Florence and The Machine

Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine has certainly enjoyed a whirlwind of success in her early career. Florence gained quick recognition on the 2008 festival circuit from fans and critics alike, even catching the BBC's eye at SXSW, consequently landing a spot BBC Introducing in September 2008. Florence was even nominated for the 2009 Mercury Music Prize, an honorary award for new UK artists, before the release of her debut album Lungs. As a fan, I too was just as eager to praise her name, "Dare I say, watch out Tori Amos, I believe Florence and the Machine is bound to take your throne..." @dotshiva 11Jun2009

On April 18, 2010 I got my first chance to see Florence and the Machine live at Coachella, however due to the massive crowd with the same idea and me being vertically challenged, I never actually saw her. Needless to say, when I found out she would stop in Las Vegas between her 2012 Coachella shows, I knew this was my best chance to finally be satisfied. Florence's popularity again won, completely selling out the show weeks in advance. Bless my lucky stars, somehow the heavens aligned and granted my wish to see Florence and the Machine.
Entering the stage just as angelically as I could have imagined, draped in a heavy, almost royal robe, Florence slowly broke the silence with her radiating voice. As she sang, Florence moved with such emotion and energy, it was as if she was singing and acting out each verse to the gods watching above us. During What the Water Gave Me, she threw off her dark cape to reveal a stunning silver sequined gown that shimmered gold in the light.

Florence continued through her incredible performance standing tall and as brilliant as an Emmy. Backed by an equally talented backup singer, harp player, and five other band members, the music perfectly reflected her voice's grace and intensity. The setlist and performance of songs was like floating on ocean waves; peaceful, beautiful, mixed with both ferocity and a soothing calm.
Keeping a lighthearted attitude alive after performing emotional songs was the key to her hold on the audience. Before playing Rabbit Heart, Florence encouraged all men to raise it up, "Put your girl on your shoulders and raise her up!" She also encouraged everyone to start jumping in sync to start Dog Days Are Over. Whether she got the crowd going or held us hypnotized in her voice, Florence and the Machine knocked her audience dead with exquisitely poetic song and dance.

Near the last song, Florence gazed over the audience to view the neon glow of the Las Vegas strip beyond and exclaimed, "This is definitely the most beautiful place we've ever played!" She laughed and continued, "Vegas is the best place for a nervous breakdown... it's amazing; so beautiful... You should go there!" I can only hope this means she will be back sooner rather than later. Florence and the Machine truly put on a world class performance that those in attendance will not soon forget.

VIDEO coming soon!

SETLIST: Only If For A Night, What the Water Gave Me, Cosmic Love, Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up), Breaking Down, Heartlines, Leave My Body, Lover to Lover, Shake It Out, Dog Days Are Over, Never Let Me Go
Encore: You've Got the Love, No Light, No Light

Skrillex with Bare, Flinch, Sluggo and Presto One

Perhaps the most anticipated parties to kick off the summer right was Skrillex at Crown Nightclub. It could be said that Skrillex is enjoying the best year ever, experiencing a huge surge in popularity and demand, after being signed to mau5trap and touring with Deadmau5 in 2010. Thanks to crews like Frequnecy, Las Vegas' underground electro scene is starting to regrow and beginning to pull in some of the best electronic artists worldwide. This event which also included Bare, Flinch, Sluggo, Presto One, and Scotty Boy, did not disappoint as it nearly sold out the venue.
Scotty Boy and Presto One warmed up the crowd before midnight, mixing it up between pop and dubstep beats. Setting the vibe, the party didn't start to get wild until Sluggo began hitting the bass cannon for minutes at a time. As the crowd moved away from the bars onto the floor, the energy in the room swelled as the killer beats just kept coming one after another. As a tease of things to come, Skrillex came out onstage to announce Flinch, doing a quick little mix with him before exiting.

Flinch only continued to build on the energy Sluggo had started, making an effort to only hit those bass beats harder. Songs bleed from one into another, as minutes faded away seemingly unnoticed by the tranced out crowd. Within no time, Skrillex came out treating the audience to a new song he had written earlier that day in his hotel room. Within just a few minutes of introducing himself with My Name is Skrillex, the dancefloor was solid and moved as one. Inflatable monkeys, palm trees, and other pool toys danced their way across the sea of hands in the air.

His popularity with fans shined through when he played Kill Everybody, dropping the beat perfectly for the audience to sing along with. Loving every second of his set, Skrillex was jamming and slamming on his equipment, creating super hard dirty beats. While playing Scary Monster and Nice Sprites, he held a loud tone and announced, "I'm gonna make some monster sounds for you guys, cause I like making monster sounds!" lifted up his midi controller and continued to dump screeching sounds.

Not only was he a genius with live beats, Skrillex knew how to hype the party; taking time away from his booth, walking out into the crowd to take pictures, asking guys to put their ladies on their shoulders, even jumping out to crowdsurf, it was perfect. Everything about his show, from the sickest beats to unforgettable moments, everyone in the house was left danced out and mind-blown. Skrillex humbly left the stage giving the audience a heartfelt speech, "I'm here because of you guys man, seriously. Without you there isn't me, I swear to god. I'm just a normal boy making music, because I love music!"

After a last minute cancellation of his performance at Skream, to wrap up the evening last up was Bare. Not holding back or simply playing ambient/trance, Bare did a great job keeping the energy high following Skrillex. Mixing his heavy bass dubstep, Bare kept the floor packed until nearly 4 am, many fans only leaving due to pure exhaustion.

