VEGASinsight Archives

Feeling the pinch of the impending deadline for filing your 2007 tax return? Adam Carmer, owner of Freakin’ Frog and the forthcoming Adam’s Ribs, wants to help take off the edge a bit — with free beer and barbecue tomorrow, Tuesday, April 15, starting at noon at the Frog (4700 Maryland Parkway).

“Freakin’ Frog can’t do anything about income taxes,” Carmer says, “but we can do something to soften the blow: a free beer to cry into when you realize just how big a chunk the government took out of your paycheck.”

Those taking advantage of the Tax Day freebies are also getting a sampling of the offerings from Adam’s Ribs, which is slated to finally open this month, more than a year after Carmer took over the former Moose’s Beach House location. The always-confident restaurateur and UNLV professor boasts Adam’s Ribs’ offerings are “the best barbecue in town.” We shall see …

Finally, Daughtry finds its place in the entertainment industry: As LOVE’s new clowns. (Photo by Ana Dobrijevic)

Hey, remember we told you about that acoustic set that Grammy-nominated (ugh, really?) pop-rock band Daughtry is playing tonight at The Beatles Revolution Lounge inside the Mirage?

Well, for you Daughtry fans out there (and apparently, there are, somehow, many of you), you may be interested to know that North Carolina’s finest dropped by the 7 p.m. performance of The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil before their scheduled performance to benefit the ONE Campaign. And, of course, like every celebrity but never us, Chris Daughtry and the boys went backstage after the show to meet the cast and crew.

Note the buff chick in the top of that picture: That’s Alevtyna Titarenko, one of Las Vegas Weekly‘s “Most Beautiful People.” We have to hand it to the Weekly — its shallow popularity contest posturing actually featured some pretty cool finalists, including artist Caesar Garcia, Love Pentagon drummer Courtney Carroll, sideshow hottie Lady Diabla, turntable queen Bree Delano and MMA fighter Gina Carano. And yes, we’re totally biased in listing those names.

Wow. Men are from Mars!

You know, you have to love a gallery that is all about kick-ass rock ‘n’ roll. A few months ago, Symbolic Gallery (4631 S. Dean Martin Dr., Suite 100) unveiled its collection of rock photography by Robert M Knight. And on Friday, May 2, legendary photographer Mick Rock brings his visual documents of glam and punk rock to owner Bernie Chase’s veritable shrine to pop culture.

Rock got his start as the official photographer for a then-unknown David Bowie in the early 1970s, moving on to shoot some of that decade’s greats — Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, Queen, The Sex Pistols, Blondie and more. In recent years, Rock’s lens has captured modern faces such as Michael Stipe, The Strokes and Foo Fighters.

After kicking off with the invite-only reception on May 2, the exhibit will be open to the public Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. until June 15. All of Rock’s work — as well as Symbolic’s vast memorabilia collection — will be available for purchase. Talk to your loan officer now.

Oh, if only we were old enough to woo you back in the ’80s, Exene!!

There’s always so much going on at the House of Blues, were we to tackle all these shows in their own individual posts, well, those HOB bastards had best be paying out bills! So instead, we’re going to run down the latest calendar for the House of Blues Las Vegas inside Mandalay Bay and give you VEGASinsight’s fully biased take on the upcoming offerings.

First up is X with Skybombers this Saturday, April 12. All we have to say is: See X before you (or more likely, they) die. This is true Los Angeles punk, period.

Let’s see … Ratt on April 17? Um, no need to go “Round and Round” on that one … Thrice, Circa Survive and Pelican take the stage on April 18 — if you’re wearing thick black eyeliner or can’t read this because your bangs are in your face, we recommend this show. (more…)

Judy Mowatt and Barrington Levy might be older, but they’ll school you in the Rasta ways like nobody’s business!

You smell that, Las Vegas? No, of course you don’t — like us, you’re all stuffed up from the damn pollen blowing around out there. But if you could, you’d smell summer right around the corner, and that means only one thing: No, not death by heat stroke. We’re talking Reggae in the Desert, baby!

That’s right — for the seventh year, the best music of Jamaica takes temporary residence at the Clark County Government Center Amphitheater, this year on June 14 at 2 p.m. The 2008 version of this annual tradition features such island music legends as Barrington Levy, Judy Mowatt, Wailing Souls, The Might Diamonds, Michael Black and the Jah Guide Band and DJ Ramma.

Tickets for the show are $20 in advance at Ticketmaster outlets and go on sale today, or $25 at the door. Food, beverages, beer and retail vendors will be available on site, but attendees are welcome to bring blankets for lawn seating and an unopened bottle of water. Because it gets hot out there, y’all — though judging by the 57-degree temps outside right now, you’d never think it was coming.

