VEGASinsight Archives

Whew kids. Is Labor Day Weekend over? Given I am back in front of my computer and not doing it up at Seattle’s Bumbershoot music and arts festival, I guess it is. But just because the big holiday weekend is over doesn’t mean that the week forthcoming is anything to sneeze at. Evidence:

Trifecta Gallery (inside the Arts Factory, 103 E. Charleston Blvd.) is hosting a preview opening for its newest exhibition, “Escape Hatch,” by Boulder City denizen Biscuit Street Preacher, on Thursday, Sept. 4 from 5 to 8 p.m. We love his work. You should too.

If independent films are more your style, perhaps you’ll want to check out a free screening of Breakfast with Hunter, a documentary about the late Hunter S. Thompson, showing at Clark County Library (1401 E. Flamingo Road) at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 4.

Friday, Sept. 5, is First Friday, of course, and while you’re downtown in the Arts District pretending to check out art, maybe you should wander over to the Commerce Street Studios for the opening of “Spiritual Geometry (the Awakening)” at MTZC (1551 S. Commerce St.) at 6 p.m. This show features collaborative and solo works of Teresa M. Williams and gallery owner Mark T. Zeilman.

On Saturday, Sept. 6, Brooklyn-based dance crew The Dynasty Rockers brings its funky, “uprock” style to the Aruba Hotel and Spa (1215 Las Vegas Blvd. S.) for a stop on its 35th anniversary tour. Things kick off with a barbeque by the pool at noon, the main event from 4 to 9 p.m. in the hotel’s Thunderbird Lounge, and then an Afro-Latino electric soul after-party from our homies in the Kilowatt crew starting at 11 p.m.

Nothing says “punk rock” like an artistic Photoshop filter.

We’re feeling a little bit electro, a little bit punk rock. If you are too, then you’ll love the hell out of the events dropping tonight, Friday, Aug. 8 in Las Vegas:

“Ink Fridays” at Ice House Lounge (650 S. Main St.) at 9 p.m. Dirk Vermin and Pussykat Tattoo Parlor present the 7th annual Tattoos and Trash art show upstairs, featuring the works of your favorite tattoo artists. Meanwhile, Agent Orange, Manic Hispanic and The Vermin will rock your balls into a sweaty fury. It’s a 21-over affair with no cover before 11 p.m. for those of you with tattoos — which, last time we checked, was all of you. $5 Jager bombs and $3 SKYY vodka drinks round out the offerings.

“Oh Snap!” at Gipsy Nightclub (4633 Paradise Road) at 11 p.m. What more do you need than Bobbi Le Pin, Know Well and other DJs spinning indie, Nu-rave, electro, disco-punk and ’80s tracks at the longest-standing gay club in Sin City? How about no cover? Giveaways? Drink specials? If you’re over 21 and like your ass to shake, you will be there.

Yo! I’m Fab 5 Freddy, and I approve this dope message.

Bored in Las Vegas and looking for something to do tonight? We’ve uncovered a few diverse options for your perusal:

“The Cool” at Ice House Lounge (650 S. Main St.) at 10 p.m. Awthentix Music and Solprintz Inc. present Yo! MTV Raps Appreciation Night — late-’80s and early-’90s hip-hop, R&B and soul music including a live band playing classic breaks from 1988 to 1995. Cover is $7 until 11 p.m., $10 after and ladies are free. 21-over.

“Untold Stories” at Las Vegas Springs Preserve (333 S. Valley View Blvd.) at 7 p.m. Sen. Richard Bryan, Dina Titus and scientist Al O’Donnell present “In The Shadow of the Bomb,” featuring untold stories from the nuclear testing era in Nevada. Tickets are $12, $10 for Springs Preserve members, $8.50 for children and free for the kids under 5.

(Photos by Erik Kabik | Retna)

Singer Perry Farrell teamed up with his former Jane’s Addiction guitarist Saturday night at the weekly “eco-charity” concert series “Bottle Rock-It” poolside at Red Rock Casino, Resort and Spa. Also joined by Farrell’s bandmate and wife, the smoking-hot Etty Lau Farrell and Satellite Party bassist Carl Restivo, Farrell followed the performance with a DJ set as “DJ Peretz.” Thanks to the always-awesome Erik Kabik, we have a big ol’ gallery of photos from the performance.

The “Bottle Rock-It” series is presented by SpyOnVegas.com through September and proceeds benefit the Las Vegas Springs Preserve. For more information, click here.

Art by John Fanok from his new show, “It’s All Going Down,” running this month at Trifecta Gallery.

