It’s hard to believe but over 30 years ago we were given to enjoy Tesla’s superb debut album Mechanical Resonance. The band hasn’t lost a beat. The band has recently been out with Poison and Joan Jett on a tour of the US. They have come to Southern California on a short Fall Tour of club sized venues. For those of us who have seen them tour the big stage circuit, it’s a great way to see them up close and personal.

Tonight’s show was also an opportunity to see them perform a headline show. Tesla concentrated on the early years as their set consisted of the hits and sprinkled a couple of lesser played songs.

Jeff Keith still has his trademark vocal style and the band was in top form. Musically, guitarists Frank Hannon and Dave Rude, bassist Brian Wheat and drummer Troy Luccketta remain tight as ever. The guitar duets of Hannon and Rude simply were amazing, and Luccetta was phenomenal on drums. When Tesla performs, the band gives its all with every performance.

The night began with a five song “Electric Set” which included “Hang Tough,” “Heavens Trail” and “The Way it Is.”

The band then really showed their range by performing an “acoustic set” inspired by their 1990 album Five Man Acoustical Jam. We heard “Comin’ Atcha Live,” “Truckin,” “Signs” and the lesser heard “Paradise” on which Brian Wheat played the keyboards.

Changing back they began with “What You Give” which also got the crowd singing in unison. Unfortunately before they began “Love Song” we were informed Frank Hannon had a family emergency and had to leave us. LA based guitarist Howie Simon (Alcatrazz, Nelson) would join them to perform on the remaining songs.  “Edison’s Medicine” always a crowd favorite, was played near perfectly by Simon and the band.

 As “Little Suzi” kicked-in, the crowd of concert goers rose to their feet to see and hear every note. The night concluded with a rowdy version of “Modern Day Cowboy.”

Tesla really gives it their all and puts on a very high-energy show. They look and act just as vibrant as they had all those thirty plus years ago and it appears that there are no signs of them stopping any time soon.

September 23rd, 2018

(Electric Set)
I Wanna Live
Hang Tough
Heaven's Trail (No Way Out)
Mama's Fool
The Way It Is

(Acoustic Set)
Cumin' Atcha Live / Truckin'
Paradise
Signs

(Change Back)
What You Give
Love Song
Edison's Medicine (Man Out of Time)
Little Suzi
Modern Day Cowboy

 
The full photo album can be found here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jschaef00/albums/72157695856215360


The Official Website is located here:
http://teslatheband.com

All Images © Joe Schaeffer Photography

Review by JoJo-Anthony – Photos by Joe Schaeffer

               The first thing I need to point out is that the Dead Daisies are a supergroup who are comprised of former members of Motley Crue, Journey, Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy and a plethora of other rock bands. But that isn't really the issue here because I would like to focus on just how good the Dead Daisies are... they're damn good!

               I have never seen the Dead Daisies before nor was I very familiar with their music. I must admit I was simply intrigued with the personnel of the group. The band is currently on a North American tour in support of their fourth studio album "Burn It Down" now available on Spitfire Records. Their show is a mixture of both original and some great cover songs.

               Opening their set with "Resurrected" and "Rise Up," both from their current album, the band proceeded to deliver a blistering set. I was immediately knocked out by John Corabi's vocals. He has a very soulful bluesy voice which immediately stands out. I've always been a fan since his days with The Scream who unfortunately released only one album back in 1991.

               The band has that perfect combination of great songs performed by extremely great musicians. Guitarist Doug Aldrich plays with that classic 70's style like Jimmy Page, Joe Perry and Mick Ronson to name a few. I'm a sucker for a guitarist who plays a Les Paul. The rhythm section of drummer Deen Castronovo and bassist Marco Mendoza are solid and they provide most of the bands' backing vocals. Castronovo is one of those powerhouse drummers that are highly skilled yet he knows just the right amount of playing for every song. Founding member Dave Lowy is the classic rhythm guitarist in that Malcolm Young vein.

