Heroine Honey, Warlung & Black Water Rising – An Epic Vegas Rock Revolution Night at Vamp’d!

Black Water Rising played Count’s Vamp’d on Friday, August 2, 2024, with support acts Warlung and Heroine Honey.

Leave it to Vamp’d to deliver the best when it comes to all things rock and roll, be it local, national, or international. There’s no finer house of rock in Sin City, or on the face of the planet, for that matter. It’s rare a week passes that I don’t visit the venue for a concert. I certainly wasn’t familiar with Black Water Rising, nor was I with Warlung, but I certainly like to stretch out and broaden my horizons when it comes to the world of music. So once more, I made the trek to Vamp’d. This show was a part of John Gist’s Vegas Rock Revolution shows; this guy has long proven in the Vegas Valley he knows and appreciates true talent in the music world!

Kicking off the evening was Heroine Honey, the one local band on the bill and the only one with which I was previously familiar, having seen the band once at Vamp’d near the end of last summer. The group combines a variety of great sounds fusing elements of many different eras, from power pop to harder rocking moments. Vocalist Chastity Raper has an undeniable stage presence, owning the crowd from the first moment she begins singing, with a vocal style reminiscent of EG Daily in her prime. Her husband, guitarist Steve Raper, always does a superb job laying down the riffs. If you want a band that’s just fun to listen to but certainly musically proficient, Heroine Honey’s where it’s at.

For more HEROINE HONEY:
Official Website | Instagram | Facebook

As I’d previously stated, I wasn’t familiar with either of the latter two groups on this evening of rock and roll. Warlung took the stage second. Not knowing what to expect, these guys almost immediately won me over. While the band’s set consisted of original material, their sound was reminiscent of early Black Sabbath. This is a tough sound for bands to faithfully recapture, but Warlung does so while creating original material, which is a welcome change from so many tribute/cover bands out there. I’d argue this set was the one that was the most pleasant surprise of the evening.

For more WARLUNG:
Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram

Headlining, of course, was Black Water Rising. This was another group of whom I had no familiarity, but the buzz on them I was hearing from fans present seemed pretty strong, not to mention the televisions at Vamp’d were playing some of their music videos prior to the set (not sure if this was deliberate or coincidental). The group has been building up a strong following for some time now, touring with major acts and even getting airplay on Sirius XM’s Octane channel.

I’m pleased to say that the band didn’t disappoint. It seems like John Gist has a knack for finding talent that needs further exposure and to play the venues here in Sin City, and I was damn glad he brought these guys here; they’re definitely a group I’ll be keeping a closer eye on from here on out! Combining old and new sounds like, they’re the best of all words. Hard and heavy riffs but enough diversity to make each song stand out. I noticed many audience members singing along with the group’s songs, showing me they may even have had a bigger following than I realized. After having them rock my night at Vamp’d, it wasn’t hard to see why.

For more BLACK WATER RISING:
Official Website | Instagram | Facebook

One night of rock, three amazing bands. This was an intense night with the hard and heavy stuff cranked way up, with a surprising amount of diversity amid the bands. Any rock and roll fan owes it to themselves to see all three of these groups!

Live photos by Courtney Ware for ZrockR Magazine 2024 – All Rights Reserved.