Tom Keifer and his band treated fans to a great show at the Gas Monkey Bar and Grill in Dallas, Texas on April 20. While many rockers from when Keifer rocketed to stardom have either passed on or can no longer hit the notes, Keifer’s vocals and stage presence still mesmerize the audience. Tom and crew hit the stage belting out a Cinderella classic, The More Things Change, then followed with two other Cinderella tunes, The Last Mile and Bad Seamstress Blues/Fallin’ Apart at the Seams. The Way Life Goes, from his latest album, was a hit with the crowd that ranged in age from about seven years old to those considerably older than Keifer.
The band was very tight as they moved through older and newer songs. It seemed to take Keifer a while to start interacting with the crowd but he already had them in the palm of his hand. When he motioned for fans to join in, they were more than happy to oblige. The crowd sang along in unison to such Cinderella hits as Long Cold Winter, Save Me, Shake Me, Night Songs, and Coming Home. Solo tunes like It’s Not Enough and Solid Ground held their own with the crowd as well.
When the piano was wheeled onto stage, everyone knew You Don’t Know What You Got (Till Its Gone) was coming. Keifer’s talent on the piano is as strong as his guitar prowess. The song is always a huge crowd favorite and this time was no different. This man is extremely talented in which ever form he chooses to display it and his band is truly talented as well.
After performing for more than an hour, the band departed the stage for a short time only to return for the encore which began with a cover of the Rolling Stones’ Tumbling Dice. This classic was followed by The Beatles’ (I Get By) With a Little Help From My Friends before finishing the show with Gypsy Road.
Keifer and the band never disappoint. While fans know how Keifer has struggled with vocal issues, even being told he wouldn’t sing again, his voice was as strong and clear as ever. As one of the most charismatic front men during the 1980s, Keifer set a standard. Today, he remains the same – or likely even better – than ever before. There is just something about how he commands the stage and delights his audiences time after time. The gravelly voice and charismatic stage presence always please.
Keifer didn’t let his fans down in Dallas – and they didn’t let him down either. On their feet for the full show, no one seemed ready for the music to come to an end. Nevertheless, it did – until the next time this very hard working band comes back around.
PHOTO GALLERY
Photos by Claire Zevnik
