VEGASinsight Archives

Lips Like Morphine play with Letters Burning and Air Raid Anthem Oct. 5 at Revolution inside the Mirage.

We know how you like it: Hard and fast. So without further adieu, here’s a preview of what’s to come in Las Vegas’ live music scene for the month of October 2008. Buckle up:

Wednesday, Oct. 1
Wasted Space: Filter at 10 p.m. $20, 21-over.

Thursday, Oct. 2
Jillian’s: Heavy Heavy Low Low, So Many Dynamos, KDT and Vannacutt at 6 p.m. $10-12, all ages.

Friday, Oct. 3
House of Blues: Mindless Self-Indulgence, Die So Fluid, Dearestazazel and I Am The Dream at 6 p.m. $17-20, all ages.
Fremont East Entertainment District: Rock the Block featuring Gogol Bordello at 6 p.m. $15-20, all ages.
Jillian’s (Hi Life): Hang Em High, Friday Night Gunfight and Indulge at 10 p.m. $10, 18-over.

Saturday, Oct. 4
Jillian’s: Guilty by Association, Battle Born, Dirty Panties, Zero Fingers and Seventy Sevens at 6 p.m. $10, all ages.
Jillian’s (Hi Life): Skorchamenza, Picture Pilot and Pigasus at 10 p.m. $10, 18-over.
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Though the band’s name was chosen somewhat ironically, National Product represents the American Dream, Version 2.0. Ever since the first days of Napster, it’s been nearly impossible to make a buck selling records. But National Product doesn’t care. These lifelong friends would rather rely on the traditional American work ethic to spread their brand of rock around the globe. We caught up with lead singer Danny Casler via telephone as his band’s van sped to their next tour stop in Atlanta.

How is your band making its way in the post-downloading music landscape?
Skis masks and assault riffles. [Laughs.] Seriously, one of the things National Product is good about is that we have really close relationships with all of our fans. We do really well in merch. Our fans are awesome in that if they come to a show and we’re sold out of all smalls and mediums, they will buy large and extra large, even if it doesn’t fit ‘em, just because they want to support the band. All the money we make off of our shows goes to pay for our gas. We never stay in hotels because there is no sense in paying $80 a night to stay in a hotel when we could stay with fans and friends. We’re always fed by them. If you’re just doing it smart then you’re not really struggling.

What does “making it” mean to you?
We love playing music and as long as we can make a living out of that and see the world like we’ve been doing—to be honest, we’ve already passed our level of where we felt like we’ve become a success. We’ve had a hit song on the radio. We’ve been to Japan, Alaska, Mexico, the full U.S, and now we’re getting ready to go to South America.

Wow, that’s inspiring.
Yeah it’s pretty cool, [but] some days we’re super down. We’re like, fuck man, being in this industry is so fucking hard. We just got back from Japan. There were a thousand kids there. They knew all the words and we sold a ridiculous amount of records out in Japan. Then you come to the U.S. and because it’s so over-saturated you almost feel like a redheaded stepchild.

How have you been able to connect with the fans?
I sit on MySpace all the time on our rides. If we got a 10-hour drive, I’m probably on MySpace eight out of 10 hours just e-mailing kids and blogging.

Tell me about your influences.
I’m the only musician in the family. What inspired me was that my parents and my grandparents were massive fans of music. My mom was big on ’80s Bon Jovi, Mötley Crüe and Richard Marx. My dad was really big on Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, the Beatles. My grandparents were really big on Frank Sinatra. My brother was massive on hip-hop and rap.

How would you describe your sound?
We have slow-tempo rock ballads all the way to your really aggressive, hardcore, in-your-face kind of track. We’ve also got the mid-tempo pop rock tracks. You’ve got five dudes in a band. They all love different things. There isn’t one general song writer. We all have our own creative ideas.

Your tour passes through Las Vegas soon. What do you think about our town?
We love Vegas. We’re close to the guys from Fletch, who are no longer a band, but The Cab and all those guys. We like to party and stuff, but I don’t know if Vegas is really our scene when it comes to all the techno, bright lights everywhere, loud music, everybody going crazy. I’ll probably play our show and hang out with friends. I’ve done Vegas already. If I’m going to do anything, I’ll probably go pay the penny slots. The trick I’ve learned to get lots of free alcohol is to go play the penny slots and then ask for triple shots because they have to give you whatever you ask for.

National Product performs at Jillian’s (450 Fremont St.) Sept. 24 with 1997.

Laco$te will get you naked. For real.

Yes, I know we’ve been absent here for a bit. But there has been movement on the back end of this site that you may not have noticed. We’re working to expand our Neighborhoods section to include venue guides, photo galleries and more, as well as hiring new talent to bring you even more news, interviews and reviews. Oh, but onto the matter at hand: Here’s some cool stuff coming up in the next few weeks you may want to check out should you be kicking it in Las Vegas. And of course, you should be.

