BLVDS Aug/Sept 2012 "Music & Entertainment by BLVDS LV

MAKING LAS VEGAS HOME

C O M M U N I T Y + C U LT U R E + D E S I G N + F L AVO R

FEATU R E D ARTI ST

OCTOBER 6 & 7, 2012

BOULDER CITY, NEVADA

50 th ANNUAL ART IN THE PARK

Robert A. Fleming, booth # 179

9am to 5pm / Hundreds of Fine Art, Fine Craft & Traditional Craft Artists / FREE Admission! / Benefiting Boulder City Hospital For more information, maps and directions, please visit: www.artinthepark.org or call: 702-293-0214

MAGAZINE

Family Doctors of Boulder City

2012-2013 Season Single Tickets Go on Sale August 15th! October 20

January 12

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Thanks to the support of loyal donors, the Las Vegas Philharmonic is now the third largest arts organization in the state and six-time recipient of the Best Performing Arts Group award, and has grown into a nationally recognized orchestra that is known for its artistic innovation and excellence.

To order your subscription for the 2012-2013 season, call the box office at 702.749.2000 or visit the website at lvphil.org.

Wells Fargo is proud to support Las Vegas Philharmonic.

helped make the dream of a world-class performing arts center a reality. As a

Revitalizing Las Vegas one performance timewith a projected performances will continue to infuse ourat locala economy

catalyst of the economic revitalization of Las Vegas, The Smith Center project — from groundbreaking to completion — has created thousands of jobs. Future $29 million annually. Bank of America is proud to be a member of the community of funders that Bank of America is proud to be a member of the community of funders that helped make the dream of a world-class performing arts center a reality. As a helped make the dream of a world-class performing arts center a reality. As a catalyst of the economic revitalization of Las Vegas, The Smith Center project — catalyst of the economic revitalization of Las Vegas, The Smith Center project — from groundbreaking to completion — has created thousands of jobs. Future from groundbreaking to completion — has created thousands of jobs. Future performances will continue to infuse our local economy with a projected performances will continue to infuse our local economy with a projected $29 million annually. $29 million annually.

Juan Mendez is one of the 2,600 people from Clark County employed by The Smith Center Juan Mendez is one of the 2,600 people from development project. Clark County employed by The Smith Center development project.

10 Judy Alberti Entertainment exec packs ‘em in with musical acts and an annual toy drive

what’s inside ISSUE 33: MUSIC + ENTERTAINMENT

12 Ryan Pardey Local musician muses on creatively coming of age alongside Las Vegas

14 Fall A&E Preview Enjoy a taste of some of the exciting experiences on the cultural menu this fall

18 Fans With a Plan Learn about the Savar brothers’ ideas for building community while investing in local talent

Design 40 At Home with Warwick Stone Restaurant-as-rock-repository pioneer has created a refuge of calm at home

44 The Magic Maker When magicians need some magic aides, Chris Barnes turns ideas into reality

20 Girls Rock Vegas

45 Five Musical Apps

Heather Rampton’s nonprofit helps girls build confidence through music

46 Sound Masters of LV

Culture 26 Dusty Sunshine If you don’t know these genre-defying indie folk musicians, you will soon

28 Jewish Repertory Theatre This new professional company is an exciting addition to the local theatrical landscape

30 Light Forge Studios Filmmaking brothers Jerry and Mike Thompson gain fans with silly and sincere story telling

33 Child Prodigy Despite her vast talent, Emily Richardson refuses the “wunderkind” label

36 Upcoming Events

Music at the touch of a thumb Talbot Snow turned a passion for sound into a successful recording studio

Community

On the Cover

Flavor 50 Bar + Bistro Featuring eclectic cuisine with a Latin flavor, this hotspot also has extensive options for vegetarians and vegans

Dusty Sunshine cools it down for photographer Corlene Byrd

52 Must Haves 54 Casa di Amore

Specializing in classic Italian cuisine, this old school charmer bills itself as “Vegas the way it used to be”

56 IMHO Clint Holmes The resident entertainer writes about the legacy of originality

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BLVDS Las Vegas MUSIC + ENTERTAINMENT 5

Letter from the editor

Indeed, on any given weekend in Las Vegas there is a real problem of choosing which events to make and which events to miss. It’s a good problem to have for a city coming into its own and besides bemoaning the conundrum of deciding which stories will make it into the issue and which stories will not, I am not complaining. We took an all-inclusive shotgun approach with our lead feature in the community section via a fall preview which includes offerings from Nevada Ballet Theatre, The Las Vegas Philharmonic, Henderson Symphony Orchestra, The Rainbow Youth Company Theatre and more. Taking a very handson approach to community building in the independent arts and music scenes are Evan and Hal Savar. These brothers bring together dozens of performers and hundreds of patrons every week at different venues across the valley at events called 1 Crazy Happy Hour.

Rounding out our Community department for this issue is a story on the impactful local nonprofit Girls Rock Vegas. Though it was a tough choice to make among many solid area musical acts, Dusty Sunshine made the cut (and the cover) as this issue’s featured band with an outstanding six-piece line up playing a unique take on indie-folk and Americana. And speaking of Vegas originals, UNLV grads Mike and Jerry Thompson make inspiring short and feature films at Light Forge Studios, while Talbot Snow records and produces for priests, Christian rappers and adult entertainers at Sound Masters LV. This issue’s IMHO guest writer is Clint Holmes. He loves this city and has a great respect for the entertainers that put it on the map but knows that if a new crop is to arise, the city’s venues will have to give them a shot under the spotlight. Finally I would like to announce that I will be moving out of the spotlight here at BLVDS as its managing editor. I have enjoyed a great year at the helm of a publication which I have no problem boasting has just about the most heart of any I have worked for in this wonderfully strange and amazing city. I have no doubt BLVDS will continue to be a great community magazine, championing all the inspired people and ideas that make Las Vegas a place worth calling home. Thank you, Hektor David Esparza

Copyright 2012 by BLVDS, Inc., all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written permission from BLVDS, Inc. Every effort was made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication, however, BLVDS, Inc. assumes no responsibility for errors, changes or omissions. BLVDS, Inc. accepts editorial and photography submissions. Send all submissions to: editor@blvdslv.com.

6 MUSIC + ENTERTAINMENT BLVDS Las Vegas

MAKING LAS VEGAS HOME

Jan Craddock President & Publisher Sherri Kaplan COO & Co-Publisher Pat Marvel Consulting Editor Hektor D. Esparza Managing Editor Victoria Hart Creative Director Greg Warden Senior Photographer

Editorial Board

Brian Paco Alvarez Durette Candito Lisa Chasteen Shelly Cochran Chris Cutler Audrie Dodge Kendall Hardin Nancy Higgins LuAnn Kutch Dawn LaBonte Rob McCoy Jillian Plaster Jason Roth Kimberly Maxson-Rushton Karen Rubel Rick Sellers Eric Strain Kimberly Trueba

Contributing Writers Jack Chappell Chris Cutler Joshua Ellis Amey Esparza Christina Gibson Clint Holmes Jarret Keene Valerie Miller Jillian Plaster Eric Schellhorn

Scan with your smart phone using a QR Code reader app >

Entertainment in Las Vegas is a big subject to take on. Just the live music aspect, with its many hyperdisparate styles and scenes, is enough to make this editor’s head spin. Factor in theatre, film and the reemergence of performance art, and it’s clear there is too much to cover in one issue.

Contributing Photographers Spencer Burton Nathan Douglas Don Parnall Checko Salgado Logan Pochatko Greg Warden Girls Rock Vegas HL Film Works Jewish Repertory Theatre Las Vegas Philharmonic Light Forge Studios Nevada Ballet Theatre Nevada School of the Arts Studiowestphotography.com

BLVDS fans follow us! email : editor@blvdslv.com call : 702.386.6065 see : blvdslv.com like : facebook.com/blvdslv follow : twitter.com/blvdslv mail : 241 W. Charleston Blvd., #173

Las Vegas, NV 89102

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community people + places IN THIS SECTION 10 Judy Alberti Entertainment exec packs ‘em in with musical acts and an annual toy drive

12 Ryan Pardey Local musician muses on creatively coming of age alongside Las Vegas

14 Fall A&E Preview Enjoy a taste of some of the exciting experiences on the cultural menu this fall

18 Fans With a Plan Learn about the Savar brothers’ ideas for building community while investing in local talent

20 Girls Rock Vegas Heather Rampton’s nonprofit helps girls build confidence through music

< “Walk in the Park” painting by Paula Livingston on view at TastySpace in Emergency Arts, tastyspacelv.com.

people + places COMMUNITY 10

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Entertaining Las Vegas Photograph by Logan Pochatko

