Tesla Makin’ Magic In Salamanca

Concert Review
Tesla
Saturday January 31, 2026
Seneca Allegany Casino Event Center
Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino
Salamanca, NY
Review/Photos: Joseph Suto

While the single digit temps on the outside were numbing, the Seneca Allegany Casino was searing on the inside. The Event Center was the place to be as Tesla put on a scorching 100-minute set. The band is in the midst of a short run of dates to kick off the new year. It also marks the band’s 40th Anniversary of their debut album Mechanical Resonance.

The band keeps rolling along like a fine oiled machine. The original trio of vocalist Jeff Keith, guitarist Frank Hannon and bassist Brian Wheat always seem to pick the right replacements to keep everything in tip top condition. Rounding out the lineup lastly but not least were guitarist Dave Rude (wow twenty years) and drummer Steve Brown (since 2021). This was one of the best Tesla shows I have ever attended sound-wise. The pristine, vibrant audio was dialed in with perfection.

The set featured not only their usual big hits but some of their most revered songs as well. The band received a ton of FM airplay in the late 80s and early 90s. Songs such as “Lazy Days, Crazy Nights” stirred up with favorites such as “Heaven’s Trail (No Way Out)” and “Caught In A Dream” made for a diverse, yet blended set. They make an honest effort to include a few songs from outside their peak period, unlike many of their peers. They appropriately closed out the night with the optimistic “Gettin Better” from their debut.

Tesla can go toe to toe with any band from their era. They took a break in 1996 and came back strong afterwards. To me they never get all the accolades they deserve. More than likely they will never get into the rock hall but they are an important band from their era nevertheless. You can draw some small but subtle comparisons to Led Zeppelin and to me they are seriously and often overlooked. In many aspects they are like the American version of Led Zep from their era. If you know you know as the saying goes.

These days when you go to a concert you never know what to expect with some artists. Tesla gives you the best of what they got with straight ahead rock ’n roll and no politics!! The band were always known for putting the term no machines on their album credits. Considering this was our first show for 2026, it was one which may be very hard to top and that is an understatement to say the least.