude and Frank Hannon took center stage for that now iconic beautiful acoustic intro and Keith sounded so full of passion and heart. “Love will find a way.” This is a lyric that means so many things and even in today’s fucked up social and political comment, love is something that we all need. I literally was crying as the wave of emotion from the crowd singing along swept through me.
33 years later, Tesla is alive and kicking harder and better than ever. Music is a powerful thing and can evoke many emotions and Tesla’s music has always filled me with love and hope. From the highest of the highs to my lowest of lows, Tesla has been there to lift me up and see the beauty in my life and the life around me no matter how bad or how dire the situation may be. Not many bands can do this but Tesla’s music is a tried and true friend and confidant and for as long as I’m alive it always will be.
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