Obamania returns to Las Vegas as Sen. Barack Obama comes to Cashman Field (650 Las Vegas Blvd. N.) at 5 p.m. tomorrow, Sept. 17. If you want to get more insight into this Presidential candidate’s campaign, click here to RSVP for the event, which is free to the public.

Artexpo Las Vegas returns to the Mandalay Bay Resort from Sept. 19 to 21. This three-day art industry tradeshow features more than 30 seminars, networking events, pavilions for photographers and emerging artists, and much more. Visit vegas.artexpos.com for more information or registration.

IndieKrush.com busts out another mind-blowing hipster soiree with “F**K PARIS?!” at Beauty Bar (517 Fremont St.) on Saturday, Sept. 27. Inside the bar, DJs Mr_Peaches, Dmndays, Grimehaus, DJess and VaJayJay rock the dirty electro, nu-rave and indie, while outside on the patio, A.I., Laco$te, The Day After…, Alta Revere, Close to Modern and Kobra Ghodsi perform live. Seriously, the $5 cover for the live music will be worth it just to see Laco$te. Trust us. The nonsense starts at 9 p.m.

War Stories performs at Revolution Lounge on Sept. 7.

In this edition of the Outlook, we’re looking ahead to shows coming up at McFadden’s Restaurant and Saloon inside the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, Revolution Lounge inside the Mirage Hotel & Casino, Rox Club (5285 Dean Martin Drive) and Jillian’s Las Vegas (450 Fremont St.).

Friday, Sept. 5

Jillian’s: Fletch, A Bird A Sparrow, Love It Or Leave It, Love You Long Time, Hang Em High and Nural at 6 p.m. $10, all ages.

Saturday, Sept. 6

Jillian’s: Rattlehead, Meltdown, 13 Miles, Blatant and The Blood Syndicate at 6 p.m. $10, all ages.
Jillian’s (Hi-Life Lounge): The Robots Guide to Living and North Swell at 10 p.m. $10, 18-over.

Sunday, Sept. 7

Revolution: War Stories and Searchlight at 10 p.m. 21-over.
Rox: Gorilla Productions Battle of the Bands featuring Nirosis, Degratia, Joshua Judges Ruth, The Offcolor, The Bronte Run, Elliot Szabo & The Group, The Krew and Par-A-Digm at 5 p.m. $10-12, 21-over.

Monday, Sept. 8

Jillian’s: Whitechapel, Through the Eyes Of The Dead, Impending Doom, A Different Breed of Killer and The Seventh Plague at 6 p.m. $13-15, all ages.

Wednesday, Sept. 10

McFadden’s: Shy Tree, The Quitters and Rufus Federation at 9 p.m. No cover, 21-over.
Jillian’s: The Rocket Summer, Phantom Planet, The Secret Handshake and The Morning Light at 6 p.m. $15, all ages.

Friday, Sept. 12

Jillian’s (Hi-Life Lounge): The Opera and Alta Revere at 10 p.m. $10, 18-over.

Saturday, Sept. 13

Jillian’s: As He Defeats, The Stript, Think, Val-Halla and When You Wake at 6 p.m. $10, all ages.

Sunday, Sept. 14

Revolution: The Dirty Hearts and Beatmo at 10 p.m. 21-over.

Wednesday, Sept. 17

McFadden’s: Vegas U2 at 9 p.m. No cover, 21-over.
Revolution: The Films at 10 p.m. 21-over.

Friday, Sept. 19

Jillian’s: Bamboo and special guests at 6 p.m. All ages.
Jillian’s (Hi-Life Lounge): The Yeller Bellies and Black Camero at 10 p.m. $10, 18-over.

Saturday, Sept. 20

Jillian’s (Hi-Life Lounge): Random Eye and Cherry Hill at 10 p.m. $10, all ages.
Rox: Gorilla Productions Battle of the Bands Finals featuring As Yet Unbroken, Mr. Mustache, This is My Curse, Slyther, The Second Chariot, Lidine, Valient Til Death, Ellemarr, Van Nuys, Civil Genocide, DarkSpade and Centaur Rodeo at 5 p.m. $10-12, 21-over.

Sunday, Sept. 21

Revolution: Audrye Sessions and What Laura Says at 10 p.m. 21-over.

Wednesday, Sept. 24

McFadden’s: Someday Broken, Lips Like Morphine, The Day After… at 9 p.m. No cover, 21-over.
Jillian’s (upstairs): National Product, 1997, Summit Grove and Almost Normal at 6 p.m. $10-12, all ages.

Friday, Sept. 26

Jillian’s (Hi-Life Lounge): Revolution A.D., Siamese Graffiti and Go Wank The Broom at 10 p.m. $10, 18-over.

Saturday, Sept. 27

Jillian’s: Lagwagon, MxPx, Only Crime and Tat at 6 p.m. $18, all ages.
Jillian’s (Hi-Life Lounge): Neon Trees at 10 p.m. $10, 18-over.

Sunday, Sept. 28

Revolution: The Modern Subject and The Idyllists at 10 p.m. 21-over.

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.

