Atomic Beauty
Allendale, New Jersey, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2014 | SELF
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As hyperbolic as the notion may be, in the post Nirvana landscape, late-'80s Hair Metal was swiftly pronounced, by critics and listeners alike, de facto, uncool.
While some musicians with Whitesnake and Warrant tape cassettes to their name may self-deprecatingly laugh off such past misadventures as the uninformed wills of a capricious youth, one group has no such intentions.
The north Jersey four-piece Atomic Beauty will be opening for Skid Row's Sebastian Bach at Starland Ballroom, 570 Jernee Mill Road, Sayreville, tomorrow night, Friday, May 20, fresh off of wrapping up production on their first EP.
On April 24, Atomic Beauty snatched first prize at the Stone Pony's Rock to the Top competition, winning an opening slot at one of the venue's Summerstage shows. Yet, for now, all eyes are on their upcoming bill with former Skid Row screecher Sebastian Bach.
Drummer Nick Van Leer (MHS '13,) and bassist Jake Miller, currently a MHS senior, met at the School of Rock Montclair.
"Jake Miller is the baddest bass player around by far," Van Leer told The Montclair Times.
"We were playing a show down in Kenilworth [with a previous group]. I think it was a battle of the bands. Nick Vallese, our guitar player, his band, Pounds the Lbs., was playing in it, and these guys dress up like full glam hair metal. Makeup and everything. They're really fun to watch. They were also nice guys, and Nick became a great friend of mine after that."
According to Van Leer, when Pounds the Lbs. fell apart, Vallese came to him with an offer he couldn't refuse.
"He approached me six, eight months later about starting something new and really serious, with a bad ass chick singer fronting us (Vanessa Milanese,) and very commercially applicable music," said Van Leer. "They've approached things very professionally, which I appreciate and admire. We're able to work as a unit, and not just kids having fun."
In fact, the one word Van Leer and Miller invoke more often than "serious" is "fun."
"We play rock-and-roll, which is very fun," said Van Leer. "My guitarist is running around and doing split kicks off of my drum riser."
Asked how much practice is devoted to rehearsing choreography, as well as their songs, Van Leer noted, "When we first formulate a set list, we might, for the first couple nights of practicing it, run it straight through with not much showmanship, but most of the time we have choreography written before the sets and we practice them every single time we perform them. I'm sitting down, so I don't have to do much. It's fun to watch for me."
Miller added, "Right at the beginning of one of our songs, there's a big jump kick that's all three of us." He said he leaves most of the predetermined moves to Vallese and Milanese, but "there are a few little things that I do."
Despite the prominent influence of spandex clad metal acts on Atomic Beauty's look and sound, Miller clarified that the four of them cull inspiration from any number of musical genres.
"I'd say that, along with the older stuff, we're also influenced by contemporary stuff too," he told The Times. "Our singer is very into Lady Gaga."
All the same, the band as a whole has embraced Vallese's referential aesthetic, replete with flared leather trousers, which Van Leer said the guitarist orders from England.
"I'm looking at the men's silver zebra print," he admitted. "They are too cool, studs and everything. Lace up crotch, pretty rock-and- roll."
The opportunity to play at Starland came after a tongue in cheek communiqué from Vallese. "Me and the guitarist, when we were in that other band Pounds the Lbs., we emailed Starland Ballroom one time asking if we could play there, and just kind of inserted a funny off-color reference about shady back office stuff," Van Leer explained. "Vallese basically made a ridiculous joke to Starland Ballroom, and they offered us a show. They ended up loving him and loving us. When we made this new band they were happy to keep in touch and give us a lot of slots."
The quartet's "Cut to the Chase" EP will be available on iTunes and Amazon this July. Recorded at Spa Sound in Edison, the album's sessions were a breeze, thanks to an immediate rapport with engineer Stephen DeAcutis.
"My guitarist told him, 'I want you to make it sound disgusting' when they first met," said Van Leer. "I'd say it sounds pretty disgusting."
Email: katzban@northjersey.com - NorthJersey.com
It’s 2016 and the gender of the person in front of a rock 'n’ roll band shouldn't matter. Alas, it does. Rock 'n’ roll is still largely a guys’ club, but that’s changing.
“I feel like there could be more female-fronted bands but those bands that do have female lead singers have a great fan base,” said Christine Feola, whose Asbury Park-based Dark City promotes shows at the Wonder Bar, the House of Independents and more. As it’s a very male-dominated scene, with a female-fronted band, you stand out a little more.”
MORE: Go-Go's farewell tour comes to the Stone Pony
A rough estimate would have more female-fronted bands in New Brunswick as compared to Asbury Park, but more female singer-songwriters in Asbury.
“I’m seeing a lot of girls in the scene rocking just as hard as the boys -- it’s more accepted now,” said Brittney Dixon, the manager of the Court Tavern in New Brunswick and the frontwoman for Wolfasaurus REX . “I have a lot of female friends in the scene.”
