EvEnt
‘Rising’ to the occasion
VEGAS SEVEN
14
[ upcoming ]
June 22 The Center presents Divas Who Dine (TheCenterLV.com) June 28-30 Art ‘N’ Ink Festival at South Point (LVArtInk.com)
Photos by Teddy Fujimoto
June 13–19, 2013
This year’s Rising Phoenix Charitable Foundation gala on June 8 garnered hot talent and cool auction items—quite fitting for this year’s fire-and-ice theme. Musicians Chris Mann and Aaron Hendra entertained a crowd of about 60 supporters in the intimate Premier Ballroom at MGM Grand. Attendees bid on such items as Gerard Butler movie memorabilia—the gala took place in conjunction with the actor’s fan convention—as well as VIP show tickets and an African safari trip, all to benefit the Shade Tree women’s shelter. The total amount of money generated from the online portion of the auction was still being tabulated at press time, but over the previous four years, Rising Phoenix raised more than $80,000 for the Shade Tree.
Music
Beck • Imagine Dragons • Pretty Lights Empire of the Sun • Passion Pit • Jurassic 5 childish gambino • Zedd • STS9 • Purity Ring • Big Gigantic • Portugal. The Man
Danny Brown • Dawes • Andrew McMahon • earl sweatshirt • The Joy Formidable Charli XCX • Living Colour • Allen Stone • Capital Cities • Haim Youngblood Hawke • Twenty One Pilots • ZZ Ward • Poolside • Family of the Year Robert DeLong • Wallpaper. • Five Knives • Cayucas • Cosmic Suckerpunch
Knocked Up Kids • Moondog matinee • Shalvoy Music • Most Thieves • Rusty Maples • Kid Meets Cougar • Same Sex Mary Beau Hodges Band • DJ88 • The Dirty Hooks • American Cream • Sabriel • Crazy Chief • DJ Supra • HaleAmanO A crowd of small adventures • Jordan Kate Mitchell • DJ ZO • Joey pero and his band • Albi Loves Chicken Tenders Food
Bruce & Eric Bromberg • Scott Conant • Jonathan Waxman • Hubert Keller • Cat Cora • Michael Mina • Chris Cosentino Rick Moonen • Kim Canteenwalla • Jet Tila • Donald Link • TTom om Colicchio • Michael Symon • Aaron Sanchez Paul Bartolotta • David Burke • Charlie Palmer • Mary Sue Milliken • Susan Feniger • David Myers • Todd English Kerry Simon • André Rochat • Carla Pellegrino • SVEN Mede • Marcel Vigneron • Mike Minor • Megan Romano Elias Cairo • Josh Graves • Jason Tuley • Sean Kinoshita • Rebecca Wilcomb • Ben Hammond • Grant MacPherson Michael Kornick • Natalie Young • Dan Coughlin • Massimiliano Campanari • Carlos Buscaglia • Vinod Ahuja • Manuel Hinojosa Cirque du Soleil
The Beatles Love • Michael Jackson One • Mystére • “o” “o • Zarkana • Kà • Zumanity • CRISS ANGEL Believe
www.lifeisbeautifulfestival.com
Gastro Fare. Nurtured Ales. Jukebox Gold.
VEGAS SEVEN
26
June 13–19, 2013
Nightlife Like-a-kid-again games, live music, collaborative work spaces and an expanded bar put a revitalized Gold Spike back on the menu—day or night By Sam Glaser
June 13–19, 2013
Tony HsieH’s DownTown ProjecT
VEGAS SEVEN
42
espouses the ideals of building communal spaces that foster serendipitous human interaction—“collisions” in Zappos parlance—to accelerate learning, innovation and productivity. Downtown Project’s purchase of Gold Spike from the Siegel Group exemplifes the group’s intention to become a community hub that maximizes collisions. Downtown Project communicator Kim Schaefer cites inspiration from Triumph of the City, Ed Glaeser’s Hsiehinfuencing book that studies the history of cities. Its thesis: When people live and work closely together they become healthier, happier, smarter and more productive. To that end, the guiding Downtown refrain of “return on community” means “investing in businesses that will enhance the neighbor-
hood rather than just focusing on short-term return on investment,” Schaefer explains. The Gold Spike boasts a sizeable and conversation-friendly main room, abundant games, a pool and a courtyard that Schaefer describes as “a little urban oasis escape right in the heart of Downtown that feels like you’re in a little park.” It will also become a convenient connectivity point between East Fremont and the future Zappos campus. The space feels equal parts college rec center and local watering hole. “I love when people say ‘it feels like I’m in my friend’s basement,’ and ‘I feel like I’m at my buddy’s house,’” Gold Spike General Manager Brad Johnson says. Immediately noticeable is the abundance of games, especially cornhole (a.k.a. bags or bag toss). There are several standard 2-foot-by-4-foot bags sets
with one massive 4-foot-by8-foot setup in the middle of the main room. The juxtaposition of standard and oversize continues with standard darts, huge darts; standard Jenga, massive Jenga; tabletop shuffeboard and oversize 42-foot foor shuffeboard; plus classic billiards. Stop by the Stuff booth and leave an ID to check out your favorite board game: Monopoly, Clue, Twister or dominoes, among others. There’s still a bar and a café— both have been upgraded but not changed dramatically from the Siegel days, “other than ingredients,” Johnson notes. “We’ve gone from purchasing from one vender to purchasing from multiple venders to make sure that we’re getting the best product. … We offer some healthier options, some to-go options,” including gluten-free items. There’s an even greater