               The band performed some great cover songs like "Bitch" by the Rolling Stones, "Fortunate Son" by Creedence Clearwater Revival and "Highway Star" by Deep Purple. One of the fun parts of the show was the band member introductions. They literally introduced each band member by playing a few seconds of a classic song that was a major influence to that member. Definitely one of the more original band introductions I've ever seen.

               Other highlights were "Dead and Gone," "Last Time I Saw the Sun" "Long Way to Go" and "Mexico." Did I mention that these guys write some great songs? I loved the encores of "Helter Skelter" by The Beatles and my personal favorite "Midnight Moses" by The Sensational Alex Harvey Band.

               A Dead Daisies concert is a fun show with plenty of audience interaction and the band has fun with the material. Sure they have albums to promote, but they also have a good time playing songs that they grew up with and probably spent many hours posing in front of their bedroom mirrors.

               Earlier in the evening before the concert, the Daisies played an acoustic set at the local Guitar Center. The set featured only cover songs with each member taking the spotlight on a personal favorite song. It was a very intimate performance. The bands took some questions from the audience and ended with a meet and greet session.

               As I stated before, the band has fun with the material. I remember learning over to a friend during the acoustic set to tell her that I bet it would be fun to play in this band. The Dead Daisies are promoting themselves in that classic Rock N' Roll sense before bands had the luxury of MTV or radio play. They're bringing it to the people face to face by touring and winning over audiences. They certainly won me over and I'm now a fan. But let's bring the focus back to how good the Dead Daisies are...they're damn good!

 
Setlist:
Resurrected
Rise Up
Make Some Noise
Song and a Prayer
Dead and Gone
What Goes Around
With You and I
Last Time I Saw the Sun
Fortunate Son
Band Intros including
Highway to Hell/The Boys Are Back in Town/Rock and Roll All Nite/Smoke on the Water/Heaven and Hell
Leave Me Alone
Bitch
Mexico
Long Way to Go
Highway Star
Encore:
Midnight Moses
Helter Skelter

Official Website:

http://thedeaddaisies.com/

The Glass House show album can be found here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/jschaef00/albums/72157701364350865

The Guitar Center album can be found here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/jschaef00/albums/72157673450384568

All Images © Joe Schaeffer Photography

​Playing on this evening along with Lynch Mob and a newly revamped RATT, Tom Keifer and his band helped kick off the concert season at the Orange County Fair in Costa Mesa, CA.


Keifer quite simply put always puts on a great show. His stage presence is powerful, all of his music is exceptional and he really leaves it all on stage. 


The band started the show with ‘The More Things Change’, ‘Somebody Save Me’ and ‘Shake Me’. 


Slowing the set down, Keifer move to the piano and brought his wife Savannah out to perform with him on ‘Don’t Know What You Got (Till It’s Gone)’.


‘Solid Ground’ along with a trio of Cinderella tunes ‘Night Songs’, Coming Home’ and ‘Shelter Me’ brought the evening to a climax for the near capacity crowd.


‘With A Little Help From My Friends’ was then followed by the grand finale of the show, a high energy version of Cinderella’s ‘Gypsy Road’.


Keifer knowingly appreciates his fans and was truly moved by the audience’s love for him and his music. He personally thanked everyone for their 30-plus years of dedication.
 






July 13th, 2018
 
The More Things Change
Somebody Save Me
Shake Me
Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)
Nobody's Fool
Solid Ground
Night Songs
Coming Home
Shelter Me
With a Little Help from My Friends
Gypsy Road


The full Tom Keifer photo album can be found here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jschaef00/albums/72157697403848211


The Official Website is located here:
http://www.tomkeifer.com/


 All Images © Joe Schaeffer Photography

Review: JoJo-Anthony

Photos: Joe Schaeffer


               I find it a bit ironic that thirty years ago Vixen was struggling with a misogynist market that just refused to give an all female band any consideration. It's my opinion that Vixen was one of the best bands to come out of the Sunset Strip at the time. I'm still a huge a fan and I still play their music often. So, from this point on I refuse to even concern myself with their gender. They're a great band...Nuff' said.

