HOMETOWN ENTERTAINMENT: Night Ranger still rocking after 40 years, coming to Berglund Center

ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) - It’s almost impossible to think of the band Night Ranger without thinking of its 1983 hit “Sister Christian.”

Singer and drummer Kelly Keagy says they had no idea how successful that song would become.

“You know, it was kind of a fluke thing that happened on the second album,” says Keagy.

After decades of playing it on stage, WDBJ7 asked Keagy- one of the band’s original members-- if he still enjoys performing it.

“We love playing that song. I mean, we do. Every night, we have kind of a spontaneous thing that we do with it, and it’s great. We love it,” says Keagy.

Along with “Sister Christian”, Night Ranger’s other hits like “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me”, “When You Close Your Eyes”, and “(You Can Still) Rock In America” are a huge part of pop culture.

Their music is featured in everything from films and TV to video games, a Dr. Pepper commercial and even Broadway’s “Rock of Ages.”

”Sometimes you feel like, I don’t know. I don’t want them to , like, butcher the song. At the same time, they’re making that song relevant again. You have to kind of bend and go with it,” says Keagy.

Going with it is part of, what he says, has kept Night Ranger around all these years.

Keagy’s advice to younger musicians is pretty simple.

“Don’t attach the word fame to anything you do, because that’ll just disappoint. But if you enjoy what you’re doing, writing songs, performing the songs, that should be everything that you need to carry you into the future. Just let it flow. Don’t edit along the way. Just enjoy it, and it should be good,” says Keagy.

Along with the classics, Monday night’s audience at the Berglund Center will get to hear songs from Night Ranger’s most recent album, “ATBPO,” which came out in 2021.

“We’re excited to bring some of the new things we’ve been doing the last couple of years. So, looking forward to it,” says Keagy.

Their fans will look forward to enjoying that new music, while still jamming out to the favorites.

Night Ranger will take the stage at the Berglund Performing Arts Center Monday, February 6 with special guest Firefall. The show begins at 7 p,m.

For ticket information, click here.

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