selection at the bar with 35 beers and some new top-shelf liquors. Another ambition: to become the hot-sauce capital of Downtown; there were 22 varieties at last count. Even as amenities grow, maintaining a low price point remains an important component. “We really didn’t want to scare people away who had been coming here for years. We kept many of the menu items similar, we kept many of the bar prices similar,” Johnson says. Gold Spike is also making a serious play for your daytime work schedule. There’s speedy free Wi-Fi with abundant seating and table space. “People can work, hang out, have meetings, have a good meal—everything all rolled into one. … Live-work-play, all in one building.” Johnson adds, “There are not too many coworking spaces that are 24/7.” Live music is also part of the formula. Johnson explains, “We are very into the music scene— DJing, live bands, things of that nature here Thursday, Friday, Saturday nights.” Notably, the new Gold Spike does not offer gambling, and the attached hotel is currently
closed. But don’t confuse that with an anti-gaming mentality. “The focus was to create something that didn’t already exist Downtown,” Schaefer says. Johnson adds that it’s about activating “a 24/7 location without gaming, without a hotel.” The Downtown Project hired 29 former employees who account for more than 80 percent of the current staff. What’s new is an empowered, happiness-delivering etiquette and customer-service training, where management-coached employees take ownership. The vision of Gold Spike today is clear: “A welcoming, homey environment. Somewhere that you can feel comfortable to relax, work, party and do whatever,” Johnson notes. So what does the future hold? “Long term, [the goal] is just creating the most collisions per square foot, and making sure that every inch of the property is activated in some way.” This is bigger than building a Zapposian utopia: “It’s about helping to make Downtown Las Vegas one of the best cities in the world,” Johnson says. Not buying drinks? Cool, hang as long as you’d like.
Photos by Kin Lui
Downtown’s Gold Rush
Clockwise from left: shuffleboard, the game area and pool table, and the bar with outlets at every seat.
nightlife
parties
Liquid Aria
[ Upcoming ]
VEGAS SEVEN
46
See more photos from this gallery at SpyOnVegas.com
Photography by Joe Fury and Teddy Fujimoto
June 13–19, 2013
June 15 Scooter and Lavelle spin June 16 Social Sundays June 20 The Real House DJs of Las Vegas
nightlife
parties
Xs Nightswim Wynn
[ Upcoming ]
VEGAS SEVEN
50
See more photos from this gallery at SpyOnVegas.com
Photography by Danny Mahoney
June 13–19, 2013
June 16 Manufactured Superstars spin June 23 Black Dice with Eric Prydz June 30 Madeon spins
nightlife
parties
rehab
Hard Rock Hotel [ Upcoming ]
VEGAS SEVEN
54
See more photos from this gallery at SpyOnVegas.com
Photography by Hew Burney and Bobby Jameidar
June 13–19, 2013
June 14 Summer Camp Fridays June 15 Posso Spins June 20 BASSRush Pool Party
nightlife
parties
Gallery
planet Hollywood [ Upcoming ]
VEGAS SEVEN
60
See more photos from this gallery at SpyOnVegas.com
Photography by Teddy Fujimoto
June 13–19, 2013
June 15 Fabolous performs June 17 Perfect 12
nightlife
parties
artisan afterhours 1501 W. Sahara Ave. [ Upcoming ]
VEGAS SEVEN
66
See more photos from this gallery at SpyOnVegas.com
Photography by Bobby Jameidar
June 13–19, 2013
June 19 Cuban Night June 20 Ritual Thursdays June 21 Video Star Fridays
VEGAS SEVEN
86
When the crash was over, he had killed an Iraq War veteran. On his frst day back home. Sentenced to 5 ½ to 14 ½ years behind bars, he spent four years at a Carson City prison, organizing an Alcoholics Anonymous program and teaching Shakespeare to fellow inmates. Recalling a visit with Burk, the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s theater critic, Anthony Del Valle (who died last month), wrote in his Theater Chat column: “A prisoner came up to our table and said, ‘Brandon, I hope just because you have a visitor, that doesn’t mean Shakespeare class is going to be canceled.’” Granted work-release status in April 2012, Burk was transferred to the Casa Grande Transitional Center on Russell Road. Initially, he found local work waiting tables. Yet Burk was highly regarded in Vegas theater circles as an actor/director—his deft, funny and dramatic performances were consistent highlights of Nevada Conservatory Theatre productions at UNLV—and as a onetime dialect coach for Spamalot on the Strip. Approached by Morse in June and offered the Onyx position as artistic director, Burk accepted. “I’ve had eight artistic directors in eight years, and it doesn’t pay a lot, so you really have to love it for it to matter,” Morse says. “Brandon and I shared the same philosophy of theater, that low cost does not have to equal low quality. It took a few months but he was able to pull together enough talent to pull off Sweeney Todd last October. One show sold out after the other.” ••• Ah, yes. Sweeney Todd. Other productions by local troupes— including A Clockwork Orange, Next to Normal, Woody Allen’s God: A Comedy in One Act, Arthur and Esther, Hamlet and the regular series of specialty shows and improv comedy nights—rotated through on Burk’s watch. Then there was Mr. Todd, a.k.a. “The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.” Sweeney was widely lauded as among the best, if not the best, community theater production of 2012; so popular that in a rare feat of endurance, it was revived for more performances in January; hailed by Del Valle—known to be as demanding of friends’ work
