CEDAR PARK, TX | Some bands define an era, and then there are bands whose music also continues to hold its own decades later. Tom Keifer and the Keifer Band proved exactly why on Thursday night at Haute Spot in Cedar Park, Texas, delivering a powerful performance built on great songs, solid musicianship, and the unmistakable voice that helped make Cinderella one of rock’s standout bands.
I grew up on rock and metal throughout the ’80s and never stopped listening. At one point, I went to visit a friend in Hollywood and ended up staying, eventually working the front door for a couple of years at a club on Sunset Boulevard during the height of the Sunset Strip scene.
It was super close to popular bars and venues like the Whisky a Go Go, the Troubadour, the Cathouse, and Camp Hollywood on Sunset. My first job in Hollywood was working the door at the Rainbow. I only did it for one night—it was way too busy, and I couldn’t deal—so I left. Those were wild, fun times, and Thursday night’s show brought back a lot of the same energy and memories.
The evening opened with Texas rockers Ratchet Dolls, who wasted no time getting the crowd fired up. Their gritty, high-energy set was the perfect way to kick off a night built around loud guitars and unapologetic rock and roll. The San Antonio trio has been grinding it out on the road behind their album Bring the Noize, and that road-tested tightness showed—they played like a band with something to prove.
L.A. Guns followed with a high-energy set that leaned into driving guitars, sharp hooks, and a classic hard rock edge that helped define the Sunset Strip era. Frontman Phil Lewis was on fire, delivering vocals with confidence and command, while founding guitarist Tracii Guns brought steady, expressive lead work and recognizable riffs that anchored the band’s sound.
Guitarist Ace Von Johnson, bassist Johnny Martin, and drummer Shawn Duncan locked in tightly, giving the set a solid backbone that kept the energy up from start to finish and left the crowd fully primed for the night’s headliner. For me, it was a bit of a full-circle moment—this was the same brand of Strip swagger that used to spill out of the clubs I worked back in the day, and with their latest album Leopard Skin, the band made it clear they’re still writing new chapters, not just reliving old ones.
When Tom Keifer took the stage, the atmosphere shifted immediately. His signature raspy vocals remain as distinctive today as they were decades ago, and the Keifer Band brought every bit of the power needed to match them. Guitarist Tony Higbee traded solos with Keifer throughout the night, while Billy Mercer on bass and Jarred Pope on drums drove the rhythm with precision and power. Kory Myers added keyboards, and Savannah Keifer brought keys and harmonies that gave the band’s sound even more depth.
That voice is no small thing. Keifer was once told he might never sing again after being diagnosed with vocal paresis, a partial paralysis of a vocal cord that sidelined Cinderella and forced him to relearn how to sing from the ground up. Knowing that history, hearing him hit those notes live made the whole night land even harder.
At one point in the set, Tom played my favorite Cinderella song, “Shake Me,” which is actually one of my favorite rock songs—the music is just very cool—and something I had been waiting many years to hear live.
Over the years, I’ve had countless conversations about which bands truly stood apart during the ’80s rock explosion. Recently, I found myself having the same discussion with a couple of musicians, and one band always comes up—Cinderella. True story. I’ve always loved this band, and it’s been really cool as life has gone on to meet so many people who feel the exact same way.
Yes, there was plenty of flash during the ’80s, but once you looked past the image, only a handful of bands really separated themselves through songwriting, musicianship, and originality. Cinderella was one of them. Tom Keifer’s unmistakable voice has always been central to the band’s identity, but what also made them stand out was the blend of strong songwriting, blues-tinged rock, and solid musicianship that shaped their sound.
They broke out in 1986 with their debut Night Songs, which went multi-platinum on the strength of tracks like “Nobody’s Fool” and “Shake Me,” then dug deeper into bluesier territory on Long Cold Winter and Heartbreak Station. Plus, they just had a super cool vibe all the way around.
Thursday night’s performance wasn’t about recreating the past. It was a reminder that great music still connects, and, judging by the crowd’s reaction from the opening song to the final set, it brought back much of that same energy and memories while delivering a full night of rock and roll from start to finish. Decades on, the songs still hit, the band still brings it, and nights like this are exactly why this music has never really left us.
L.A. GUNS
RATCHET DOLLS