I have nothing but great things to say about this show. It has truly restored my faith in the Las Vegas underground electronic scene. If fans keep turning out in high numbers to these parties, we will only see the international and breakout artists continue to make a stop here. This summer alone, Las Vegas has the privilege of hosting Electronic Daisy Carnival, The Matinee Festival, and The Love Festival. The little raver in me that I thought died in the early 2000s with liquid dancing is coming back with force and I love it!

The Dan Band with 51FIFTY

As part of their Monday Night Rocks concert series, Crown Nightclub inside the Rio welcomed The Dan Band, giving away most tickets free of charge. I caught their last Las Vegas show at The House of Blues in August 2010 and was quickly reminded of how fun their live performance is. I gathered a group of friends, we all printed free tickets and headed out to spend the evening rockin' out with The Dan Band.

When we arrived, there was a DJ spinning retro pop songs that continued for nearly an hour. While it was fun to dance to everything from Jackson 5 to Tone Loc, this continued for nearly an hour. Everyone awkwardly stood, at times dancing, but mostly just staring at the drum-kit raised in the middle of an otherwise empty stage. As there was no opening act listed on the ticket, the crowd was surprised when local artists 51FIFTY took the stage.
51FIFTY is a DJ/drummer combo group made up of DJ Presto One and drummer Dustin J, accompanied by a female go-go dancer. While Presto spins a mix of top 40, hip-hop, electro, and rock, Dustin J rocks out on his drums, keeping the beat strong through every song. This live banging drums to a DJ mixed beat was highly dynamic, felt and sounded great live. I found the majority of the audience intensely focused on the drummer's high energy and mad skills, such a sight it was hard to look away.

Even though 51Fifty played an hour set, it felt like twenty minutes compared to another long wait full of retro pop mash-ups. As the restless began to rampantly spread through the crowd, the intro videos for The Dan Band began playing just before midnight. Following the same show format as what I saw on Still Hungover Tour, Dan and his sidekicks ran through several dance routines to many classic songs. Adding their own comedic touch to each song, Dan continuously joked with the audience, never leaving a dull moment.

At the close of their set, Dan jokingly announced, due to a "contractual obligation" we are coming back out for an encore, then back out again! True to their word, they returned after their on-point Single Ladies cover (completely choreographed with the Beyonce video behind them) for a double encore.

The Dan Band put on an entertaining show, full of memorable moments and comical improv conversations with the audience. It was unfortunate that the show ran so late on a Monday evening, as I am sure most were not able to stay through the final encore. Otherwise, this was another top notch performance by The Dan Band.

If you are not aware of, or are interested in seeing The Dan Band the next time they stop in Las Vegas, please visit their website.

Setlist included: Free Your Mind (En Vogue), Fernando (ABBA) Ring My Bell (Anita Ward), Hold On(Wilson Phillips), Nasty (Janet Jackson), Lady (Styx), Shoop (Salt N' Pepper), Tyrone (Erykah Badu), Whenever Wherever/Hips Don't Lie (Shakira Mix), Genie In A Bottle/No Scrubs/Slave 4 U (Christina, TLC, Britney), Don't Cha/My Humps/Milkshake (Pussycat Dolls, Black Eyed Peas, Kelis), Total Eclipse of the Heart (Bonnie Tyler), Single Ladies (Beyonce).

PubStep with SKREAM

To make one of the best party nights of the year even better, this St. Patrick's Day Frequency and Crown Nightclub treated guests to Pubstep featuring Skream. If you are unfamiliar, Skream is a producer hailing from the UK that has created thousands of beats and is credited for helping not only define, but also expand the dubstep genre.

The pure excitement for this event was described best by Frequency "This March we're bringing all the debauchery back, at a bigger club with an even bigger headliner....we've wanted to bring him out for years, and finally we have an opportunity. Proudly making his first Vegas appearance... SKREAM!"
Prior to Skream taking the stage, Hot Pink Delorean, Terravita, Metaphase, Rize and Quiet warmed up the crowd. This party was a slow burner, as the dancefloor remained sparse until Terravita started blasting the bass. Hot Pink Delorean continued to bump the hard beats, both doing their job getting the crowd to their boiling point right as Skream took to stage.

Skream handled the dancefloor like a master, melting from one song into another through his expansive collection. As the dance frenzy reached it's peak, the stage was again swarmed with people and several emcees were on the mic. Just like all the producers before, the emcees cheapened the beats and killed the flow for me.

Although the DJs made great beats all evening, the emcees constantly crowded the stage and muddied the beats with their rhymes. Now don't get me wrong, I have seen many emcees freestyle over a hard dubstep beat and rock the crowd harder than the music alone could; however, that was not the case this evening.

Overall this booze soaked party was a great time that continued all night. This perhaps being the only chance I may get to see Skream, I continuously danced along in rhythm with a smile on my face. I do hope the emcees start to drop off as a trend, as I would not like to see a similar situation at many of the upcoming parties.

Vegas StrEATS Festival

Although skipping the RedBull SoundClash afterparty with The Glitch Mob at Studio 54 was tough to pass up, I was already too much looking forward to reppin' Las Vegas' first Vegas StrEATS Festival. This free event was held downtown in the El Cortez Promenade, featuring several local food trucks (Slidin' Thru, Fukuburger, Sloppi Jo's, Tasty Bunz, Cheese Steak, Curbside Cafe, Island Breeze, Snow Ono Shave Ice), live art demonstrations, many local vendors, drink specials, and a band lineup put forth by Neon Reverb.
From the SoundClash, we brought four new friends from the UK along with us for the ride of a true downtown Vegas experience. After a few drinks, more new friends, and a birthday celebration inside a bar at The El Cortez, we headed outside to an equally enthusiastic crowd. The entire promenade was full of socializing people, food trucks, tents, and a stage capping the area. After hanging out for a bit, dancing, and talking with a few familiar faces, we headed down Fremont.