Forming a long-distance partnership, Ernie Curcio and Michael Morse, above, operate the Onyx Theatre with imprisoned artistic director Brandon Burk, who directed Chris Mayse and Kellie Wright in the Onyx’s Sweeney Todd.
as anyone else’s—as a show that “restores your faith in American musicals, as well as local artists’ ability to do them justice”; directed by Brandon Burk, who left daily rehearsals for nightly confnement. “He’d get into a rhythm,” Morse says, “but he still had to go back to jail every night.” Not that it blunted Burk’s creative infuence—or the personal insight that he could now provide that few others could ever hope to share: As the Stephen Sondheim musical begins, Sweeney Todd is a newly released convict. “His situation made it unique and when he was in prison he had really gotten passionate about this project of Sweeney Todd, it had gotten into his soul,” recalls local theater vet Chris Mayse, who starred as Burk’s mad-eyed Todd. “He gave me a lot to think about. We talked about his experiences when he was incarcerated, the sense of isolation, things Sweeney would have gone through. That’s why this play spoke to him. With Brandon, as with Sweeney, when he comes out of prison, he wants to get his life back, to get his feet back on the
ground. I felt like that with Brandon.” Knowing his situation, Sweeney’s cast and crew also aided their show’s captain, whose movements and lifestyle were curtailed by work-release regs. “He could only be at certain places at certain times, so that would dictate when rehearsals were over,” Mayse says. “We’d give him encouragement, like, ‘If you can’t do that we’ll get it for you,’ or ‘If you can’t drive, we’ll go.’” Beyond the triumph of Todd, Burk also scheduled the Onyx season of shows, keeping its stage whirring with productions from local groups including Ragtag Entertainment, Table 8 Productions, Poor Richard’s Players, Huntsman Entertainment, Chaos Theater, SRO Productions, Sin City Opera and Quadranine Productions. “We’re booked through April 2014, so we’re doing well,” says Curcio, who is also a veteran actor, director and prolifc local playwright, and who, like Burk, also performed in Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding. “Before
he left [for prison], we had known each other maybe three months, but we became very close and really respect each other. We’re both UNLV alumni, both very invested in the Las Vegas theater community. We’re men of the theater.” Rejecting the all-too-common practice of theatrical isolationism in this city, Burk also earned kudos from Morse for helping to shatter the inexplicable barriers that have long separated local troupes. “Brandon helped foster an incestuous relationship between theater companies that never shared actors, never shared props, never shared anything, hardly,” Morse says. “He reached out to the entire community, borrowing set pieces and props. We can get on the phone right now with Las Vegas
Little Theatre and say, ‘Do you have columns?’ And they’ll say, ‘How many do you want?’” Set decorations, actors and backstage resources now bounce back and forth. Sadly, so did Burk. One night, a pair of handcuffs—not provided by a prop department—found their way back to the artistic director’s wrists. ••• Barely a week after the wrap of Sweeney Todd’s triumphant return engagement, on the evening of January 28, two prison offcials entered the Onyx for a random check of Burk’s work space as theatergoers gathered for the Monday night improv-comedy show, a solid weekly draw. “I’m at the counter and the store manager comes up and says, ‘You really need to come
Curcio and Morse photo by Anthony Mair
June 13–19, 2013
A&E
Stage
June 13–19, 2013
87 VEGAS SEVEN
