VEGASinsight Archives

If you’re a member at HOB.com, then you already know this, and if you’re not, then now’s your chance to sign up and get in on the deals: Tickets to three concerts at House of Blues Las Vegas (inside the Mandalay Bay) are going two-for-one today at 10 a.m. as part of HOB.com’s weekly “2-for-Tu” promotion.

First up is The Breeders, featuring one of the elder stateswomen of indie rock, Kim “yes, from the Pixies” Deal. If you haven’t ever seen this group best known for its 1993 alternative radio hit, “Cannonball,” then you can quickly grab some indie cred by doing so, though first you may want to pick up its newest album, Mountain Battles. Tickets for the May 2 show are two for $20 — so yes, $10 a piece. That’s Huntridge Theatre prices!

For you classic rock nuts out there, the original lineup of Asia is back in action, and you can get into the “Heat of the Moment” on May 3 with a pal for $35 — yep, $17.50 a pop to witness the 25th anniversary tour of this legendary super group. (more…)

We’re back from a weekend full of sun, wind and hope, and we brought pictures. Yesterday, downtown Las Vegas saw thousands take to the (barricaded) streets, braving perilous road construction, assaults from giant children’s characters and hundreds of vicious poodles for Aid For AIDS of Nevada’s 2008 AIDS Walk Las Vegas. We don’t have the final tallies of funds raised or total walkers yet (AFAN’s site shows $368,000, but that’s online-only donations), but we do have a gallery of photos for you when you click here.

Also, if you didn’t make it to the inaugural “Hi-Fidelity” night at Beauty Bar last Tuesday featuring Trackademics and Honor Roll, well, shame on you. But at least we have a nifty gallery of pictures that can be viewed by clicking here.

Who loves ya, baby?

Hank III is going straight to hell. And taking you with him. Whenever he actually tours again. (Photo courtesy Hank3.com)

Careful readers may have caught in our preview of the House of Blues Las Vegas’ upcoming offerings, we mentioned Hank III & Assjack was coming later this spring to countrify your punk asses (specifically, May). Well, looks like as quickly as that was announced, it was unannounced: That concert, as well as any other May tour dates for the raucous son of Hank Williams, Jr. have been postponed.

Why? We’re not sure. We asked Hank III’s booking agent about it, and he just sent us the same notice posted on Hank III’s official website: “All dates that have been released by various web sites for May have been postponed. If you recently purchased tickets, consult the location where you did so for information regarding their policy. Many outlets and venues may honor those tickets when the next tour does kick off – which we hope to be very soon.”

Hold on to your hats, we guess, for more information.

If you’re a Las Vegas-based musician toiling away in an esoteric, experimental sub-genre, your time to shine may be at hand, assuming your alternative frame of mind doesn’t prevent you from meeting a deadline.

Desertscraped: New Noise from the Neon Wilderness is local author/poet/musician Jarret Keene’s latest project spawned with the help of a Cirque du Soleil Community Support Grant. The music compilation will feature “no more than eight epic tracks” compiled by Keene to showcase artists working in experimental genres such as post-rock, avant-electronic and ambient. This is Keene’s second Community Support Grant, the first of which financed last October’s “Neon Crush” spoken word event and chapbook.

“I didn’t want to repeat myself, so I formulated a musical/performance project that I felt would spotlight some of the more underground and underappreciated musicians in Las Vegas,” Keene told VEGASinsight. “I really didn’t expect to get the second grant, and I am very grateful to Cirque for the opportunity to bring some attention to artists like Albino Leviathan and Meat Over Moscow.”

Artists are invited to submit their original, unheard songs in MP3 format by May 1. Selected artists will be notified by June 1, and those who are able to replicate their compositions in a live setting will be asked to perform for a public audience to celebrate the release of Desertscraped. Interested parties should contact Keene at jarret_keene@yahoo.com.

Trackademics lives in an animated world, just like us.

There’s just not enough good hip-hop clubs in Las Vegas. No, really — we’re not talking about that Jay-Z-50 Cent-Ludacris stuff that the weak-ass DJs at the mainstream nightclubs play — we mean music that gets your ass shaking without inducing flashbacks of automatic weapons, women getting bitch-slapped or shiny gold grills.

Well, for one night a month, Beauty Bar (517 Fremont St.) is being transformed into an urban music oasis when Hi-Fidelity takes over the downtown hot spot. Hearkening back to those Hypercolored days of “House Party,” Hi-Fidelity is all about fly music and fresh looks. Featuring a different featured performer each month, the party also offers DJs Slimm, Green and Frizzle spinning soul, funk, hip-hop, lo-fi, house and other tasty styles of music, as well as drink specials, event photos and a “Your Royal Flyness” competition, with contestants competing for streetwear, featured placement on fliers and the web and, of course, respect.

The kick-off is tomorrow, Tuesday, April 15, at 10 p.m., with a performance by Trackademics and The Honor Roll. There’s no cover, and ladies showing up before 11:30 p.m. enjoy special prices on libations. The only dress code is to bring your personal style in spades.

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.

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 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!

Option 1: Picture of skinny white guys with shaggy hair. Option 2: Hot chick in band T-shirt. Yeah, that was a tough choice.

How popular are these “Say What?!” parties that Indiekrush.com and Mojorepublik.com put on? Well, let’s just say we’re really glad it appeared most attendees showered before crowding into Beauty Bar for the last installment a few weeks ago. The electro-rocking party series returns to ye olde Salon of Beauty at 517 Fremont St. on Saturday, April 19. On the outdoor stage behind the bar, check out Los Angeles disco-rockers Funeral Party, along with One Pin Short, Novelty Act and Slow Children, while inside, providing a soundtrack for your 10-minute bar wait, Nitecells, Grimehaus, ABOM, Noel and VaJayJay will rock the dirty electro, nu-rave and indie tunes.

As usual, expect live painting, both on canvas and on hot, naked bodies, a photo booth from DML photography and in a twist we fully support, a free keg on the dance floor. It all starts at 10 p.m., with $3 well drinks from 10 to 11 p.m. There’s no cover at the door, but it’ll cost you $5 to see the bands out back – unless there’s some last minute lineup change as there was with the Black Angels show, in which case, the price is subject to change.