BY PETER AMISANO | Go Venue Magazine
Monday, June 26, 2023, at The Waiting Room in Omaha was a rock musician’s dream. Sharing the stage were Zach Adkins, Lions at the Gate and Nita Strauss, an exceptional bill with an evening full of high energy performances, blistering guitar work, and fantastic music.
First to the stage was Zach Adkins. This hometown guitar monster was a fantastic addition to the bill. Zach is in great company with fellow Omaha shredders like Mark Zavon, Michael Lee Firkins, and Storm Rhodes. To quote guitar superstar Mark Zavon, Zach is “a heavy but melodic guitarist who is definitely on the cutting edge of modern shred. To say his fretboard dexterity is impressive would be an understatement.” This guy can play, from incredibly fast shredding to progressive melodic pieces, he kept the room engaged and awed. The crowd loved it, which was evidenced by the expletive complements consistently hurled during Zach’s performance.
From Mohawks to dread locks, from screams to melodies, Los Angeles based rockers Lions at the Gate were next to hit the stage and a perfect complement to the tour. Their articulate, grinding rhythms, and vocals ranging from low growling roars to smooth melodies, allow for appeal to a wide audience. They had a high energy show with significant audience participation, regularly thanking the crowd for coming out on a Monday night to support their new album, The Excuses We Cannot Make.
The first time I heard Nita Strauss play was in Los Angeles, when she was playing with the Iron Maidens. Her blistering guitar work and note for note depiction of the Iron Maiden classics was impressive to say the least. Almost 10 years later, she is sharing the stage with Alice Cooper, has multiple signature guitars and her name is synonymous with modern day guitar greats.
Nita Strauss started her set with a trio of instrumentals, Summer Storm, Our Most Desperate Hour, and Mariana Trench. About halfway through the show, Nita was joined on stage by Kasey Karlsen of the band Deadlands. Kasey added brutal vocals to The Wolf You Feed, The Golden Trail, Through the Noise and Victorious. Nita closed out the night with Dead Inside, the duet recorded with David Draiman of Disturbed, and Cowboys from Hell.
I went into this show knowing that Nita Strauss is a top-notch player and performer, and she did not disappoint. The entire performance was high energy with a light show worthy of incredible musicianship. After the show, Nita signed autographs and took selfies with her fans, a perfect end to an amazing night.
Nita Strauss
Lions at the Gate
Zach Adkins
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