with me; Brandon’s in the offce in handcuffs,’” Morse remembers. “I go in and Brandon is sitting there, very quiet, he wasn’t allowed to speak. He looked down at an iPad on the ground. [The offcials] said, ‘Is that yours?’ For a second, I think he thought about lying about it, but then he thought honesty was the best policy. His brother had given it to him as a gift a couple of weeks earlier. Who knew? And he was led off.” Busted back to prison over possessing an iPad. Addressing that Black Monday in his message to the theater community— which was posted to Facebook in February by Del Valle at Burk’s request—Burk explained: While this is not a crime for most people, as an inmate it is illegal to possess a telecommunications device. I was aware of the rules that forbade me to have the device, and by having it I risked both the privileges and freedoms I had been granted, as well as the well-being of the Onyx itself. Freedom revoked—at least until later this year, when Burk comes up before the parole board. “We’re starting a letterwriting campaign,” Morse says. “Several of us are going to the parole hearing to speak on his behalf.” Though Burk is granted regular phone privileges, keeping communication fowing with the Onyx is challenging. “The calls are fast and furious, and it can be horribly frustrating,” Curcio says. “You can hear the beep from the prison phone going off right in the middle of trying to fgure something out, or I miss the call and then God knows [when they will talk again]. I’m just keeping the ship afoat until the captain comes back.” Adds Morse: “He likes to call on opening nights, and he’ll say, ‘What is happening? How’s it going?’ And we’ll say, ‘You can do what about it, exactly?’” ••• Most of us are, to some degree, haunted by moments in our past. Few of us have to live with the crushing guilt of having taken a life, and having done it so carelessly, incurring a cosmic debt he will forever owe. “Brandon was involved in something horrifc that has affected many lives,” Mayse says. “He’s always going to have this shadow, this cloud hanging over him, carrying it with him forever. But he will come out on top. I’ve been thinking about him quite a lot lately.” Likewise, Burk has been thinking quite a lot about his extended community theater family, as he wrote: It’s still unclear exactly how long I will be away … I [and the Onyx staff] still share a similar vision, mission and passion for that beautiful space. … Thank you so much for your support and for taking the time to read this. I hope to see you sooner than later. Signing off for now, he invoked two words from which his redemption can take root: Love and Art, Brandon Burk.
Music Humungus dives into town on June 16.
June 13–19, 2013
Death fests, local ragers anD vooDoo organs
VEGAS SEVEN
88
My ears are still ringing from Doom in June, a 12-hour doom-metal festival at Cheyenne Saloon. Since I’m a soldier of rock ’n’ roll, though, I’ll be returning to the very same venue June 13-15 for Las Vegas Deathfest V. Man, I should really get my tympanic membranes insured. This year’s installment runs three days and nights, and features death-metal bands from all over the world, making this a kind of morbid and misanthropic United Nations gathering of sonic terror. From Germany: Pighead and Acranius. From Australia: Entrails Eradicated. From Taiwan: Coprocephalic. From Russia: Lethality. From Belarus: Relics of Humanity. And, finally, from Mexico: Shattered Eyes. LVDF also offers an opportunity to check out three local underground acts— Excretory Engorgement, Phalloplasty and Crucify the Enslaved. They open the fest in that order starting at 4 p.m. June 13. In case you haven’t been warned, Engorgement has a song called “Corn on the Cock,” so maybe you should bring barf bags. The Deathfest boasts plenty of hilariously disturbing band names—Parasitic Ejaculation, Paroxysmal Butchering—but the prize goes to Animals Killing People. There’s something satisfyingly to-the-point about it. Day pass: $25; three-day pass: $60. Go to FiggzillaMusic.com for tix. If that’s too much goregrind for your sensitive palate, there is an awesome All-Ager Rager taking place at House of Blues at 5 p.m. June 14. Featuring “the next wave of Las Vegas local music,” this show stars seven local
bands and serves as the CD-release event for alterna-popsters Rush and Roulette. I caught this group in April at the Hard Rock Rising band battle, and I admire their catchy, hookfilled songcraft. Think—if you care to—Matchbox Twenty crossed with Maroon 5. Other acts include Days After Hail, Play for Keeps, Offset Season, Take the Lead, the Perks and Tuesday After School. If the Deathfest doesn’t scratch your metal itch, Richmond, Virginia, thrashers Humungus arrive at The Dive (formerly Favorites) at 9 p.m. June 16. These guys are all in their 20s but play like veteran guitar-shredders. Their songs run the headbanger’s gamut, from kegworthy party anthems (“Drinkin’ a Beer”) to fantastical gibberish (“Ghost With a Gun”). And then there’s the song “Shark Castle,” the lyrics of which defy description, but I’ll try anyway: Jaws meets Game of Thrones. Vegas thrash ensemble Orbitron opens. On June 18, the Voodoo Organist, a.k.a. Scott Wexton, takes the stage at The Dive at 9 p.m. to darkly serenade fans with his Tiki-lounge-in-hell tunes. The L.A.-based Organist comes on like Tom Waits fronting noise-drone band Suicide, Wexton’s haunting keyboard riffs underscoring the menace of his dour voice and doom-laden lyrics. Last time he came through town, he was backed by a live drummer. For this show he’ll be performing solo again, and I look forward to hearing songs from his brandnew album, Vampire Empire. Fuzz Solow and The Swamp Gospel open. Your Vegas band releasing a CD soon? Email Jarret_Keene@Yahoo.com.