Not only was the El Cortez area a buzz with music and crowds, so was the entire Fremont Strip and under The Experience. We watched The Experience show right at midnight, which wowed and confused our British friends, stopped in a few casinos, and just went with the flow. On our way back to the Vegas StrEats Festival we stopped in the equally packed Griffin and Beauty Bar. For a moment we were greeted by a man dressed in a full bunny costume out front, and I laugh now because only in Vegas would this not seem weird at all until the next day looking back.
After returning to the festival area, many were still in line for the delicious street food, as the trucks and event staff were running low on supplies and energy. By contrast, the alcohol fueled bodies that walked around downtown were fully charged and the party continued into the early hours. It was such a pleasure to see downtown Las Vegas buzzing with people, locals mixing with tourists, and a memorable evening that downtown is all about. Fellow locals, Las Vegas is stepping up our culture, be sure to get out there and support your local scene!

Red Bull Soundclash - CeeLo Green vs The Ting Tings

Making a happy decision, RedBull chose Las Vegas as one of the cities to help kick off the 2011 spring break season with a bang. The RedBull SoundClash is a special concert series featuring two artists with different styles, playing on opposing stages, competing back and fourth for a total of 5 rounds. This event born in 2009 has seen many great performances across the country, tonight under a neon lit sky, Las Vegas welcomed CeeLo Green vs The Ting Tings.
"Epic contest for musical supremacy ... will push them to the limits of their musical creativity"

This one time event was a steal at only $10 a ticket and was stiff competition to all other events that evening. Outside across from the beaming Luxor on a beautiful Las Vegas evening, six thousand fans arrived to watch the battle between CeeLo Green and The Ting Tings. This was a well planned event hosted by LaLa Anthony and live DJ Mick Boogie, there were many activities, redbull infused cocktails, and within an hour fans were buzzing with more than just excitement.

Since this event was different than most concerts, having each band play back and forth, reviewing it as two separate artists/performances is difficult. So let me begin by stating that both CeeLo and The Tings put on unique and high-energy acts round after round. I believe the best way to approach sharing the experience of this concert will be achieved by breaking it down round by round.
Round 1 - Warmup: Each artist completes three songs. CeeLo kicked off the show first with Lady Killer, Brіght Lights, аnd Crazy. Backed by his highly attractive all female band, CeeLo and the ladies kept it going strong, but were held back by a bad sound mix all evening. The Ting Tings answered back with ferocity playing Keep Yουr Head, Hit Mе Down Sonny (a new song), аnd an intense version of Shut Up аnd Lеt Mе Gο in which Katie killed a bass drum.


Round 2 - Cover (DJ drops track - Band covers track): After LaLa introduced the round, Mick Boogie began playing Should I Stay or Should I Go by The Clash, meaning both bands would take a turn covering this song. Just a few moments later, CeeLo kicked it off with a rock and roll style cover and the Tings wrapped it up with a indie-pop version, both doing great on the fly.

Round 3 - TakeOver (One artist starts - The other finishes): Similar to the cover round, this time one band starts one of their songs, the other covers the remainder of the opposing artists' song. The Ting Tings selected Be The One and Fruit Machine to pass over to CeeLo.
Round 4 - SoundClash (DJ drops track - In style): Each band had to play one of their songs in the DJ Mick Boogie selected style, reggae, an excellent choice I must add. This was perhaps CeeLo's strongest moment, where despite the audio problems, his voice jived well with the groves of his band and got the sea of fans dancing. The Ting Tings successfully converted their heavily electronic Great DJ and pulled off a smooth/slow version of We Walk in full reggae style.

Round 5 - WildCard: During this final round, each band welcomed a special guest to help them rock the house and close their performance. CeeLo once again reunited his original crew, Goodie MOB, closing his show with Get Rich to This to a pleased audience. The Ting Tings took a lighter approach, getting an Elvis impersonator to roughly join in on their hit That's Not my Name.

For a special encore, CeeLo welcomed the Tings on his stage and together they performed CeeLo's chart topper Fuck You. A mix of the incredible music we had all just experienced and the roughly four redbulls we had each consumed at this point, fans cleared out slowly. Many of us stayed creating several dance circles to the continued DJ mix and made many new friends in the crowd. This event truly was "Epic" as advertised by RedBull and confirmed by the fans in attendance.

Sneak Peak: Celine Dion's Return to Las Vegas

A New Day, Dion's first engagement at The Colosseum in Caesars Palace ran March 2003 through December 2007 and was seen by 3 million people. This show, produced by Franco Dragone (Cirque du Soleil), backed Celine's incredible voice with stunning artistic displays and was a huge success for everyone involved. Needless to say, both Caesars Palace and Celine Dion were ecstatic to reunite for a new 3 year, roughly 210 show engagement.
By happenstance I found myself invited to attend a special preview of her new show entitled Celine before it's premiere on March 15th, 2011. This performance was a real treat as we got to see every number they rehearsed, whether it would make each night's cut or not. As the lights went down, a short video was shown that encapsulated her time away from Las Vegas, in which she completed two albums, a world tour, and gave birth to twin sons just last year. This intimate look into Celine's life and love of her family was a touching theme that ran throughout the show.

A striking contrast to acrobatics and artists, Dion's show took a more simplistic and iconic approach. This was realized by stage design that included modular lit platforms, starry skies, moving screens, delicate backdrops and a beautifully lit stage that spilled across The Colosseum walls captivating an entire audience of 4,000. With each new song or set change, I continuously found myself more and more impressed not only visually, but by her voice that rang clear as a bell against the harmony of a 31 piece live orchestra.