               I've been a fan of Vixen since their debut album back in 1988 when the video for "Edge Of A Broken Heart" was in heavy rotation on MTV. I immediately loved their songs and presentation. The band released their follow up album "Rev It Up" in 1990 which was soon followed by a world tour opening for Kiss and Deep Purple as well as their own headlining shows. Unfortunately, due to musical differences the band split up in 1991.

               The Whisky in West Hollywood was packed as the band hit the stage. Opening with "Rev It Up" the crowd was eagerly awaiting and definitely fired up for this show. Following the opening with the single "How Much Love" from the second album, it quickly became apparent that this is a band of seasoned players. Vocalist Janet Gardner has a fantastic voice and she immediately takes control of the show. Engaging every member of the audience, it's obvious she's being doing it a long time. The rhythm section of bassist Share Ross and drummer Roxy Petrucci are solid and keep the foundation strong. Newcomer Britt Lightning rounds out the quartet and she's one hell of a guitarist.

               The band was aware of the audience and consistently kept them engaged. One of the highlights for me was the band "jamming" a bit in the middle of the song "I Want You To Rock Me", incorporating "Perfect Strangers" by Deep Purple and The Beatles classic "Come Together." The show was extremely well rehearsed. Bassist Share Ross taking over lead vocals on the Humble Pie classic "I Don't Need No Doctor" hit a sentimental spot for me. I believe the late Steve Marriott is amongst the greatest vocalist in Rock N' Roll and the ladies did the song justice.

               Other highlights included "Love Is A Killer" again showcasing Gardner's vocals. Closing the show was one of my personal favorite songs by the band, "Streets in Paradise." Of course the fired up crowd demanded an encore and the band returned to the stage at a very late hour with their biggest hit "Edge Of A Broken Heart."

               Vixen was one of the more fun shows I've seen this year. This latest mini tour covered four states (Colorado, Utah, Arizona and California) back to back in four straight nights. In this age of Classic Rock revival shows, Vixen is definitely one of the best bands out there.

               Vixen will release “Live Fire” via Rat Pak Records on July 6, 2018. Mixed by Michael Wagener, “Live Fire” features 12 live tracks and was recorded at Chicago's legendary Arcada Theater during the group’s successful 2017 tour.  In addition to the classic Vixen songs, the effort also includes a newly recorded studio version of “You Ought to Know by Now”, an all new studio acoustic version of their hit song “Edge of a Broken Heart” and a live version of a previously unreleased track called “Big Brother”.

Janet Gardner – Vocals, Share Ross – Bass, Roxy Petrucci – Drums and Britt Lightning – Guitar


Setlist
Rev It Up
How Much Love
One Night Alone
Cryin'
Cruisin'
I Want You to Rock Me (including Perfect Strangers & Come Together)
I Don't Need No Doctor
Love Is a Killer
You Oughta Know By Now
Love Made Me
Streets in Paradise
Encore
Edge of a Broken Heart

All Images © Joe Schaeffer Photography 2018

Complete album can be found here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/jschaef00/albums/72157696453165341

