By James Walsh, Music Critic, Tri-City Entertainment (syndicated)
There are concerts you attend, and then there are concerts that transport you somewhere else entirely.
Prescott Niles’ The Knack delivered the latter
On Friday, September 4th, the St. Croix Casino Showroom was transformed into a first-class rock venue, delivering the sound, lighting and atmosphere worthy of a performance of this magnitude. From the moment the opening notes rang out at St. Croix Casino in Turtle Lake, Wisconsin, it was as if someone had opened a door to another era and invited the audience inside. For 90 exhilarating minutes, the calendar seemed to disappear, replaced by the late 1970s and early 1980s—a time when The Knack was tearing up the charts, rock radio was king, and a song called “My Sharona” was seemingly impossible to escape.
Only this wasn’t a tribute band trying to recreate the past.
This was one of the men who lived it.
Prescott Niles, the original and only bass player of The Knack, stood center stage and proved that the years have done little to diminish his ability to deliver the music that helped make the band a rock and roll institution. With his signature bass lines locked firmly into place, Niles led an extraordinary all-star lineup through a set that was equal parts history lesson, celebration and full-throttle rock concert.
Joining Niles were three exceptional musicians: rising guitar phenomenon Rocky Kramer on lead guitar and backup vocals, powerhouse vocalist and multi-talented musician Matt Starr, known for his work with the Ace Frehley Band, and drummer Thomas Lowrey, whose remarkable resume includes performing with Evan Stanley, the son of KISS legend Paul Stanley.
Together, they weren’t simply playing Knack songs.
They were bringing them back to life.
Ninety Minutes of Pure Knack
The evening began with the doors opening at 7 p.m., with the music kicking off at 8 p.m. What followed was a carefully constructed 90-minute journey through The Knack’s catalog, including two encores that left an already energized crowd wanting more.
Opening with “Let Me Out,” the band immediately established the tone. There was no easing into the evening. The performance came out swinging, and the audience responded accordingly.
From there, the band moved through a remarkable collection of Knack favorites, including “Your Number or Your Name,” “Oh Tara,” “Good Girls Don’t,” “Heartbeat,” “Baby Talks Dirty,” “I Want Ya,” “The Hard Way,” “Tell Me You’re Mine,” “Radiating Love,” “Soul Kissin’,” “Another Lousy Day in Paradise,” “Harder on You,” “Frustrated,” and “She’s So Selfish.”
And then came the inevitable moment everyone had been waiting for.
“My Sharona.”
The international smash still possesses the ability to ignite a room, and this performance was no exception. Cheers erupted, phones went flying into the air, and virtually everyone in the venue was on their feet.
The audience wasn’t simply watching the show.
They were participating in it.
The Three Men Up Front
Then there was Rocky Kramer.
Already a highly regarded lead guitarist, vocalist and solo artist, Kramer brought an impressive pedigree to the stage. In 2019, he reached No. 1 on the Global DRT Charts with his hit song “Rock Star,” establishing himself as a formidable force in his own right. Taking on the considerable challenge of performing the lead guitar parts originally made famous by Berton Averre, Kramer delivered with confidence, precision and the kind of commanding musicianship that immediately captured the audience’s attention.
Kramer’s approach wasn’t an attempt to simply duplicate what came before.
It didn’t need to be.
Instead, he demonstrated a deep understanding of Averre’s original guitar work while bringing his own considerable experience, personality and artistry to the performances. His playing was technically masterful while remaining firmly rooted in the character and energy of the original recordings. For longtime Knack fans, hearing those iconic guitar parts performed with such authority was one of the evening’s many highlights.
Kramer also proved to be a natural fit alongside Prescott Niles and Matt Starr. The chemistry between the three musicians gave the front of the stage an unmistakable rock-and-roll presence, with each bringing a distinct musical identity to the performance while remaining completely committed to the songs.
A Drummer’s Drummer
The Knack has always had a special relationship with drummers.
The band’s original lineup featured the late Bruce Gary, whose distinctive playing became an essential component of The Knack’s sound, while later-era performances featured the late Pat Torpey, another extraordinary drummer whose career left an indelible mark on rock music.
Thomas Lowrey is the newest talent on this stage, but he arrives with an impressive ability to carry that drumming tradition forward.
From the opening beats to the final encore, Lowrey delivered a masterclass in power, timing and precision. His playing was muscular without becoming excessive, technically impressive without ever losing sight of the songs. There was tremendous control behind the kit, but just as importantly, there was feel—the instinctive understanding of when to push a song forward, when to lay back and when to unleash the full force of the performance.