Celine perfectly sang each song, which included her most popular hits, a few silver-screen surprises, and a touching french song that brought her to tears. Celine and her orchestra performed a variety of music, sampling from many of her favorite artists including Carole King, Billy Joel, Journey, The Beatles, and even gave a touching tribute to Michael Jackson. Fans were astounded by the show, as song after song, through the burst of applause I heard the audience buzz with "Wow," "I love this song," and an occasional "We love you Celine!"

For any Celine Dion fan, this show is an absolute must see. For all others, seeing is believing. I found the spectacle alone impressive enough to understand why Celine sells out nearly every 4,000 seat show. To purchase tickets or get more information about Celine, please visit the official website.

311 with RNR

It seems just like yesterday that for the first time Las Vegas hosted the annual 311 day, back in 2010. Although I was not fortunate enough to snag a ticket in the few minutes before they sold out, 311 once again showed Las Vegas love by kicking off their spring tour at The Joint. Despite being fan since the release of their 1995 "Blue Album," I was still a virgin to seeing 311's live show. Needless to say, with 15 years for my imagination to run wild, I was beyond excited to see this show.

Opening was Las Vegas' own hip-hop groove band 702. This massive eight piece band consists of a highly technical guitarist, intense bass, keys, and drums, all feeding the beat to four emcees. Their songs ranged from groovy beats to loud rock, channeling several styles, from Jurassic Five to Rage Against the Machine. RNR was highly dynamic, captivating the audience and getting the crowd spun like they were the main act. I was truly impressed by everything they brought to the Joint, and it's been a while since I could say that about a homegrown band. Truly innovative and sure to go somewhere, be sure to do your part, show some Vegas love and take a moment to give RNR a listen.
Before 311 took the stage, fans began rushing down to the floor and "three-eleven" chants began breaking out of the over-anxious crowd. 311 started off hard, wasting no time whipping the fans into a frenzy. Nick Hexum addressed the thousands of cheering fans, "What's up Vegas! Welcome to the first show of 2011. Thanks for comin' out. Let's get loose and have some fun; what do ya say?" 311 definitely brought the fun, playing mostly songs from their back catalog, fans sang along and danced through a groovy two-hour performance. Despite throwing a rather plain show relying only on house lighting, this allowed Hexum's ambient voice and the music to shine even stronger through. I was thoroughly impressed with 311's incredible performance and hope to catch many more in the future. The next day, 311 posted on their facebook, "Thanks Vegas!! Great fun was had by all." 311 also gave fans a link to their incredible setlist, which consisted of many old tracks and rarities that surely please everyone in the house. Fortunately I captured several of these rare moments on video. [Notably Part II: A wicked drum circle with all members on drums following Applied Science, Part III: Eons, and Part IV: Mindspin]

Videos:
Part I - RNR, 311: Intro / Sick Tight, Beautiful Disaster
Part II - 311: Welcome, Mixed Up, Applied Science (entirety)
Part III - 311: Eons, Omaha Stylee, and Down.
Part IV - 311 Encore: Mindspin and Feels Good

HeartBreakerz

As a follow up to their hugely successful Bass Gravy party, hyperaudio and awol productions held Heartbreakerz, the anti-valentine's day party at Daddy Mac's. This all night dance party featured DJs Freshmode Kore, Wambat, Ryan Donova, Lea Luna, Jayrod, Rize, and Quiet.

Daddy Mac's is a small bar & grill that often hosts live music in the evenings, but since hyperaudio and awol started throwing parties here, it has become something else entirely. When an electro party is in the house, the lights are dimmed low, bass rattles the walls, and the crowd is full young girls dancing with glowsticks and led lights. All these truly beautiful sights and sounds are something I have not seen since the early days of awol, over a decade ago.

Each DJ spun for over an hour, each one keeping it fresh with their own sound/style, some had emcees, and Lea Luna even hopped on the mic during her set. Although this party was not banging hard enough for people to start smashing glasses (like Bass Gravy), the beats were steady and kept the people dancing into the early morning hours.

More important than this one event, I must give a shout to Chad and everyone at awol productions for helping bring back the underground electronic scene to Las Vegas. The void of this type of music and parties over the last ten years has been felt by many, leaving us forced to drive to Los Angeles to get our fix. But now Las Vegas can look forward to fresh new parties on the regular with hot and international DJs. I must also add that to see the klub kids in attendance restores my faith in the Las Vegas electro scene, something I feared was dead never to return.

awol's official video:

Badfish: A Tribute to Sublime & Scotty Don't

Returning for their fourth year in a row, always rocking the House of Blues the Saturday before the big game, Badfish: A Tribute to Sublime. Opening of course was Scotty Don't, (the actual band behind Badfish) and although you'd think these guys would tire after a few hours on-stage, you'd be wrong. Playing solid through the evening as opener, headliner, and encore, Scotty Don't always puts on a high energy show "and good good vibes just keep on playin, playin." This concert has become a tradition for many of us Las Vegans and is always sure to be a great time and a full house.
Scotty Don't wasted no time picking up the beat and getting the audience down on the floor and dancing. Based on the singing and highly enthusiastic crowd, it appears that all these years traveling as a Sublime tribute band, has allowed them to develop their own style and fanbase. I could argue that no band deserves it more, not only for their dedication and perseverance, but for their ability to put on a great performance filled with solos, jam-outs, and beer-throwing without fail.
After Scotty Don't tore it up for nearly an hour, the band was back within thirty to play over two hours of Sublime's best. Picking it back up with an increased momentum, the band jammed-out fan favorites, one right into another. Setlist included: Get Low, We're Only Gonna Die For Our Arrogance, Badfish, Doin' Time, Wrong Way, New Thrash, Seed, Waiting for My Ruca, Scarlet Begonias, Garden Grove, Ebin, Caress Me Down, 5446 That's My Number, Smoke 2 Joints, 40 oz. to Freedom, Don't Push, April 26, 1992, Rivers of Babylon, Date Rape, Santeria, and What I Got. Many songs were sang along word for word by hundreds of fans, hands waived and clapped, while everyone danced.
My crew and I had such a blast at Badfish, we took it to the next level, leaving hysterical pictures to be found on our phones the next day. Although our memories remain a bit fuzzy, this yearly night with Scotty Don't and Badfish is something we look forward to all year. Even after having to the privilege to see the original Sublime with Rome in July 2010, many agree that Badfish stands tall right along side them.

