We Start Wars and Valor & Vengeance at The Whisky
Nita Strauss of We Start Wars at The Whisky
We Start Wars and Valor & Vengeance, The Whisky, May 25, 2017
We Start Wars
Nita Strauss is best known for her work as hurricane-force guitarist for the Alice Cooper Band – as well as time spent with Femme Fatale and The Iron Maidens. Fans of Ms. Strauss who reside within L.A. have been extremely fortunate as of late – she has curated a few Soundcheck Live Jams at Lucky Strike in Hollywood as well as premiered as the lead guitarist for the all-girl cover band The Starbreakers – fronted by the devastatingly charismatic Jill Janus of Huntress fame.
And on a special night at iconic Whisky A Go Go on the Sunset Strip, Nita Strauss would debut her brand new band entitled We Start Wars, unleashing a thoroughly pummeling artillery of original songs. The venue was packed to the rafter by the time Nita and her band took the stage, and what a thrilling event this would turn out to be! Opening with the one-two punch of Light and Sticks And Stones, one could clearly witness a collective ready to bust into mighty realm of the big leagues.
The entire We Start Wars lineup is supremely talented beyond measure. Bassist Alicia Vigil has been making quite a glorious impression with her own band Vigil Of War, and she adds a decidedly dynamic low end to the We Start Wars legacy. Lindsay Martin is one of the most lethally talented drummers the Los Angeles music scene has to offer – those familiar with her work in The Aviators and The Starbreakers already know how wickedly talented Ms. Martin’s percussive skills are. Nicole Papastavrou has been in a number of bands here in the City Of Angels and her wondrous guitar performance is vibrant and alive – just call Nicole and Ms. Strauss the “kick ass dynamic duo shredders” of the We Start War battalion.
Seana of We Start Wars at The Whisky
Keyboardist Katt Scarlett from Femme Fatale gorgeously colored in the We Start Wars maneuvers with exquisite style and finesse. Lead vocalist Seana has truly found her calling within the ranks of We Start Wars. Unveiling a fierce and persuasive interpretation of each and every song, Seana rocked the house like no other. And bringing We Start Wars all together was the one and only Nita Strauss, whose lead guitar work was nothing short of rapturous and inspiring.
Featuring within the many highlights of the show was a tribute to Chris Cornell – and what a stunning and poignant moment in time this was. The rock and shredding ceased for a moment, as Ms. Strauss offered a sweetly ethereal guitar rendition of Black Hole Sun accompanied by the exquisite keyboard and backing vocal performance of Katt Scarlett. Another highlight was when Lindsay Martin ripped the Whisky a new one with her towering drum solo that was absolutely off the charts! Selections such as Blue Pill Society and The Animal Inside showed that We Start Wars had the memorable songs to back up all this fiery talent. This was a smashing introduction from a band we are certain to hear a whole lot more from in future days! We Starts Wars has truly arrived on the battlefield of the worldwide music scene, and they are a sonic force to be reckoned with!
Adam Ryan of Valor & Vengeance at The Whisky
Valor & Vengeance
Valor & Vengeance was the perfect opening band for We Start Wars, possessing their own armaments of hard hitting rock and roll. Based out of the OC, Valor & Vengeance invaded the world famous Whisky and presented a powerhouse set of tunes that left an indelible impression of the early arrivals. Commencing their set on a journey into The Devil’s Highway, Valor & Vengeance proceeded to enrapture The Whisky with a truly heartfelt yet massively heavy performance. Selections such as Ghost Town and Saints & Sinners are instantly memorable and could launch Valor & Vengeance above and way beyond the SoCal music scene. The performances within the band were epic and inspirational, featuring the participation of Adam Ryan on lead vocals, Mike Muenzer on lead guitar, Tyler Morgan on guitar and backing vocals, Paul Perry on bass, and Dylan Roy on drums.
Closing out their set with the powerfully reflective Memories, there is no doubt Valor & Vengeance a good amount of The Whisky crowd will be remembering their name and ready to experience another performance from the exciting OC collective in the future. Keep your eyes and ears out for Valor & Vengeance, as their sweeping songs and intensive live shows are not to be missed!
(Review by Ken Morton – Photos by Jack Lue)