I just paid my rent, so that must mean it’s almost First Friday again. Let’s take a look at some exhibits, parties and events related to July’s art festival held on July 4 from roughly 6 to 10 p.m. And remember, kids – access to Casino Center Boulevard requires a $2 admission fee. Not an optional donation. But a cover charge. OK, with that in mind, let’s roll on …

At the Fallout (Commerce Street Studios, 1551 S. Commerce St.), Joe DeCamillis features new works inspired by the structure, style and mechanics of poetry. The art will show at the Fallout through Aug. 15, and the gallery will hold an opening reception on Thursday, July 3 from 6 to 9 p.m.

Trifecta Gallery (inside the Arts Factory, 103 E. Charleston Blvd.) will hold a preview reception this Thursday as well, from 5 to 8 p.m., for John Fanok’s “manifesto of new paintings,” “It’s All Going Down,” an exploration of the current polarized political atmosphere. (more…)

Sam Rockwell, Anjelica Huston and Clark Gregg pose on the red carpet at the CineVegas Honorees Reception on Friday night. (Photos by Erik Kabik)

A stagnant heat permeated the CineVegas Honorees Reception on Friday night at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino pool, but that didn’t stop the Hollywood powerhouse honorees from getting dolled up and posing under the harsh lights of the red carpet.

In attendance were those receiving honors — Anjelica Huston (Marquee Award), Don Cheadle, Rosario Dawson, Viggo Mortensen, Sam Rockwell (Half-Life Awards) and James Caan (Vegas Icon Award) — as well as other such talents as Choke director Clark Gregg, Oscar-winning actor Robert Duvall and Iron Man actress Leslie Bibb.

With the conclusion of the CineVegas film festival — capped off with dual parties at the Palazzo pool and ghostbar in the Palms — the full list of awards for the festival’s films was announced Saturday. Major winners include She Unfolds by Day (Grand Jury Prize), Dark Streets and Your Name Here (Special Jury Awards), Año uña (Year of the Nail) (La Próxima Ola Jury Prize), Beautiful Losers (Documentary Jury Award), Hi My Name is Ryan (Special Documentary Jury Award), Lost in the Fog (Documentary Audience Award) and Visioneers (Dramatic Audience Award). (more…)

Tuesday night seems as good a night as any to shake ya ass to soul, funk, hip-hop, lo-fi and house music, so we guess it’s a good thing DJs Slimm, Green and Frizzle will be spinning all that and more tonight at Beauty Bar Las Vegas (517 Fremont St.) for the second monthly installment of Hi-Fidelity, starting at 10 p.m.

If you missed out on last month’s edition, which featured a performance by Trackademics, peep our photo gallery to work up your jealousy, and then burn it off tonight with a special performance by U-N-I. Kashluv.com will be on hand to take pictures, and there will be drink specials for the ladies from 10 – 11:30 p.m. Cover is free for those females, $5 for the dudes, and as always, there is no dress code.

Actual photo of Lismore. I know the kids are skinny these days, but come on!

New York City electronic duo Lismore headlines “Restless!” at Beauty Bar Las Vegas (517 Fremont St.) this Friday, May 9, sharing the venue’s backyard stage with PartyShank, Mother McKenzie and Ex-Dinosaur. Meanwhile, inside the bar, DJs AC Slater, Joee Irwin, MDY, Remy the Restless and Grimehaus will get your booty shaking.

It all goes down at 10 p.m. There’s no cover to drink and dance inside the bar, but it’ll cost you $5 if you want to see the bands (gas ain’t free, kids!). As usual, the indie-electro madness is brought to you by Remy the Restless and Indiekrush.com, the latter of which just launched a new blog full of all sorts of hipster cultural artifacts, including videos, photos and music samples.

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?

One of the best views in Las Vegas, now 100-percent carbon free.

N9NE Group – the dining and nightlife company behind all those clubs and restaurants at the Palms (4321 W. Flamingo Road) in which you enjoy imbibing and engaging in tomfoolery – is taking the initiative to be more environmentally responsible, as evidenced by a couple of notable events and announcements.

First, N9NE’s Moon nightclub atop the Palms’ Fantasy Tower is hosting an Earth Day fundraiser next Tuesday, April 22 at 10:30 p.m. Not only will a portion of the $20 cover charge be donated to the Nevada Conservation League, but patrons giving contributions at the donation station outside the club will receive drink tickets valid until the end of the night. Fliers for the event are being printed on Lotka paper, made from the bark of the Daphne bush, and apparently they produce flowers if planted. Seriously? Yep. How friggin’ rad is that? Every flier should be plantable! We could grow entire gardens just using the last batch of fliers left under my windshield wiper outside Beauty Bar last week.

Where were we? Oh, yeah, so on top of all that, Jack LaFleur will be spinning house music in Moon’s Satellite Bar, and body-painted dancers (are those eco-friendly paints?) will distribute 100-percent organic cotton tees from American Apparel throughout the night. (more…)