Review: JoJo-Anthony
Photos: Joe Schaeffer
 
               As the old saying goes, "good things come to those who wait." A reunion show featuring guitarist Punky Meadows and vocalist Frank DiMino of the 70's classic rock band ANGEL was long overdue but well worth the anticipation.
               For those who are unfamiliar with ANGEL, the band released six albums on Casablanca Records from 1975 to 1980. Much like their label mates KISS, an ANGEL concert was one of the most spectacular shows of the 1970's. Donned in all white costumes and combined with the use of magic effects like the band mysteriously appearing and disappearing from the stage. Their image pioneered the Hair Metal movement of the 1980's but without the advantage of MTV (which had not been created yet), the band struggled to become a household name. They constantly toured America and built up a loyal fan base. Problems within Casablanca Records led to poor support of the band and ANGEL eventually disbanded in 1981.
               DiMino released his first solo album "Old Habits Die Hard" in 2015 and Meadows released his debut "Fallen Angel" the following year. Both men made guest appearances on each other's albums, which led to them reunite for a tour performing ANGEL material for the first time in almost four decades.
               The Whisky was packed with diehard fans as the band opened the show with "On the Rocks" from the "On Earth As It In Heaven" album. The band did a great job of representing material from all five ANGEL albums. My personal favorites were "Cast the First Stone" also from the "On Earth" album and "Bad Time" from "Sinful." Meadows solo reminded me of why he's one of my favorite guitarists. One of the highlights of the show was the performance of "The Fortune" from the second album "Helluva Band." It's the first ANGEL song I ever heard on a radio station here in Los Angeles upon its release in 1976. The song featured a fantastic keyboard intro by Charlie Calv and DiMino's vocals sounded as solid and fresh as when I first heard him perform the song at a midnight ANGEL concert that same year.
               The first thing that hit me and it hit me hard was how powerful and tight the band were. Meadows and DiMino assembled a group of seasoned professionals who knew the material and performed it superbly. This was evident on songs like "Can You Feel It" and Feelin' Right." The set also featured a few songs from both DiMino and Meadows solo albums. I really enjoyed "Never Again" by DiMino and "Straight Shooter" by Meadows. They also covered the Mott the Hoople classic "All the Young Dudes." Closing with "Rock and Rollers" from their debut album, the crowd was still enthusiastic after a two hour set. Of course the band returned for an encore with "The Tower" much to the crowd's delight.
               I was fortunate to have seen ANGEL at least a half a dozen times back in the 1970's. I won't ramble on how I feel that the band should have been one of the biggest bands in Rock N' Roll...but they should have! Their music is still available and I highly recommend all of their albums. Unfortunately there isn't any concert footage available of the original band. Did I enjoy this performance by TWO of the original members of ANGEL? Let's just say it was definitely well worth the wait...




Frank Dimino  - Vocals, Punky Meadows - Lead Guitar, Danny Farrow Anniello - Rhythm Guitar, Steve Ojane– Bass, Billy Orrico – Drums, Charlie Calv – Keyboards


  
Setlist
On the Rocks
Can You Feel It
Wild and Hot
Rockin' in the City
Straight Shooter
The Fortune
Cast the First Stone
Bad Time
Don't Leave Me Lonely
Lost and Lonely
I Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore
All the Young Dudes
Never Again
Got Love If You Want It
Anyway You Want It
Feelin' Right
Rock & Rollers


Encore
The Tower


All Images © Joe Schaeffer Photography

​

Now in its tenth year, M3 Rock Festival has grown into a must see show on the East Coast. The Merriweather Pavilion was still under major construction with upgrades to the roofs and building at the time of the event. It didn’t seem to hamper the huge crowd that was there for the two day event. Only one stage was needed as they used a revolving stage that kept things running like a clock.         
     
 The first day started off with an acoustic show for the VIP guests by Tesla’s Frank Hannon. Eddie Trunk was also on hand as the show’s emcee. Pretty Boy Floyd started of the festivities. Nelson followed and performed a set of their hits. Frank Hannon joined them towards the end of the set. Faster Pussycat was next up with Taime Downe performing after missing last year’s show. Y&T put on one of the best performances of the entire weekend. Baltimore’s Finest Kix played their usual high energy show, and for good measure played their entire Blow My Fuse album in celebration of its 30th Anniversary. Tom Keifer played a set mainly comprised of Cinderella songs with a couple of solo tunes sprinkled in to finish out the first night.


Eleven bands were on tap for Day Two. It was kicked off in fine fashion with Mansion favorites Tyketto. Warrant followed with a semi-acoustic set. Great White up next, were added as a late addition replacement for Loudness. Last in Line were definitely a day two crowd favorite. A newly revamped Lynch Mob with Warrant vocalist Robert Mason pulling double duty followed up the Dio laden Last in Line set. Stryper performed next and was joined by their newly added bassist Perry Richardson. Slaughter was next out and dedicated ‘Fly to the Angels’ to their late guitarist Tim Kelly.


