Phots and Review by Jim LaValley
Galleries: Nita Strauss, Diamante, Starbenders
Earlier in the week, Nita Strauss started a new leg of her headlining tour where she put together three female-fronted bands to rock the night. The first show of this leg was at the Worcester Palladium in Massachusetts where Starbenders, an Atlanta-based band, who is with Sumerian Records, supported their recent album “Take Back the Night”. The band opened their set with “Blood Moon” and lead vocalist Kimi Shelter commanding the stage with her powerful vocals and mesmerizing stage presence.
Starbenders performance was a nice blend of rock-n-roll and captivating showmanship, leaving the crowd all primed up for Diamante and Nita. They ended their set with another new hit off of “Take Back the Night” with “If You Need It”, which the crowd loved.
Next up was Diamante, who took the stage and brought an unapologetic attitude and raw emotion. Diamante’s talent as both a songwriter and performer were undeniable, as she effortlessly belted out her anthems like “Bite Your Kiss” and “Haunted”. This was my first time seeing her and she rocked the house. The work she did with Bad Wolves’ tune “Hear Me Now” was amazing, even Sirius XM’s Octane plays this tune a lot.
Her fierce stage presence and strong rock influences captivated the crowd, creating an electric atmosphere throughout her set. Diamante’s ability to connect with the audience on a personal level was evident, as her raw emotion and powerful vocals left concert goers absolutely pumped. Her performance was a testament to her undeniable talent and solidified her place as a rising star in the rock music scene.
Finally, the moment everyone had been eagerly waiting for arrived as Nita Strauss took the stage. Known for her exceptional guitar skills as the guitarist for Alice Cooper, Strauss proved that she could command a crowd just as effortlessly as she shredded throughout the night. Nita Strauss’ career has skyrocketed over the past few years from touring with Alice Cooper and Demi Lovato to rocking the WWE and jamming for LA Rams stadium games.
Nita’s lead guitar skills are amazing and she is such a pleasure to listen and watch. She has taken the world by storm with her blistering guitar skills being ranked number one on Guitar World’s list of “10 Female Guitar Players You Should Know”. She is one of the most hardest working women in heavy metal music.
You have to take a moment to talk about the band that Nita put together on this tour to support her latest album “The Call of the Void”. Josh Villalta (her fiancé) on drums is a beast and kills it every time I see him. You can tell he loves what he does because he is always smiling. Dean on bass guitar, Johnny Young on guitar, and Katt Scarlett on keyboards create such a full sound with Nita and Josh that they have the fans on their feet, cheering and applauding throughout the night. Kasey Karlsen on vocals did a great job on all the tunes, my favorite was Cowboys from Hell (Pantera cover).
The new album “The Call of the Void” is packed with superstar guest appearances that totally rock with Nita. Examples of the special guest appearances include Marty Friedman, Lilith Czar, Alice Cooper, Anders Friden, Dorothy, David Draiman, Lzzy Hale, Chris Motionless, and Allissa White-Bluz.
In conclusion, the concert featuring three female-fronted bands – Starbenders, Diamante, and Nita Strauss at the Worcester Palladium was a night filled with unforgettable performances. Each band brought their unique sound and stage presence, creating a culmination of incredible moments.
As this tour is making its way around the country, I would highly recommend checking it out for a full night of great new music.