Dixon is presenting an all-female fronted lineup Saturday, June 18 for a Breast Cancer Research Foundation benefit at the Court Tavern. Wolfasaurus REX, Centennials, GHyp:See & The Wichts, The Gray Company, Foxanne, Chevonne and The Fuzz, Lowlight and Pool of Thorns are on the bill.
Check them out for yourself and also check out our list of the five female fronted bands you need to see:
Atomic Beauty (Montclair)
Once you see -- and hear -- Atomic Beauty, chances are you won’t forget them soon. Guitarist Nick Vallese twirls on the stage like a modern-day C.C. DeVille and vocalist Vanessa Milanesi is a powerhouse of the first order. The guys just won the Stone Pony Rock to the Top contest and they’ll be back at the Pony soon. They’re also opening for Sebastian Bach at the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville on May 20.
“They’re a great rock 'n’ roll band with a great stage presence,” said Kyle Brendle, show promoter for the Pony. “They've got great original music -- a power trio with a great frontwoman.”
Visit www.facebook.com/MilanesiVallese for more info. - Asbury Park Press
Atomic Beauty, with Montclair’s Nick Van Leer on drums and Jake Miller on bass, won first place in the Stone Pony Rock To The Top competition on Sunday, April 24, beating out over 50 other bands.
“I feel super elated and surprised, it’s a good feeling,” says Van Leer, 21. “We worked very hard to make it happen.” Adds Miller: “It makes me feel really excited.”
Van Leer, 21, a 2013 Montclair High School graduate, and Miller, 18, a MHS senior, got their starts at the Montclair School of Rock. The duo started Atomic Beauty about a year ago with lead guitarist Nick Vallese, 22, and vocalist Vanessa Milanesi, 22, of Upper Saddle River.
“It’s truly amazing to me how far we’ve gotten in a year,” says Miller, “and it makes me happy to be a part of it.”
The first-place win has earned the band the opening spot for a major show at the popular NJ shore spot Stone Pony Summer Stage in Asbury Park this summer, and $2,500 cash.
The upbeat rock band, which performs its own material, is opening for Sebastian Bach on Friday, May 20 at the Starland Ballroom. - Baristanet
Travel to Asbury Park, NJ, and you’ll find The Saint, a live music venue rich in history, still going strong since the tidal wave that was the Jersey Shore rock revolution of the ‘90s. A stage once played on by major acts such as Joey Ramone, Incubus… even Creed (!), they are now welcoming newer bands with just as much energy in their sound. Tuesday, July 7th, the venue welcomed a trio of such bands who kept that energy alive.
AtomicBeauty
Atomic Beauty’s Facebook photo
The show’s opener was Atomic Beauty, an old school rock and roll band from north Jersey who, despite only making their debut the previous week, jumped head first into their set. The pure rawness of their heavy guitars combined with their eclectic style and powerful vocals of frontwoman, Vanessa Milanesi. Atomic Beauty brought the audience back to the ‘70s when, the louder the music was, the better. As heard in “A.R.T.”, their music goes much deeper than simply thrashing instruments; it maintains a certain complexity that much of the music produced nowadays seems to lack. As they ripped through each song, their goal became evident, and it is revival. Atomic Beauty’s intricate sounds and blue hot spirit are here to stay to make one of the biggest (and best) genre comebacks of all time.
ARTICLE BY: JACQUELINE ARCE - MonkeyGoose
Next up was Atomic Beauty—in my opinion the jewel of the evening. This gem of an original band from New Jersey was formed in 2014. The band features guitarist Nick Vallese, the strong, full-bodied voice of Vanessa Milanesi, drummer Nick Van Leer, and Mike Morgenroth on bass. These kids are a perfectly mixed cocktail of talent, youthful boldness, uncompromising energy, old-school rock and roll, and modern pop theatrics. They know how to rock and are a pleasure to the ears and the eyes. Having only been playing the NJ/NYC circuit for little over a year, they have already opened for three national acts (Steel Panther, Sebastian Bach, Zoso) and won the Stone Pony’s annual Rock To The Top contest.
Guitarist Nick Vallese is straight out of an ’80s hair-band video, with his vintage rock clothes, long flowing hair (assisted by a fan) and gorgeous face, but don’t let the pretty face fool you, this is one talented young man displaying lightning speed and control of the fretboard as he simultaneously dashes across the stage. Equally theatrical and gorgeous is frontwoman Vanessa Milanesi, her emotional melodic vocals, amplified by her mic covered in ribbons à la Steve Tyler, gives power and credence to their songs. I honestly didn’t know who to photograph first as they were equally mesmerizing on stage.
