Vixen last played Mohegan Sun as part of an 80’s rock night on January 20. Their set that night devolved into a bit of a train wreck and it turned out to be the last show with singer Lorraine Lewis. On June 21 the band announced Rosa Laricchiuta (Trans-Siberian Orchestra) as its new singer. From videos online, the debut show was a little rough with some timing and lyric issues. When the band returned to Mohegan Sun Casino, this time headlining the Wolf Den, I went in with tempered expectations which were quickly exceeded. Scroll below for my Vixen photos and review!
Vixen in 2024 bears little resemblance to the band in its heyday. Drummer Roxy Petrucci is the only remaining original member, joined by guitarist Britt Lightning, bassist Julia Lage, vocalist Laricchiuta, and touring keyboardist Tyson Leslie. Lightning joined the band in 2017 while Lage replaced original bassist Share Ross in 2022. There is no denying the immense talent and chemistry Petrucci, Lightning, and Lage bring to the stage, and as soon as Laricchiuta walked on during the opener “Rev It Up” it just seemed to click.
Laricchiuta spent time with the West Coast touring lineup of Trans-Siberian Orchestra which shows in her performance. She has a powerful voice and a stage presence that fits right in with the energetic Lightning and Lage. She handled the original Vixen hits easily and sounded natural singing them. During “I Want You To Rock Me” the band traditionally morphs the song into a cover, tonight it was an incredible version of Deep Purple’s “Perfect Strangers”. It was the perfect choice to showcase the talents of all four members.
Vixen has 4 studio releases, however only 2, their self-titled debut and follow-up Rev It Up, were recorded with the classic lineup and produced the band’s most memorable hits. The lack of material does come into play a little when the band is doing an hour-plus headline set. After the big hits, the deeper cuts felt like they brought the crowd’s energy down a little. It also felt a little off when side-stage keyboardist Tyson Leslie had a solo. He is obviously talented, but we’re there to see the four main members, a Britt Lightning guitar solo would have been a better fit.
The night ended, as expected, with the mega-hit “Edge of a Broken Heart” and Laricchiuta knocked it out of the park. With her in the fold, the band has a bright future. However, it feels like new music is a must for the band to succeed. There is only so much you can do with your set when there is such a small catalog, new music is vital to keep the momentum the band is building.
Was this a perfect show? No, there were a few pacing and timing issues, but those will quickly smooth out the more this lineup plays together. While I am a fan of Lorraine Lewis and her career, Rosa Laricchiuta feels like a more natural fit. The band was all smiles on stage and it seems like this is the start of a great new chapter for Vixen.
