Friday, December 10, the Blue Note in Harrison, OH hosted an evening of instrumental mastery, women paying homage to a priest and a Black Satellite shining bright from New York.
The night’s headliner was instrumental guitar savant Nita Strauss playing almost all solo material barring one song from the Godfather of shock rock, who she’s played next two on numerous tours. She may be most known for Cooper’s axewoman but has also graced the cover of Guitar World and Guitar Player, has early history with all-female Iron Maiden tribute, The Iron Maidens and performed theme music at Wrestlemania 34 and with Lizzy Hale at Evolution. Not bad for a guitar goddess in the making. Strauss brought the winter wasteland early only a few weeks removed from her recent tour with Father Cooper. The 28-date tour finished eight days later in Indiana. Harrison was in the early 20’s on the wintery road with Strauss showing no signs of fatigue.
It was an early December cap on a year that celebrated live music like never before. A year, when musicians had to get extra creative with their music, with fans forced to watch virtually from home. It’s a given that live, authentic crowd noise will never be taken for granted at any event again. Strauss mimicked the minds of everyone there, crowd and stage saying thank God we’re all back doing what we love doing.
The room was full pretty early, with tables quickly claimed and the area front stage filled with the truly dedicated and die-hard. Fans sat and stood, hungry for live music. As things get back to normal, we hope, the novelty of live events will hopefully be a ’21 thing and not return in ’22.
Support started with instrumental solo act Marc Rizzo, showing some serious playing and shredding power of his own. With a pumped in band he was free to annihilate his instrument as he saw fit setting pace and power for the upcoming entertainment. It was a showcase of what a man and his guitar could do when motivated by a live crowd.
For those unschooled Rizzo brought a genuinely brutal resume to the stage with seven solo albums and multiple records with Cavalera Conspiracy, Soulfly and Ill Nino.
The orbiting brood of Black Satellite came up next, filling the stage with a more unique presence and visual appeal. Vocalist Larissa Vale used a vintage radio handheld mic, sporting a ‘70s to ‘80s punk look, making Harrison the next stop on their personal Fury Road. Young in years Larissa sported a heavy Wendy O’ Williams/Otep vibe taking attitude and showmanship from both veteran warriors.
Vale and guitarist Kyle Hawkin are the creative core of the group with a heavy mixture of gothic, rock, industrial and metal. Larissa’s eyes and facials dominated the crowd, telling her tales from ominously serious glares, to claw piercing stares and demented villainous sneering. The foursome brought a mixed look of gothic industrial metal with a flare of ‘80s glam and a bit L.A. Guns, a bit NIN and a bit Sex Pistols.
Their sound was loud, like an icy cold rage from a broken heart vowing slow sharp healing and karmatic pay back. The growling crone of “Broken” began things with the creeping opening notes of “Far Away” sounding like an uneasy alarm with vocals at spiritual warfare.
“Here it Ends” engaged with a dark cold melody as ‘Void” opened a watery, lyrical grave of mental dysfunction. They closed with a tribute to Germany’s favorite maniac pyros, covering “Sonne.”
It was time for the ladies in leather to take over, unleashed in the east, within the U.S. at least. Judas Priestess did a set hitting most of the Priest library from vintage classics to ‘90s to modern rockers. The five members are the only all-female Priest tribute on earth and they’re damn proud of it. It was drummer Hillary Blaze’s home town crowd and vocalist Militia Vox amped up the dominatrix vibe, toying, playfully with the crowd, gentleman and ladies combined, making both quite jealous of a mic and cord.
Vox said they took a lot of crapp from online trolls and haters in the beginning, saying women couldn’t play Priest. Though they’ve been blessed by the hand of the Metal God himself and K.K. Downing so nothing else matters. Representatives from Angel of Retribution, Sin After Sin, Killing Machine, British Steel, Point of Entry, Screaming for Vengeance, Painkiller and Firepower all hit like a battering ram, though nothing from the “Ripper” years was covered.
The angels sang from the start on “Judas Rising.” The classic one-two spiked punch of “Hellion/Electric Eye” never disappoints no matter who plays it. The loud sing-along of illegal actions rang out like the sirens on stage. “Grinder” got down and dirty, chewed up and out like raw meat “Headin’ to the Highway.”
In terms of gender, tonight’s “Diamonds and Rust” may have been the closest to source material since Joan Biaz sang it. If you’re gonna play priest you have to have a hellbent love of leather and the “Metal Gods” have it, in spades and decades.
They played recent entry “Lightning Strike” with the blessing of the “Devil Child.” While “Dissident Aggressive” served the old-schooler’s with one of the most adrenalized drum intros on record, vengeance flew high. Live staple “You Got Another Thing Coming,” rocked out with “Living After Midnight” finishing the show way before the witching hour.
Strauss and crew brought an arena/shed-sized noise and ambiance to the building making walls rattle. With a full arsenal of instrumental indulgence, two lyric’d tunes and drum solo sampling beats from AC/DC to Slayer. Playing like it was opening night she threw herself around with the energy and whiplashed exuberance of someone getting their first taste of a bigger stage than a world traveled veteran. Cameras, eyes and cellphones had a hard time keeping up. Drummer Josh Villalta and bassist Christopher Dean added heavy testosterone along with adrenalized counterparts.
With most of Controlled Chaos represented things started with mighty morphin speed times 10. Chaos got officially underway with “Mariana Trench.” “Alegria,” rang out from the rooftop like a “Rainbow in the Dark.” The opening black metal licked kiss of “Lion Among Wolves” could have inspired a pit but the Lioness controlled the movement. You couldn’t help but be captivated by her movement, facials and style.
“The Stillness at the End” carried a very different afterlife vibe. Better to experience the instrumental energy of her version than the blood stained lyrics of Slayers version. Miss Vale returned lending vocals to Father Alice’s hungry beast. “The Show Must Go On” slowed things down with a beautiful classical-stringed ambience, pulling anguish, sorrow and weathered, aged emotion from the strings.
Notes screamed out in high pitched heavy “Pandemonium” The second helping of vocals came pre-recorded and Disturbed with “Dead Inside” A song, making history, landing in the top 10 Billboard Mainstream Rock Airplay chart for the first time by a solo female artist since ’95. The frantic, frenetic pace of “Our Desperate Hour” ended everything.
It’s definitely worth seeing Strauss live, whether solo or with ole’ Black Eyes. The evening was an intense, impressive showcase of a new breed of women carrying the metal flag into the new year and next generation.
Images by Mike Ritchie