The band opened with the rousing “Last House,” the first song off of their five-song EP entitled Cut to the Chase, which was released in July 2016. “Last House” opens with the rhythm section pounding away, just the way I like it. In addition, this song has a really catchy hook and some impressive guitar riffs. They went on to play three other songs off of their EP: “One on One”, “A.R.T.”, and “Empty Bottle.” Being the drummer groupie that I am I really enjoyed their entire set; all the songs are heavily laden with Van Leer’s head-banging drum beats and Morgenroth’s pounding bass, which are a perfect complement to Milanesi’s strong vocals and Vallese’s rousing guitar solos. If you are a fan of no-holds-barred arena-style rock and roll, this band’s live performance is something that should be experienced.
For more information on this band’s music and upcoming shows visit their Facebook band page. You can also listen to their Cut to the Chase EP on Spotify. - The Sound Live
Discography
Empty Bottle
Kristine
One on One
ART
Secrets
Cig Love
Wild as the Wind
Flu Shots
BWY
No secrets
Castaways
Troubled Tide
Last House
Hitchhiker
Bleed for Rock & Roll
Photos
Bio
Founded in 2014 by Nick Vallese & Vanessa Milanesi, Atomic
Beauty is an arena-ready rock & roll band the likes of which
has not been seen for decades. A natural creative duo, the two blend adrenaline-fueled intensity
with a powerful songwriting knack to create an act purely unique to them. Here
to reinvigorate rock & roll during a period of despondency by bringing
youthful boldness & blazing virtuosity to the genre, guitarist Nick Vallese
displays blinding speed & control on the fretboard, channeled from a place of
visceral human emotion while simultaneously powered by his furious on-stage
energy. Counterpointing Vallese is vocalist Vanessa Milanesi, an equally
theatrical frontwoman whose rich voice & dazzling charm spark Atomic Beauty’s
live shows & are rivaled only by her unparalleled aesthetic. Rounding out the 4-piece is drummer Nick Van Leer - a powerhouse percussionist whose dynamic
control & cannon thump are matched equally by his humor & personality - & lively bassist Jake Miller, whose blend of technical knowledge
as well as monstrously tasteful pocket playing make the four-piece as
interesting to listen to as they are to watch. Individually, they are free,
ferocious; passionate. Together on stage, they are a force to be reckoned with-
mesmerizing people with their skills, powerful magnetism, & fearless abandon.
Riddled with contagious energy, everyone around them is swept into the
momentum.
Having played the NJ/NYC circuit for over a year, the band has already performed at legendary venues such as Starland Ballroom, the Stone Pony, & the Bitter End. Though they marry the fiery music of old school rock & roll with the grandiosity of modern pop acts, the band's live set consists of no dancers or extraneous visual distractions, instead dazzling with their lavish outfits & devilish energy. What truly sets them apart from other acts today is their unabashed lack of fear to embrace arena excess. Without any gimmicks, they dash across the stage, leap from drum risers, kick & slice through the air like banshees.
"No matter the stage, Atomic Beauty won’t turn down for anyone," says Milanesi. "We’re talking old school big rock. None of that sub genre shit. It's rock & roll the way it was supposed to be played."
"Everyone takes themselves way too seriously these days," Vallese chimes in. "You can't be afraid to fall on your face. What's the fun in that? Evel Knievel knew he might not make it over all those buses. The audience knew, too. That's the thrill, isn't it?"
Wearing street clothes & staring at their feet is not an option for them. Their show inspires nothing short of crowd frenzy. Atomic Beauty is a machine, generating an energy that refuses to go unnoticed.
The band is out to reinvent the conventions of what it means to be a rockstar in 2016. They are bold & fearless in the way they approach everything they do- including how they get their message across.
Confronted with this, Vallese says, "The rock world is full of whiners. 'Why doesn't anyone come to see us but they'll go see Lady Gaga?' Because no one gives a shit about the guy who looks like he just finished work as a barista. They want to see freaks from another planet."
The band wants to arouse any kind of reaction from their audiences- whether through their lyrics, music, or performance.
"Great music opens every pore in your body & redefines your DNA. You can't have that without honesty", says Milanesi. "We were able to access that part of ourselves, to fully realize it & express it in a manner that people can relate to."
Their artistic merit shines through their powerful songwriting, easy hooks & raw emotion—real stories of love, life, and death, all still resonating.
Fueled by their passion, the band focuses on creating righteous tunes that stand the test of time. Their need for rock & roll to be revived is insatiable, so much so they feel they can only bring it back themselves.
The dream they share is one of many other bands on the scene today. The tone, richness & sheer size of their sound, however, puts them in an entirely new lane from others utilizing live instruments.
"I can't tell you how many times we share a bill with a two-guitar band & they sound tiny," drummer Van Leer chimes in with a grin. "If you can do it with less, do it. Our sound is huge."
Playing gigs everywhere from dive bars to 2,000+ seat theaters & historic rock venues, Atomic Beauty - led by frontwoman extraordinaire Vanessa Milanesi & guitar virtuoso Nick Vallese - have the songs, the swagger, and the talent to turn the rock world on its ear. Pop sensibilities fused with old school rock & roll, Atomic Beauty is in it for the long-haul.
Band Members
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