By David Lucas, Rock At Night Orlando
Live Review: Tesla w/Kurt Deimer and Fastest Land Animal -House of Blues, Orlando, FL- May 5, 2023
House of Blues in Orlando, Florida packed two nights with Tesla and their Time To Rock tour. The 2600 capacity hit its marks two nights in a row with the 1980 hair band Tesla with openers Kurt Deimer and Fastest Land Animal.
Intro clips plays as Scott Brown comes out and takes a seat behind the drums. Followed by bandmates Brian Wheat, Frank Hannon and Dave Rude. Over in the shadows on the right side of the stage I catch a glimpse of Jeff Keith spinning around and walking to the center of the stage. “Lady Luck” is the kick off song and played to perfection. Next is “Modern Day Cowboy,” and this one starts with a treat for us in the photopit as Frank, Dave, and Brian come together in a line right in the front center of the stage. Being all regulars at the House of Blues and having shot together many times we rush to the center and, we all are able to get out shots of the trio without running over one another. As the trio separates on the left side of the stage and see Jeff reach out with the end of his microphone and touch a little hand reaching from the front of the barricade.
The lights go off and a spotlight hits the center of the stairs leading up the front of the drum riser. Brian Wheat is standing
under the light with fog coming out of the vertical lines in the stairs. He then starts one of my favorite bass lines of all time. It’s the opening of “Hang Tough” and one of my favorite Tesla songs. From old to new, with their latest single release “Time to Rock”. Back to more of the older songs
“Heaven’s Trail,” “Miles Away,” “Changes,” “We’re No Good Together,” “Love Me,” “Call It What You Want,” and at the end of “What You Give,” Frank goes across the front of the stage tossing out guitar picks and reaches down and I see this little hand again from earlier in the show. I learned that this is seven-year-old Madelyn seeing her favorite band Tesla live for the first time. I’m standing on the side of the stage watching the rest of the show and this young lady is singing every word to every song.
After the break of the encore Brian comes over to the microphone in front of where Madelyn is standing and recognizes her to the audience and asks her to turn and give a wave. She does and the smiles on her and her parents faces could not have gotten any bigger. For the encore it starts with a fast catchy beat. Frank get’s on the mic and tells everyone to put their hands in the air and begins clapping. Jeff comes from the right side of the stage wearing a hat with his hair tucked up inside the hat. The beat slows down and goes into Tesla’s cover version of Five Man Electrical Band’s song “Signs”. When the music stops, Brian and Dave come over, handing Madelyn another guitar pick and the night’s setlist. Scott comes running from behind his drum set with a handful of drum sticks to throw out to the audience, but making sure to hand one to Madelyn.
Setlist
May 5, 2023
1: Lady Luck
2: Modern Day Cowboy
3: Hang Tough
4: Time to Rock
5: Heaven’s Trail (No Way Out)
6: Miles Away
7: Changes
8: We’re No Good Together
9: Love Me
10: Call It What You Want
11: What You Give
12: Song & Emotion
13: Edison’s Medicine (Man Out of Time)
14: Love Song
15: Little Suzi (Ph.D. cover)
Encore:
16: Signs (Five Man Electrical Band cover)
May 6, 2023
1: Change in the Weather
2: Modern Day Cowboy
3: Time to Rock
4: Heaven’s Trail (No Way Out)
5: The Way It Is
6: Shine Away
7: Changes
8: Pvt. Ledbetter
9: Lazy Days, Crazy Nights
10: Love Me
11: Call It What You Want
12: What You Give
13: Miles Away
14: Love Song
15: Little Suzi (Ph.D. cover)
Encore:
16: Signs (Five Man Electrical Band cover)
PHOTO GALLERY
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