Guitarist **Nita Strauss** and drummer **Josh Villalta** brought their signature, high-voltage playing to the **Los Angeles Rams**' halftime performance this past Sunday, honoring the U.S. military as part of the **NFL**'s "Salute To Service" initiative.
Watch their halftime performance below.
For the duo, this was far more than a guest appearance. **Nita** has served as the **Rams**' official guitarist for seven seasons, becoming a defining part of the team's game-day experience and earning a **Super Bowl** ring alongside the organization following its **Super Bowl LVI** championship. After performing at games together for the past two years, **Josh** was officially brought on by the team in 2026 to add his drumming to the game-day experience. Their collaborative work with the **Rams** has been a major milestone for years, bringing their world-class playing to one of professional sports' biggest stages.
Dubbed the "Battle Of Los Angeles", Sunday's matchup saw the **Rams** face off against fellow Los Angeles team the **Chargers**, with both teams calling SoFi Stadium home. **Strauss** and **Villalta** blazed through a high-powered medley featuring some of rock and military culture's most iconic anthems, including the **"Top Gun"** theme, **METALLICA**'s **"For Whom The Bell Tolls"**, **GODSMACK**'s **"Awake"**, **IRON MAIDEN**'s **"The Trooper"**, **"Danger Zone"**, **FOO FIGHTERS**' **"My Hero"** and a mashup of **QUEEN**'s **"We Will Rock You"** with **METALLICA**'s **"Sad But True"**.
The set brought together the power of rock music, the spirit of competition, and a tribute to the men and women who serve. **GODSMACK**'s **"Awake"**, in particular, has a longstanding connection to military recruitment advertising, making it a fitting addition to the "Salute To Service" celebration.
The performance also marks a special family milestone. **Strauss** and **Villalta** took the field together as new parents, with their son, **Maxwell**, attending his first **Rams** game. Having welcomed **Max** in May, the pair returned to the stadium with a new chapter of life underway, proving that becoming parents has only added another dimension to their already formidable presence onstage.
Widely regarded as one of the premier guitarists of her generation, **Strauss** has built an international career spanning solo releases, a No. 1 song at rock radio, more than 11 million streams across her solo catalog, signature instruments and products with **Ibanez**, **D'Addario**, **Levy's** and **DiMarzio**, and performances with artists including **Alice Cooper** and **Demi Lovato**, as well as **WWE**. Her seven-season tenure with the **Rams** stands as a unique and enduring part of that résumé.
**Villalta** is a drummer, artist manager, and entrepreneur known for his high-energy performances and extensive work behind the scenes in the music industry. An accomplished drummer in his own right with endorsements from **Tama**, **Vater Percussion**, **Evans** and more, **Villalta** has performed on major stages around the world and currently joins **Nita** on drums as part of the **Los Angeles Rams**' game-day entertainment at SoFi Stadium.
Aside from their usual in game performances, the pair have previously provided halftime entertainment at **Rams** games including performances of No. 1 single **"Dead Inside"** and **"Victorious"** alongside vocalist **Dorothy Martin**.
This Sunday, **Strauss** and **Villalta** brought it all together: seven seasons of rocking the **Rams**, a **Super Bowl** ring, a "Salute To Service" performance, and the chance to share the field with their son experiencing his first game.
Photo credit: **Hanna Yamamato**