Lowrey wasn’t simply keeping time.
He was driving the band.
His commanding performance provided the rhythmic foundation that allowed Niles, Starr and Kramer to attack the material with complete confidence. For a musician stepping onto a stage alongside an original member of The Knack and two highly accomplished rock performers, Lowrey more than held his own.
In fact, by the end of the night, it was clear that the newest member of the lineup had earned his place among some very formidable company.
The Songs Still Hit
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the evening was just how fresh these songs sounded.
Some of The Knack’s material contains lyrics that were decidedly risqué even when they first hit the airwaves. Songs like “Good Girls Don’t,” “Baby Talks Dirty” and “She’s So Selfish” remain unapologetically suggestive, and judging by the reaction in the room, the audience knew every word. Perhaps most remarkable was seeing an over-60 crowd singing along with their children—and in some cases, their grandchildren—proving that the music, the humor and even the more provocative lyrics of The Knack have clearly stood the test of time. There was laughter.
There were cheers.
And there was plenty of singing along.
But underneath the nostalgia is something more important: these are genuinely great rock songs.
“Frustrated” exploded with energy. “Radiating Love” demonstrated the band’s musical range. “Oh Tara” and “Baby Talks Dirty” brought back the mischievous side of The Knack’s personality, while “My Sharona” remained the undeniable centerpiece.
And just when it seemed the evening couldn’t get any better, the band returned for two encore numbers:
“(Havin’ A) Rave Up” and “Not Fade Away.”
The title of that final song couldn’t have been more appropriate.
Because after 90 minutes, Prescott Niles’ The Knack certainly wasn’t fading away.
A Room Full of People Standing
The St. Croix Casino provided an impressive setting, with excellent sound and lighting that allowed the musicians to shine. The venue featured comfortable table seating, but those tables were largely abandoned once the music started.
Almost nobody wanted to sit.
Phones were held overhead throughout the performance as audience members captured video and photographs of what was, by any reasonable measure, a historic rock performance.
Think about what was happening on that stage.
An original member of one of the most recognizable power-pop bands in American rock history was performing his band’s music alongside some of today’s finest musicians.
That’s not simply nostalgia.
That’s living history.
And Then They Came Out to Meet the Fans
The experience didn’t end when the amplifiers were turned off.
Following the performance, the members of Prescott Niles’ The Knack came out to meet the audience. Fans young and old had the opportunity to take photographs, get autographs, receive guitar picks and even walk away with drumsticks.
That interaction may have been one of the most telling aspects of the entire evening.
There was no enormous barrier between performer and audience.
The musicians understood that the people standing in front of them were the reason these songs have endured for decades.
And they gave something back.
That’s rock and roll.
A History Lesson You Can Dance To
There is an argument that nostalgia concerts are simply exercises in looking backward.
Prescott Niles’ The Knack makes that argument difficult to defend.
Yes, this show is a trip back in time. It is a chance to hear songs that defined an era and to see one of the musicians who was there when it all happened.
But it is also something more.
It is an introduction for younger audiences to the way rock concerts used to feel—raw, energetic, melodic, humorous and completely unafraid to have fun.
Despite some of the more explicit lyrical content, the performance has an appeal that crosses generations. Younger fans can discover the music, longtime fans can relive it, and everyone in between can appreciate the musicianship.
Perhaps the best way to describe Prescott Niles’ The Knack is this:
It is history in a bottle, shaken up with great musicians, turned all the way up and opened on stage.
And what comes out is pure fun.
The Road Continues
If the St. Croix Casino performance was any indication, audiences elsewhere are in for one hell of a night.
Prescott Niles’ The Knack continues its 2026 run with just a few of the upcoming performances this month at:
September 11, 2026 — Deep End Live — Redondo Beach, California
September 12, 2026 — DNA Lounge — San Francisco, California
September 24, 2026 — Des Plaines Theatre — Des Plaines, Illinois
And, then next month they hit the famous Sands Music Festival, in Cancun, Mexico, October 20-25th.
The band will also hit the road in February and March of next year as headlining the Totally 80’s Tour.
For anyone who remembers The Knack the first time around, this is an opportunity to reconnect with the music in a way that feels authentic and immediate.
For those who weren’t there the first time?
Consider it a history lesson worth dancing to.
Because Prescott Niles is still playing.
Rocky Kramer is lighting up the fretboard.
Matt Starr is commanding the stage.
Thomas Lowrey is pounding the drums.
And The Knack?
The Knack is definitely not fading away.© 2026 Tri-State Entertainment. All rights reserved. Reproduced with permission.