Tom Keifer says his tour harkens back to the ’80s, before click tracks and recorded vocals were a thing. This is good, old-fashioned rock ‘n’ roll.
“It’s not a lot different than what you’re used to, seeing me perform with Cinderella,” Keifer said.
“It’s loud, crunching guitar, pounding drums, screaming vocals. This is the band I’ve been touring with since 2013. We’re a pretty well-oiled machine. I’m not reinventing the wheel.”
Keifer’s tour includes a stop at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano on Sunday, April 7. Fans can expect Cinderella favorites like “Don’t Know What You Got” and “Somebody Save Me,” and tracks from his solo releases such as “The Way Life Goes” and “Rise.”
“I normally don’t like seated shows,” he said. “This doesn’t normally seem like a seated show. The people are so rowdy. It doesn’t have that vibe of a seated show. Usually, we like general admission. The first time we saw the tables and chairs, I wasn’t sure.
“The second we hit the stage, I thought, ‘(expletive deleted), this is great!’ There’s just an energy in there.”
Hailing from Springfield, Pennsylvania, Keifer grew up in a musical family. Heavily influenced by the blues, he learned to play the electric guitar, becoming a member of the Central Pennsylvania band Telepath.
He and a good friend, bassist Eric Brittingham, formed Cinderella. Soon, they got their break when Jon Bon Jovi saw them perform at Philadelphia’s Empire Rock Club and recommended that his A&R rep see them.
In 1985, Cinderella recorded “Night Songs” with Andy Johns, whose credits include Led Zeppelin. The album was released on Mercury/Polygram Records in June 1986 and went triple platinum. That led to a 14-month tour, during which Keifer was lowered to the stage while playing a white piano during “Don’t Know What You Got.”
The albums “Long Cold Winter” (1988), “Heartbreak Station” (1990) and “Still Climbing” (1994) followed. Personnel changes were frequent, and the band now tours as Cinderella’s Tom Keifer Band.
From being a shy musician to an enigmatic frontman, Keifer now says live shows are his favorite part of music.
“There’s something about the spontaneity of live shows,” Keifer said. “I never get tired of that. I feel very fortunate to walk out on stage, sing songs and have a great relationship with the audience.
“It’s this great energy between the fans and the band. That exchange has always been my favorite thing. I still love making records and writing. That’s a love-hate, torturous process. It’s not always that spontaneous.”
Keifer said he often struggles to write songs, so he’s happy when the recording process is finished. Afterward, he enjoys watching the songs evolve on tour.
“We hit the stage and play them, and however they go, they go,” he said. “Once you hit that stage, it’s rock ‘n’ roll. It is what it is.”
The songwriting and musical styles have remained intact over the 40 years. The production process, the mixing process have changed.
“The ’80s sound was slicker, more processed,” he said. “When we started ‘A Long Winter,’ it was more organic. ‘Heartbreak Station’ was even more organic.
“With my solo record, ‘The Way Life Goes,’ it was organic on that one. ‘Rise’ was a combination of organic and contemporary touch to it, too. Overall, I think the music’s coming from the same place.”
That’s the same philosophy he has for live shows.
“We haven’t been out West since 2019,” he said. “This time, it’s a different set and different songs. It is pretty much all the songs you want to hear. It’s high-energy and loud. We’re looking forward to everyone coming out, screaming and yelling and singing along.”
WHO: Cinderella’s Tom Keifer Band w/Michael Olivieri
WHEN: 7 p.m. Sunday, April 7
WHERE: The Coach House, 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano
COST: Tickets start at $48
INFO: thecoachhouse.com