Badfish never disappoints! Check out my review from February 2010 or just go check them out yourselves http://www.badfish.com/

Somnium Productions: A Night of Short Films TAKE TWO

At 7:30pm, Kathleen Shin and Sean Jackson, founders of Somnium Productions, were introduced and welcomed nearly a full audience. Sean stated, “Just the fact that we are here with you all, another big crowd, after our first attempt... alot of people put alot of time and effort into the movies we are gonna see tonight; again we just have to see some of the best film-making, acting, creative community here in Las Vegas out there.” The premiere of these films on December 21st, “Take One” was rough around the edges with many technical difficulties. With the help of RAVE and their crew, Somnium Productions was able to turn it all around with a great showing the films deserved.

The first of the short film of the evening was "Cunning Linguist" A half baked bank robbery is attempted by a group of misfit numskulls, who instead find nothing but trouble at every turn. Filmed all around town, the crew got kicked out of Las Vegas Academy twice and even got permits to carry around and shoot replica guns. Director Mitch Ebert mentioned, “This means alot to me... started making the film two years ago.” In many aspects, the time and effort put in shined through in the writing, acting, and camera work, but it could have used more substance. While at first I found myself amused, I began to lose interest as character patterns began repeating themselves. [ Rating: C- ]

The story behind the next film, "Bubblegum & Broken Fingers" was inspired by and shot on location in Nelson, Nevada. Written and directed by Sean Jackson, with Danish as director of photography, the script, framing, and actor selection were all top notch. Humbly, Sean noted "Film-making is the most collaborative artist thing anyone can do, and I relied on the help of so many people..." Sean made several bold choices with Bubblegum, including German dialogue, a mute character, and closed the movie silent, backed only by nine solid minutes of John Lee Hooker and Johnny Cash. Although these radical decisions can make or break an entire project, this film just got better with each minute and wrapped up beautifully. Initially I was intrigued by the title, but now that I understand the meaning to "Bubblegum and Broken Fingers." I'm enthralled. [ Rating: A ]

Introducing the movie the majority of the audience came to see, Sean proudly announced, "Let me tell you... If you are at all easily offended, if you do not like racial jokes, if you are sensitive in any way, get out right now." "Sweet Ninja Brown" is about Leon Brown, who finally decides what he wants to be when he grows up, a black ninja. After a sweet montage, fitting back story, and hilarious circumstances of rival gangs, Leon quickly finds himself a wanted ninja. This film was a blend of modern day urban comedy and 70s kung-fu blacksplotation. Dynamic characters each perfectly fit their roll, deliver quick punchlines, all with great camera angles. All costumes, weapons, and props were all made from scratch and the choreography, completed by Steve 'Beef Brocolli' Chong , took eight months to complete. The dedication that went into Sweet Ninja Brown was clearly apparent, it reflected well on screen, and often had the viewers bursting in laughter. [ Rating: B+]

Be sure to keep an eye out for Somnium Productions, as they still continue to create films here in Las Vegas, and help expand the community's interest and industry in film-making. Sean Jackson is planning to follow up "Bubblegum and Broken Fingers" with a second act "Hand Job" (which was cast this week), and a third act "Exchange," hopefully ready to premiere by July 30th. I am also happy to report that on February 2nd, Sweet Ninja Brown won the "Award of Merit" at the Best Shorts Competition Film Festival in California. I certainly look forward to what Somnium Productions has to offer, because Take Two was a knockout!

Credits:

* "Cunning Linguist" (Written by Mitch Ebert & Chris “Danish” Andersen [Gorilla Suit Productions], Directed by Mitch Ebert)
* "Bubblegum & Broken Fingers" (Written and Directed by Sean Jackson)
* "Sweet Ninja Brown" (Written by Sean Jackson, Directed by Alberto Triana)

Originally published on Stardust Fallout 03 February 2011

A Celebration of Life: Benefit for Debbie Flores-Narvaez

Crown Nightclub in association with The Artisan and Shade Tree held a benefit Wednesday, January 26th to celebrate the life of slain Fantasy dancer Debbie Flores-Narvaez. This somber event was put together not only to remember Debbie, but to also raise awareness of domestic violence and raise money for her family and others affected by these types of violent crimes. Las Vegas came out in full force to honor one of their own dancers, showing their support by each dedicating a short performance for the benefit.
Donating their entire facility free of charge for this event, Crown tried to keep the mood positive with upbeat music and go-go dancers, while displaying pictures of Debbie on the big screens around the club. While family and friends socialized, pre-show entertainment included a artistic body painting, acrobatics dancers hanging from from the ceiling, dancers and ballerinas. At nearly 1:30am, a heartfelt message from Debbie’s sister was read aloud, amazed by the tremendous support and thanking everyone for their generosity.
The rest of the event was then packed with dance groups, singers, acrobatics, impersonators, musicians, and several Las Vegas show acts. [Serious Effect, Flying Dreams, Saleemah Knight, Airmis, Sideswipe, Crazy Horse, Thunder from Down Under, Matt Guerrero, Lorena & Ray John, Cassie & Sonya, Jenny Romas, Rene & Tessa, Vegas the Show, Heartbreakrz Krew, J.J. Villar, and her fellow cast of Fantasy] The amount of time and love that was put into so many acts truly shined through, only ruined by an often inappropriate MC.
Las Vegas, the performers and crew that make each night happen, those just like Debbie, united to make this benefit happen and remember a dear friend. Although brought out under unfortunate circumstances, it just goes to show how much one life can affect so many people, and how Las Vegas is more than the city of sin, but a family to so many.

