AC/DC's look is part of the act for Hell's Belles

ROSS RAIHALA, THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published Friday, December 28, 2001

For those about to rock, Hell's Belles salute you.

That's because when the five-piece cover band plays Olympia on Saturday night, they'll roll out a truckload of AC/DC classics such as "Back in Black," "TNT," "Hells Bells," "Big Balls," "Highway to Hell," "Shot Down in Flames" and "You Shook Me All Night Long."

The kicker, however, is that Hell's Belles are all women.

"We haven't had any weird 'Pretty good -- for a bunch of girls' stuff," lead singer Om Johari recently said. "A big part of it is (that guitarist) Amy (Stolzenbach) has got serious skills."

In addition, Stolzenbach takes the AC/DC tribute to its logical extent by actually dressing in the sort of schoolboy outfit that Angus Young made famous.

"(But) even the members of the band who don't dress like AC/DC don't dress like typical girls in a band," Stolzenbach told one reporter. "We put more muscle into it."

It was Stolzenbach who first envisioned an all-female AC/DC tribute act, but had trouble solidifying a lineup. But once she met longtime fan Johari, everything clicked.

Johari fell in love with AC/DC after seeing them live at the age of 9: "I thought, 'Wow, that guy rocks!' "

Stolzenbach, too, felt AC/DC's power surge at a young age when, at 12, she heard the band's anthem "Back in Black."

"I had to figure out how to play," she told one reporter. "I was obsessed with that album. It was the first guitar riff I was able to figure out."

Hell's Belles played its debut show in July 2000. The band's follow-up show, at Ballard's Sunset Tavern, sold out.

Last December, Hell's Belles landed a gig opening for Megadeth at Seattle's Paramount Theater.

"I think at first people were coming to check it out, to see if we could pull it off," Stolzenbach recently said.

"But when they see that we can, they really get into it," said second guitarist Sylvia Wiedemann.

So Hell's Belles is more than just a novelty act?

Said Stolzenbach: "Obviously, there's a need for buttrock.''

Ross Raihala covers music and entertainment for The Olympian and can be reached at 360-754-5406 or OlyRoss@aol.com.

Hell's Belles

- What: The Seattle-based, all-female AC/DC cover band Hell's Belles will perform live. Chief and Harsh will open.

- When: 9 p.m. Dec. 29.

- Where: The GO Club, 311 Fourth Ave. E., Olympia.

- Tickets: $7.

- For information: Call 360-704-7278.

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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