Fritz O’Hara Plugs In at the Tuscany Copa Room!

Fritz and the Side EffectZ played the Copa Room at the Tuscany Hotel and Casino on Thursday, October 29, 2026.

The Tuscany’s Copa Room remains Vegas’ top spot to catch rock and roll shows in the wake of Count’s Vamp’d closing last year. I’ve made this my weekly (sometimes more than weekly) haunt, and that isn’t going to be changing any time soon. Big thanks as always to all the Tuscany staff keeping rock and roll alive for headbangers around Sin City, including Mike Brian, Grayson, and Mitch.

Having followed the Vegas music scene for years, Fritz O’Hara is a name that’s come up a lot. I’ve seen this guy show up in more bands than I can count, and that’s not a bad thing! In more recent weeks at the Tuscany’s Copa Room, he’s done acoustic gigs opening for the Madman Ozzy Osbourne tribute. I loved his unplugged shows and the sheer variety of the music he cranked out… but was eager to check him out doing his “plugged in” thing…

…and last Thursday, I finally got my wish! Fritz took the stage with his trio, which to my pleasant surprise even included a female bass player! I was especially delighted to see that the setlist for this gig was every bit as diverse as the one Mr. O’Hara played for his acoustic gigs. Despite plugging it, this gig, again performed by a trio, still felt quite intimate, stripped down, and raw. From Ramones to Manowar, and even a few tunes I myself wasn’t quite familiar with. The band even had a jar full of Fritz and the Side EffectZ buttons for those who wanted to take one. Now they just need to start making patches and I’ll be set! It was a fun, high-energy show that certainly kept my interest for its duration.

My only minor complaint with the performance was the decision to split it into two sets. I love the Tuscany’s Copa Room, but the biggest problem with the otherwise fantastic venue is that the shows simply start too late (much of this is due to the space being shared with a Rat Pack tribute show earlier in the evening). As such, anything that’s split into two sets is generally going to go past midnight. A single long set of the highlights is generally better than two shorter sets with a break… but this is certainly not a knock on the quality of the band. I look forward to seeing Mr. O’Hara doing his thing again soon.

Whether acoustic or electric, any evening spent with Fritz O’Hara is always a good time. This was my first time catching his Side EffectZ band, but it certainly won’t be the last. Bring on the next show!

PHOTO CREDIT: Live photos by Dave Childers for ZRockR Magazine – @2026 – All Rights Reserved.