If you would like to donate or learn more about those who made this benefit possible, please visit: http://www.debbiebenefit.com/index.html

Originally published on Stardust Fallout 10 February 2011

BlackDiamondSkye Tour: Alice in Chains, Deftones, and Mastodon

Back in April, I was given the choice to throw a birthday bash or buy tickets to the Alice in Chains, Deftones, and Mastodon on their BlackDiamondSkye Tour. [Actually a combination of the latest album from each band: Black Gives Way to Blue (AIC), Diamond Eyes (D), and Crack the Skye (M)] This intimate one month tour was a real treat for long time fans, Las Vegas happened to be the thirteenth and final stop. Without hesitation I chose the concert. As I was fortunate enough to purchase tickets on the pre-sale before they sold out, my punishment was the excruciating six month wait. AIC is easily on of my top ten bands, I love Deftones style, and Mastodon always puts on a great show; I knew this would be an epic show.
Although I don’t believe Mastodon has reached the level of success they deserve, every regular metal concert goer has seen them at least once. Mastodon typically opens for large rock concerts putting on high energy performances with true metal attitude, style, and shredding guitar solos. Tonight was no exception, only they were backed by two large screens projecting gritty video clips, great audio and lighting. Mastodon definitely warmed up the crowd with their headbanging music, playing a full setlist, and taking a moment to thank the fellow bands and their crew for making this tour happen.

During the short break, it became apparent that many of the audience were diehard Deftones fans, especially when the chanting started. Who can blame them though, in 2008 their bassist (Chi Cheng) was in a severe car accident that he has yet to recovered from. Although Chi has not been forgotten, many of us were simply grateful to have the chance to see Deftones live.
Deftones wasted no time catapulting into their set, taking fans back by hammering out a couple of old school classics, reminding many of us why we love their music. Chino was jumping and screaming across the stage, stirring the crowd into a frenzy, crowd-surfing and a pseudo-mosh pits errupted before security stifled them. Deftones rounded out a particularly well received set with tracks from Diamond Eyes and their self-titled album. Even after the crowd was totally rocked by Mastodon and Deftones, an incredible finale by Alice in Chains was still to come.
Alice in Chains teased the audience by wrapping the stage in a white sheet, keeping their setup hidden until showtime. When instruments began humming, colored lights and the tour logo were shown onto the sheet, suddenly dropping to reveal an elaborate two level stage covered in screens. Alice in Chains started off strong with many fan favorites from Dirt. Their sound was rich, full, and new singer William DuVall was the perfect choice for vocals, doing respect to former Layne Staley. Jerry Cantrell played beautiful solos with seemingly little effort, and DuVall joined in on acoustic guitar for a few songs. AIC choose a wonderful selection of songs from their incredible catalog, even returning to an underwhelming crowd to complete a three song encore.

The BlackDiamondSkye Tour was really like three shows in one, each band had the energy, skills, and fan base to have each headlined their own show. As this was the last stop on the tour, 4,000 fans were treated to a sentimental and over four hour concert with Alice in Chains, Deftones, and Mastodon. Due to my deep love for these bands, I will admit I was hesitant of the new band members, however both impressed me and did a fantastic job. This show was everything I wanted and more, quite possibly the best one of 2010.

Setlists:
Mastodon: Naked Burn, Divinations, Oblivion, Crystal Skull, Colony of Birchmen, The Czar, Megalodon, and Blood Thunder.
Deftones: Rocket Skates, Around the Fur, Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away), My Own Summer (Shove It), Diamond Eyes, You’ve Seen the Butcher, Sextape, Passenger, Change (In the House of Flies), Birthmark, Engine No. 9, and 7Words.
Alice In Chains: Them Bones, Dam That River, Rain When I Die, Again, Check my Brain, Your Decision, No Excuses, Love Hate Love, We Die Young, Acid Bubble, Lesson Learned, It Ain't Like That, and Rooster. Encore: Nutshell, Man in the Box, Would?

Neon Reverb #5

Las Vegas’ local organization, Neon Reverb successfully threw their 5th annual Neon Reverb Festival this weekend at several venues downtown and in the UNLV area. This non-profit community driven team is dedicated to help promote local artists and musicians through events, most notably their semi-annual festivals. Improved from last year’s festivities, Neon Reverb was backed by some big and local sponsors, helping make this massive 100+ artist 5 day extravaganza. Although though organization and timeliness were still issues, the more support we give Neon Reverb, the more we can expect to see in the future. For more information, check out Stardust Fallout

Friday, September 17, 2010 - Fremont St. - Downtown Las Vegas

The Entrance Band [Beauty Bar] – A big favorite of this festival, this psychedelic rock band did not fall short, taking the crowd to another level. The female bassist was heavily into it, twisting her body and smacking the bass intensely. The intense drumming was lightly covered by a melodic guitar and vocals. The Entrance Band lived up to their hype, however I think a few others outshined their performance.

