Guitarist Nita Strauss played her first show since the birth of her son, appearing with Alice Cooper at half-time of the Las Vegas Raiders game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday 4 October 2026.
“`Cooper and his band played three songs at Allegiant Stadium: «School’s Out», «I’m Eighteen» and «No More Mr. Nice Guy». Strauss and drummer Glen Sobel were joined by members of David Perrico’s band and the Raiders House Band.
Explaining the song choice, Cooper said they didn’t want anything harder than those, because they are the three he believes people latch onto immediately.
Before the show Strauss posted a photo with her son, Maxwell James, at the airport. Later she shared video from the performance, writing that she had made a quick trip to Las Vegas for Alice Cooper’s short half-time set and that they had a great time, despite the bitter end to the game. The Chiefs won 30–27.
Strauss and her husband, Josh Villalta, who plays drums in her solo band, welcomed Maxwell in 2026. Her next appearances with Cooper are the «Welcome To Our Nightmare» shows with magician Criss Angel at the Criss Angel Theater at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, on 27 and 28 November and 4 and 5 December 2026.
Cooper had said, when the autumn dates were announced, that Nita opened his 2026 Las Vegas run in March and is now returning to close the year with them, and that they can’t wait to welcome her back on stage. He added that Anna Cara covered her slot at all of the year’s shows in North America and Europe and has now become part of Cooper’s «family».
Strauss first joined Cooper’s band in June 2014, replacing Orianthi. She left in July 2022 to tour with Demi Lovato and returned in March 2023. She has also released two solo albums, «Controlled Chaos» in 2018 and «The Call Of The Void» in 2023.
See also: Alice Cooper: the stage character doesn’t age and retirement isn’t in the plans.
