Nita Strauss recently shared her experience of what she considers the “worst gig” of her life, explaining that she’s grateful to have had such a humbling moment early in her career.
Having spent over a decade playing with Alice Cooper, performing in front of massive crowds with Demi Lovato, and even trading solos with guitar legend Steve Vai, Nita Strauss has cemented her place as a rock guitar icon. But the foundations of her successful career were built long before, when she was a teenager determined to become a rock guitarist. While her early success in band competitions demonstrated her undeniable talent, one show didn’t go as planned.
During a recent interview, Nita reflected on that unforgettable gig, which she called one of her earliest and worst experiences. She recalled:
“I was lucky to have played the worst gig of my life early on. When I was 12 or 13, I joined my first band, ODA. I don’t even remember what the initials stood for, but I’m sure they meant something. I was still in middle school, and the rest of the band was in high school. There was this tiny metal club in San Fernando called the Cobalt Café that hosted Battle of the Bands nights. We decided we wanted to enter, but you had to sell 10 tickets for $10 each to perform.”
“We didn’t have a big group of friends, so we only sold four tickets—two to the drummer’s girlfriend and two to someone’s brother. After that, we were stuck. Who has $60 to spare? Luckily, my dad came to the rescue. He was a touring musician and understood the situation, so he came to soundcheck and bought the last six tickets so we could get on stage.”
Recalling the atmosphere that night, Nita continued:
“We were so excited—finally, a real show in front of real people! It was going to be amazing. We only knew three songs—two originals and a Metallica cover of ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls.’”
“We hit the stage, and for some reason, almost everyone in the club walked out—including one of the other bands and the judges! My dad stayed, and the four other people who bought our tickets stuck around. But that was about it.”
Looking back on the gig, Nita said:
“Now that I think about it, it was the crappiest gig I’ve ever played, but at that moment, I was ecstatic. I was so immersed in the experience, thrilled to be on stage wearing my boots and playing in front of a few people. The whole band was pumped. We didn’t care that everyone left. We didn’t even care that the judges left.”
“I don’t know who won or if they even announced a winner. We were just like, ‘Yeah, we’re doing it! No matter what happens, we’re out here kicking ass!’ Of course, we didn’t really kick any ass, but in our minds, at that moment, we were unstoppable.”
She added:
“My dad was amazing throughout the whole thing. He told me I was great and that I shouldn’t let the lack of an audience bother me. Both of my parents were incredibly supportive, but they never sugarcoated anything. If I played well, they told me, but they were always honest with me. That honesty is so important, especially when you’re young and learning.”
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