It didn’t take long for Night Ranger frontman Jack Blades to address the elephant in the room as he greeted the crowd in the grandstand at the San Diego County Fair on Wednesday, when the band opened for headliner Bret Michaels.
“We played here in 1984 and 1987. It’s great to be back in Del Mar,” the bassist/co-lead vocalist said, alluding to the decades-long gap since the Bay Area band last visited our shores.
It wasn’t for lack of touring.
The arena-rock veterans behind such ’80s staples as “Sister Christian” and ‘Don’t Tell Me You Love Me” have spent much of the past four decades on the road. And yet, publicly available records indicate their last documented San Diego performance was Dec. 13, 1988, at the now-defunct Bacchanal nightclub in Kearny Mesa.
Unfortunately, the return didn’t quite justify the 38-year wait.
Performing beneath the glow of the track’s carnival rides, Night Ranger delivered moments that reminded fans why the band remains a fixture on the classic-rock circuit. But the 45-minute set was also hampered by its share of disappointments.
The group started strong and wasted no time getting to the hits, opening with the incendiary “(You Can Still) Rock in America.” Accompanied by patriotic images of the American flag and Lady Liberty on the video screen behind them, it felt like a well-timed appetizer to the Fourth of July. Recently re-recorded and released on streaming platforms in advance of a new “Best Of” album due in August, the song still packs plenty of punch.
“Four in the Morning” followed, with an extended jam that allowed longtime lead guitarist Brad Gillis and drummer/co-lead vocalist Kelly Keagy to showcase their chops. Blades’ voice, though strong, was blanketed in a muddy mix. And when Keagy took over vocals on “Sing Me Away,” the issue persisted.
After praising actor Michael J. Fox for his valiant fight against Parkinson’s Disease, Blades gestured to keyboardist Eric Levy, who tapped out the opening notes of “The Secret of My Success,” the title track from Fox’s 1987 film.
Blades sounded noticeably clearer here, and the band seemed to find its footing as they swung their guitars around and shuffled across the stage. They still had all the right ’80s rock moves.
That momentum proved short-lived, however.
The set took an unnecessary detour into Steam’s “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” that segued into snippets of Journey’s “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’” and The Beatles’ “Hey Jude.” The drawn-out song felt like filler in an already truncated set.
Setting up the ballad “High Enough” from Blades’ other band, Damn Yankees, he reminded the audience of his local roots.
“You’re looking at an Aztec right here,” he said. “I went to SDSU.”
The hometown connection drew applause, but the all-too-familiar classic-rock ritual of coaxing the crowd to sing along began to wear thin. With a short set, the time might have been better spent revisiting other gems from Night Ranger’s catalog, such as “Rumours in the Air,” “Eddie’s Comin’ Out Tonight” or “Can’t Find Me A Thrill,” from its stellar 1982 debut “Dawn Patrol.”
“When You Close Your Eyes,” from the band’s platinum-selling second album, “Midnight Madness,” fared better. Aside from Blades’ shameless Jack Daniel’s plug during the line “come off a hard line of drinking …,” the audience knew more of the words and seemingly enjoyed singing along.
Sadly, its biggest hit, “Sister Christian,” proved the evening’s biggest disappointment.
Keagy’s vocals sounded strained and lacked the warmth and control that helped make the power ballad such a monster hit. At the time of the show, I wasn’t aware Keagy had undergone open-heart surgery in 2017. Even after a successful recovery, the breathing demands of singing can present challenges. While the effects were noticeable on this night, his perseverance deserves admiration.
The song still had its moments. The band’s harmonies shined during the catchy chorus — “You’re motorin’ / What’s your price for flight?” — and Keagy’s deft drumming paired with Gillis’ iconic guitar solo added up to a strong finish.
“It’s a short night for us, but we can’t leave you without a little ‘Don’t Tell Me You Love Me,’” Blades said before launching into the last song of the night.
Propelled by Gillis and guitarist Keri Kelli’s blazing guitars, Night Ranger closed its abbreviated set with a burst of energy and a promise for the future.
“I swear, the next time we come to SD, we’ll play longer,” Blades said.
After waiting nearly four decades, local fans can only hope he keeps that promise.
Donovan Roche is a longtime music writer and regular contributor to Times of San Diego.
