JULY 1st, 2023
NITA STRAUSS SUMMER STORM NORTH AMERICAN TOUR
Review by Metallic Barbie
Photos by Peter Ruttan

http://www.metaltitans.com/concertpics/nita-strauss/

What do Alice Cooper, Demi Lovato, David Draiman, and Ibanez have in common?  They can all brag they’ve had Nita Strauss tour or collaborate with them.  If this name is unfamiliar to you, you’ve been living under a sad little rock.  The leather-clad beauty has been shredding for over fifteen years professionally and will be releasing her sophomore album, The Call of the Void, July 7th.

The Summer Storm Tour stop in Vancouver roped Lions At The Gate (composed mostly of former members of Ill Niño) and local act, the female-fronted Misyrion, to kick off the night.  The ripening crowd melted for Strauss and tour bandmates Johnny Young (rhythm guitar), Christopher Dean (bass), and Josh Villalta (drums), who raged a heavy set laden with new music.  While fans were there to watch Strauss noodle her axe, the forthcoming album has been popularized by tunes with guest-vocalists such as Lzzy Hale, Alyssa White-Gluz, and Anders Fridén (among others).  Recognizing this, Strauss also teamed up with 20-year-old Kasey Karlsen to have a singer on hand that could successfully negotiate the wide range of verbalized songs.

Arguably, Karlsen was the weakest link in the group, with Young, Dean and Villalta tearing it up and properly complimenting the guitar mistress that is Nita Strauss.  From “Summer Storm” to “Mariana Trench”, “The Wolf You Feed” to “Dead Inside”, Strauss was absolutely the centrepiece, owning HER crowd, as she has owned crowds at football games, WWE Pay-per-views, and in Master Classes.

The interplay between Strauss and her bandmates was playful and forceful, driving the riffs down into the crowd, drawing out the headbanger in even the most timid of guitar nerds in attendance.

Whether you coveted 2018’s Controlled Chaos or have just learned of Strauss’ solo ambitions through recent releases, much like Steve Vai or Joe Satriani of the Guitar Gods of yore, Nita has positioned herself as a female contender for the most recognizable woman in six-string shreddom.  If you are any kind of a fan of fat riffs, impressive neck work or classic balls-to-the-wall metal, Strauss and Co. would have easily filled your spank bank.

The solo tour continues through July 14th, ending in New Orleans, LA, but you can also catch Strauss back with Alice Cooper as they head out with Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe for a stadium tour in August.