Concert Review #2: Zebra in New Orleans (Lots of Pictures)

 On Wednesday night, November 26, 2025, Allison Rich and I attended the Zebra 50th anniversary concert at the Orpheum Theater in New Orleans, Louisiana.  As some of you may know, we had tickets for a Zebra show in December 2024, but nothing went well that evening (the motel room we had “booked” was given away, there was a Christmas parade that blocked our access to the venue, etc) and we didn’t make it to the show.  So, when I saw that they would be playing in their hometown during Thanksgiving break, I saw my opportunity to finally see a band that I have loved for 4+ decades.

I wrote a Spotlight feature on them about a year ago for more information on the band’s long history:

https://scottssongbysongandspotlights.blogspot.com/2025/05/scotts-spotlight-12-zebra.html

 I was fortunate enough to be able to get great seats for this show, as evidenced by the pictures and videos that Allison and I took.

The show began at 8:15 pm as an apparently legendary local DJ in New Orleans named Michael Costello introduced the band and talked about some of the memories he has had with them over their long history.  Of course, for a band to be around for 50 years, they are going to have some age on them (and this is the original line-up for the band’s full run).  Upon looking it up, I found that band leader/lead vocalist/lead guitarist Randy Jackson is 70, bassist/keyboardist/lead vocalist on “Little Things” Felix Hanneman is 72, and drumming dynamo Guy Gelso is 74. With that said, they rock just as hard today as ever!  Every song was in the original key, and at full-tempo, and Randy Jackson nailed every high note and smoked every guitar solo!  Guy Gelso was especially impressive behind the kit, playing with the energy and dynamics of a drummer ⅓ his age!  Age has taken nothing from this trio.  In fact, they are planning to release a long-awaited 5th studio album early in 2026.

After the intro from Johnny Gray, a short retrospective video played on the screen placed above them on the stage.  Then the band took the stage with a short intro piece primarily consisting of big power chords.  After that there seemed to be a moment or two of confusion before they launched into the classic “As I Said Before” from their debut album from 1983 (yes, they paid their dues for several years before they got signed to Atlantic (see the spotlight for more info on their two hometowns).  Once they got into that song, I knew they had things under control.  This was followed by “She’s Waiting for You”, which is one of the tracks that is only on the “Zebra Live” album from 1990.  This was followed by a song from their upcoming album that I was not familiar with called “All Your Love”.  Afterward they returned to the debut album for “One More Chance” and “Tell Me What You Want”, which absolutely killed!

“He’s Making You the Fool” from the underrated “3.V” album came next.  Then came one of the highlights of the show, “The La-La Song” from the debut with Guy Gelso’s incredible drum solo!  After the solo Felix Hanneman said they are often asked how long they will keep playing, and he said that as long as Gelso can play kick-ass drum solos like that they’d keep going, noting that Gelso is 74 years old.  You’d never know it to look at him, he looks great.  

Up next was a song called “Love Sex” which is another from the upcoming album, I believe.  Following that is the wonderful “Arabian Nights” from the lesser known “Zebra IV” released in 2003, some 17 years after “3.V” and 13 after “Zebra Live”.  It’s funny that, to me, I still consider this the “new” album even though it is 22 years old!   That was followed by another from “Zebra IV”, called “My Life Has Changed”.  They then went to the song that Felix Hanneman sings lead on, from the second album “No Tellin’ Lies” called “Little Things”, which is the first time they have done a track from that album during the show.  Another song from the upcoming album, co-written by Paul Stanley of KISS followed called “Walk with You”.  Ironically, the next song was “Don’t Walk Away” from the debut album.

From there, the show kicked back into high gear, IMHO, beginning with “Better Not Call” from “3.V”.  Then they did two more from “No Tellin’ Lies”: “Wait Until the Summer’s Gone" (which was super tight) and the beautiful “Bears”.  The main set was closed out with two of my all-time favorites from the first album: their signature song “Who’s Behind the Door”, featuring Randy Jackson on acoustic 12-String, and the proggy, double-neck (6 & 12 string) B.C. Rich featured “Take Your Fingers from My Hair”, which was absolutely, stunningly good!

When they returned for the encore, Michael Costello returned to the stage and presented the band with a cake for their 50th anniversary. He and the band told stories from the early days of the band, including how they got “roped into” playing for a male wet-t-shirt contest at a local club.  Throughout the concert, in fact, Randy and Felix made several references that I think you had to be from New Orleans to get, but that’s ok, it’s a hometown show.  Then they rocked out again with “Last Time” (from “Zebra Live”), and a personal favorite, “Can’t Live Without” from “3.V”).  Randy then strapped that B.C. Rich double-neck back on for an amazing cover of the all-time classic Led Zeppelin song “Stairway to Heaven”; absolutely incredible.

50 years on, Zebra still knows how to rock and rock hard!  I believe they already have dates scheduled for 2026, so if they come close-enough to you, I highly recommend checking them out!

  

—

Thanks for reading.  If you enjoy my content, please react, comment, share and follow my page.  

Also, I have now compiled all of my reviews and spotlights going back to the 100 Greatest Prog Albums challenge on my new Blogger site.  I hope you’ll check it out here:

https://scottssongbysongandspotlights.blogspot.com/

Please SUBSCRIBE if you like what you see, and COMMENT on my posts there!

Prog On!

Scott

Pics in no particular order.  Some taken by me, some by my lovely wife Allison:

(I tried to upload the videos, but it didn't work.)