Judy Alberti was studying engineering at the University of Wyoming when she realized something wasn’t quite right. Deciding a drastic change was in order she enrolled at UNLV, and a few years later she graduated with a communications degree. She found the energy of the local entertainment industry irresistible and decided to make Southern Nevada home. Alberti learned that the city she fell in love with was also the most competitive entertainment market in the country. It’s become even more competitive in the last decade as several casinos have enhanced their properties with large amphitheaters. As vice president of entertainment for Station Casinos, Alberti is responsible for booking venues ranging from a few dozen guests in small pubs to 11,000 in the Red Rock Amphitheater. She says the larger venues pose the most challenges. There are relatively few performers available that can sell out concert halls of this size and the venues are in competition with each other to secure the biggest acts. But Alberti cautions against thinking Red Rock Casino is losing this fight. In fact, this venue, as well as other offStrip casinos, have seen stronger ticket sales lately, especially to locals. While competing for big names may seem to be enough of a challenge, Alberti is not just responsible for the booking of a handful of shows and venues per month, she is responsible for 29 stages capable of collectively showing to 30,000 people. Jazz, hiphop, country, Irish, calypso, or punk? Acoustic or electric, alternative or mainstream? Despite a broad range of musical genres and diverse audience demographics, Alberti has demonstrated a knack for bringing the right performers to their best-suited venues with ticket prices within reach of their fans. One aspect of her job Alberti truly enjoys is helping developing artists. Michael Grimm began performing at Hank’s Steakhouse inside Green Valley Ranch and went on to win America’s Got Talent 2010. He is now playing at much larger venues nationwide. Another local band, Loophole, plays original light-rock tunes at Green Valley Ranch once a month while plotting its next steps up the music industry ladder. Each year, Alberti oversees Station Casinos’ partnership with KWNR radio station, Star Nursery and other local organizations and entertainers to host “Toys for Tickets.” This charitable enterprise she created collects toys in exchange for free concert tickets. Donated toys are provided to local children through Children’s Advocacy Alliance. The program started small but has grown to now collect nearly 3,000 toys each year. blvdslv.com

Alberti makes a focused effort to see that the concerts are special experiences for the contributors by helping to secure the most sought-after performers. The Band Perry, Sara Evans and even Toby Keith have performed as part of this toy drive, delivering great returns to the audiences and the children.

What would you like to see in the near future for the local music industry? I would like to see more opportunities for the development of new artists.

Who are some of your favorite performers and which were the most memorable concerts? I really love Waylon Jennings. We were able to have him at Texas Station twice before he passed away.

Which bands would you put together for a dream line-up, a super show? It would be impossible. It could never happen but I would say Gypsy Kings opening for Bob Seger with Toby Keith as the headliner.

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JUDY ALBERTI

MUSIC + ENTERTAINMENT

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Ryan Pardey

Waiting for His Defining Moment Photograph by Spencer Burton

Musician and local scene mainstay Ryan Pardey sees himself as part of a unique generation of Las Vegas residents that have come of age at the same time the city did. “We were kids when the population was 250,000 back in the early ‘80s and got to see it change into what it is now, a city of over 2 million.” Pardey and his peers were fortunate to have had an influence on the cultural landscape. “We really got to be part of how this city developed, many of us did.” Indeed, he and his fellow Las Vegas Academy of International Studies, Visual and Performing Arts grads made waves locally and on the national scene since leaving the performing arts school in the late ‘90s. In his senior year there Pardey played the lead role of preacher C. C. Showers in a production of The Diviners. The cast included actors Matthew Gray Gubler (Criminal Minds), Baron Vaughn (Fairly Legal) and Rutina Wesley (True Blood). Later, while serving as owner-operator of the late ‘90s, early ‘00s cultural hub, Café Espresso Roma, near UNLV, he produced intimate concerts pairing national touring bands with emerging Vegas groups. His work there helped find a local and then national audience for The Killers, one of Vegas’ biggest music success stories to date.

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His own band, Halloween Town, has a devoted local following, and Pardey’s stamp of approval on other acts carries weight in the music scene. Halloween Town’s debut album, Zafra Ct., is named for the street in Las Vegas on which he lived from 1980 to 2008 with his family. His father, Rod Herm Pardey, and brother, Rod J. Pardey, are accomplished professional poker players. Big brother Rod is also a singer/ songwriter. While entertainment and gambling are usually relegated to minor roles in a city, in Las Vegas and in the Pardey family, they occupy center stage. To Ryan Pardey, the city leaves a noticeable, if not easily defined mark on the kinds of creative people it produces. They are sophisticated, yet humble. They know how to be professional and also when not to take themselves too seriously. They can appreciate an over-the-top production show or a modest concert at an intimate venue. His own favorite music venues include The Royal House where he has booked numerous concerts in the recent past and Downtown stages like the performance area set up for the Beauty Bar in the alley behind the establishment. “I like playing there, with the right audience at the right time . . . The noise of the city, sirens and all, mixing with the music and resonating between these buildings. Could you be anymore connected? ”

What’s a surprising fact some of your friends and fans may not know about you? I worked the lost and found room at Electric Daisy Carnival. I was able to get about ten iPhones back to their owners. I’m fascinated by all the festivals. I wanted to see what that one was about but couldn’t afford a ticket.

If you could do whatever you wanted what would your life look like? First I would get a boat and a crew and we would sail around the world. And then we would rebuild Las Vegas. I would build my dream coffee shop and dream music venue.

What do you see for your future in music? I’m not sure what I am going to get into next. I guess I’m still looking for the work that is going to define me.

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Fall A&E Preview By Hektor D. Esparza and Jarret Keene

With So Many Cultural Offerings, Now is the Time to Take in Some of Vegas’ Best of the Performing Arts Leader of the Pack: The Ellie Greenwich Musical More than any other woman songwriter (with the exception of maybe Carole King), Ellie Greenwich left an indelible mark on ’60s American pop music. The energetic songs she penned—“Be My Baby,” “Da Doo Ron Ron,”—are deathless, and her life is tunefully immortalized in this acclaimed Broadway jukebox-musical biography. The story centers on a teenage Greenwich living in Brooklyn. Over time, she forms a doo-wop trio, succeeds as a hitmaker, wins and loses love, and ultimately perseveres. A remarkably intimate and epic look into the life of an artist. Bring a blanket/chair and a picnic dinner to the general-admission seating in the grass. 6 p.m., Sept. 6-8, 13-15, 20-22, $12, unlvtickets.com -J.K.

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Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers – An Evening of Bluegrass and Comedy Sure, we all know Steve Martin as the legendary stand-up comedian and Hollywood funnyman. But did you know he’s also a gifted banjo-picker? He and his band earned a Grammy nomination for their No. 1 bluegrass album, last year’s Rare Bird Alert. This is no flash-in-thepan praise, as Martin and Co. have toured extensively, playing everything from the New Orleans’ Jazzfest to the Newport Folk Festival while winning “Entertainer of the Year” at the 2011 International Bluegrass Association Awards. On the heels of this triumph, Martin and his Rangers arrive at the Smith Center to tickle your funnybone and satisfy your bluegrass cravings. 7:30 p.m., Aug. 22, $26-$99, Reynolds Hall, thesmithcenter.com -J.K.

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Parker Quartet This Grammy Award-winning ensemble, which The New York Times hailed as “extraordinary,” arrives in Las Vegas to satisfy lovers of classical music. Despite their youth (late 20s), the musicians— violinists Daniel Chong and Karen Kim, violist Jessica Bodner and cellist KeeHyun Kim—perform at a level of mastery typically reserved for seasoned veterans. And some of the music you can expect to hear during this performance is nothing short of fantastic: Claude Debussy’s novel String Quartet in G minor, Op. 10; Johannes Brahms’ String Quartet No. 2 in A minor, Op. 51, just to name a couple. Technically brilliant and emotionally resonant, the Parker Quartet will dazzle and delight. 7:30 p.m., Oct. 23, Doc Rando Recital, Lee & Thomas Beam Music Center, $25, 702.895.2787. pac.unlv.edu -J.K.

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Rainbow Company Youth Theatre – Tom Sawyer Currently in its 35th season, The Rainbow Company Youth Theatre is one of the longest lived cultural institutions in Las Vegas. At the core of the Rainbow Company is its collection of 40 dedicated students, ages 10 to 18, selected annually by open auditions from diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.

The Symphonic Rockshow Imagine this for a moment: the biggest, baddest rock-radio anthems of all time—Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir,” Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” The Who’s “Who Are You,” Rush’s “Tom Sawyer”—performed by powerhouse band Yellow Brick Road (Las Vegas’ long-running classic-rock tribute act), a 25-piece orchestra and mega-talented singer/musician Brody Dolyniuk. On top of this add synchronized laser lights and an immersive multimedia experience, and you have the recipe for a mind-blowing evening of live music that can’t be topped. For anyone seeking a rock concert on the grandest scale, the Symphonic Rockshow will more than suffice. 8 p.m., Aug. 24, $24-$7, Reynolds Hall, thesmithcenter.com -J.K.