 The last four bands played slightly longer sets. Sebastian Bach and his band got the crowd singing all the Skid Row hits he was a part of. Ace Frehley gave a crowd pleasing set which included KISS and solo tunes. Night Ranger always a crowd favorite performed a mesmerizing version of ‘Sister Christian’ that had all in attendance singing. Queensryche closed out the Festival to a near capacity crowd that had been there most of the day and stayed throughout their entire set.
​

I totally enjoyed my time at the Rock Fest this year. I was able to meet quite a lot of friends and make new ones as well. It was a pleasure to once again represent Hair Metal Mansion at M3 and will surely be back again in 2019.


 You can find my Photo Album from the show here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jschaef00/collections/72157695960431994/
and here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jschaef00/collections/72157693506506342/
 
Official M3 Festival Facebook page is located here:
https://www.facebook.com/M3RockFest

All Images © Joe Schaeffer Photography

-On March 31st, I had the pleasure of attending the Janet Gardner show at Nikki's in Sturgis, Michigan. It was the first time attending a show there so I wasn't sure what to expect from this adventure. The venue was 90 minutes from my home, so I expected a bit of sight seeing along the way there. 

Upon arriving, we found a well kept place with lots of available spaces. Entry to the club was easy and there was no wait. The club was clean, with plenty of room to stand, and was well staffed with very friendly people. Emergency exits were well lit and easily accessible if needed. I know that may not be important to some people but with the recent wave of violence and fires, I make it a point to notice it. 

The show started promptly with the opening band Meccabone. They were a local band playing a good variety of cover tunes that entertained the crowd and got them dancing. They were very competent and seemed to be well liked by the crowd. 

The next band was A Sick World. Let me tell you, this band was the surprise of the night. They played a wildly popular set of cover tunes that not only rocked the place but did so with the absolute precision of a laser. Including songs by Heart, Kix, Jackyl, LA Guns, Queensryche, Ozzy, Judas Priest, Guns N Roses and more, they put on a showcase of how to captivate the crowd! They really made the trip worth it by themselves. 

The final opening band was Band of Tara. Again, another very competent band playing cover tunes that entertained and got the crowd ready for the main act. 

After a short intermission to clear the stage and get it ready, Janet and gang hit the stage full force! Opening with the tune "If You Want Me", they let us know they were there to rock the joint. Janet was in great form, really engaging the audience in between songs. Guitarist (and hubby), Justin James was also on fire. Justin has a monster, unbelieveable tone that is just built for melting faces on stages everywhere. Janet made the show a real blast to watch, including going into the audience and leading a crowd sing-a-long on the Vixen classic, Cryin'. The band covered a great mix of tunes from both the solo record and Vixen. There were also two entertaining covers: The first featured the bassist, who's name I totally missed (Tony G, I think?) sharing vocals with Justin on the Kiss classic, "Love Gun." The second featured Janet singing the Cee-Lo Green tune, "Fuck You." to the crowd's delight! 

I also want to mention how on point the rhthym section of Richie Rivera and the bassist were. The bassist is also an accomplished guitar maker, having made both his bass and Justin's awesome checkered guitar that has been featured in numerous promo shots! 

After the show, the bands all hung out and greeted fans. It was awesome to see ALL of the bands stick around until the end and support each other. It was the kind of unity that could really build a scene if more did it! 

It was also awesome to have Justin greet me and recognize me from promoting the record on my radio show (without me having to say a word!) It really validates the time spent doing this to know that bands take note of it. 

Overall, a killer show that was well worth the 3 hours of driving time. 

Additional links:
- Janet Gardner 
​- A Sick World
​- Nikki's Sturgis 

Michael Schenker has had a long and storied career in the music business. It all began with his brother Rudolph as a member of the Scorpions and in 1973 he joined forces with UFO to create some of the most iconic hard rock tunes of the late 1970’s. 1980 saw the beginning of the Michael Schenker Group and so began his thirty five plus year solo career.


