If you had told his younger self back in the height of the 1980s hair bands and metal mania era that his band Tesla would be performing at a 5,000-seat Tucson amphitheater when he was in his 60s, frontman Jeff Keith probably would鈥檝e laughed in your face.
But here he is, 66 years old and still on the road with four of his five original band members.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going out and about and going to all kinds of wonderful places,鈥 he said during a mid-June phone interview to chat about the California-born band鈥檚 鈥淜eepin鈥 It Real 2025 Tour鈥 stop at the AVA at Casino del Sol on Friday, July 4. 鈥淲e鈥檙e just having fun. We鈥檙e still having fun almost 40 years later.鈥
When Tesla came out in 1984, it joined a crowded field of glam and metal rockers fighting for radio play and record sales with a growing roster of alternative rockers including R.E.M, Nirvana and Pearl Jam.
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The 1980s metal band Tesla brings its 鈥淜eepin鈥 It Real鈥 Tour to the AVA at Casino del Sol on Friday, July 4.
Tesla had only one Top 10 hit, 鈥淟ove Song鈥 in 1989, but the band didn鈥檛 need chart-toppers. It buttered its bread in its live shows, high-energy electric affairs before crowds numbering 10,000 to 20,000.
When they lit into the scorching guitar riff and pounding two-three drum beat on songs like 鈥淓z Come and Ez Go,鈥 their fans went wild, screaming and singing along.
Tesla fed off the audience鈥檚 energy then and now.
鈥淭he music is timeless, songs are timeless and the fans are still there,鈥 Keith said. 鈥淲e still got a great fan base, and they鈥檙e still there supporting us, filling up the seats.鈥
Tesla released eight studio albums that spun off 23 singles, four live albums and three best-of compilations. Their last studio album was 2019鈥檚 鈥淪hock.鈥
Keith said the band is in no hurry to record a full album any time soon.
鈥淚t takes time to make a record,鈥 he explained. 鈥淚t takes like almost a year to write a full record and to record it and put it out. So right now, we鈥檙e just enjoying putting out singles when we can and just still out there touring.鈥
The band鈥檚 setlist includes what Keith calls their 鈥渟taple songs鈥 鈥 鈥淢odern Day Cowboy,鈥 鈥淟ove Song,鈥 鈥淗eaven鈥檚 Trail (No Way Out),鈥 鈥淟ittle Suzi鈥 鈥 鈥渢hat we鈥檝e got to play,鈥 he said.
鈥淎nd so then we got, like, four or five songs that we can mix around,鈥 he added. 鈥淎nd then sometimes, we鈥檒l do a couple cover songs; it keeps it fresh.鈥
Tesla takes the stage at the AVA, 5655 W. Valencia Road, at 8 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $23.86-$1110.25 through .
Contact reporter Cathalena E. Burch at cburch@tucson.com. On Bluesky @Starburch
Cathalena E. Burch
Reporter