Henderson Symphony Orchestra – From Russia with Love For 26 years, the Henderson Symphony Orchestra has thrilled classical audiences in Southern Nevada with performances of every conceivable masterwork, from Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 8 to the soundtrack to Charlie Chaplin’s

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silent-film classic Modern Times. Now the 65-piece collective digs into a cycle of amazing Russian compositions— everything from M. Mussorgsky’s “Dawn on the Moscow River” to Tchaikovsky’s Roccoco Variations to S. Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5 to Stravinsky’s “Scherzo a La Russe” to Rachmaninoff’s “Rhapsody on Theme of Paganini.” If you haven’t yet heard the Henderson Symphony, this

The Rainbow Company Ensemble members work in every aspect of each production. From costumes and make-up, to sets, lights, sound and backstage crew responsibilities, everything is handled by Ensemble members under the tutelage of professional department directors and designers. This fall, the company will present Tom Sawyer at the Charleston Heights Arts Center. October 5, 6, 12 at 7 p.m. October 7, 13, 14 at 2 p.m. rainbowcompany.org. -H.D.E

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is a wonderful opportunity to catch the ensemble as they perform an outstanding piece of music. It’s also a great chance to hear a outdoor concert at the Henderson Pavilion. 8 p.m., Oct. 12, Free, hsorch.org. -J.K

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Las Vegas Little Theatre – David Mamet’s November August 17-26, LVLT will present November by David Mamet in association with Poor Richard’s Players. The satirical comedy November centers on incorrigible fictional President Charles Smith in the days leading up to his second election. Previous productions of the play have been described as hilarious, nonpartisan, and decidedly not PC. Over the years numerous critically acclaimed and award-winning plays have been presented by LVLT, such as Master Harold...and the Boys, Purple Hearts, Master Class, The Woolgatherer, and A Streetcar Named Desire, among others. The LVLT mission is: “To increase the awareness of theatre arts in Southern Nevada, provide quality productions, and to offer educational, hands-on opportunities in all facets of theatre production.” Tickets for November are $12 for adults, $11 for seniors and students and $10 for LVLT Season Ticket holders, lvlt.org. -H.D.E

Nevada Ballet Theatre – George Balanchine’s Jewels

Las Vegas Philharmonic – A Year in Pictures For its first complete season at The Smith Center’s Reynolds Hall, the Las Vegas Philharmonic’s nine concert programs have the theme, “A Year in Pictures.” The season opens on October 20 with a lively program comprised of Beethoven’s Concerto for violin, cello and piano and the colorful aural gallery walk, “Pictures at an Exhibition” by Mussorgsky. A season highlight will be the first-ever performance in Reynolds Hall of Aaron Copland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man” at the November 17 concert. This is the piece of music Tim Bavington’s Symphony Park sculpture is inspired by. Bavington’s painting of Fanfare is displayed in the Reynolds Hall foyer. Full concert details and the Las Vegas Philharmonic’s 2012-13 brochure are available at lvphil.com. -H.D.E

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Presently in its 40th season, Nevada Ballet Theatre is still a driving force in the ongoing presence of live performing arts in Southern Nevada. With a full schedule of performances, cultivation of area talent and a commitment to outreach and education, Nevada Ballet Theatre garners respect at the national level while inspiring thousands of people in the Las Vegas Valley every year. Three acclaimed companies; Nevada Ballet Theatre, Pacific Northwest Ballet and Ballet West will come together to perform George Balanchine’s three-part masterwork Jewels, which is inspired by the lasting beauty of rubies, emeralds and diamonds. Performances are Saturday, October 13 & Sunday, Oct. 14, nevadaballet.com. -H.D.E.

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fans with a plan

Savar Brothers’ See a Better Way By Hektor D. Esparza | Photography by Checko Salgado Evan Savar is on a mission. He wants more local artists and musicians to gain financially from their talent and hard work while building community and stimulating the local economy. Savar has a plan to make his vision a reality. Revenue to sustain programming is generated at live music and arts events he created called “1 Crazy Happy Hour” and by his new website concept, Fanbooked.

A suitable venue for his Happy Hour events can be a bar, restaurant or hotel. The place must have a stage or space that can be used as a stage and an area to hang art. Establishments that could use a boost in the form of new visitors are usually a little more eager host the events. Describing “1 Crazy Happy Hour,” he says, “Basically we are bringing about 20 to 30 different artists to each event and we

don’t charge them anything. The idea is just to make a really engaged community and we are creating a website to help people sponsor that.” The venues show a marked increase in business from the new faces visiting specifically for the art and music events. As Dana Boyce, food and beverage marketing manager for The Siegel Group says, “We started with “1 Crazy Happy

Sabriel Hobart known for her sweet, soulful voice and prolific lyrics performs at “Fanfest” at The Artisan

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Hour” at Rumor and we have a big monthly Fanbooked “Fanfest” event at The Artisan. He fills up the whole hotel.” “I don’t like it when an artist has to pay to perform. I don’t like to see that at all,” says Savar of a model in practice where visual artists and musicians pay a fee to perform or exhibit at local hotel lounges, bars and other venues. Savar thinks the musicians and visual artists he and his supporters recruit to perform or exhibit at Happy Hour events bring value and requiring them to pay is counterintuitive. He says Las Vegas has many talented artists that are worth supporting and, moreover, are worth investing in. That is where Fanbooked comes in. He says, “It’s kind of like Groupon meets Kickstarter.” A patron is introduced to an artist via the website or at one of the Happy Hour events. Should he decide to become a fan as well as a sponsor, the patron can then sign up on Fanbooked to make contributions in support of the artist at a minimum of $10 per month. Once they have become a sponsor, patrons may keep track of their chosen artist’s upcoming performances or exhibits via the Fanbooked website or by email notifications. They can also see their rising star’s particular goals such as making a music video, recording an album or landing a paying gig. Perks of being a fan can include receiving concert tickets or merch for free or at reduced prices and getting free drinks at Happy Hour events.

Evan Savar with Fanbooked cofounder and partner Hal Savar

To help the artists and musicians get good value along the way Savar says, “We negotiate different deals with recording studios, photographers, designers. It’s a strength in numbers kind of thing. So if it is $60 per hour to record at a studio we will propose to record 15 artists at a lower rate. So we go out and negotiate these deals and it’s working.” Photographer and Happy Hour exhibitor Michael Maze says, “The attendees that have been coming are art enthusiasts and, most importantly, art buyers.” While Savar says he really isn’t looking to become wealthy from his efforts, he does want to be compensated for his time as a facilitator, finding venues for original art and music. He wants to make a living doing something he enjoys and help others do the same. Check it out, visit fanbooked.com. blvdslv.com

Sabriel Hobart’s band lights up the main stage. From left: Ed Lacala on bass, Blue Sheffer on piano, John Lloyd on guitar, and Daniel Rossi on drums.

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Getting a rocking education in music is fun and cool.

Girls Rock VEGAS Young Women Find Confidence Through Music By Amy Esparza | Photography by Girls Rock Vegas Girls growing up in a modern, image driven society face many obstacles and challenges on their paths to becoming happy, healthy adult women. In Las Vegas, the challenge of forming a positive self-image and an understanding of her place in the world is exacerbated by the presence of an entertainment industry that sends many mixed messages. This is just one of the reasons Heather Rampton started the nonprofit Girls Rock Vegas (GRV). As a musician and schoolteacher, Rampton doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t

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have to search her mind much to come up with good reasons for girls to get a rocking education in music. Rampton says learning to play music is a huge confidence builder, and that about two thirds of the girls who study with the organization have never picked up an instrument before. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are not trying to turn them into professional musicians. We teach them what they need in order to be able to write a

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Rampton, who serves as GRV’s executive director, got the idea to start GRV after watching the documentary Girls Rock: The Movie. “I called them to donate some money and to see if I could volunteer. They encouraged us to start our own camp here in Las Vegas, and through the help of the Girls Rock Camp Alliance and with the support of amazing volunteers and grant makers, we were able to start our own camp four years ago.” The Alliance provides guidance and hosts an annual event to help different groups share ideas, but each of the many Girls Rock organizations are their own independent nonprofits with a local head executive and board of directors. Together with many volunteers and a board that includes Valley High School band teacher Candace Chun Baldwin, GVR offers Girls Rock Vegas Summer Day Camp, Ladies’ Rock Retreat, and an after school program in collaboration with Clark County School District’s After School All Stars. “I have been privileged to be a part of GRV since its inception,” says Baldwin, “I get to do something I love and am passionate about, which is teaching and making music. And I know I make a difference in the lives of these girls.” In 2009 GRV was able to hold their first camp with 13 girls attending. There were about 33 the second year, 38 in 2011 and 50 who attended summer camp 2012.

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song in five days. It sounds crazy but they always do it and they always do an amazing job. And if they can do that then they can do anything,” she says.

Baldwin says, “To see some of them come back year after year, and others coming in for the first time, and all of them leave with heads held high with a positive outlook believing that they do indeed rock . . . It makes the hard work worth it.” Coco Jenkins, bass player for the band Rhyme & Rhythm and GRV volunteer staff member says, “I love GRV because it makes me believe in a future where female musicians aren’t female musicians, they are just musicians. I love that we are pushing girls to do things that they may never have had the opportunity to pursue and learn about.”

Girls Rock Vegas is a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to empowering young woman through music creation and performance. Girls Rock Vegas info@girlsrockvegas.org girlsrockvegas.org

Of the camp experience Rampton says, “We ask a lot of the girls: to come to a camp that they are not familiar with and form a band with total strangers (most of the time). We ask them to pick up an instrument they have never played before and to write and record a song. And after five days they perform that song in front of hundreds of people. That takes a lot of guts.”

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LA VAI L

LE!

Tanner Amphitheater

SEA TS STI L

2012 Concert Series

EAT

A stunning 2000 seat outdoor amphitheater surrounded by the cliffs of Zion National Park

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In the Amphitheatre Dan Domenech as Aladdin, Haley Carlucci as Jasmine

SATURDAY, AUGUST 11 ERIC DODGE UNPLUGGED JOURNEY Unplugged features modern country music with a classic old fashioned twist. Tickets $10. Start time: 8:00 p.m. SATURDAY, AUGUST 25 KID FIDDLERS They do more than just 'fiddle around'! They all play many instruments, sing and dance! This is a musical bonanza variety show that folks of all ages will fall in love with! Tickets $10-8:00 p.m

WInnER OF 8 Winner of 8 tony t awards... wards... Including Best Musical! tOnY aWaRDs... JUNe 5 - oct 20 InCLUDInG BEst MUsICaL!

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1 I LOVE ROCK Nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ROLL An evening of great music from classic rock to jazz featuring hits from Heart, Vixen, Joan Jett, Blondie and more.

