Texan Mosaic

by DEZ MENDEZ//Feature Editor

Black Sabbath fans gather inside of Jake’s Backroom on Sept. 6 to hear the all-female tribute band Black Sabbitch.

The Los Angeles based tribute band consists of Angie Scarpa on drums, Blare N Bitch on guitar, Melanie Makaiwi on bass, and Aimee Echo supplying vocals.  Black Sabbitch is the brainchild of Scarpa and Blare N Bitch, who both share a love for Black Sabbath.

They started Black Sabbitch because they thought the name was funny, and Black Sabbath is Scarpa’s favorite band. Makaiwi had asked Scarpa if she wanted to do a Sabbath band, so they started. Five years later, they are touring all over the world.

All the women had already been in the music scene before forming Black Sabbitch, so they were all already considered to be the best at what they do. Blare had led the all-girl band “Betty Blowtorch,” and Scarpa was drumming for post punk thrashers, “The Art of Safecracking.”  The two have been friends for than a decade, they decided to get together and play some Sabbath.

Makaiwi was their first choice to play bass.  She had been in “The Art of Safecracking” with Scarpa and also led her own band, “ Penny Dreadfuls.”   

When they began searching for a lead vocalist, they knew they would need someone with strong vocals. That is when they turned to their long-time friend, Echo, a legendary front woman for alt-metal band Human Waste Project.

Echo sings Ozzy Osbourne’s parts with a howling authenticity that gives them the ability to play Sabbath songs that other guy groups do not do, such as “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.”

Black Sabbitch was even asked by Sharon and Ozzy Osborune to open up at the inaugural Ozzfiesta in 2015.

Black Sabbath brings to the stage a heavy metal band with a heavy blues tune with a swing drummer that has a jazz feel.

“It’s the understanding of that you are playing in a heavy blues band with a jazz feel, and not heavy metal,” said Scarpa.

Black Sabbitch opened the set with “War Pigs,” one of Sabbath’s classic tracks. Echo’s vocals rocked the crowd, as they went crazy with applause and cheering.

Black Sabbitch not only was able to wow the crowd, but gave a true Sabbath feeling to the night. The crowd was approving of their style and sound.

Jake’s Backroom was the final Texas stop for the women, having just gotten back from Houston. They were advised not to go down to Houston since Hurricane Harvey had caused so much damage there.  But they didn’t want to cancel, as they felt that the city needed something to look forward to.

Black Sabbitch gives a true experience to fans who have not been able to see Black Sabbath.  From the wicked left-handed guitar playing of Blare, to the insane drumming of Scarpa, the talented bass playing Makaiwi and the howling vocals of Echo, if you closed your eyes, you would think you were listening to Sabbath.

To check out Black Sabbitch, visit http://www.blacksabbitch.com

[Photo by DEZ MENDEZ/PLAINSMAN PRESS]