When you get high, all fonts display like it’s still the 1970s.

It’s no big surprise that there will be marijuana-themed events held on Sunday, April 20. It’s no surprise that one of the places holding such an event is Beauty Bar (517 Fremont St.), where we’re pretty sure its patrons are typically high on plenty of things other than, and including, pot. But we’re mildly surprised that the CineVegas Film Festival is showing it’s true color — green — by bringing a free screening of Super High Me to Beauty Bar’s backyard at 10 p.m. that night.

Yes, on 4/20, so long as you are 21 and over, you too can enjoy free popcorn and not free cocktails while you watch stand-up comedian Doug Benson getting super high for 30 days while on the road. Oh, and it has something to do with exploring marijuana legislation or something, man.

Check this out: If you want to “roll” your own screening of Super High Me, you can totally do it for free by visiting the movie’s website and following some simply instructions. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

Nick Thune thought it would be funny to have himself photographed smoking a pipe in front of fabric. We hope his stand-up is much better.

I know we’re usually so serious around here, reporting on stuff like art and charity and film and … Soulja Boy’s tour getting canceled … so here at VEGASinsight, we figured it was time to lighten up and have a few laughs. Thankfully, local comic Bryan Bruner and journalist/comedy junkie Julie Seabaugh have teamed up to bring the bimonthly “Fear and Laughing in Las Vegas” to The Canyon Club inside the Four Queens (202 Fremont St.).

The hilarity kicks off this Saturday, April 12, with headliner Nick Thune and featured comic Brandon Muller, with Bruner hosting, at 9 p.m. Seattle native and Los Angeles resident Thune has appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Comedy Central and is working with ABC in developing a sitcom.

Tickets are $15 in advance via Ticketmaster or $20 at the door the night of show. Look for some magic dragon high-jinks the following week when “Fear and Laughing” hosts “ExtravaGANJA: A Medical Marijuana Event” on April 19. Looks like “ExtravaGANJA” is canceled, according to publicists for the show. Damn potheads.

Photo by Liz Fuentes | Courtesy UNLV Library Special Collections

They might be good poets, but they’re terrible promoters. Hence why, a mere six or so hours before the event, we’re just now telling you about “Under the Influence,” a poetry reading fiesta held tonight (April 9) at the Jewel Box Theater inside the Clark County Library (1401 E. Flamingo Road) at 7 p.m.

The annual event is being held in honor of National Poetry Month, and features three authors with new books out from Las Vegas-based publisher Zeitgeist Press: Zeitgeist founder Bruce Isaacson, New York professor Marc Pietrzykowski and local freelancer writer/one-man poetry movement Jarret Keene.

If you go, let us know how it went. We do have commenting capabilities up in here, you know!

Oh, look, more stuff for Andrew Kiraly to burn!

Oh, sure, new and used bookstores are closing around the Las Vegas Valley even as a new Borders megastore is opening — with less actual books than your average Borders location. But does this mean the used bookstore has gone the way of the mid-1970s casino in Sin City? Not if Myrna and Lou Donato have anything to say about it.

Their store, Amber Unicorn Books, opened just last week at 2101 S. Decatur Blvd. #14, next to Trader Joe’s at the corner of O’Bannon Drive. The tall, library-like shelves are mostly empty still, but already the selection is promising, and the prices are reasonable. It might be a while before the strip mall’s new occupant allures with that sweet aroma of musky book pages, but we’re told the owners still have 300 to 400 boxes to unpack of their initial 15-ton literary booty.

If you’re a Trader Joe’s regular (and why wouldn’t you be?), Amber Unicorn is offering 10 percent off with your receipt from the alt-grocer during its grand opening celebration, just one more incentive to get your behind over there soon. The store is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. For more information, call 702-648-9303.

When you spend all your millions on tattoos, there is no money left for things like shirts.

Fancy yourself a rock star, do ya? It’s OK, so do the Tattooed Millionaires, who we’re pretty sure are tattooed but not millionaires. Still, the Los Angeles-based glam rock band — yes, we said “glam rock” — is performing at Rox (5285 Dean Martin Dr.) on Saturday, April 26, and Sarah B. Downey of the Covet agency is looking for a few good bands to join them.

Downey is holding an open call for potential opening bands, for what she expects to be a “showcase of the best Las Vegas has to offer.” If you think your band rates, contact Downey at 702-274-8884. Now. Go do it!