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In the Amphitheatre

CMY

Paul vogt as edna turnblad, Joline Mujica as tracy turnblad

nOv 16 - DEC 29

In the Cox Auditorium at Dixie State College

Nov 16 - Dec 29

IvIns, Utah

Tuacahn Amphitheatre is located just 2 short hours from Las Vegas, surrounded by the red cliffs of Southern Utah near Snow Canyon State Park.

Tuacahn Amphitheatre is surrounded by majestic red cliffs near Snow Canyon State 866.321.5063 Park in Southern Utah.

www.dixie.edu/tanner

For tickets, call 702.749.2000 or visit NevadaBallet.org

Also playing in 2012 June 21 — October 20

The Merry Wives of Windsor Mary Stuart Titus Andronicus Scapin To Kill a Mockingbird Stones in His Pockets Hamlet

jewels

Pacific Northwest Ballet company dancers in Diamonds. Photo © Angela Sterling

Premiere Season at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts

GEORGE BALANCHINE’S THREE-PART MASTERWORK Emeralds Rubies Diamonds with orchestra Performed by Ballet West, NBT and Pacific Northwest Ballet Sponsored by Van Cleef & Arpels

The Magic Begins

World Premiere Sponsored by the Caesars Foundation This is The Nutcracker like you’ve never seen it before – a brand-new original production complete with orchestra featuring new sets and costumes.

Seven Performances Only Saturday, December 15 – Sunday, December 23, 2012 Reynolds Hall

Three Acclaimed Companies. Two Wondrous Nights. One Beloved Ballet. Join us for this historic presentation. Ballet West’s appearance underwritten by Beano Solomon Jewels Choreography by George Balanchine

Ballet West Principal Artist Christiana Bennett in George Balanchine’s Emeralds . Photo by Erik Ostling

Nevada Ballet Theatre Artist Alissa Dale in George Balanchine’s Rubies . Photo by Jeff Speer

DECEMBER 2012

Choreographed by Artistic Director James Canfield, his highly-anticipated rendition will be a treat for all ages and is sure to become a Las Vegas favorite.

Saturday, October 13 - 7:30 pm & Sunday, October 14, 2012 - 1 pm Reynolds Hall

800-PLAYTIX www.bard.org

the the nutcracker

Give your plants time to soak it all in. Get drip tips from snwa.com. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a desert out there. Be

culture entertainment + activities IN THIS SECTION 26 Dusty Sunshine If you don’t know these genre-defying indie folk musicians, you will soon

28 Jewish Repertory Theatre This new professional company is an exciting addition to the local theatrical landscape

30 Light Forge Studios Filmmaking brothers Jerry and Mike Thompson gain fans with silly and sincere story telling

33 Child Prodigy Despite her vast talent, Emily Richardson refuses the “wunderkind” label

36 Upcoming Events < “PIXEL-Random” (detail) painting by Mikel Patrik. See more of his work at Emergency Arts or visit ArtisticLifestyles.com

entertainment + activities Culture

From left: Heidi Guinn- vocals, guitar, Megan Marie Wingerter- vocals, violin, viola, mandolin, autoharp, keys, Courtney Carroll- drums, Summer Soll- vocals, guitar, banjo, Chani Riiell Leavitt- vocals, keys, autoharp, Jason Aragon- bass

Dusty Sunshine Indie Folk Rocks Vegas By Hektor D. Esparza | Photography by Corlene Byrd If you were to hear a Dusty Sunshine song playing on the radio, chances are, unless you knew better, Las Vegas is probably the last city you would associate with this ethereal six-piece indie folk act. With distinct and beautifully crafted songs evoking spiritual soundscapes of the American south and beyond, this Las Vegas-based band is having no problems distinguishing itself as a formidable force to be reckoned with on any stage it graces. Having finished a tour in mid-July that included venues in Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico and Arizona, it’s a safe bet that Dusty Sunshine has made fans in these cities too. What would be surprising is if Dusty Sunshine were not to become Las Vegas’ next big musical export to the national scene. But their future didn’t seem as assured at the beginning. Says Megan Wingerter, “It wasn’t effortless. It was a bit of a struggle at first, putting individual ideas aside of what it should sound like. But now we are much more cohesive.” Wingerter contributes

MUSIC + ENTERTAINMENT

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vocals to the band’s signature four-part harmonies. She also brings classical training on violin, viola, mandolin, autoharp and keys to the multifaceted group. Commenting on Dusty Sunshine’s genre-blending sound, Heidi Guinn (vocals, guitar) offers, “We were never trying to do anything specific. What we have now is very natural. It’s not a forced thing at all.” Each of the band’s members has been in, or is still actively playing in, other groups with disparate styles. Among other side projects, bassist Jason Aragon also plays in the alt. country band The Clydesdale. Percussionist Courtney Carroll is part of the electro-pop duo Kid Meets Cougar. Speaking to how their different backgrounds have meshed, Guinn says, “For our first album we experimented with a lot of

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Culture entertainment + activities

different genres and now we have found our niche in Americana, roots, gospel and folk. It’s a nice place to sit, musically speaking.” Aragon says, “It’s a new take on folk and Americana, a modern version if you will. People have done similar things but this is more contemporary.” Addressing the resurgent interest in folk that allows this band to be well received while flexing their musical muscles, Guinn says, “Who wouldn’t want to be part of something unique and on the cusp of what is happening everywhere now?” Another unmistakable influence most of the members of Dusty Sunshine share is religion. Wingerter and bandmate Chani Leavit (vocal, keys, autoharp) were both raised Mormon. Heidi Guinn and Summer Soll (vocals, guitar, banjo) were raised as Jehovah’s Witnesses. “The hymns are beautiful and have really had an influence on my music,” says Wingerter. “Before We Rise,” a song from their first album, demonstrates the band’s capacity for deeply contemplative lyrics and tones. “Devil’s Choir” explores coming to terms with a faith and worldview presented during one’s youth that needs revision when faced with the challenges of adult life. On the lighter side is the song “Hustler,” which lays sassy, flirtatious lyrics over gypsy-like rhythms. “The Perfect Man” is an upbeat and danceable song about a longsuffering woman who is failing at falling in love. Where there is some disagreement within the band is whether Dusty Sunshine is best heard live or as the product of a skillfully produced recording. With many instruments and many voices it can be quite the challenge creating a live version of the sonic experience intended when the songs were written. All of its members say they relish interaction with the audience but that the sound quality can vary wildly depending on the venue and who is manning the soundboard. For their upcoming five-song EP, everyone in the band agrees that what fans will hear are instruments and vocal harmonies captured precisely as they were intended.

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Check out th Dusty Sunshine video An Awkward Moment by Corlene Machine. Just scan this QR Code with your smart phone using a QR Code reader app like RedLaser.

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entertainment + activities Culture

Light Up The Sky From left: Charles Dennis, Catherine Hicks, Michael Laskin, Mary Gregory and Norma Morrow

JEWISH REPERTORY THEATRE Las Vegas Welcomes a New Voice By Chris Cutler | Photography by Jewish Repertory Theatre of Nevada | Insert Photograph by Don Costello

For a town as modern and diverse as Las Vegas, until just recently its cultural offerings were obviously lacking when compared to those of other destination cities. The perspective many visitors held was that theater here consisted of huge production shows, acrobatic performances, showgirls and over-thetop comedians. Aimed to attract tourists to Las Vegas, the Strip shows did not provide residents with a professional cultural outlet like the ones found in other major cities like New York, L.A. and San Francisco. Enter Norma Morrow and Charlene Sher. The two actresses met a few years ago when they co-starred in The Nevada

MUSIC + ENTERTAINMENT

Conservatory Theatre’s The Diary of Anne Frank and quickly became friends. Seeing the need for a professional theater in Las Vegas, the two decided to do something about it. “Las Vegas is a cosmopolitan city,” says Sher, “and it should have all of the amenities of such a city. Las Vegans shouldn’t have to travel to other places to attend the theater, so we decided to bring it to them.” “Our common love of and passion for the theater brought us together,” adds Morrow, “and we knew that the one big thing missing in town was a real professional theater.”

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Fueled by their personal investment, professional and personal contacts and, most importantly, their fierce dedication to the arts, Miller and Sher founded The Jewish Repertory Theatre of Nevada. Bringing professional actors and directors (all must have union credentials) to Las Vegas was a gutsy move, but it has paid off. Interest in and attendance at the plays —The Last Night of Ballyhoo, Light Up the Sky, Rumors, Jewtopia Live!, The Fab Four, and others—has been tremendous from the beginning, and shows consistently sell out. While most of the JRTN’s offerings are held in smaller venues, Golda sold out both performances in the 2,050-seat Reynolds Theater at The Smith Center.

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Culture entertainment + activities

“The Smith Center has been supportive from the beginning,” says Morrow. “We have an agreement to hold two of our four shows there each season.” In addition, the women have a wonderful working relationship with The Suncoast and hold other plays there.

The Jewish Repertory Theatre of Nevada (JRTN) continues to bringing culture to Summerlin with Neil Simon’s Rumors. Performed in March 2012 to sold out crowds, JRTN is keeping the suburbs in good company.

The Suncoast will host the JRTN’s first play of next season, The Pianist of Willesden Lane (October 6-7). Starring Mona Golabek, the play is the story of Lisa Jura, Golabek’s mother, a piano prodigy who survived the Holocaust because her parents bought her passage on a Kindertransport to London. Golabek, herself an award-winning pianist, weaves music with her mother’s story of survival and resilience.