VEGAS SEVEN
92
David Sanchez Burr (inset) and his mountain-top experience.
Art on the Mountain Wildlife Divide workshops bring art and nature together By Kurt Rice
the Mary Jane Falls Trailhead parking lot was packed on the frst weekend of triple-digit temperatures this year. Most
of the folks parked there were headed up the trail, but I was there for the second in a series of eight Wildlife Divide art
workshops that will take place on Mount Charleston through the end of September. Local artists David Sanchez Burr
really about being able to come down off of the mountain with a piece of art in your hand, it’s about trying to introduce people to the idea that this isn’t the place where art has to stop or art has to exist. If you come up here and decide to stack a and recent transplant Graham couple of stones, that’s an artisWimbrow guided two other tic engagement you have with attendees and me through a this space. It kind of broadens few hours of hauling stones, expectations about what art fallen timber, wood chips and could be.” charcoal from dead, illicit Wimbrow adds that this campfres into a nearby wash. project might reciprocally While arranging them into a inspire him as well. “It’s an pretty cool little installation, opportunity to interact with we sweated and talked and people who don’t have that learned a few things about the art front and center in their mountains and about art. lives, people who have their Wildlife Divide is a series own backgrounds. That’s really of free, art-in-nature workwhere you’re going to get the shops organized by the Spring new ideas.” Mountains National Recreation Attendees’ level of art awareArea and sponsored by the ness is “pretty high,” says SanU.S. Forest Service, Great Basin chez Burr, but I didn’t feel at all Institute and the Southern self-conscious or out of place. Nevada Conservancy. Sanchez, My level of art awareness could a Madrid native and UNLV politely be described as not alum, took on the job of the very high, and Sanchez Burr recreation area’s art-education and Wimbrow were more than coordinator last year and initi- cool with that. Sure, Sanchez ated Wildlife Divide as soon as Burr says a lot of people who he came onboard. “We’re really come up “are actual artists, but trying to get people outside there are also kids who show and connected with nature.” up, families, retirees; we’ve Although getting “connected had a wide variety of people.” with nature” is presumably In fact, he says, he fnds the what the trail-walkers were mixing of trained artists and also doing, Wildlife Divide curious amateurs catalyzes the has an additional purpose: to whole process, “because you educate through participation have artists that you can almost in art-making. expect will be doing something Wimbrow, who graduated that has this ‘layer of art’ over from the Maryland Institute it whereas other people come College of Art in 2011 and is an in and they want to know AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer more. I really get a kick out with the Outside Las Vegas of people who come up here Foundation’s youth program, and have no preconception of guided the day’s workshop. “I what is going to happen. That’s want people to treat when the real exciteit almost as a moving ment happens.” Wildlife divide meditation and [be] Sanchez Burr says Workshops less focused on the the frst workshop output. We’re going this year was wellVarious dates; to be working in a attended and, based all workshops wash, which means on last year’s numare free and that anything that we bers, having only a details are at do is going to eventufew people show up GoMtCharlesally be removed; eimade the event a litton.com ther someone comes tle underpopulated. and through around and kicks it “We usually get six David Sanchez over or water pushes to 12 people at each Burr at Art@ through. My attitude workshop. We’re GoMtCharlestoward interacting hoping to get around ton.com. with this space in an 12 every time, but artistic way is not we’ll go up to 15.”