Sweethead [Beauty Bar] – Lead by a sexy blonde that gave the audience quite a show, Sweethead is a 5pc L.A. band of ‘rockstars.’ Each had a distinct image and talent. The guitar player often switched from his guitar and to a keyboard in the same song. Of all the performances I had seen, this was the only band to add any lights/visuals. (fog machine and green laser) Sweethead’s heavy rock sound is well written and executed, I think they are ready for bigger things.

Casxio [Beauty Bar] – From the moment I heard Casxio's sound I fell in love. Their music was like classic disco/funk mixed to a crunchy beat, all live and on the fly. Not only was it a mix of the old and new dance music, but each of the four members were able to harmonize together while each playing their own intricate beat. Producing a voluminous sound carried by popping basslines and high male vocals I was dancing in no time. I’m thinking Ratatat meets Jamiroquai.

Tinglerz [LV Country Saloon] – A great follow-up to 400 Blows, Tinglerz had a similar punk rock energy, only more reminiscent of early Green Day. Both guitar and bass player were both very talented and active on stage. The bassist once jumped so high, he fell flat on the stage but didn't miss a beat. The Tingler put on a great display of pure punk rock.

Mini Mansions [Beauty Bar] – This band impressed me by how multi-talented each musician was. Full piano was also vocals, drummer played snappy drum beats up front and center also doing vocals, while the bass player held it down. Their unique contributions created an indie rock that was something I hadn't really heard before.

400 Blows [LV Country Saloon] – It's rare these days to see pure punk rock energy of truly jumping around stage and barriers, but this band had the spirit more than any other. The lead singer sported all black, gloves too, and silver aviators. As he screamed and truly gave it his all, the bassist and guitarist were doing equal damage to their instruments. High energy, loud volume, great show.

Imagine Dragons [Beauty Bar] – A local favorite that formed seemingly overnight and has been exploding in popularity with similar speed. I first saw them here at The Beauty Bar when they were just 3 months new and the audience included their moms. Being impressed then, Imagine Dragons has only seem to get better and better each time. The lead singer always entertains the ladies and puts on a fun show, this time breaking the mic stand during the first song. Time will tell if Las Vegas will love Imagine Dragon’s indie pop rock even more than the Killers.

Pigasus [LV Country Saloon] – Simply put, without Lynard Skynard, Pigasus could not exist. Pigasus nailed it with their good ol’ fashioned true American rock and roll. This 5pc rockband was exploding with talent, energy, and rock rhythm. Disappointingly the audience barely applauded their performance, even after the drummer destroyed his drum set on the last song. The bass player exclaimed, "C'mon! He destroyed his set?" C’mon Las Vegas, show some love for your scene!

Dude City [LV Country Saloon] – Unfortunately I think Dude City was a victim of bad timing. I walked in to find him alone onstage to an equally empty bar. He was a very talented acoustic rock singer, but with only a handful of us in the bar the room was quite uneasy. On Friday, the LV Country Saloon failed to get the numbers that the other clubs did, causing many bands to fall victim to an empty room.

The Webb Brothers [Beauty Bar] –The Webb Brothers had everyone's attention playing a quick pop beat with multiple vocals, filling the venue with sound. Their indie psychedelic pop reminded me of Panic! but better. I would like to see them again after some more fine tuning, I hope they return soon.

Taylor Locke & The Roughs [Beauty Bar] – Very talented 5pc band, many of whom already had recorded solo albums and projects. Their sound was melodic indie rock that was composed and completed with thoughtful lyrics. Although the crowd was sparse at the time, I believe Taylor Locke's sound would appeal to many.


Thursday, September 16, 2010 - Fremont St. - Downtown Las Vegas

LeTRAS [Beauty Bar] – A Latino influenced three piece indie band, headed by a female lead vocalist/guitarist. It was easy to hear their latin influence not only lyrically but composition as well. I think their music bridges a gap between mainstream and latino artists, they have great potential.

The Mad Caps [LV Country Saloon] – Put on a great high energy show. Just a drummer and guitarist/ vocalist produced incredible energy and true rock n roll feeling. Their music was rooted in the early rock beginnings with a fresh punk edge. I hope to hear and see more of The Mad Caps, they've really got something.

Close to Modern [Beauty Bar] – This four piece pop-rock band from Los Angeles played several toe-tapping songs and had a good sized crowd dancing. Although Close to Modern follows the typical pop-rock format, there was something new about their sound. I think with a little more experience, their music could really catch on.

The Growlers [LV Country Saloon] – Great surf rock band consisting of six members, pulling off an equally large sound. The lead singer was an interesting contrast to their music, there was something dark about his lyrics and voice as he would swoon across the stage. Not only was their music fun, they were able to get everyone out of their seats and dancing. One of my favorite performances.

Neon Venus [Beauty Bar] – I was immediately drawn into the music of Neon Venus. They played pop industrial rock headed by a sultry female vocalist. She slinked around the stage, crawled on equipment and the floor, provided both sweet vocals and loud screams, a perfect match to the bands deep driving sound.

Parlor Hawk [The Griffin] – A young classic folk band from Utah that due to circumstances fell short and had no choice but to leave behind two band members and a microphone. Playing an intimate set their music was melodic carried by Simon and Garfunkel styled harmonized vocals. Members shared instruments but keept a positive attitude throughout and put on a good show.