Top from left: Randy Morrison, Susan Lowe, Gary Grossman, Steven Macht, Jerry Soroka , Norma Morrow and Charlene Sher. Left photo: Charlene Sher and Norma Morrow.

The play, which premieres in Los Angeles, will stop in Las Vegas before it begins its national tour. “To have a show of that quality before any other town is such an honor,” Sher says, adding, “And to have the support of and affiliation with The Smith Center and The Suncoast is so encouraging.” blvdslv.com

Morrow and Sher are not letting their success stop with the JTRN’s performance season. In cooperation with the Clark County School District, the two women recently launched “ELEVATE . . . Youth Education Through The Performing Arts” for area students. Through the plays the troupe performs for students, the women hope to give voice and visibility to the realities and diversities of life. The first play featured during the last school season was The Diary of Anne Frank, and a Holocaust survivor spoke to the students after the performance. “Children are deeply affected by bullying and hatred,” says Sher. “We want them to

see what happens when the hatred goes unchallenged.” Adds Morrow, “And while the plays are entertaining, we want them to see something that will make them think. We want them to realize they are responsible for the choices they make.”

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entertainment + activities Culture

Light Forge Studios Local Brothers Hammer Out a Living Doing What They Love By Hektor D. Esparza | Photography By Light Forge Studios

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The story of how they got to where they are is much like the stories they tell in their films—quirky, humble and inspiring. Elder sibling Jerry Thompson was three years into studies at UNLV as a biochemistry major when he decided to become a film student. It wasn’t a move inspired by the kind of reckless passion often associated with a visionary auteur willing to endure the life of a struggling artist just to have a shot at sharing his talent with the world. The filmmaking bug had bitten Jerry and younger brother Mike when they were children, but it wasn’t until Jerry was in college that either of them decided it was what they wanted to do for a living. Jerry was studying the hard sciences because he planned to enter a profession that would earn him a comfortable living. Being practically-minded, he made the switch only after falling into gainful employment as a caricature artist and realizing a good living could be made doing something he enjoyed. As he says, “Growing up I had never really met any people who were artists for a living. I got good grades in school so I thought I needed to be a doctor or a lawyer because that is what smart,

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hard-working people did. The thought of making a survivable living doing things that I love and that I would do for free or even pay to do just didn’t seem realistic.” To complete a film degree, Jerry switched from a course load of advanced science and math, to classes like Tae Kwon Do, fencing and a variety of art classes as well as film studies. His younger brother Mike followed him to UNLV Film School. Jerry graduated in 2001 and Mike in 2005. While there, they were taken under the wing of film professor David Schmoeller who was instrumental in encouraging and funding their first feature film, Thor at the Bus Stop. Thor was accepted to several film festivals, an accomplishment even for more experienced filmmakers. As Jerry describes the submission process, “It’s like throwing a dart in the dark at a moving target.” At the highly competitive Austin Film Festival, Thor, with its paltry $9,000 budget, was competing against films with budgets in the range of $1-3 million.

in their productions. They have made about 15 short films which include The Maltese Hamster, a comical homage to Bogart era film-noir, The Clothespin Parable, a cautionary tale on the perils of chasing vain ideals of love and romance, and Super Awesome Buddy Squad, an absurdist take on the comic book super hero genre. A common thread of human decency and goodness is woven through all. As Mike describes them, “The type of films that we like to make are comedies with a little bit of quirk and we try to get a lot of heart in them—a philosophical message hidden in a silly universe.” The Thompson brothers are currently working on another feature titled Popovich and the Voice of the Fabled American West. When not working on that, they are busy at Light Forge Studios building connections in the local filmmaking community while churning out music videos for up-and-coming Las Vegas bands, and making commercials and corporate training videos.

“Every festival is different,” says Mike “The Austin festival is all about screenwriting and I think that is why we had a little more success there. We had no money but they liked the story. That felt good.”

You’ve read about it, now view the video samples from Light Forge Studios. Just scan this QR Code with your smart phone using a QR Code reader app like RedLaser.

“Here’s the thing: making a movie is hard. Making a bad movie is hard. Making a good movie is almost impossible,” says Jerry of their accomplishment. Writing, character consistency and a cogent story line are what the Thompson brothers take perhaps most seriously

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CultuRe entertainment + activities

Brothers Jerry and Mike Thompson, creators and principles of Light Forge Studios, are arguably among the fastest rising stars of the local independent film community. Though quick to say their filmmaking careers are still very much in the incubation stage, they are also confident they’re headed in the right direction. With the break out success of 2009’s feature Thor at the Bus Stop, and two back-to-back “Best Film” wins in the 2011 and 2012 48 Hour Film Project, it is easy to see why.

RECORD A SONG CREATE A VIDEO

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“I’d never played outdoors before, so that was a challenge,” says Emily. “It was very windy.” She admits she’s an indoor person. After school and rehearsing three hours daily, she curls up on her sofa, digging into young adult books (Harry Potter), classic novels or current nonfiction. Although she adores the music of oldschool composers like Bach and Mozart, she idolizes contemporary performers like Hilary Hahn and Ryu Goto.

CHILD PRODIGY

“Like them, I want to make recordings,” she says. “I’d also like to tour.” Then she adds too-humbly: “But I don’t think I’ll get that far. I’m not a prodigy.”

Despite her Vast Talent, Emily Richardson Refuses the ‘Wunderkind’ Label By Jarret Keene

Talking with 12-year-old Emily Richardson about her memories of practicing violin at age 3, the Nevada School of the Arts student doesn’t mince words. “Tears,” she says, laughing. “I remember crying. A lot. The first pieces I learned were ‘Hot Cross Buns’ and ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.’”

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Emily today has performance credentials that elicit envy in other musicians. Last year she performed the third movement of Dmitry Kabalevsky’s concerto with the Las Vegas Philharmonic in UNLV’s Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall. “It was my first time playing with an orchestra,” she says. “I was nervous because my violin teacher, Ms. Shakeh Ghoukasian, who’s also dean of the Nevada School of the Arts, is in the group.”

Don’t tell Emily’s Tiger Mom (a reference to Amy Chua’s famous book on AsianAmerican mothering). She reminds me that Emily won a competition called the American Association for the Development of the Gifted and Talented (AADGT) in April, which enabled the Vegas prodigy to perform an unaccompanied piece by Bach at Carnegie Hall. Indeed, even if Emily confesses that rehearsal is “boring,” she says the moments she’s onstage make it all worth it. “That’s what you learn to accept,” she says. “In the end, you don’t regret practicing.”

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Culture entertainment + activities

March was especially busy for Emily. She played Beethoven’s Romance No. 2, Opus 50 with the Henderson Symphony Orchestra in an outdoor pavilion. That was followed by a performance with her school’s Vivace Violin Ensemble at the dedication of the new city hall building in downtown Vegas.

Your Community Connection From farmers markets to outdoor concerts, BLVDS magazine is covering the wonderful things happening in your neighborhood. Stay up to date on all the unique events your city has to offer.

Check Out Our New Website with a robust calendar of events, and all the stories that matter most to you.

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OPEN FOR LUNCH & DINNER MONDAY - SATURDAY

LOCATED ACROSS FROM THE SMITH CENTER

Saturday, October 6, 2012 Sonata Park RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED 702.270.4400

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Saturday, October 27, 2012 Lake Las Vegas Green show at 6:00 p.m.

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Performances at 7:00 p.m. Complimentary Admission STAY CONNECTED - STAY IN THE LOOP!

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GET FULL DETAILS ON THESE EVENTS AND MANY MORE AT BLVDSLV.COM AuGust 2012 Philip Denker screensaver Now -Aug. 18 Winchester Cultural Center

torn From home: My life as a Refugee Now -Dec. 17 Lied Discovery Children’s Museum ldcm.org

“you are here” exhibition

Diana Krall

symphonic Rock show

Aug. 13 The Smith Center thesmithcenter.com

Aug. 24 The Smith Center thesmithcenter.com

2012 Women’s leadership Conference

AFAn Black and White Party

Aug. 14 - 15 MGM Grand Hotel & Casino mgmresorts.com/ womensleadershipconference

Now -Sept. 2 artslasvegas.org

Now -Sept. 1 Springs Preserve springspreserve.org

Joseph and the Amazing technicolor Dreamcoat

Now - Sept. 29 brettwesleygallery.com

idolize this: street Art by Greg Frederick

events

Now - Aug. 31 getupgallery.com

Jelaine Faunce Art exhibition “Fractured neon”

Now -Sept. 7 tastyspacelv.com

Now -Aug. 25 Super Summer Theatre supersummertheatre.org

star nursery Kids Gardening Club Aug. 11 Star Nursery starnursery.com

Mount Charleston Arts and Crafts show Aug. 11 -12 The Resort on Mount Charleston

“Where the Cowboy Once Roamed” Photo exhibit

Aug. 25 The Smith Center thesmithcenter.com

la Cage Aux Folles Aug. 14 - 19 The Smith Center thesmithcenter.com

Barbara Cook Aug. 16 - 19 The Smith Center thesmithcenter.com

the treat las Vegas Aug. 21 - 25 Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas Getmoremetime.com

steve Martin and the steep Canyon Rangers – An evening of Bluegrass and Comedy

A.R.t. evolution Presents Wil Cormier

hairspray Now -Oct. 20 Tuacahn Amphitheatre Tuacahn.com

Now -Oct. 21 Utah Shakespeare Festival bard.org

sPeCtRuM and RADiAnCe

Aug. 22 The Smith Center thesmithcenter.com

Now -Sept. 16 Nevada State Museum LV, museums.nevadaculture.org

utah shakespeare Festival

star nursery Kids Gardening Club Aug. 25 Star Nursery starnursery.com

BuGs!

