Nita Strauss

November 17, 2023 – Starland Ballroom, Sayreville NJ

Review & Photography by Estelle Massry

Mammoth WVH was welcomed with open arms to a sold out audience at the Starland Ballroom on his Mammoth II tour with support from Nita Strauss.

On the electric night of November 17th, 2023 the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, NJ became the pulsating epicenter of pure musical prowess as Nita Strauss graced the stage, unleashing a torrent of guitar virtuosity and raw energy that left an indelible mark on everyone present.

Nita Strauss emerged as a force of nature wielding her guitar like an extension of her soul. She kicked off the evening with “Summer Storm” from her latest album “The Call of the Void“. Her magnetic stage presence commanded attention, immediately captivating the audience with her sheer passion, exceptional talent, and unwavering energy. It was more than a display of technical prowess; it was a celebration of the universal language of music.

Nita Strauss never stops, she is one of those musicians who always has something going on and is simply mesmerizing. In between touring with Alice Cooper and Demi Lovato, she worked on her second solo album, “The Call of The Void”, which was released in July and features guest vocalists Dorothy, David Draiman of Disturbed, Lizzy Hale of Hailstorm, and Alissa White-Gluz of Arch Enemy to name a few.

Nita’s band consists of Josh Villalta (drums), Katt Scarlett (Keys), Johnny Young (guitar) & Christopher Dean (bass). Kasey Karlsen joined the band halfway through the set to lend some vocals to Nita’s top charting songs, “The Wolf You Feed”, “Dead Inside” & “Victorious”.

Setlist

Summer Storm
Desperate Hour
Mariana Trench
Alegria
The Quest
Wolf You Feed
Noise
Dead Inside
Victorious

Wolfgang Van Halen, carrying the musical legacy of his legendary father, has carved out his path and the concert was a testament to his undeniable talent. I have seen Wolfgang several times and I have to say that he has gotten more comfortable and seemed more at ease performing to his loyal fans.

What stood out for me this time around was the seamless fusion of musical genres within Mammoth WVH’s performance. Wolfgang effortlessly navigated between hard-hitting rock riffs and poignant acoustic melodies, demonstrating his versatility as an artist. The band’s chemistry was undeniable, each member feeding off the crowd’s energy, creating an immersive experience that transcended mere entertainment. Wolfgang exuded humility and gratitude, frequently interacting with the audience, and expressing his heartfelt appreciation for their support.

It wasn’t just a performance; it felt like a shared moment between artist and fans, a testament to the power of music in uniting people. Each song seemed to have its own narrative, drawing the audience deeper into Wolfgang’s musical universe. It was more than just a musical event—it was an immersive journey filled with passion, authenticity, and a profound connection between artist and audience. Wolfgang Van Halen’s talent and dedication to his craft shone brightly, proving that he is not just carrying on a legacy but forging his path in the music industry. The night left an indelible mark, reminding everyone present of the transformative power of live music and the unparalleled joy it brings.

The band consists of Wolfgang Van Halen (vocals/lead guitar), Frank Sidoris (guitars/vocals), Jon Jourdan (guitars/vocals), Ronnie Ficarro (bass/vocals) and Garrett Whitlock (drums).

Setlist

Right
Mammoth
Miles Above Me
Like a Pastime
Optimist
Stone
I’m Alright
Epiphany
Think It Over
Distance (Wolf)
Waiting
You’re to Blame
Feel
Take a Bow
Another Celebration (Encore)
Don’t Back Down (Encore)

Alice Cooper

Concert Reviews

March 22, 2022 – NJPAC, Newark NJ

Review by Chris Yates // Photography by Estelle Massry

If you haven’t attended an Alice Cooper concert, you’re stuck in purgatory and need to find your nearest escalator down. His army of adoring fans will attest, it’s an experience unlike anything you’ve ever seen. I was early, so I meandered around the lobby of NJPAC and asked some concert goers one common question… Knowing he has a passionate, army of the dead, “zombie’sque” following, I was curious to learn how many Alice Cooper shows they have attended? It was no surprise that each answer were in the high double digits, and in some cases triple digits, with some fans having experienced over 100 shows since the mid 80’s. 100+ SHOWS!