Fast forward to 2018 we now see the rock guitar hero giving us a nearly three hour concert showcasing every segment of Schenker's musical history has brought along MSG vocalists Gary Barden, Graham Bonnet and Robin McAuley along with Temple Of Rock singer Doogie White to help him along the way. Rounding out the band are former MSG members Ted McKenna (Drums), Steve Mann (Guitar/Keyboards) and Chris Glen (Bass).


Tonight we witnessed Schenker and his band mates tear through thirty tunes with everyone sounding effectively like they should. We were treated to everything from “Armed and Ready” to “Attack of the Mad Axe Man” featuring Gary Barden, “Assault Attack” and “Dancer” from Graham Bonnet, “Save Yourself” and “Anytime” with Robin McAuley.  Added to it were recent Temple of Rock songs like “Vigilante Man” and from the new studio project “Resurrection” most notably “Warrior”. (https://www.amazon.com/Resurrection-Michael-Schenker-Fest/dp/B078DZLZFD)


Closing the night out we were treated to a bevy UFO tunes. “Rock Bottom,” “Doctor Doctor,” “Shoot Shoot,” “Natural Thing” and “Lights Out” finished up the marathon.
Michael Schenker Fest gave us everything we could hope for. It was a chance of a lifetime to witness the pure greatness ofMichael Schenker. The show is a definite must see.
Setlist:
Into the Arena
Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
Cry for the Nations
Attack of the Mad Axeman
Messin' Around
Armed and Ready
Coast to Coast
Desert Song
Dancer
Night Moods
Searching for a Reason
Assault Attack
Captain Nemo
Bad Boys
Save Yourself
Anytime
Heart and Soul
Love Is Not a Game
Searching for Freedom
Live and Let Live
Vigilante Man
Lord of the Lost and Lonely
Take Me to the Church
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
Warrior
Rock Bottom
Encore:
Doctor Doctor
Shoot Shoot
Natural Thing
Lights Out
 ​

The full photo album can be found here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jschaef00/albums/72157694193309984
 
All Images © Joe Schaeffer Photography

​If anyone doesn’t think Night Ranger can hang anymore they really need to check them out. I’ve been a fan since 1982, and let me tell you they rock just as hard if not harder than they did then.


The band roared on stage with a powerful rendition of "Somehow Someway" from their latest CD “Don’t Let Up” (Available here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MZ6WB9T) and for the next ninety minutes their energy never faded.


They performed all of their hits including "Sing Me Away", “When You Close Your Eyes” and "Don't Tell Me You Love Me" and of course, "Sister Christian" and “(You Can Still) Rock in America”. 


All of the guys appeared to be genuinely having fun and the audience was appreciative of their professional and polished performance. The band was extremely tight and flexible. They were absolutely having a great time.


I was very impressed that they covered some tunes of bands that Jack Blades, Brad Gillis and Keri Kelli have been part of. Highlights for sure were the three from Damn Yankees, “Coming of Age”, “Come Again” and “High Enough”.  


Night Ranger always rocks the house and they didn't disappoint. The music was awesome, vocals were spot on and 35 years has proven to age this classic band just right. They are a must see band for every rock and roll fan.
Setlist:
Somehow Someway
Four in the Morning
Sing Me Away
Coming of Age
The Secret of My Success
Sentimental Street
School's Out/Crazy Train
High Road
Night Ranger
Come Again (Acoustic)
High Enough
Goodbye
When You Close Your Eyes
Don't Tell Me You Love Me (with a snippet of Highway Star)
Sister Christian
(You Can Still) Rock in America
 
The full photo album can be found here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jschaef00/albums/72157664807028967
 
All Images © Joe Schaeffer Photography

For more photos, go to: 
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jschaef00/collections/72157688206886320/

Courtesy of Joe Schaeffer Photography