Chris Bauder Art exhibition- lush

Aug. 25 Hard Rock Hotel

Aug. 23 Brand artevolution.brandltd.com

eric Dodge unplugged Journey Aug. 11 Tanner Amphitheater dixie.edu/tanner/index.html

the Glass Mendacity Aug. 24 - Sept. 10 Las Vegas Little Theatre lvlt.org

Fall las Vegas Restaurant Week Aug. 27 - Sept. 2 Beneﬁting Three Square Food Bank helpoutdineoutlv.org

Wicked Aug. 29 - Sept 7 The Smith Center thesmithcenter.com

lV Premiere of ClOseR by Patrick Marber Aug. 31 - Sept. 15 The Box Ofﬁce atlastheatre.org

sePteMBeR 2012 Rock Around the Clock Sept. 1 Tanner Amphitheater dixie.edu

leader of the Pack Aug. 6 - Sept. 22 Super Summer Theatre supersummertheatre.org

First Friday Sept. 7 18b Arts District ﬁrstfridaylasvegas.com

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GET FULL DETAILS ON THESE EVENTS AND MANY MORE AT BLVDSLV.COM Clint holmes Sept. 7 - 8 The Smith Center thesmithcenter.com

Pancho sanchez and his latin Jazz Band

2012 las Vegas Greek Festival

Sept. 14 - Sept. 15 The Smith Center thesmithcenter.com

Sept. 21 St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church lasvegasgreekfestival.com

Keys of hope Fundraiser for Catholic Charities and Jaguar Raﬄe Drawing Sept. 14 Spiedini Italian Ristorante catholiccharities.com

lucked up: Art Works by trxtr

Sept. 6 - Oct. 27 brettwesleygallery.com

star nursery Kids Gardening Club Sept. 8 Star Nursery starnursery.com

4th Annual harvest of hope Celebration Gala Sept. 29 M Resort Spa and Casino link2hope.org

Bowl 4 the Kids! Sept. 22 Suncoast Hotel Casino cure4thekids.org

2012 Justin timberlake shriners hospitals for Children Open Oct. 1 - 7 TPC Summerlin jtshrinersopen.com

Ashton Zyer titled “takin’ Over Me” Sept. 22 The Smith Center thesmithcenter.com

super Run Classic Car show Sept. 20 - 23 Henderson Events Plaza hendersonlive.com

Celebrate Debussy’s 150th! Sept. 14 - Sept. 30 Las Vegas Little Theatre lvlt.org

Sept. 29 Springs Preserve springspreserve.org

esteban

Sept. 13 The Smith Center thesmithcenter.com

Sept. 20 UNLV Performing Arts Center pac.unlv.edu/

2nd Annual, “this One’s for the Boys!”

Asian harvest Moon Festival

Sept. 15 - 17 Henderson Events Plaza hendersonlive.com

Sept. 17 The Smith Center thesmithcenter.com

Sept. 28 Town Square Las Vegas hemophilia.org/walk

Sept. 29 UNLV Track and Field Stadium 21stCenturyCARE.org

21st Annual ho’olaule’a Paciﬁc islands Festival

esteban

side Man

Sept. 21 featuring Sergio Assad, Roland Dyens, and Christopher McGuire UNLV Performing Arts Center pac.unlv.edu

Sept. 22 Star Nursery starnursery.com

Art Works by Jow

Paintings by Giovanni Morales

hemophilia 1 Mile Walk/5K Run

star nursery Kids Gardening Club

Sept 7 - 29 getupgallery.com

Sept. 7 - Oct. 2 tastyspacelv.com

Prelude to the Allegro international Guitar Competition

events

sePteMBeR 2012

“My Mother’s italian, My Father’s Jewish and i’m in therapy” Sept. 28 - Oct. 1 The Smith Center thesmithcenter.com

tom sawyer

the second City touring Company Sept. 28 UNLV Performing Arts Center pac.unlv.edu

Oct. 5 - 14 The Rainbow Company Youth Theatre rainbowcompany.org

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Luxury furniture below wholesale

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design architecture + style IN THIS SECTION 40 At Home with Warwick Stone Restaurant-as-rock-repository pioneer has created a refuge of calm at home

44 The Magic Maker When magicians need some magic aides, Chris Barnes turns ideas into reality

45 Five Musical Apps Music at the touch of a thumb

46 Sound Masters of LV

Talbot Snow turned a passion for sound into a successful recording studio

< “Alone Again” (detail) lazer etched skateboard by artist Jason Thielke on view at Get Up Gallery in Emergency Arts. getupgallery.com

architecture + style Design

At Home With Warwick Stone Hard Rock Hotel Designer Favors Reserve Over Ruckus By Eric Schellhorn Photography by Checko Salgado

The homeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main living area, with its floor-to-18-foot-ceiling windows, is cavernous, acoustically correct and conservative in its use of kickass keepsakes. 40

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Their absence is surprising because these are the kinds of musical miscellany that Stone, known to some professional associates as the “Sultan of Stuff,” has spent 30 years tracking down, acquiring and artfully deploying as museum pieces in commercial settings. He pioneered the restaurant-as-rock-repository back in the early 1980s, when he gave the Hard Rock Cafe in Los Angeles its signature look. And to this day, he continues to celebrate and fetishize the music and its artifacts through his design work for the Hard Rock Hotel chain, a client of his consulting practice, Warwick Stone Creative Services. But the craftily-cluttered Hard Rock sensibility is nowhere in evidence at the home he shares with partner Bethany Swain, a cellist with the Henderson Symphony, and two young children, Beatrix and August. The home’s main living area, with its floor-to-18-footceiling windows, is cavernous, acoustically correct and conservative in its use of kickass keepsakes. Sure, the vintage Pioneer reel-to-reel deck in the audio cabinet will occasionally spin the original quarter-inch tapes played over the Hard Rock Cafe’s loudspeakers in 1982 (a curious compendium of Hank Williams

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But the aesthetic here is worlds away from the designer’s professional creations. Stone says that when he and Swain bought the house in 2009, he envisioned it as a kind of refuge from the busy environments he typically creates for clients. “Keeping it simple was the goal, that’s all...it’s a lovely open space, and we want to keep it lovely and open and not clutter it up too much,” Stone says. “In my restaurant work, part of what I do is clutter. I’m really good at getting a lot of fussy stuff in there—lots of pictures and bits and pieces on the walls, and lots of eye candy. I had to be disciplined to keep everything in the house simple, without being stark.”

training who launched his career making everything from pants to leather jackets to stage costumes for clients such as Freddy Mercury, Fleetwood Mac, Foghat and the Manhattan Transfer, is quick to describe it as a work in progress. “We still have a lot of work to do,” he says with a sigh. He is equally humble about his track record as a designer. “The secret of being a professional designer is to have a theme of your own that you carry on for years and people can look at it and say, ‘Oh, that’s such-and-such’s work,’” Stone says. “But I don’t think that I have that. My restaurants are messy and my house is trying to be neat.”

The home’s open-concept kitchen is another point of pride for Stone and Swain. The stainless steel panels plastered over the face of their built-in refrigerator have been emblazoned with a vintage photo of Fremont Street. The zebra-stripe countertops were manufactured from a stock of maple and walnut left behind by one of the home’s past owners, a woodworking hobbyist. But the dominant color scheme in their kitchen is basic black and white. While the house is clearly conceived as a living work of art, Stone, a tailor by

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architecture + style

There’s no ’59 sunburst Les Paul signed by Jimmy Page; no complete set of Keith Moon’s battered drum heads; no glass display case containing Iggy Pop’s bloodstained T-shirt from the Stooges’ final 1974 performance; and no original, handwritten lyrics to Sly Stone’s “Luv ‘n’ Haight.”

Sr., 1950’s doo-wop and the Pretenders.) A hefty, freestanding porch swing acquired at auction from the collection of former Guns ‘n’ Roses guitarist Slash takes center stage in the courtyard. And the wandering eye will eventually happen on the original pencil rendering of the Hard Rock Hotel guitar sign, modeled on an actual instrument owned by Pete Townshend of The Who, that today hovers over Harmon Ave.

Design

The first thing you notice upon entering designer Warwick Stone’s late-century modern Rancho Bel Air home is all the stuff that isn’t there.