Sanchez photo by Checko Salgado
June 13–19, 2013
A&E
art
A&E
movies
Global storminG Brit Marling goes undercover as an eco-terrorist in this suspenseful tale of moral confict By Michael Phillips
Tribune Media Services Deep cover: that’s where an actress can reveal two faces, one real, the other designed to burrow into the confdence of her adversary. For any performer, the fun, the challenge, comes in fnding the shadows in between. In The East, a wily, human-scaled suspense drama, Brit Marling plays an undercover agent for a private intelligence frm. Her mission takes her inside the confnes of an eco-terrorism cell called The East, whose targets include petroleum executives who spill millions of gallons of crude without doing a minute of prison time. Crucial to the plot, as conceived by screenwriters Marling and director Zal Batmanglij, the group fxes on a pharmaceutical magnate whose latest wonder drug is doing the public no favors. To nail the enemy, Marling’s Sarah must become the enemy. Once inside the collective, she learns of the destructive acts of sabotage and vengeance planned by group
leader Benji, played by Alexander Skarsgård. The edgiest and most radical of The East’s members, Izzy (Ellen Page), can’t quite fgure out who this newcomer is and why she has signed up for duty. At key junctures of the story, Sarah reports back to her corporate superior (Patricia Clarkson, icy privilege running through her veins), before returning to go a little deeper, a little closer to the edge of exposure. The reason the movie works, despite some “movie-stupid” developments in the second half, has everything to do with the low-key and unaffected quality Marling brings to the screen. She’s not an overtly exciting or famboyant actress; partly, I suspect, her instincts (which are correct) tell her she doesn’t need to do a lot of jumping up and down, not with That Face and Those Cheekbones and her warm blanket of a murmur. In Sound of My Voice, another Batmanglij/Marling collaboration, the actress brought a whispery,
Marling and Skarsgård go green, a very dark shade of green.
cryptic sense of mystery to the role of a fervent cult leader. In that picture, a pair of freelance investigative journalists did the infltrating; in The East, which feels in some respects like a two-hour cable TV series pilot, Marling dons the garb of infltrator, struggling to resolve her two lives (her man back home thinks she’s in Dubai) and keep separate her two faces. The most effective scene offers suspense wrapped around a queasy moral dilemma. At a garden-party fundraiser
held by the drug company magnate, the eco-activistterrorists disguise themselves as caterers and party guests. They’re slipping doses of the supposedly FDA-tested and -approved drug into futes of Champagne, thereby giving the manufacturers a taste of their own potentially fatal medicine. Sarah must play along, but her instincts scream out: Stop! The East goes a little bit south when Sarah (as always, for more than one reason) fnds herself attracted to Benji, and
short reviews
June 13–19, 2013
The Purge (R) ★✩✩✩✩
VEGAS SEVEN
98
In the not-too-distant future, America has one night a year of catharsis, when citizens give in to their violent impulses. Murder and mayhem abound, as the well-off can hunt the homeless. Or just seek revenge. Ethan Hawke plays a well-off salesman who holes up with his family in their heavily secured home for the night. Unfortunately, his children let some outsiders in, including a hunted homeless vet. Naturally, this brings the vengeful hunters down on their happy home. The message and violence are heavyhanded. You’ve seen better.
Now You See Me (PG-13) ★★✩✩✩
This super-slick magicians’ heist picture has a lot less up its sleeve than it lets on. A group of magicians: Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg), Henley (Isla Fisher), Merritt (Woody Harrelson and Jack (Dave Franco), bill themselves as the “Four Horsemen” and attempt the ultimate caper. “Tonight,” they tell the audience, “we’re going to rob a bank.” Which they do, a continent away, raining currency down on the audience. Good turns by Morgan Freeman and Mark Ruffalo can’t mask the fact that there’s too much explaining involved in this twisted plot.
After Earth (PG-13) ★★ ✩✩
The latest from M. Night Shyamalan, no longer “Mr. Plot Twist,” is a two-biller showcasing the Smiths, Will and Jaden. Humanity’s treatment of Earth has led to mass exodus. The planet is overrun by animals and bugs, all genetically evolved to kill humans. Cypher (Will Smith) takes his son, Kitai (Jaden Smith), on security patrol of Earth, but one crash landing later, father and son are stuck. Kitai must locate a beacon and navigate all kinds of danger along the way. Moderately entertaining.
some polemical speechifying is allowed to intrude on the story. But we stick with it. The interplay among the cult members, real and pretend, shows us plausibly gullible idealists venturing down bloody pathways. This is an effective genre piece. And Marling’s quiet way of anchoring a scene is subtle enough to escape detection in almost any narrative circumstance. The East (PG-13) ★★★✩✩
[ by tribune media services ]
Fast & Furious 6 (PG-13) ★★★★✩
The sixth installment of this car-thieveswith-honor franchise is a surprising and unlikely delight. Dom (Vin Diesel) wants to return home to L.A. after stealing $100 million in Brazilian drug money. Federal agent Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson), who had been after Dom and his gang of thieves, actually needs them to catch a British terrorist. The gang comes back together for a slew of incredible chase scenes, ridiculous amounts of downshifting and full exoneration. Director Justin Lin knows what he’s doing here.
movies
Star Trek Into Darkness (PG-13) ★★★★✩
Director J.J. Abrams’ second installment in the classic franchise reboot is fantastic. Life on Earth in the 23rd century is eerily familiar: a massively destructive act of terrorism sets into motion a tale that leads, early on, to an attack on Starfleet; a test of leadership for James T. Kirk (Chris Pine); and the introduction of an also-familiar adversary in Khan (Benedict Cumberbatch). The result is tons of fun. The Enterprise and its crew have never looked better.
