Vineland, NJ – The Ladies of Rock and Roll, Vixen, landed at the Landis Theater in New Jersey to a packed crowd at the historic venue. As I approached the Landis on this ungodly humid night I could see the line spilling out into the street. I walked into the venue and a warm comfortable feeling engulfed me, which I soon realized was a return to normal from the last year and a half due to a global pandemic – live concerts were back!
The attendees ranged from 6 to 60, sporting their favorite 80’s rock tees, hats, bandanas, torn faded jeans, sneaks, and leather studded accessories.
Built in 1937, the Landis Theater has undergone a complete transformation into a vast state-of-the-art venue with lighting and sound that any audience and artist would crave. Ray Mamrak, owner and proprietor of the theater, is a former star of stage and screen, actor, writer, and producer who oversees the whole production with his keen eye for detail.
Cat Manning, an up-and-coming star in her own right, warmed up the crowd with her powerful “Janis Joplin” like vocals. Cat is a New Jersey native who is breaking onto the scene and getting much notoriety fronting her own band “Just Like Janis”, a Janis Joplin tribute band. The Vixen ladies welcomed her with open arms, a great vibe going on.
Vixen has been rocking for decades and it shows from the moment they take the stage. Despite hiatuses and unfortunate events, Vixen has enjoyed a kind of rebirth in recent years. The current version of the band features on vocals; Lorraine Lewis, formerly with Femme Fatale, Roxy Petrucci on drums, Share Ross on bass, and guitarist Britt Lightning, who replaced late founding member Jan Kuehnemund following her death in 2013, as well as touring keyboardist Tyson Leslie.
As the lights dimmed and Roxy buckled in behind the skins, they ripped into “Rev it up” from their second album in 1990. I know we were in the presence of professional musicians.
Vixen is a band that should be experienced in person. They are so energetic, fun to watch and bang your head to. Lorraine hit all vocals with precision, belting out “Cryin” from their first album in 1988, as well as “I Want You to Rock Me” and “Love is a Killer” from Rev It Up. They have great chemistry on stage, pitch-perfect with humorous banter between them. To be able to emerge from the ’80s and still rock with that much energy deserves respect. The night was capped off with Lorraine nailing “Edge of a Broken Heart”, which was met with thunderous applause.
VIXEN Photo Gallery
Vixen Setlist:
Rev It Up
How Much Love
Big One
Cruisin’
Cryin’
Rock Me
Streets in paradise
Fallen Hero
I Don’t Need No Doctor
Love Is A Killer
You Oughta Know By Now
Love Made Me
Edge of a Broken Heart
Show date 7/11/2021
