Nico Vega’s lead singer, the dark beauty Aja, came on stage complete with black makeup and a black cape. To say the least – this lady is frightening. Upon first note, she kept with the theme, producing a low, ashy sound that crawled into the back of Belly Up Tavern like a whispering ghost. The effect of her deep, strong, and powerful voice is both eerie and gripping, stimulating your every cryptic predilection. The guitarist, Rich, is her perfect complement, with falling curls, dressed in an immodest white shirt, he reminds me of a naked Grecian god – angelic and classical. The drummer, Dan, keeps a tempo that ranges from soft calming cadences to triumphant poundings.

Aja’s vocals are in constant flux, beginning soft and increasing in volume till she reaches a feverish pitch, then recoils it back into a whisper. There were times when she distorted her voice into monstrous, metal-esque cacophonies, others when she carried sweet and harmonious arias, and in one song she was actually rapping. Regardless of its shape, her voice remained beautiful and rich. Rich and Dan’s playing are equivalently skilled. Rich made the intricate combos of chords look easy, and with mere plucking, brought the crowd to euphoric heights. Dan taunted the crowd with his rhythms, challenging them to rip open their bashful exteriors, and join in on his call to the gods.

The entire band extremely dramatic – Aja widens her eyes feigning insanity as she screams and strains her voice to throat bleeding heights, Rich drops to his knees, and Dan lifts his sticks to the heavens – creating a performance that is majestically bizarre.

Aja soon peeled away her black robe, revealing another black ensemble, made sexier by her long, wild black hair and thin build. As the pace picked up, she began to writhe and shake, looking much like a tribal dancer as she kicked and jutted all over the stage. The blend of her wicked gyrations and smooth, raspy voice shrieks sexuality, and as her and Rich constantly played to each other, Aja groping his chest and Rich, mouth open, looking deep into her eyes, it felt like we the crowd were intruding on an erotic ritual.

Nico Vega is bursting with passion and power, producing addictive melodies and intoxicating tunes. Their socially conscious lyrics are inspiring, and with lots of calls to American youths fused with different forms of the F-word, they motivate the crowd to a rebellious hysteria. I highly recommend seeing a Nico Vega show – its an experience you’ll never forget.