Epic PG ★★✩✩✩
The Great Gatsby PG-13 ★★✩✩✩
Peeples PG-13 ★★★✩✩
Iron Man 3 (PG-13) ★★★✩✩
Twentieth Century Fox and Blue Sky Studios present Adequate? This deceptively named animated feature just doesn’t provide much. A girl (Amanda Seyfried) discovers an alternative and tiny universe in the forest where warriors (Colin Farrell and Josh Hutcherson) fly on the backs of hummingbirds. Quenn Tara (Beyoncé) must pick a special flower to regenerate the forest. And the plot gets ever-more convoluted from there. Let’s just put it this way, it’s no FernGully.
In this comedy, Craig Robinson plays Wade, an entertainer for kids who somehow wound up with the stunning U.N. lawyer Grace (Kerry Washington). Wade follows Grace to the Hamptons and surprise her and her folks with a proposal. The moment he meets her father, “The Judge” (David Alan Grier), Wade realizes his folly. The Judge is a handful and there are a slew of overachieving misfit siblings. Family drama and hilarity ensue. Producer Tyler Perry should take notes for the next time he directs.
Filmmaker Baz Luhrmann’s attempt at this great American novel means one thing: It’s party time! Employing 3-D (simply because he could), Luhrmann goes all operatic spectacle in this adaptation, all glitz and glamour and poolside parties, without much attention paid to F. Scott Fitzgerald’s deeply psychological look at facades and desires and pasts. Sure there’s Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Daisy (Carey Mulligan), and they’re fine. But the film fails to capture what made the book what it is today.
Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is back, keeping the Disney/Marvel behemoth franchise alive and well. The alien melee in last year’s all-star reunion The Avengers has left Stark nerve-racked. A new global terrorist known as The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) has oozed onto the scene, destroying Stark’s house, slaughtering innocent civilians, etc. Stark flees to rural Tennessee, where he befriends a bullied 8-year-old (Ty Simpkins) who becomes his tagalong and sometime savior.
June 13–19, 2013
It won’t take long to sleep off the third, highly forgettable installment of this franchise. Alan (Zach Galifianakis) buys and accidentally decapitates a (digital) giraffe, giving his dad (Jeffrey Tambor) a heart attack. The Wolf Pack (Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Justin Bartha) drive him to a rehab facility in Arizona. On the way, they’re carjacked by a mobster (John Goodman). And of course, Mr. Chow (Ken Jeong) is around as well. There’s hardly a laugh in the entire thing.
99 VEGAS SEVEN
The Hangover Part III (R) ★★✩✩✩
Marketplace ITS TIME TO TAKE BACK YOUR LIFE! YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES ARE BEING DESTROYED BY YOUR DRUG USE. STOP YOUR PAIN AND MISERY
CALL TODAY
(702) 432.2779
-SUBOXONE ® TREATMENT -METHADONE ® MAINTENANCE -ANXIETY/DEPRESSION -SLEEP DISORDERS -HORMONE REPLACEMENT -HEROIN ABUSE -PAIN PILL ABUSE -CHRONIC PAIN
FIRST VISIT
$200
REGULARLY $300
OUR MEDICATION PROGRAMS WILL FIX YOUR PROBLEMS!!!
*MEDICATION COSTS AVERAGE $50 PER WEEK, BUT MAY DIFFER IF MULTIPLE MEDICATIONS ARE REQUESTED. SUBOXONE® AND OTHER MEDICATIONS PRESCRIBED AND DISPENSED AT OFFICE. J. GRISHAM, M.D., DIRECTOR. DOCUMENTATION OF PREVIOUS INJURY/PAIN CONDITION IS HELPFUL.