LA based Buckcherry opened the show, warming the legions of Alice Cooper fans up for his one of a kind performance.

Alice and his all star cast of absolute rock superstars, (Nita Strauss/guitar, Ryan Roxie/guitar, Tommy Henriksen/guitar, Chuck Garric/bass and Glen Sobel/drums), put on not a just a great rock concert but a theatrical music performance, and as Alice would describe, “Vaudeville meets Cirque du Soleil, meets Rock & Roll!”

As I write this I truly don’t know where to begin. The show started with a large blue curtain backdrop (stage front) drawing of Alice’s dark eyes, and as a deep, haunting voice from the depths “welcomed us to our doom”, the pupils of the eyes on the curtain lit up. Then as “Feed My Frankenstein” began to play the curtain dropped to a stage design, representing a dark castle, as if straight out of a Bram Stoker & Mary Shelley novel. Alice then emerged from a smoke filled doorway and began to sing. Dressed in various prince of darkness top hats and jackets, with leather pants and killer skull and cross bone belt, the show launched into the stratosphere, and the army of followers in attendance became possessed. It was borderline overstimulation of all my senses, from the first song to the last, my eye’s remained hypnotized to the stage and the performance that encompassed it.

This is not a concert but a well choreographed experience. Fans erupted as giant character after character were introduced with each song. A larger than life Frankenstein walked the stage and messed with the musicians, giant babies, witches, zombie brides and demons were all parts of the show, appropriately complementing each song. Confetti filled giant balloons popped through the crowd, cannons shot streamers, and bubbles that filled the stage like haunted orbs, popped turning into smoke. It was quite a spectacle that allowed the audience to interact with the show.

Alices soldiers, Nita, Ryan, Tommy & Chuck shredded their guitars all night and worked the stage and played to the theme as if having an actors role in the script Alice wrote for the night, all as the rightfully anointed, #1 voted drummer in the world (Glen Sobel) banged away.

I addition to Feed My Frankenstein, everyone’s favorite songs were played from “Poison”, to “I’m Eighteen” and “Hey Stoopid”, to “Dead Babies”, “Bed of Nails” and many more. After two hours of rock joy, the show seemingly concluded, but the audience screamed “one more song” over and over, to the point where I felt they would sell their soul for one more tune. Their wish was granted as Alice closed the evening with a long version of “School’s Out”.

If Alice ever comes your way, don’t miss him. And hey… if you cant score a ticket, you might want to consider selling your soul. You may just get a front row seat.

For more info please visit http://www.alicecooper.com

Alice Cooper

Concert Reviews

August 15, 2019 – PNC, Holmdel NJ

If “school’s out” don’t miss the opportunity to see Alice Cooper, and if it’s not…cut class to go see him anyway! Just don’t tell your mom I told you to.

Alice Cooper boast 50 years of inherent showmanship and theatrical rock at it’s best!

Alice opened the show with “Feed My Frankenstein” set to a stage that was visually stimulating the entire time. Amazing props donned the stage from giant babies, straitjackets, a sexy nurse and heavy dripping makeup to his famed guillotine act, and the list goes on. Not sure anyone else can really measure up to this kind of shock rock therapy.

Complimenting the ultimate stage master, Alice assembled the best of the best when it came to his band with Nita Strauss on Guitar, Ryan Roxie on Guitar, Chuck Garric on Bass, Tommy Henriksen on Guitar and Glen Sobel on Drums.

Myself, along with everyone else in attendance didn’t want to show to end and luckily for me I was fortunate to have it last a while longer as I was granted backstage access after the show. With my kids in tow, similar to how they pull me hand in hand through an amusement park, I was thrilled to have them experience this show as their first rock concert. While it was a true, one-of-a-kind experience for them to see live music at its best by master musicians and true professionals…I’m afraid I created two little monsters. Albeit appropriately so.

For a full list of Alice Cooper’s upcoming tour dates and ticketing info, head over to his website: http://www.alicecooper.com