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By Jack Chappell Photography by HL Film Works

Do you need to make a hearse appear in the middle of a street from a swirling ball of fire? Or, is walking up the side of the 38-story Planet Hollywood tower more your thing? Perhaps this isn’t common in the lives of most Las Vegans, but certainly in the lives of some. Those would be the worldfamous magicians who call Vegas home. And the man they call to make the magic happen is Chris Barnes. Barnes is a magic maker, the go-to guy who the likes of Lance Burton, Criss Angel and Steve Wyrick go to for their “furniture,” the magic apparatus that make possible the impossible—like disappearing a full size train from the stage of America’s Got Talent, an illusion performed in front of a live audience, skeptical judges and millions of television viewers by Las Vegan Murray the Magician. It’s not just Barnes’ stuff that’s magic. He’s led a charmed life as well: plucked from obscurity with a walk-on job at age 14 with magician Steve Wyrick. He was working at a Houston, Texas, convention center when opportunity appeared. Wyrick needed a “soda jerk” for a scene in one of his shows and he drafted Barnes. Things clicked and soon Barnes was traveling with the Wyrick crew. By age 17, he’d performed around the world at venues that included the White House and before royalty in Monaco. Then he joined the U.S. Marine Corps, eventually becoming one of the Marines’ elite snipers. After the Corps, he got a college degree from Sam Houston State University and toyed with the 44

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idea of becoming a police officer. Eventually he returned to the world of magic and stage managed shows for Wyrick and others. Barnes came to Las Vegas 14 years ago and at age 24 opened his own business, “Cree8,” a design and fabrication company, now headquartered in a battleship-gray Las Vegas Art Center area warehouse as drab and unassuming as Barnes’ work is spectacular. Barnes has seven regular employees and hires others when a project entails specialized skills. Depending on the illusion, the job can require experts in fine woodworking, metal fabrication, electrical gear, hydraulics – whatever it takes to make a magician’s concept become reality. In Las Vegas, Barnes and his crew work an off-beat schedule as unconventional as their work and their clients. Because of the heat, the work day begins at about 7 p.m. and runs through the early morning hours. That works, too, for clients who come by after a nightly performance. “They’re all crazy,” Barnes laughs. “They’ve got a great idea, but no idea how to do it. That’s my job. Every day is different because every project is different. That’s good because I get bored easily,“ Barnes says. The most difficult illusions are those done in public spaces. Studios and stages provide controls for lighting, placement, audience seating and sightlines. Public space magic doesn’t, so walking up the side of a casino is just that much harder than it might appear at first glance. blvdslv.com

architecture + style Design

CHRIS BARNES The Magic Maker

Of course people don’t just like to be scared out of their wits in movie houses, so his current project takes him to Times Square in New York City. With “Times Scare” he’s turning three vintage 1800s buildings into a super-haunted house complex complete with a bar and café in a crypt. Fittingly, one building was a crematorium in the 1940s and several murders were committed on the compound’s premises. The challenge, he said, is to extend Halloween to 365 days a year. Then, of course, there’s the reality show based on the exploits and excesses of Barnes and his motley crew of employees. “The Magic Maker, Where Reality is an Illusion,” is a joint project with Haydon Lane of HL Filmworks, a West Coast production company that began in Las Vegas. Lastly, the answer to the one question that everyone wants answered: “No, I won’t tell you how it’s done.” But we do know the price of making a hearse and coffin appear on a public street from a tornado of fire. It’s a cool $200,000.

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By Joshua Ellis Bored with using your iPhone or iPad as just a phone, instant messenger, Facebook and Twitter client, video camera, movie player and catapult of rage-filled feathered friends? There are a ton of apps that can also turn your wifty iDevice into the kind of synthesizer and recording studio that the Beatles would have cheerfully killed the Maharajah to get their hands on, most of them for the price of a cappuccino. You don’t even need to be a musical virtuoso in most cases—just let your thumbs do the grooving! ThumbJam ($8.99) ThumbJam turns your iPhone/iPad screen into a virtual touch performance pad, taking advantage of the device’s Multi-Touch capabilities to allow you to perform in ways a piano-style hardware keyboard can’t (such as playing a virtual theremin, Brian Wilson-style). You can loop your performance, record from your microphone, and output your jam directly to the Net. GarageBand ($4.99) A companion to the Mac desktop version, GarageBand for iOS is a full-fledged recording studio on your mobile device. Record live music, play the built-in instruments (including a cool strummable virtual guitar) and upload everything to your MacBook for mixdown. BLVDS Las Vegas

Bebot ($1.99)

you’re not into all the bells and whistles, Bebot is an adorable app that’s like a stripped-down ThumbJam, featuring a cuddly onscreen robot who “sings” as you play. It’s surprisingly versatile, but also simple and fun for even small kids to play with. djay ($19.99) Looking to rock the wheels of steel, but don’t feel like shelling out for a pair of Technics turntables and a mixing board? Look no further than djay, which allows you to mix, spin and beat-match tracks from your iTunes library wherever you are. A bit more expensive than some of the other offerings here, but can you really put a price on becoming the next Skrillex? TouchOSC ($4.99) If you’re a serious musician/producer, TouchOSC allows you to design custom touch interfaces for your iDevice that can control your synth or digital audio workstation wirelessly via MIDI or OSC (Open Sound Control). It’s not for the beginner, but advanced music geeks will dig the extensibility and customization options. All apps available in the iTunes App Store. MUSIC + ENTERTAINMENT

architecture + style

One might think that making magic stuff is a self-limiting business. How many magicians are there that need “big magic?” Turns out that the same skills, knowledge and aptitudes apply to making motion picture special effects. With the current vogue for horror films, Barnes has expanded there.

A MUSICAL TOUCH FOR THE AUDIOPHILE

Design

Barnes said he hasn’t found anything he couldn’t do, but the toughest parts of the job are the same old nemeses faced by all businessmen—bringing in the job on time and on budget. Of course his customers not only think he can make magic, but work magic as well with timelines and funds.

architecture + style Design

SOUND MASTERS of LV

Tablot Snow and his merry band of misfits. From left: MC-DC, Emily Sparkman, Chris Beckman, Blake Snow, Michelle King, Talbot Snow, Victoria Hart, Victoria Cooke, Mackenzie Lloyd, Nephi Oliva, and Barry Lauria

A Passion for Sound Begets a Boutique Recording Studio By Valerie Miller | Photography by Nathan Douglas

“I started it as a personal hobby, and then people started asking me to record for them,” he says. Initially, he turned down many requests. “But then I started helping them. At first, I did it for free. Later, I started charging.” Today, Snow’s Sound Masters studio is bigger, and in a newer location operating in a converted house near Desert Inn Road and Eastern Avenue. Of course, the equipment has gotten fancier and, in addition to a proper sound room, the place is outfitted with an area for photo and video

MUSIC + ENTERTAINMENT

production. Among the studio’s eclectic clients: missionaries, entertainers, lawyers and exotic dancers. “One day, I did music production and video editing for a pastor,” Snow recalled. “The next day, I photographed pole-dancers.” From houses of worship to hotel-casinos, Las Vegas offers a unique market to the recording industry. Talbot has worked with: Paul Teutul Sr. of O.O.C. American Chopper, Austin “Chumlee” Russell of TV’s “PawnStars,” champion boxer Manny Pacquiao, Smash Mouth, King Errisson, and performers from Mystere, Zumanity and Blue Man Group, to name a few. From rap and R&B, to metal and country, Sound Masters covers a wide variety of genres. Snow also offers HD video production, and photography, while his wife Victoria covers graphic and website design. © Halie Scaletta

Talbot Snow could be crunching numbers right now. Instead, he’s mixing tracks and shooting videos, providing production services to everyone from strippers to priests. In 1989, the one-time accounting student began by making high-quality recordings on mix tapes in his Las Vegas home. But as friends increasingly clamored for Snow to help them produce and record, the would-be-accountant began to rethink his career goals.

Like most people working in creative fields, Snow has his favorite projects. Some of his top picks include DRAGON, which Snow

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describes as “a Black Eye Peas style project under development.” Also included in his favorites are Chris Beckman’s pop-rock project 90 Point Jasper, family country band Mama’s Wranglers, rap artist Billy 5 Star and Michael Lowery, a local church pastor and musician who includes secular music in his repertoire. Using his musical expertise to support devotional purposes, on a recent Sunday Snow found himself visiting a Baptist church to help them select singers for a new traveling choir they’re developing. “It’s something I did to help promote inter-faith relations and local talent.” For more information call 702.524.8649 or visit SoundMastersLV.com.

Hear the music and watch the videos: scan this with your smart phone using a QR Code reader.

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Come GROW & Learn with us This Fall! Dr. Q’s Fall Gardening Tips • Fall is for Planting! Even here in the desert. Temperatures will be cooling soon, so plan now for the approaching planting season. This is a great time to plant trees and shrubs. • We have a fall vegetable gardening window that allows us another chance to enjoy fresh veggies! Plant beans, peas, lettuce, herbs, leafy greens, leeks, radishes, spinach, and more. • Buy spring flowering bulbs early for best selection, but wait to plant until cooler weather sets in. Store in a dry, cool, dark location until then.

Upcoming Dates: Join us for FREE gardening fun!

August 18th Septmember 1st, 15th, 29th October 6th & 20th at 10 AM

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Visit us online for our September & October schedule.

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An understated house in the Rancho Nevada neighborhood needed some attention. With three well known local interior designers, a furniture shop owner, an architect, and a landscape designer watch this house go from Double Wide to Cool and Poolside in the next edition of BLVDS LV magazine.

flavor dining + retail IN THIS SECTION 50 Bar + Bistro Featuring eclectic cuisine with a Latin flavor, this hotspot also has extensive options for vegetarians and vegans

52 Must Haves Every thing you need to get ready for your next big concert

54 Casa di Amore Specializing in classic Italian cuisine, this old school charmer bills itself as “Vegas the way it used to be”

56 IMHO Clint Holmes

The resident entertainer writes about the legacy of originality

< “Fat Fries” (detail) painting by Jelaine Faunce on view at TastySpace in Emergency Arts, tastyspacelv.com.

dining + retail FLAVOR

BAR + BISTRO

Latin Fusion Cuisine at The Arts Factory

By Jillian Plaster Photography by Studio West Photography

Bar + Bistro in The Arts Factory building has been through several changes over the last five years, but the colorful artsy space has only recently become alive with the build-out of the attached funky mixology bar and a new tapas style menu from Chef Beni Velázquez. His small plates concept fits perfectly into the growing and diverse arts district, and Bar + Bistro is fast becoming the favorite gathering spot for those in touch with the underground Vegas art world.

