(Milwaukee, WI) – Some 30 years ago Tom Keifer’s band Cinderella was discovered in a Philadelphia bar and with the help of Jon Bon Jovi eventually signed to Mercury Records. From 1986 to 1990 the band released three platinum albums and had a string of hit videos in heavy rotation on MTV. As the “Hair Metal” of the 80’s gave way to “Grunge” in the 90’s, Cinderella would release one more studio album that quickly disappeared from the charts before going on hiatus in 1995.
The next decade would be a tumultuous one, in which Keifer would lose his mother to cancer, his voice, temporarily, to paralysis of a vocal cord and undergo several surgeries to alleviate the issue, causing him to have to learn to sing all over again. By 2013, with his vocal condition under control and Cinderella once again a regular touring act, Tom released his first solo album “The Way Life Goes” (Merovee Records) and hit the road with his wife and producing and songwriting partner Savannah.
With the house lights down, the sold out crowd clapped along to a recording of Cinderella’s “Bad Seamstress Blues”, an acoustic number from 1988’s Long Cold Winter (Mercury Records). As “Bad Seamstress Blues” flowed into “Falling Apart At The Seams”, the stage lights came up revealing Keifer and his four piece band, to the howls of the mostly middle-aged crowd.
Back in the days of pointy neon guitars, Tom Keifer was a classic Les Paul and Telecaster kind of guy, whose songs had more in common with the blues rock of the 70’s than the over the top guitar histrionics of most 80’s hard rock.
In spite of all the vocal problems of the past, the voice is much the same as it was all those years ago, maybe just a bit grittier, more classic rock than operatic wailer. Though the sound is still there the look is much different, black jeans and a leather jacket have replaced the spandex and the once big hair is now a shoulder length black mop, that hangs in his face.
Not content to just rely on the favorites of the past, “It’s Not Enough” and “A Different Light” from “The Way Life Goes” followed the crowd
favorite opening cut. The former being a slide driven rocker and the latter an acoustic inspirational that wouldn’t be out of place on today’s country radio. The band then reached back to the beginning for a pair of up tempo hits from 1986’s “Night Songs” (Mercury Records), “Somebody Save Me” and the AC/DC inspired “Shake Me”, the videos for both helped put Cinderella on the map during MTV’s glory days. The night would continue on like that, a mix of the old and new, electric rockers and acoustic ballads. Some of the highlights being the Stonesy and set closing “Shelter Me” from 1990’s “Heartbreak Station” (Mercury Records), The Flower Song” , the summery lead single form the current album, a cover of The Beatles “With A Little Help From My Friends”, by way of Joe Cocker, and the break through hit “Nobody’s Fool” also from 1986’s “Night Songs. Another stand out moment was when Tom and Savannah took center stage for a haunting acoustic rendition of the 1988 hit “Don’t Know What You Got (Until It’s Gone)”.
The new material went over well with the packed house, particularly the 2 singles “The Flower Song” and “Solid Ground”, but it was clear that the biggest reaction was for the many Cinderella hits.
Keifer’s stage demeanor is at times laid back and conversational, as if you’re just hanging out and he’s telling you about some songs he wrote. At other times he has a bit of a Steven Tyler or Mick Jagger kind of swagger as he works the mic and the crowd, holding the girl’s hands during the ballads, shaking hands and high-fiving the guys, making everyone feel welcome and involved.
During the first few numbers of the night the band felt just a little flat, which I think went unnoticed by the crowd, but by the time they got to the half way mark the band was cooking and had shaken off any imagined stiffness.
Tom Keifer’s music has aged better than many of his former big haired contemporaries. If you’re a long time fan or just a fan of bluesy hard rock with a dash of country and a little bit of a pop sheen, pick up a copy of “The Way Life Goes” and catch the ongoing tour with dates running through mid September.
SETLIST:
1. Bad Seamstress Blues/Fallin’ Apart at the Seams (Cinderella song)
2. It’s Not Enough
3. A Different Light
4. Somebody Save Me (Cinderella song)
5. Shake Me (Cinderella song)
6. Heartbreak Station (Cinderella song)
7. The Flower Song
8. Ask Me Yesterday
9. Don’t Know What You Got (Till It’s Gone) (Cinderella song)
10. Nobody’s Fool (Cinderella song)
11. Solid Ground
12. Cold Day in Hell
13. Coming Home (Cinderella song)
14. Shelter Me (Cinderella song)
Encore:
15. With a Little Help from My Friends (The Beatles cover)
16. Gypsy Road (Cinderella song)
Connect with Tom Keifer online: http://www.tomkeifer.com
