The super shredder is supporting her upcoming album

Nita Strauss launched her solo tour to head-banging reception at Nashville’s recently-saved Exit/In on Tuesday (June 13th).

Strauss has earned a reputation as one of hard rock and heavy metal’s most lauded guitarists. It’s easy to see why, as a stand out in Alice Cooper’s band, she caused a stir with a move to Demi Lovato’s tour last year.

Now, Strauss is back on the road and where she deserves to be: front and center. Her playing is, of course, next level. What’s even more stunning is that she does it without breaking a sweat. Oh, or losing that huge smile that says, “Fuck yeah, I’m good, you know it, and I’m LOVING melting your face off.”

Strauss started the concert by playing selections from her first album, Controlled Chaos. She demonstrated that her music has a real emotional resonance. On “Lion Among Wolves,” Strauss uses her strings to paint a picture of a struggle for dominance. “Mariana Trench” is also a deceptively complex and engrossing instrumental.

But on her next record, Call of the Void, Strauss features a slew of special guests lending their voices. To represent that on tour, Strauss has welcomed viral TikTok star Kasey Karlsen. Karlsen’s tiny frame belies a BIG voice that was made for metal and screamo music. Having initially seen her size, I was, bluntly, startled when she opened her mouth. I jumped in my seat, but, like, in a “good surprise” kind of way.

Speaking of surprises, Strauss and Karlsen offered the unreleased “Through the News,” a drum-forward hard rock track that showcased Karlsen’s voice as a singer (not screaming) and Strauss’s ability to melt into her band one moment and stand out with a solo the next. They followed it up with “Victorious,” which is currently number one at rock radio this week.

Rare is the artist who can go from backing a superstar to making their own name for doing the exact same thing: playing guitar. But Strauss is a creative force of nature, and is on her way to playing to tens of thousands a night under her own name.

Strauss might feel the Call of the Void, but she is definitely not playing into it.