Picture heavy Tesla at The Orange Peel, Asheville, NC 2-28-2009

[Razor]

WOW what a kick ass show! I'm still blown away by how awesome the VIP experience and the show was. I was a lucky winner of the Tesla fan club VIP experience, and I'm still in shock and awe from getting to watch the soundcheck and meeting Tesla. Everyone was super nice, and it was awesome to just get to sit back and soak it all in. It was really cool of the band for giving me and my wife the opportunity to meet them, and for their hospitality! Tesla totally rocks!

This show goes down as one of my absolute all time favorite shows. They played super tight, and really worked and fed off the energy of the crowd. I have never in my life seen so many guitar picks thrown at one show.

Frank Hannon went out of his way to make sure I got a pick of his during the show. That was so cool!!! It's really a treat to meet one of your guitar "heros" and have them be so friendly, laid back, and make the fans have an unforgettable experience. Frank was of course Frank, and just flat out killed!

Dave Rude, the "new" guitarist really impressed me with his playing, and also his friendliness . He definitely is the real deal. He and I talked about our favorite 80's bands, so it's cool to see someone who was a fan that's made it.

Jeff Keith was a ball of energy, and he really made my wife and I feel at home.

Brian Wheat was sick as a dog, but still put on a hell of a show. In spite of I'm sure feeling like total crap, he made us really feel welcome and appreciated.

Troy Luketta was great! The vibe at the soundcheck was so cool with his daughter getting to play drums, and egging Jeff on the stage balancing act. It was a very cool and "family" type experience.

I'm going to make a vain attempt at the set list in order. This will be close. It may not be spot on, but it's pretty dang close.

Forever More
I Wanna Live
Modern Day Cowboy
Breakin' Free
Hang Tough
Heaven's Trail
Song And Emotion
Paradise
So What
Mama's Fool
Love Song
Fallin' Apart
What You Give
Signs
Into The Now
Comin' Atcha Live
Encore - Little Suzi

Now for some pictures of the show...

Soundcheck pictures...















Pictures of the show...

[Grandturk]

Very cool. I've always liked Tesla. I always thought they were unfairly lumped in with a lot of the music that grunge killed.

You think they brought enough guitars with them?

[triplehold]

Sounds like a great time! Tesla is a good old american rock and roll band and it's nice to see them right on track, rockin' out. That venue looks like a pretty nice place, I wish we had something like that around this one horse town. I checked out the clubs' schedule, you folks have a lot of different acts coming through your area- punk, blues, folk, rock, funk and metal. There's a show with Kreator and Exodus in May, Cannibal Corpse next month and even David Allen Coe later this month. Awesome!

[Razor]

Sounds like a great time! Tesla is a good old american rock and roll band and it's nice to see them right on track, rockin' out. That venue looks like a pretty nice place, I wish we had something like that around this one horse town. I checked out the clubs' schedule, you folks have a lot of different acts coming through your area- punk, blues, folk, rock, funk and metal. There's a show with Kreator and Exodus in May, Cannibal Corpse next month and even David Allen Coe later this month. Awesome!

Dude, I drove over three hours to get there. There isn't anything close to West Virginia, and everywhere is at least a three hour drive. It is a great club to see an act, and it's been added to my favorites list to watch. They do seem to have some solid line ups there. I totally undestand your one horse town problem.

[dirtyroadie]

Great club. It looks alot bigger in the pics than it is in person. That place gets hot in the summer.

[daisp]

Cool stuff, one of my favorite bands fo sho! Thanks for sharing!

[Cygnus X1]

I thought Tesla was a Canadian band.
Ah, well.

Looks like it was a great time!
Thanks for posting that, Razor.

[Razor]

Great club. It looks alot bigger in the pics than it is in person. That place gets hot in the summer.

It's funny, my best friend and I had that same coversation coming back from the show last night. It's a much "cozier" club than pictures make it look. Great sound, and not a bad seat in the house to see a show. I bet it does get hot as hell in there when it's packed during the summer. How about the big ass ceiling fan they have? That sum bitch has to be at least 8 or 10 feet in diameter.

[SEEGERMANY]

Frank has always been a Gibson dude, but this is the first time I've seen him play a '67 Reissue V. Les Pauls, Firebirds, SGs, I love them all. But nothing makes a statement like a Flying V and that statement is "I'm a fucking guitar god, suck on this lightning bolt!"

[SEEGERMANY]

I thought Tesla was a Canadian band.

"Stick with the subjects you know."

Look familiar?

[dirtyroadie]

It's funny, my best friend and I had that same coversation coming back from the show last night. It's a much "cozier" club than pictures make it look. Great sound, and not a bad seat in the house to see a show. I bet it does get hot as hell in there when it's packed during the summer. How about the big ass ceiling fan they have? That sum bitch has to be at least 8 or 10 feet in diameter.

Forgot about that fan. That thing is terrifying. Nothing I'd be comfortable standing beneath.

[missionguitars1]

I saw Frank Hannon warm up for Schenker at HOB Anaheim a month and a half ago and he absolutely KILLED it! AWESOME stuff!

I've finally let go of my hate for Tesla after getting stiffed at Cal Expo when they filmed the Love Will Find A Way video...we're al good now... :ROTF:

[toejam]

Cool! What happened to Tommy Skeoch?

[Razor]

Cool! What happened to Tommy Skeoch?

Skeoch's demon's got him kicked out in 2005/6.

[shreddermon]

I never really appreciated Tesla until picking up their greatest hits a couple of years ago. Those guys definitely rock. Great songwriting, driven tunes. I'm digging them a lot now.