Marty Friedman – East Meets West on the Vamp’d Stage!

Marty Friedman played Count’s Vamp’d on Saturday, January 25, 2025, with a support set from Nikki Stringfield and Patrick Kennison.

Any time is good time for rock and roll at Count’s Vamp’d. Danny the Count, Korie, and their dedicated staff continue to do their part to keep rock and roll alive in Sin City. It seems like I’m there once a week every week (and often more than that!) There’s always something going on here. And upon hearing that ex-Megadeth axeman Marty Friedman would be taking the stage, I knew where I was going to be on this Saturday night.

One of the best things about this gig was an earlier start time; I don’t know the exact specifics or reasoning here, but it was certainly welcomed. It’s rare I can be done with a gig out here before 11, but no complaints there!

Opening the evening was an acoustic set from two musicians, Nikki Stringfield and Patrick Kennison. Nikki is probably best known for her role in The Iron Maidens, a famed all-female Iron Maiden tribute band, while Patrick these days is known for playing guitar in Lita Ford’s band. This sounded like a match made in heaven, and the duo combined original tunes with some choice covers. Ever heard Iron Maiden’s “Aces High” done acoustic? These two make it work!

The vocals and guitar playing in this set were excellent; I expected nothing less and they delivered. Unfortunately, their set was hampered by the not-so-smart decision of using a backing track to try and fill out the sound. An acoustic show should be intimate, stripped-down music in its rawest state. Instead, Vamp’d was filled with obnoxiously loud electronic drum and bass beats that sounded more like they would’ve been more at home in one of Las Vegas’ many nightclubs. This so-called “backing” track was even louder than the two actual musicians on stage. I have no problem using a track for some slight enhancement if it’s something like keyboards or orchestral sounds that it would be impractical to tour with, but this was a detriment to the show that did it no favors. These two are amazingly talented individuals who could easily fill a room with their voices and acoustic instrumentation alone. Next time let’s ditch the tracks and/or hire some additional musicians.

Headlining on this evening was Marty Friedman. Joining Megadeth and playing with them throughout the 1990s on albums ranging from 1990’s RUST IN PEACE to 1999’s RISK, he made a name for himself and is often recognized as the band’s definitive guitar player. His tenure also includes a stint in Cacophony, alongside Jason Becker. I admit that I’m not terribly familiar with Friedman’s career outside of Megadeth, but was surprised to learn he now resides in Japan, speaks the language, and plays with a band of all Japanese musicians! Having never seen Mr. Friedman on the live stage before, I was especially eager for this gig.

And sure enough, when he took the stage, the look of his Japanese musicians was the first thing that caught my eye. A young man on guitar with his hair dyed red. A cute young girl playing a five-string bass. And a drummer who looked like the love child of Michael Monroe and the Joker. These guys certainly looked the part… but would they be able to hold their own alongside one of the rock world’s most revered axemen?

They more certainly were! From the get-go, it was clear that Mr. Friedman had picked a band of some of Japan’s finest. His drummer was an absolute beast on every single track. His bassist even tried her hand at singing some Japanese lyrics on a few songs! Typically, I’m not the biggest fan of instrumental music/shows/etc., but Marty and company kept it fresh and interesting. How it’s taken me so long to finally see the guy on the live stage is beyond me, but he knows how to entertain.

I didn’t think a mostly instrumental show could keep me so engaged and on my toes, but this band is amazing. Even if these three musicians formed a band in Japan without Marty Friedman, I’d still gladly listen to them and go and see them play. They hold their own and then some. Friedman even took time to give a shout-out to his ex-Cacophony bandmate Jason Becker, who of course has been dealing with his own ailments over the years.

What a fantastic night of rock and roll! Getting to see Marty Friedman was something I was long overdue to check off my bucket list, but I may even have been more wowed over and impressed by his band of Japanese musicians! And Nikki Stringfield and Patrick Kennison are fantastic talents I hope to see on stage again one day (hopefully sans unnecessary backing tracks). Both acts certainly get my recommendation.

PHOTO CREDIT: Live photos by Dave Childers for ZRockR Magazine – (c) 2025 – All Rights Reserved.