If you’ve never seen Portugal the Man, you haven’t lived.

It’s kind of frightening how much live music there is in Las Vegas. I mean, there is so much that we have to break up our round-ups into 20 different posts. OK, so maybe it’s more like two or three. Whatever. Last time, we previewed the House of Blues offerings, and this time, we peep who’s rocking the Hard Rock Hotel (4485 Paradise Road), Jillian’s (450 Fremont St.) and Revolution Lounge (The Mirage, 3400 S. Las Vegas Blvd.).

Thursday, Aug. 7
Hard Rock Hotel, The Joint: George Thorogood & The Destroyers at 8 p.m., $40 and up.

Friday, Aug. 8
Hard Rock Hotel, The Joint: Julieta Venegas at 8 p.m., $45 and up.
Hard Rock Hotel, poolside: Julian Marley at 7 p.m., $22 or free via SpyOnVegas.com.

Sunday, Aug. 10
The Mirage, Revolution Lounge: Afghan Raiders, Wallpaper with DJs Mike Attack and Aurajin at 10 p.m., $10 for men, free for women.

Tuesday, Aug. 12
Hard Rock Hotel, Wasted Space: Black Camaro, Black and the Black Crayons at 10 p.m., $10.

Friday, Aug. 15
Hard Rock Hotel, The Joint: Hall & Oates at 8 p.m., $49.50 and up.
Hard Rock Hotel, poolside: Paolo Nutini at 7 p.m., $22 or free via SpyOnVegas.com.
Jillian’s: Verbatym, Red Hot Radio, The Direct Method and When You Wake at 6 p.m., $10.

Saturday, Aug. 16
Jillian’s: Indulge, Slaves of the Son King, Sonic Sedation, Omegarilla, Version 9 and Shotgunz & Gasoline at 6 p.m., $10

Sunday, Aug. 17
The Mirage, Revolution Lounge: Love Grenades and Ian Shane Tyler at 10 p.m., $10 for men, free for women.

Saturday, Aug. 23
Jillian’s: RX Bandits, Portugal The Man, Kay Kay and His Weathered at 6 p.m., $12-14.

Sunday, Aug. 24
The Mirage, Revolution Lounge: The Scarlet Symphony and The Living Suns at 10 p.m., $10 for men, free for women.

Thursday, Aug. 28
Jillian’s: Immortal Technique, DJ G.I. Joe, Diabolic & The Circle at 6 p.m., $15-20.

Friday, Aug. 29
Hard Rock Hotel, The Joint: G. Love & Special Sauce, The John Butler Trio and Tristan Prettyman at 8 p.m., $29.50 and up.
Hard Rock Hotel, poolside: Big Bad Voodoo Daddy at 7 p.m., $22 or free via SpyOnVegas.com.
Hard Rock Hotel, AJ’s Steakhouse: Richard Cheese & Lounge Against the Machine at 11 p.m., $42 and up.

Sunday, Aug. 31
The Mirage, Revolution Lounge: The Saloon Door Slammers and Diablo Dimes at 10 p.m., $10 for men, free for women.
Hard Rock Hotel, AJ’s Steakhouse: Richard Cheese & Lounge Against the Machine at 11 p.m., $42 and up.

Hey, you, step away from that crane lever!

Via Classic Las Vegas, the R-J reports Boyd Gaming has halted construction on Echelon Place until likely 2009.

This just after news that MGM-Mirage is reportedly having difficulties with finances for CityCenter.

In other news, the streetscaping down on Casino Center Boulevard south of Charleston Boulevard in the Arts District is done. Anyone want to open a business down there to take advantage? No? Didn’t think so.

One of the freshest new art outlets to open downtown last year was the Jennifer Marie Gallery, located upstairs in the Arts Factory across from Damned Ink Studios. Owned and curated by Jennifer Harrington, the tiny space brought new names and faces from both Las Vegas and across the country to the forefront of the Vegas art scene in a variety of media, from sculpture to photography. But a few months ago, Harrington’s gallery disappeared from the space, and we can only imagine a number of others were left to wonder, as we did, “What happened?”

Henri & Odette is what happened. Harrington is not only opening a new gallery in a larger location, but she is stepping it up a few notches, expanding the focus of the new space on Sixth Street near Carson Avenue (just south of the Fremont Entertainment District) to encompass “art, style, design and life.”

“I really want this space to be more of a conceptual location, more than just a gallery, a metropolitan meeting place,” Harrington wrote via e-mail. “It is my hope that artists, writers [and] creative curious people will come down to the gallery, have a look at an international magazine or paper, see a cool show and converge somewhere other than a manufactured town setting.”

Plans for the space include a water bar, a varied selection of international magazines and, of course, cutting-edge art from up-and-coming creators. The gallery will launch with a show by the incomparable Caesar Garcia, “Language,” opening on Aug. 1 at 6 p.m. Garcia says the show “is themed with a play on words and language and what we as people use to communicate visually.”

For more information, visit www.henri-odette.com or call 702-686-3164.

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…)