Black Velvet at The Whisky

Melissa K. of Black Velvet

Black Velvet, The Whisky, April 15, 2017 (opening for Missing Persons)

It was another wildly memorable Saturday night at the world famous Whisky, and the Sunset Strip was ready to go retro 80’s to the classic sounds of Missing Persons. Whether or not you were Walking In L.A. comtemplating what Words are for, or playing some Mental Hopscotch, Dale Bozzio and her band were ready to enrapture your world with the many Missing Persons hits from the glorious past.

One of Dale’s main themes of the night was simply to be yourself – be fearlessly original – and certainly illuminating Dale’s vision was the brilliantly unique and vibrantly effervescent direct support act for Missing Persons – a dazzling up-and-coming rock and roll collective who go by the name of Black Velvet.

In a town oversaturated with bands looking to break through into the big leagues, Black Velvet is the kind of shimmering gem that is euphorically exciting to discover. Black Velvet opened with the vividly theatrical one-two punch of Thunder and Outrageous, captivating the senses and setting the imagination in flight. There is a grand amount of passion and sheer artistry to be found within the auditory adventures of Black Velvet, and the crowd hell-bent on seeing Missing Persons were definitely paying attention to what this local band was unveiling within the hallowed walls of The Whisky.

Front and center is the alluring Award winning vocalist Melissa K., with a compelling stage presence and a thrilling vocal range – exuding a wondrous sense of magic and intrigue with the delivery of each and every song. Melissa K. has been singing professionally since the age of 11, and her spirited performance was radiantly and inspiring.

Craig Pirtle of Black Velvet

Supremely complimenting Melissa K.’s brilliant artistry is Black Velvet’s 20-year-old guitar virtuoso Craig Pirtle, whose stunning axe work and showmanship stands out in a vast and epic way. What a wonderful team these two massively talented individuals make! And if all this isn’t enough to thoroughly impress even the most jaded of music critic, the rest of the Black Velvet lineup is on fire and ready to launch it all into the stratosphere, including tonight’s participation of Mac Bryce on guitar, Blake Baldwin on bass, and Mike Turco on drums.’

In addition to their own timeless songs, Black Velvet gave everyone a sneak preview of their upcoming rock opera Sorceress, and the compositions were bewitching! Now working on both their debut album and the Sorceress magnum opus, Black Velvet possesses a grand amount of innovation – just like the headlining act Missing Persons did in the 80’s and continue to do so to this very day.  The dynamic duo of Missing Persons and Black Velvet made this particularly Saturday night on Sunset an electrifying experience!

Upcoming Black Velvet shows at The Whisky include a headlining date on May 19th and the debut of the Sorceress rock opera on July 7th! Be sure to check into the glorious refrains of Black Velvet and prepare to be thoroughly enchanted by the sonic entreaties of this immensely creative Inland Empire-based collective.

(Review by Ken Morton –Photos by Roy A. Braatz Jr.)

Black Velvet on Instagram
Black Velvet on Twitter