 Check out the full line-up here

Primus

This Saturday night, The Joint at the Hard Rock hosted a special midnight show, Primus. A generous friend of ours had one extra ticket to the show, but for the rest of us the envy started to sink in. Since most of us had never seen Primus, we decided to take a trip to the venue and buy any tickets available. It was a good thing we did, because when all eight of us arrived at 11:30, the show was sold out.
Primus came out to an elaborately decorated stage, on either side of the drums there were two giant spacemen with constant flashing images projected on their helmets. Les Claypool was wearing a suit, tall Lincoln style top hat, and bold round glasses, making himself look like an eight-foot tall ringleader. I knew immediately we were in for a one of a kind performance. Sure enough, after opening with Pudding Time, Primus did an incredible cover of Pink Floyd’s In The Flesh from The Wall. Primus already had the audience in a frenzy, cheering, dancing, and rocking out.
It was great to see Primus perform as a three piece, with Les Claypool, Larry Lalonde (guitar) and Jay Lane (drums). Even when Les would trail off into an experimental bass solo, the guitar and drums were equally as loud and creative; their music flowed together instinctively. The immense rhythms moved through your body and rattled your bones. Primus seemed to just go with the flow, playing random tracks, doing stylish covers, just jammed out playing; Duchess and the Proverbial Mind Spread, Behind My Camel (The Police cover), Groundhog's Day, Those Damned Blue Collar, Mr. Knowitall, Big in Japan (Tom Waits cover), and Over The Falls.
Not only did Les make his mad bass playing skills look easy, the sounds he was able to create were like nothing I had ever heard. The audience just stared in amazement when he came onstage with a monkey mask and played these deep, dark, grinding tones with his Whamola (single string stand-up bass). Just watching Les Claypool alone was an incredible show of unique instruments and sounds. Primus banged out the rest of their set with Eleven, Frizzle Fry, My Name Is Mud, Southbound Pachyderm, and an extended version of Tommy The Cat.
Fans chanted “Primus sucks! Primus sucks!” until they returned to the stage for an encore. Primus gave all they had left with Over the Electric Grapevine and Too Many Puppies. The whole crowd took this last oppotunity to dance, get crazy in the pit, and even crowd surf. Primus had managed to take all 4,000 fans on an incredible two hour journey through their music, visuals, and truly unique experience.

Primus was an incredible show and even many veteran fans were gushing about it is one of the best shows they have ever seen. The Hard Rock exploded with thousands of people at 3 a.m., some waited in the garage for an hour to leave, others stayed and partied till dawn. The upside to sticking around after a concert in Las Vegas, a couple hours later a few of our friends got the chance to have a drink with Les Claypool himself. Thank you Primus, it really doesn’t get any better than that!

Be sure to check out a behind the scenes look at Primus in Las Vegas.

Sublime with Rome and The Dirty Heads

The return of Sublime to the stage, is an amazing feat in itself. Since the death of Bradley, I don't think either the band nor it's fans ever expected Sublime to recover. Rumors have been flourishing for years that Sublime would again return to the stage, but until that day came, I was a strict non-believer. Well, today is that day, Sublime with Rome, The Dirty Heads, and Del Mar are putting on a sold out show at Mandalay Beach.

Due to severe lack of planning, it was already the day of show and we needed four tickets. Typical of most desirable concerts in Las Vegas, a large percentage of "sold" tickets were in the hands of scalpers, who were asking triple face value per ticket. Since I refuse to support these scum, I hung around the Mandalay Bay Box Office for hours until finally at 6pm, more tickets were released for sale. Stressed and down to the wire, none of that mattered now, we were going to Sublime!

Although we missed the special performance by Matisyahu at 2pm, we arrived just in time to catch a few songs from Del Mar. The Beach already looked heavily occupied, we grabbed a spot in the sand while we had the chance, and people filled in all around us. The reggae/ska music, warm breeze, and the feeling of sand on your hands and feet was just right. Everyone was chilling, drinking, and passing joints as time seemed to melt away.
The Dirty Heads surprised me with their record quality live performance. Each member, including Rome on guitar, played clean, cool grooves and put on a relaxed show. I even more impressed withe The Dirty Heads when they closed with a truly unique version of The Rolling Stone's Paint it Black. If you weren't in front of the stage getting your skank on, then you were holding down the blanket, drawing pictures in the sand. It was a perfect evening for beautiful music and beautiful people. The only thing killing the vibe was the 30+ minute drink lines and the seemingly endless influx of people, walking all around you.

By the time Sublime hit the stage, the audience was already bursting with anticipation. We were a sea of anxious fans, who had been waiting for a Sublime show for over a decade. Sublime with Rome played an incredible two hour setlist: Date Rape, Smoke Two Joints, April 26th 1992, Get Ready, Seed, Jailhouse, Ebin, Garden Grove, Let's Go Get Stoned, Right Back, Dont Push, STP, Greatest Hits, Badfish, Let's Go Get Stoned, Panic, 40oz. to Freedom, Doin' Time, and Wrong Way. Sublime even had enough energy left for a bittersweet encore: Scarlet Begonias, What I Got, and Santeria.
Rome was full of energy and I thought he really did justice to the legacy Bradley left behind. The band flowed together naturally, songs easily transitioned into one another, recognizing every guitar riff and singing along as one. Every spot at Mandalay Beach was great, whether you stood back in the sand, up front in the water, or to the side in either pool. I heard many fans exclaim that the “aqua pit” was by far one of the most awesome and unique experiences they had ever had.

The vibe was so incredible and the feel of the elements all around really made it feel like a private beach party with Sublime. Everyone left the venue smiling ear to ear and just raving about how impressed they were with Rome. If you are a Sublime fan, I would suggest traveling to a show near you. This opportunity to see Sublime with Rome and The Dirty Heads should not be missed by anyone.