It was really about 10 years ago that I last saw Jeff Keith and Tommy Skeoch take the stage together and play as Tesla. Ten years is a long time, and I can't really even recall the songs they played that night at the Concord Pavilion in Concord, CA. They were doing a co-headlining tour with Great White, and at that time, I was so heavily into Great White, I almost ignored them entirely. What I do remember is the energy. Jeff and Co. rocked for at least an hour, putting on a show that I remember crackled with electricity.
Since then, I have been a whole-hog Tesla fan, but never quite got the opportunity to see them again…and then it was too late. So, when I found the WWW, and I found that Tesla had broken into three other bands, I was on a mission…see those bands and recapture the magic, so to speak. In June, I had the opportunity to see Brian Wheat's new band, Soulmotor and was duly impressed. When I found out that JK and Tommy would be visiting my new home state of South Carolina just before Thanksgiving, I knew that I had to experience SofaKing as a part of the mission.
Sandstone's is an out of the way venue in Garden City, SC that happened to be unusually impressive. I liked the area, and I really liked the experience. I was happy to be seeing a live show and was ready to be rocked. The opening band was pretty good, which doesn't happen often, but they were a "sit in the chair and experience the music from afar" kind of band…lots of cover tunes well played. When SofaKing took the stage, I just knew I belonged up at the edge of the stage. I situated myself between Tommy and Jeff, the perfect place for a Tesla fan to be.
From the opening blast of Freaked, I knew it was gonna be a night. Tommy dug right in and blazed through the tune as JK delivered that energy I remembered from ten years prior. I was prepared for a few Tesla songs, and as they launched into Solution and moved to Action Talks, I was really hooked. Why had I waited so long to see these guys? Location, location, location. Well, never again.
The show was a pretty good mix of Tesla and SofaKing songs. A few more Tesla than SofaKing, but to be quite honest, one can get the feel of the band from the songs they played. Got A New Life and Psycho Insane are etched into my brain as the songs to remember. I liked Psycho Insane before I heard it live, just from the short sound byte on http://www.sofaking.net. Somehow, Jeff's voice is so suited for that song that it gets into your soul, kind of the way a song like Try So Hard or She Want She Want.
Jeff. Let's talk about Jeff Keith. I guess since I was so far away from him in '89, and so close to him in '99, I much preferred this show. If I got the sparkle of an amazing JK performance from 100+ yards away in Concord, CA, you can only imagine what I got from less than 5 feet away in Garden City. Talk about "hold onto your hat" or "buckle your seatbelts"…well, that is what the whole night was about. He gave us the motto for the evening. It was "What the fuck" and that was the way the show was structured. If something wasn't working, as when his microphone gave out during Ladybug, then he shifted gears and moved on. At a moment's notice, Tommy would break into a solo or Jeff would take a lit cigarette out of Tommy's mouth and make it his own. Such a vibe going between them, it's understandable that life in Tesla without Tommy was unbearable for JK. Very seldom do you see that kind of connection where two musicians are so in tune with each other. It was a great thing to experience, at such close range.
Also, JK has changed so little in the past 10 years. He doesn't look a day older, and his voice is as perfect as it was back then. During SofaKing's version of What You Give, I could visualize the video…and feel like I was right there at the time it was recorded (although they did the WHOLE song, unlike the video…) I could hear the story Jeff tells on the Time's Makin' Changes video about how he wrote the words to the song as he crooned. About brought tears to my eyes!
So, let's talk guitars. It's really easy to begin with Tommy. A long time ago, I thought that Tesla was about Frank Hannon and his guitar wizardry. While that is part of the truth, I learned to discern when Tommy was "the man on the guitar" just from listening to the different styles. To watch Tommy Skeoch dig in and rip through a lick…be it a part of the rhythm or a scorching solo…only served to increase my appreciation for his musicality. What he does with an electric guitar should be illegal; it's so good. It was as if he grabbed me by the arm and dragged me into each note. Granted, I was standing so close that I occasionally had to duck when he swung his Les Paul around, but I knew from the start that I had to be right there. He is that impressive.
And, if we're talking about impressive, Ray Hinkley was a surprise…a pleasant one, for sure. I admit I am kinda stuck on the fact that he delivered the "Frankie Hannon" acoustic part on What You Give so perfectly that at times I wasn't quite certain what band I was watching…but this isn't a bad thing. It surely wasn't his only shining moment. He adds dimension to every song. I wasn't sure what his role in SofaKing was when I walked in that night, but I can tell you that I know now. He is the other lead guitar player…and I don't mean that as a put down. He is the other lead. Maybe next time I will stand on HIS side of the stage to get a better appreciation of his capabilities.
Not to leave out Steve Smith and Denis Bostok…both of them made an impression on me too. No band is complete without a solid rhythm section and they were solid to say the least. Enough can't be said about two guys stepping in and delivering the goods on "another band's" music and they did that like champs. In addition, they put the finishing touches to a sound that can only be described as SofaKing Good.
Was the night a total success? Hey, it had its moments. Not to play up any negative, but I was disappointed that they didn't hang in and complete Ladybug. There will be a next time. I could have handled a few more SofaKing tunes and a few less Tesla ones (yes, that is me talking.) Oh, and I could have hung out for another half an hour of music. It would have made me happy (and them very tired, I'm sure.)
In conclusion, I have to say that if you are looking for a band that stands up to the "myth" of Tesla, SofaKing is your band. If you're looking for a band that delivers the type of music that die-hard rock 'n roll fans are craving, SofaKing is your band. If you're aching for a dose of 80's with a bucket of 90's music…SofaKing is your band. And, if you're just looking for a great show that holds your attention for the duration…well…you know.
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