FANNING THE FLAMES
Flight of Fire burns high with new release
The members of Flight of Fire grew up in the ’90s and early aughts when the Backstreet Boys and Spice Girls ruled radio. But simple, silly pop acts didn’t do it for Flight of Fire. The band’s founders — frontwoman Dorian Maverick, guitarist Tanya Venom and bass player Tia Mayhem — fell in love with classic rock ’n’ roll. “Tanya’s favorite band is Led Zeppelin, Tia’s is Rush and mine is Queen,” Maverick said. “Rock was what mattered to us. Of course, we eventually discovered the women that blazed the trail for us and fell in love with them, especially the Runaways, Cherie Currie, Joan Jett and Lita Ford.” The trio, now rounded out by drummer Maddie May Scott, met as students at Berklee College of Music a decade ago — Tanya and Tia, twin sisters whose real last name is Dmuchowski, heard Maverick singing on the T and immediately asked her to jam. Since then, Flight of Fire’s sound has evolved to include the bombast of ’70s rock, the sleeze of ’80s glam metal and the raw energy of the Runaways. Tomorrow, the band will pull it all together at Once Ballroom to celebrate the release of “She’s a Badass,” a new single recorded with hero Currie, who will be a special guest at the show. “She’s a legend, a great singer whose work with the Runaways in the ’70s paved the way for us to get up on stage and not have people throw tomatoes at us,” Maverick said. “Getting to record this new single with her in L.A. was a dream come true. We were nervous before we got in the studio with her, but once we did she was amazing, super nice and supportive. Once we actually started recording, it all felt pretty normal.” While Flight of Fire will do songs from its own catalog tomorrow, they will also back up Currie for a few tunes. “We’ll basically get to act as a Runaways tribute band,” Maverick said. “Which means I get to do my best Joan Jett impression, which I love.” Because Flight of Fire insists on turning every show into a spectacular onetime event, the night will include a video shoot for “She’s a Badass” and the final reunion of Boston punk champs Lizzy Borden and the Axes. “We want to do something new at every show,” Maverick said. “We can’t always do it, but we always try.” While next year will feature Flight of Fire doing a lot of the same — writing, recording, touring — the band will break new ground. “We want to get back to Europe to tour and go to places we haven’t been,” Maverick said. “Also, we have been booked to play on the Melissa Etheridge Cruise. We’re really excited because (concert promoter) Sixthman is putting this on and they also put on the KISS Kruise and other Festivals at Sea. It would be super fun to do a few more of those. Or really anything that comes our way.”
Flight of Fire with Cherie Currie, Lizzie Borden and the Axes, Blindspot and The Knock Ups, at Once Ballroom, 156 Highland Ave., Somerville, tomorrow. Tickets: $25 - $30; oncesomerville.com.