The space is more creative than its name suggests, though it does aptly describe the two equal sections into which it’s divided. Joined by a small door and shared outside patio, both are adorned with the work of talented local artists. The decor continues on the bodies of the tattooed staff with Technicolor hair on the part of their head that isn’t shaved. Most of them are aspiring artists and performers who enjoy working where they can be immersed in downtown culture. On any given night the Bar is abuzz with live poetry readings and bands, creating a dynamic high-energy atmosphere rare amongst our city’s local hangout spots. Chef Velázquez is well suited for the environment, as his career path seems to have finally come full circle. The New York City native pursued an acting career in his twenties as a student at Lee Strasberg and was a member of a band for 15 years before entering the culinary world.

Chef Beni Velázquez thinks of himself as an artist of culinary delights.

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FLAVOR dining + retail

A luscious Brioche Flan French Toast with agave nectar syrup

The food offered in the Bistro part of the operation is as eclectic as the place in which it is served. Velázquez took inspiration from the artists and patrons in determining the kind of menu he should offer, ultimately assessing that he could be as creative as he wanted and did not have to stick to a single cuisine. The Puerto Rican chef describes his menu as “Eclectic Latin Fusion,” emphasizing Central American flavors. Of late, the term “fusion” is overused when it comes to describing a restaurant’s theme, but it is difficult to otherwise describe individual dishes that combine the flavor profiles of several different cuisines. Velázquez says not only can you find four or five countries’ influences on the menu as a whole, but also on every plate. He caters to those who don’t eat meat by using vegetarian bases for all his dishes,

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so almost anyone should be able to find something that fits within their dietary restrictions. In addition to the variety of vegetarian options, the Bistro has one of the most extensive vegan menus in town. Though he was hesitant to create a vegan menu (one must have different sets of pots, separate fryer oils, and separate storage areas), popular demand swayed him. He creatively mimicked the items on his regular menu and ensured the options were balanced and satisfying. Menu favorites include the Stuffed Vegan Piquillo Peppers, Cordero Australian Lamb Chops, and Chopped Latin Chicken Salad with jicama, manchego cheese, chimichurri dressing and loads of avocado. The fried Alcapurrias Croquettes made with Kobe beef, sofrito and mashed plantains are also worth trying, as are

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the Paella and Baby Back Costillas Pork Ribs with honey BBQ sauce. A hangover brunch is offered on Saturdays and Sundays, and often includes live music. The top options on this menu are the Cangrejo Benedict Mofongo with crab cakes and quail eggs, and a luscious Brioche Flan French Toast with agave nectar syrup. He soaks the latter overnight in his flan base, then sears and bakes the pieces so the inside is light and fluffy but the exterior remains crispy. If you must choose one dish to try, this should be it!

Bar+Bistro @ The Arts Factory 107 E. Charleston Blvd. #155 Las Vegas, NV 89104 702.202.6060 | barbistroaf.com

MUSIC + ENTERTAINMENT

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< Handmade in the Arts District

Must Haves

Created or Cultivated by People who Live in Southern Nevada

Handmade jewelry, handbags and accessories from the Gipsy Den in the arts district made by audiophile/ designer/ boutique owner KT Cewe. These items are one-ofa-kind and have a look and feel evocative of the vintage boutique gift shop in a vibrant part of the city. Gypsy Den 213 E. Colorado, Las Vegas, 89104 etsy.com/shop/ TheGypsyDenLasVegas

Photography by Greg Warden

Professional Grade Cosmetics > Locally owned L Makeup Institute & Agency offers classes, services, workshops and products for the discriminating makeup artist and consumer. Shown here are Kryolan professional makeup products designed specifically for the entertainment industry. These items are crafted to stand up under theatre lights, in the photo studio or on the runway. L Makeup Institute & Agency 241 West Charleston Boulevard, Las Vegas 89102 lmakeupinstitute.com 52

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FLAVOR dining + retail

< Alien Tequila This locally-conceived, out-ofthis-world tequila won two gold medals at the 2009 San Francisco Spirit Competition. Since then, it has reportedly only gotten better. Try Alien Silver for a clean taste, Reposado for floral notes, or Anejo for a broad flavor profile with smoky hints of vanilla. Available at Total Wine & More and Lee’s Liquor locations as well as Mundo: A Culinary Haute Spot. alientequila.com

Jazz T’s Jazz T’s original artwear by drummer Mike Candito feature four different “sixty second sketches”, each available in black ink on a white t-shirt for $20 or gold ink on a black t-shirt for $25. $5 per shirt for shipping and handling. Available in medium, large and extra-large. To order, contact mike@mikecanditomusic.com

Cowtown Guitars > Now in its new downtown location, visit Cowtown Guitars for vintage guitars, bass guitars and above average boutique gear including Morgan Amps, Echo Park Guitars, Keeler Designs and Spaceman effects. Cowtown offers free expert appraisals by Jesse Amorosa, as seen on TV’s Pawn Stars. Cowtown Guitars 1009 S. Main Street, Las Vegas 89101 cowtownguitars.com

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Michael Delano sings Rat Pack era favorites while you dine on classic Italian eats

Casa di Amore A Taste of Old Vegas By Hektor D. Esparza Photograph by Logan Pochatko Casa di Amore is an unapologetic tourist destination with about 65 percent of its clientele visiting from hotel rooms rather than area neighborhoods. Its décor and operational model is clearly designed to deliver nostalgic experiences to visitors desiring a taste of Vegas that doesn’t exist on the Strip anymore. But it’s done well, and any Las Vegan who is comfortable with the city’s roots should be able to appreciate the restaurant’s charms without feeling like a rube.

MUSIC + ENTERTAINMENT

Stepping into the quaint brick building on East Tropicana near McLeod Drive, the first thing you notice is the exquisitely curated collection of classic Las Vegas iconography. Images include photos of marquees at bygone Rat Pack-era haunts like the Sands, Stardust and Dunes. “Old Blue Eyes” Francis Albert Sinatra is the most honored of the classic entertainment pantheon with numerous images dominating the lush interior. Other lords of vintage Vegas entertainment are represented as well. A photo of a Sahara Hotel marquee boasting a Johnny Carson residency is not something you see every day, and there are even some uncommon images of Elvis sharing the space.

food: lasagna, cannelloni. Our two biggest sellers on the menu are the Baked Lasagna and the Chicken Parmigiana. The third is probably our Osso Bucco.”

Of course, the real star of Casa di Amore is the food. As Manager Kathleen D’ Esposito says, “It is traditional Italian-American

Casa di Amore 2850 East Tropicana Avenue 702.433.4967 | casadiamore.com

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The restaurant features live entertainment every night it is open, usually by resident crooner George Bugatti who everyone says sounds just like a young Sinatra. Making the experience complete is service fit for a mob boss. Says D’ Esposito “The waiters are not in training. The service is seamless. They take really good care of the guests.” But like everything else here, the wait staff’s style is decidedly old school. So while they may be well-mannered, there’s little doubt who is really running the show.

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SLEEK SIMPLE SEXY Dramatic geometric abstract original paintings available from 5”x5” to over 60”x60”. Custom sizes and colors available upon request. Printed reproductions also available. Visit mikelpatrik.com to explore the limitless opportunities. 520 E. Fremont St., Ste. 184 Las Vegas, NV 89101 622-0727 mikelpatrik.com

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IMHO Taking a Stand For the New Vegas Originals By Clint Holmes Photograph by Checko Salgado I am an entertainer. I love my job. I have many friends who are entertainers, and

they all love their jobs. Who wouldn’t? Here is our job description: We share our talents with you and in return, you give us your undivided attention and applaud for us.

into casino space and the vast majority of headliner shows have to arrive independently financed. The entertainer now has to rent the showroom and pay for whatever promotion they can afford.

It’s a good deal.

Obviously, it makes perfect corporate sense to make sure every venue is profitable. However, with a couple of wonderful exceptions, the new “In Ones” aren’t being given time and, in fact, have no place to build and develop a following and become a unique and exciting part of a city that was built on originals. The showrooms didn’t make a profit on Sammy, Frank and Dean, but the pure excitement they brought spilled into the casinos and restaurants and the entire city became the beneficiary. Even as I write this I’m developing a bruise from banging my head against the wall, so I will try to wrap this up and get back to rehearsal!

I admit to having a passion for what I call “In One” performers; those performers who can command a stage by the strength of their talent and personality, night after night after night. To me, they are a bit like gladiators boldly taking center stage where there is nowhere to hide under the spotlight. The great ones—Sinatra, Sammy, Elvis, Wayne, Cosby, Rivers, Rickles and their ilk—all have an indelible connection to our city. The “In One” art form is a large part of what Las Vegas was built on and I, for one, don’t want that to become a thing of the past. When I became a resident entertainer in Las Vegas at the turn of the century, I considered myself extremely fortunate. Harrah’s gave me every opportunity to succeed. At the beginning, when the crowds were small, I got encouragement from management and more billboards and cab-tops than I could count, and most importantly, time.

When the billboard announces in big bold letters, “The Rat Pack Is Back!” a voice in my head screams, “NO, it’s not!” No disrespect to the generally fine shows that help keep that golden era alive, or to any show that creates work for local entertainers, but while imitation is the highest form of flattery, originality is the highest form of art. The Rat Pack will never really be back but I believe, given the readiness of the performers to give their all, and the willingness of the venues to recognize their potential and find ways to help them grow, there is a new core group of “In Ones” ready to find their swagger right here at home.

Things are different now. Lounges are being converted

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