Trixter burst on the scene in the late 80s with their massive self-titled debut. The music scene changed quickly in the 90s, so the band couldn’t sustain the success. After a full reunion in the 2000s, the band has settled into a trio. Classic members Steve Brown, guitar and vocals, and PJ Farley, bass and vocals, are now joined by drummer Ben Hans. They recently made a stop to rock the Mohegan Sun Wolf Den.
Please scroll below for the MisplacedStraws Trixter live photos and review!
Similar to many bands of their era, when you see Trixter in 2026, the hair is shorter and the look is toned down. However, the talent and songs are still the same. The band plays a high-energy set that centers around the classic debut record but touches each of the band’s four full-length records. The open floor in front of the stage was pretty filled as the band launched into the opening trio of “Bad Girl” and “Heart of Steel” from the debut and “Tattoos and Misery” from the 2012 reunion record New Audio Machine.
Trixter came up in the era of the rock star, and Brown and Farley have never lost that stage presence. Coming out of New Jersey, the band cut its teeth with Bon Jovi and Skid Row before heading west to the LA scene. nearly 40 years later, Trixter still brings that rock star quality to the stage. The poses and the smiles catch your attention, but they have the skill and the songs to back it up.
Original vocalist Pete Loran is no longer active, so lead vocals are now shared by Brown and Farley. Both men are more than capable of taking that role and the classic songs sound just as good live with either of them singing. In addition to his vocals, Brown is a truly underrated guitarist. Sometimes it’s easy to write off bands from that era as all image and no substance, but watching him play live, you see Brown’s talent and that he belongs in discussions of top guitarists of the era.
One of the highlights of the night was the title track from the band’s last record, 2015’s Human Era. Musically and lyrically, it showed that the band was able to evolve from the debut., however, it was those early songs that really got the crowd going. “One in a Million”, “Surrender”, and “Give It To Me Good” had the crowd singing along.
Trixter was never the biggest band in the world, but decades later, Brown and Farley are still together and still loving every minute they are on stage. While proud of their accomplishments, they don’t take themselves too seriously, they have fun with their old image and videos. There is something to be said about band that play for the love of the music. Trixter doesn’t have new music or anything to promote, but they play to entertain the crowd and because they love being on stage, and that makes for a fun night.