Butro®, A REVOLUTIONARY COMPOUNDED MEDICATION RESPONDS TO CHRONIC PAIN WITHOUT CLASSIC OPIOID DEPENDENCE. LEARN MORE: WWW.CPRX.NET
MEDICATIONS MAY BE PRESCRIBED AND OBTAINED WITH INSURANCE COVERAGE. HIPAA-COMPLIANT, CONFIDENTIAL AND DISCREET.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA
2075 E. WINDMILL LANE, SUITE 150, LAS VEGAS, NV 89123 WWW.CPRNEVADA.COM • EMAIL:INFO@CPRNEVADA.COM
Marketplace
P Moss
The bar owner on ‘bullshit’ craf cocktails, memories of a topless pony rodeo and the inside scoop on the invention of Ass Juice
June 13–19, 2013
By Matt Jacob
VEGAS SEVEN
110
P Moss’ résuMé is as eclectic as they come. He runs two of the city’s most iconic bars, the Double Down near UNLV and Frankie’s Tiki Room on West Charleston—the former was one of the 10 inductees in last year’s inaugural Las Vegas Bar Hall of Fame; the latter is among this year’s nominees. He’s the brains behind two legendary drinks (Ass Juice and the bacon martini). He’s a musician whose band, Bloodcocks UK, is a huge hit in Japan. And he’s a former screenwriterturned-author, having penned two novels, as well as the forthcoming Liquid Vacation (Stephens Press, $30). The ode to tiki culture, which includes 77 (previously secret) tropical drink recipes, is set to drop July 1. Bar owner, musician, author—is there anything Moss can’t do? “Yeah,” he says. “Everything else.” Does it blow your mind that people come from all over the world to go to your little dive bar? Oh, God, yes. When that
first started happening, I couldn’t believe it. I would tell people, and they’d laugh. I’d say, “I don’t expect you to believe this, but it’s true.” Now
I don’t have to tell anybody, because it’s obvious and it’s well-documented. But I never would’ve believed that in a million years.
Is there a booze trend that Vegas’ current bar scene needs? Yeah: Go back to the basics. The craft cocktails [scene], a lot of it is just bullshit. … With craft cocktails, people just make some shit and they call it that. Cocktail culture, it’s oversaturated; the attitudes are generally elitist; everybody’s trying to be clever and outdo people. I think if somebody just got back to the basics and, most importantly, did it well, there would be a great demand for that. Think back to the ’50s and what you’d see in the movies or on TV—people going to a really beautiful cocktail bar, and the most exotic thing there is a martini or a Manhattan or a gin and tonic. Those don’t have to be boring drinks. They can be made beautifully, they can be served properly, the ambience of the room can lend itself to [that]. You go into a bar today and order a gin and tonic, and the bartender immediately looks at you like you’re worthless because that’s all you can think of to order. Well, there’s a talent to making a proper gin and tonic and making it well and serving it well. That’s what’s missing. Everybody’s looking to put big-titted girls behind the bar who don’t know what the fuck they’re doing. They serve the most outrageous stuff they can serve because … Lord knows why. But nobody in this town takes the basics and does it right. That’s a bar I would go to. You not only own two of Las Vegas’ most iconic bars, but you’re responsible for serving one of the most iconic shots in town. So what’s the story behind Ass Juice? The Ass Juice story is pretty good. It was a few months after the Double Down opened, and there was a liquor promotion
for this Jägermeister knockoff, and it was just disgusting. So they brought in the big-titted girls with the shot glasses and passed this stuff out. Nobody wanted it. So I had a bunch of it left over, and I put a sign up: $3. Nobody. Crossed it out and put $2. Nobody. Made it a $1— bums wouldn’t even drink it. So I crossed out the [brand] name and I wrote “Ass Juice,” put the price back to $3—sold like crazy. And I thought, “Hey, I can make my own Ass Juice!” That’s how it started. Now it’s a gigantic, gigantic thing. In fact, on the front page of The New York Observer a couple of weeks ago, they did a cocktail story, and the subhead was “blah-blah-blah, Ass Juice.” What inspired you to take on the Liquid Vacation project? There are tiki-drink books, but most of them are crappy. Nobody’s ever really done a great one, and Frankie’s drinks are great. So I asked my mad scientists—I have three people who create the drinks—“Can you guys create enough drinks?” They ended up creating way more than we used. But it was a very hard project—not only writing it, but it involved a lot of editing and fact-checking. I hated it. But once it was done and I held it in my hand, it was all worth it. More exhilarating: Opening a bar or releasing a book? Releasing a book. I can put this into really great perspective: I have a band called Bloodcocks UK, and we don’t play in America; we play in Japan a lot. And what I learned was that when you’re onstage and you’ve got a crowd that’s just screaming at every move you make, it’s the most exciting thing in the world—it just is. But that is nothing compared to the pride of writing a book and having it come out. It makes the band thing look like nothing—and the band thing is really fucking amazing. But the book thing is that much of a rush. Any other bar ideas brewing, or is your mug pretty much full? I’ve got two really amazing bar concepts that I may do. But if I do them, the opportunity has to be perfect—it needs to be the perfect location, the perfect everything. And if that doesn’t happen, I’m very happy with what I have.
Photo by Bryan Hainer
7 questions
What’s your most memorable bar moment, as an owner or patron? [Laughs.] Well, there are a lot of moments, but they all involve sex. I guess historically speaking, it would probably be the original Double Down Pony Rodeo. About 12 years ago, we had a mechanical pony in the middle of the room and girls would always ride it topless. So one day we had a competition, and, uh, it was the most amazing thing anybody there had ever seen. I’ll just leave it at that. God, it was a memory I’ll never forget.