Boulton Center's female rockers tribute event channels Alanis Morissette, Joan Jett

It’s Wednesday night inside a dark, brick industrial building in Hicksville called The A Room. The sound of Heart’s classic rock anthem "Barracuda" can be heard from a rehearsal space at the end of the hall. Open the door and there’s a seven-piece band fronted by three women performing what they call a “girl band medley.”

Singer Gina Bilardi, of Huntington, rips into The Runaways' "Cherry Bomb" before sliding into The Bangles’ "Walk Like an Egyptian," featuring vocals by guitarist Rorie Kelly, of Babylon. In a flash, the chords change and singer Alex Mendes, of Long Beach, hits the mic on "We Got the Beat" by The Go-Go’s.

This is Gina B’s Women of Rock, a tribute to female icons of music ready to shake up Long Island’s music scene Nov. 20 at the Boulton Center for the Performing Arts in Bay Shore.

"We’re not a tribute band. No one is doing impersonations," Bilardi, 34, says. "I went looking for female role models with grit in their voice who were trailblazers because they were doing something no one else was."

Hear them roar

Bilardi has put together a show blending the music of women rockers from the ’60s, like Janis Joplin, through the 2000s, such as Pink. The idea came to her more than five years ago, when she began as a solo act performing the songs of Melissa Etheridge, Bonnie Tyler, Alanis Morissette, Joan Jett and Pat Benatar in Atlantic City.

"A group of women ranging from 20s to 50s approached me with inspiration on their faces. They gave me compliments that stuck with me forever," Bilardi says. "One of them said, ‘You made me feel seen.’ It inspired me to stick with the theme, strong women of rock."

But Bilardi knew she couldn’t do it alone. She needed to build a band of dedicated players who were on board emotionally and mentally.

"We are not just playing music for music’s sake. This is something that is meant to touch people. There’s an idea of empowerment behind this and I really needed band members who understand that," Bilardi says. "I want to wake the audience up and get them to feel something."

Three distinct voices

To start, Bilardi aimed to share the lead singer spotlight  by featuring two other voices to offer the audience variety.

"I wanted us all to have some individuality. But together we’d create our own example of different rock singers," Bilardi says. "I have a lot of grit and a pop punk thing going on. Alex is a pop-rock diva and Rorie is an indie singer-songstress. We all have our own gift, which is brought to the front line."

Kelly, 41, appreciates Bilardi splitting up the duties.

"There are no egos involved because we are swapping the vocals around," she says. "When the three of us sing in harmony, it’s really delicious. It’s something that not many bands have."

Mendes, 34, adds, "This isn’t just a concert, it’s a theatrical experience that serves as a love letter to these women who changed music. We are not trying to impersonate these icons but rather channel that rebellious energy and really honor them."

The show features a set list of songs by notable artists like Blondie, Tina Turner, Gwen Stefani and Patti Smith, but that’s not all. Bilardi constructed a theatrical production that incorporates video images, sound clips, props and banter emphasizing individuality and authenticity for women in a music genre that tends to focus on men.

"When people think of rock, they typically envision dudes with guitars doing this very aggressive testosterone-driven thing. Often women don’t get thought of," Kelly says. "There’s just this weird gender perception that people don’t expect a woman to get onstage and deliver rock music. I think Gina is really challenging that stereotype."

The band's 'golden boy'

The band is rounded out with Tina Lau, of New Hyde Park, on drums; Josephine ReyMartin, 55, of Cold Spring Harbor, on keyboard; Melanie Ellerkamp, 52, of Middle Island, on bass; plus the sole male member, Michael Khan, 53, of St. James, on guitar.

"I come from a household of all women with my wife, two daughters and even my dog is a female," Khan says. "I’m surrounded by female energy all the time. It’s not a big deal for me."

A high point is getting to put wigs and female props on Khan during live shows.

"Mike is our golden boy," Ellerkamp says. "It’s fun to dress him up."

ReyMartin adds, "I feel bad for Mike. The poor guy is surrounded by females here and at home."

Local support

Meanwhile back at rehearsal, Bilardi and Mendes exchange lines on Pink’s "Sober" face to face like sisters in rock 'n' roll. They perform as if they are headlining the Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater on a hot summer night. Then Kelly delivers a rendition of Stevie Nicks’ "Rhiannon" from Fleetwood Mac with sheer grace.

"This should be a national tour because the show is empowering women and honoring female icons throughout the history of music, which is something that’s not being done," show producer JD Sarantakos of JD’s Productions from West Islip says. "These ladies make the songs more engaging and powerful, plus their harmonies are just flawless."