Even after close to forty years in the biz, I still get giddy and excited when my Rock and Roll heroes play on one of my historic stages. Many of them have been performing also for forty-plus years but still have that spark for pleasing the audience. My excitement, their excitement and the excitement of the audience all bashing together in the concert air creates an electricity shared by all and underscores the power of music.
As 2026 is the Arcada Theatre’s 100th Anniversary year, I am bestowing upon certain bands and entertainers who have played an integral role with the success of The Arcada, a 100th Anniversary Legacy Award. During a recent show at The Arcada, the band Night Ranger received the honor. But is wasn’t a simple hand-off of the Arcada marquee replica I was to present to them.
In the middle of their set, Jack Blades called me up to his microphone and invited me to join him in singing the “Na-na-na-na-na” part of Night Ranger’s rendition of Journey’s “Lovin’ Touchin’ Squeezin” tune. “What is happening?” I thought to myself! The place went nuts!
The music eventually waned, and I thanked the band for its support over the years. We then turned toward the drums and the entire band took a photo with me and the award in front of the raised hands of the crowd! It was epic!
Kelly Keagy, original drummer of the band, posted the band’s gratitude for the award all over social media. Original lead singer and bassist Jack Blades and founding guitarist Brad Gillis were “truly honored and humbled” to receive the recognition. Just nice guys!
I was tremendously humbled because this is a band that regularly performs in front of huge audiences in large arenas. But each year they would return to our 900-seat venue, treating it like it was Madison Square Garden and truly make us feel like family.
“We are home,” said Blades to the adoring sold-out crowd. “We love coming back to The Arcada,” he said.
Before each show I go down to the dressing room to welcome the acts for the evening. As pretty much all the acts we work with are really nice people, there is always something special about the guys in Night Ranger. There is a sincere warmth each time they visit beginning with their tenacious tour manager Ed Ripepi and the other superstar musicians in the band, Eric Levy on keys and Keri Kelli on guitar.
Nigh Ranger began as a touring band in 1982 changing its name from “Ranger” to “Night Ranger” and opening for acts including Sammy Hagar, ZZ Top and Ozzy Osbourne. The band became the first “big” band to appear on MTV. They were a regularly featured act, with re-occurring number one designations. The release of the radio hit, “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me” sent the guys into another atmosphere.
In 1983, the band released a song that has proven to be its cornerstone, “Sister Christian,” written and sung by drummer Kelly Keagy about his own younger sister Christine and his concern about her growing up too fast. It gave the band a power ballad element to a rockin’ presence that drove the band to the top of the charts.
Night Ranger’s stage design, set-list and overall energy has made the band an international fan-favorite, selling over seventeen million albums. After forty-plus years of rockin’ and rollin’, Night Ranger is still “Motoring” at a pace that is still surpassing all speed limits. They are true rock stars by definition, but they are also wonderful gentlemen who deserve every bit of success that comes their way.