Coming together over 40 years ago, Tesla is a Rock band that has stood out from the rest for numerous reasons. For starters, while they might be lumped in with the more Glam Metal acts of the ‘80s, their music was always far more rooted in straight-up Hard Rock with Blues leanings. Something that should not be overlooked, even early on, songs like 1986’s “Changes” were evidence of the band’s true depth. Incidentally, their talents were not overseen, and they scored three consecutive platinum-selling albums, starting with 1986’s Mechanical Resonance, before 1989’s The Great Radio Controversy and 1991’s Psychotic Supper.
Sustaining themselves quite well since those younger years, save a 4-year hiatus between 1996 and 2000, Tesla also has always been associated with their sensational live performances. An attribute that has followed them is that they have even released a slew of successful live records, starting with 1990’s Five Man Acoustical Jam and continuing through to their most recent, 2023’s Full Throttle Live.
Released independently by the band on May 26th, Full Throttle Live consists of nine tracks, all recorded in August 2022 at Full Throttle Saloon in Sturgis, South Dakota. The sound is raw, real, and feels exactly how a Tesla show should, and this is all thanks to the production/mixing of Brian Wheat and Frank Hannon.
Bringing this all to life, band leaders Wheat (bass), Hannon (guitars), and Jeff Keith (vocals) are joined by Dave Rude (guitars), as well as Steve Brown (drums) for one stellar set. Covering a lot of corners, they perform such well-known tracks, including the aforementioned “Changes,” but also “Call It What You Want” and “Edison’s Medicine.” Joining this, they also offer a fantastic cover of the 1974 Aerosmith cut “SOS Too Bad”, but also rock you hard with their 2023 single “Time to Rock!,” as well as 2008’s “Breakin’ Free.”
All in all, this is a fantastic live album that each and every Tesla fan will love. Available for streaming, the CD edition is recommended to add to your collection. Also, if you are someone who also wants to check out the band live, in 2024, they will launch their “Keepin’ It Real” Tour. Set to kick off on January 11th, the new tour comes after a successful Las Vegas residency this past September and will continue on for the earlier part of the new year. So, until then, Full Throttle Live is worth a listening session to hold you over because Cryptic Rock gives it 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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