Count’s 77 and Voxxx Rock Fremont’s 1st Street Stage!

Count’s 77 played the 1st Street Stage on the Fremont Steet Experience on Friday, May 1, 2026, with support act Voxxx.

Despite being a Las Vegas native, I don’t make it to Downtown Las Vegas very often. Every now and then, however, I’ll venture to the older part of Sin City to engage in some rock and roll entertainment. In the 1990s, a large stretch of Fremont Street was converted from drivable street to an open-air walking “experience,” complete with a lighted video screen canopy, multiple stages for bands to perform on, and as of 2014, even a zipline ride! With tourists and eccentric performers and costumed figures alike, it’s one of Vegas’ most iconic spots. And upon hearing Count’s 77 would be rocking the stage down there, I figured it was time to once more make the trek over that way.

One of my reasons for avoiding Downtown Vegas is the parking situation (a problem that extends to the Strip in recent years as well), with nearly every place charging for parking, with rates that often skyrocket on the weekends! While I wholeheartedly believe that parking should be free everywhere for anyone with a Nevada ID, I am pleased to say that some of the resorts and hotels do offer validation options. For example, my companion for the evening and I parked at the Golden Nugget and were able to get parking validated by having dinner in Claim Jumper. If you’d like to attend shows downtown and want to save yourself a few bucks on the parking situation, I encourage you to do your research ahead of time for this reason.

The opening act for the evening was Voxxx. Voxxx is an interesting situation because, while I’ve seen every person on this stage performing before, I think this is the first time I’d ever actually seen them united on a single stage/in a single band, with all the members having played in multiple Vegas bands. The group is fronted by Abby Ortiz AKA Victoria Voxxx, with other players who were on the stage this evening including guitarists Keith Robert and Fritz O’Hara, bassist James Sperry, and of course, the Stonerdude himself, Michael Maysonet on drums (does anyone have any idea how many bands this guy is in?)

Again, I’ve seen all these musicians before more times than I can count in more bands than I can count… but this may have been my first proper Voxxx show. And guess what? They blew me away! Whether she’s in an erotic film or rocking the stage, Victoria Voxxx makes herself the center of attention in a big way. With good looks, powerful vocals, and a charisma few have, this young lady may be my favorite frontwoman in Sin City after Friday night’s performance. The twin guitar attack of Fritz and Keith certainly brought the heaviness, and the rhythm section held down the low end in fine form.

So… what exactly IS Voxxx in terms of their sound? It’s hard to put a label on this group. Try to imagine those female-fronted new wave bands from the 80s, but with a much heavier, punkier, alternative sound. You can’t really place them under a single genre, but maybe that’s part of the reason I found myself so caught up in this gig; the influences come from all around! The band even brought up violinist Ellie Krasner during their set to give it some added atmosphere. All in all, Voxxx kicked off this night of rock on Fremont in the best form imaginable… they were a tough act to follow, and I look forward to rocking out with them again very soon!

Following the Voxxx set, legendary rock/metal media personality Eddie Trunk, who has a second home in Vegas, introduced the band, as well as the man now responsible for booking musical acts on Fremont Street’s various stages.

Is there anyone in Las Vegas who doesn’t know who Count’s 77 is at this point? Formerly known as Zito 77, the band is fronted by COUNTING CARS’ Danny “The Count” Koker, a legend in this town and beyond, with his various ventures including his auto business Count’s Kustoms, Count’s Tattoo Company in the Rio Hotel and Casino, the Count’s Desert Moon Recording Studio, and until last year, the owner of our legendary local venue Count’s Vamp’d. And back in the 90s on local Vegas television, he was Saturday night horror host Count Cool Rider, who fans of scary movies in the area remember fondly. In recent months, Mr. Koker even stepped into the world of podcasts, interviewing a who’s who of guests.

Joining Koker in Count’s 77 are guitarists Stoney Curtis and John Zito, both of whom have reputations in their own right. Holding down the low end is bassist Barry Barnes, who also plays in Stoney and Zito’s solo bands. The band’s original drummer was Paul DiSibio, with Shon McKee drumming in the interlude before the band hired Blue Man Group/Tinnitus drummer Jeff Tortora. As Tortora was not available on this evening, the band brought Mr. McKee back to the drum stool. The band has also played with former Britny Fox vocalist/keyboardist Tommy Paris, although he was not at this gig (and isn’t at every single gig the band plays).

Count’s 77, to date, has released two studio albums of original material and a live album, with a third studio album on the way. The band is signed to Shrapnel Records with their releases produced by Shrapnel’s founder and main man, Mike Varney, who was largely responsible for unleashing the boom of shred guitarists in the 1980s. From Yngwie Malmsteen to Marty Friedman and Paul Gilbert, this guy has brought so much six-string talent to the forefront. The fact that THIS is the man Count’s 77 has in their corner should say something; they’re no mere “gimmick band.”

A Count’s 77 live show is always an interesting experience, because we get tons of original material from the two studio albums the band has recorded, which is great 70s-style classic rock that easily sounds like something you’d have heard on the radio back in the day. There’s also a nice assortment of cover songs thrown in the set, and everything blends together seamlessly. One second, you’re hearing originals from the Count like “Let the Rockin’ Do the Talkin’,” “Your Love Ain’t Right,” “Summer of ’77,” and “Soul Transfusion,” and the next, you’re getting everything from the Ides of March classic “Vehicle” to a duology of Pat Travers classics, complete with crowd participation. Fremont Street is always packed with tourists, but with the crowd of people donning Vamp’d and Count’s Kustoms shirts, there was no denying just how many people showed up with the sole purpose of supporting Mr. Koker and company. Even a few folks from the COUNTING CARS family made appearances on Fremont on this evening, including Horny Mike!

Yes, I try to avoid Downtown Vegas and Fremont quite often for numerous reasons, but I have sort of lightened my stance here in the past two years or so. One thing I won’t deny is that this atmosphere ended up being PERFECT for a Vegas-based hard rock band like Count’s 77, with the lights of Old Vegas glowing, an eclectic crowd, a surreal retro atmosphere, folks ziplining overhead during the gig, and even a rotating restaurant/bar just above and to the side of the stage! I wouldn’t be opposed to seeing them rock this stage again.

I’ve probably reviewed and photographed Count’s 77 more than any other band. I’m going to review and shoot them again. And again. And again. Because their shows are some of the most fun, entertaining, and hard rocking that you’ll ever see in Sin City. As the years pass, the band is even getting more out-of-town gigs, which goes to show they’re no mere gimmick group. The opening set from Voxxx was equally impressive, with me having a new locally based group to add to my list of favorites. Both bands rule whatever stage they’re on. If you’re a rock fan living in or visiting Sin City, catch one of their gigs. You’ll be glad you did.

PHOTO CREDIT: Live photos by Taylor T. Carlson for ZRockR Magazine – @2026 – All Rights Reserved.