SIXX A.M.
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS APOCALYPTICA, VAMPS AND FEVER RED
FRI, MAY 22 ............... NOEL GALLAGHER’S HIGH FLYING BIRDS
THREE DAYS GRACE
WITH SPECIAL GUEST RUSTY MAPLES
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS POP EVIL & BRAVE BLACK SEA
THU, MAY 28............. GIPSY KINGS FEATURING NICOLAS REYES
AND TONINO BALIARDO
WITH SPECIAL GUEST CONNOR KENNEDY & MINSTREL
SAT, MAY 30 ............ METAL MELTDOWN
FEATURING TWISTED SISTER, EXTREME, SKID ROW, AND GREAT WHITE
THU, JUN 4................ WHITESNAKE WITH SPECIAL GUEST DIAMANTE FRI, JUL 10 ................ THE SMASHING PUMPKINS
& MARILYN MANSON:
THE END TIMES TOUR WITH SPECIAL GUEST CAGE
FRIDAY, APRIL 10
FRIDAY, APRIL 17
PAT BENATAR & NEIL GIRALDO
JOURNEY
SAT, JUL 11 .................. THIRD EYE BLIND &
DASHBOARD CONFESSIONAL SAT, JUL 25 ................ STEVE MILLER BAND THU, JUL 30.............. JUANES LOCO DE AMOR US TOUR SPECIAL GUEST XIMENA SARIÑANA
FRI, JUL 31.................. BRIT FLOYD SPACE & TIME WORLD TOUR 2015 THE WORLD’S GREATEST PINK FLOYD SHOW
SAT, AUG 22 ............. GRAMMY WINNER PETER FRAMPTON
SATURDAY, APRIL 18
& CHEAP TRICK SAT, OCT 3 .............. JIM JEFFERIES THE FREEDUMB TOUR WED, OCT 7 ........... SCORPIONS WITH SPECIAL GUEST QUEENSRŸCHE FRI, OCT 16 ............. UB40 FEATURING ALI CAMPBELL, ASTRO,
APR 29 - MAY 16
AND MICKEY VIRTUE
FOR VIP PACKAGES & RESERVATIONS CONTACT JOINTVIP@HRHVEGAS.COM OR 702.693.5220 AXS.COM
|
888-9-AXS-TIX
|
HARDROCKHOTEL.COM/THEJOINT
22
14 | THE LATEST
“There Goes Our Muscle … ,” by Michael Green. With Harry Reid on his way out of the U.S. Senate, Nevada is about to experience a costly power outage. Plus, Found Material on MGM Grand circa 1995, and Big Knockout Boxing promises intense action.
16 | Betting
“Focus on the ‘F’ Word,” by Scott Spreitzer. Final Four is destined to come down to one thing: fundamentals.
22 | COVER
”A City in Focus,” a photo essay by Anthony Mair. Our photographer takes flight to capture little Las Vegas .
29 | NIGHTLIFE
“Steal This Music,” by Kat Boehrer. Clean Bandit went from no-budget YouTube videos to a Grammy win. Plus, a Q&A with Dee Jay Silver, Seven Nights and photos from the week’s hottest parties.
53 | DINING
Al Mancini on Table 89. Plus, hop to the Valley’s best rabbit dishes, and Dishing With Grace.
59 | A&E
“Bohemian Like Everybody,” by Cindi Moon Reed. Is the neo-hippie dream of Coachella now just a myth? Plus, Shamir makes a splash, the Hit List and Tour Buzz.
65 | Showstopper
“Right in the Kisser, Alice,” by Steve Bornfeld. Steampunk trip to Wonderland assaults the senses.
66 | Movies
Home and our weekly movie capsules.
78 | Seven Questions
Medical ethicist, author and UNLV Shearing Fellow Harriet Washington on mental illness, Big Pharma and the power of one.
Vegas Moment Seven Days Gossip Style Seven Nights
|
| | | | |
The Bellagio Fountains, as seen through a tilt-shift lens.
ON THE COVER Photo by Anthony Mair
April 2–8, 2015
PHOTO BY ANTHONY MAIR
12 15 18 20 34
VegasSeven.com
DEPARTMENTS
9
LAS VEGAS’ WEEKLY CITY MAGAZINE
|
FOUNDED FEBRUARY 2010
PUBLISHER
Michael Skenandore
EDITORIAL
Matt Jacob Paul Szydelko, Xania Woodman A&E EDITOR Cindi Reed ASSOCIATE EDITOR Camille Cannon SENIOR WRITERS Steve Bornfeld, Geoff Carter, Lissa Townsend Rodgers CALENDAR COORDINATOR Ian Caramanzana EDITOR
SENIOR EDITORS
SENIOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Melinda Sheckells (style)
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Michael Green (politics), Al Mancini (dining), David G. Schwartz (gaming/hospitality)
ART
Ryan Olbrysh Jon Estrada, Cierra Pedro STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Anthony Mair CREATIVE DIRECTOR
GRAPHIC DESIGNERS
VEGASSEVEN.COM
Nicole Ely Herbert Akinyele ENGAGEMENT EDITOR Zoneil Maharaj SENIOR WRITER, RUNREBS.COM Mike Grimala ASSISTANT WEB PRODUCER Amber Sampson DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL MEDIA
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
PRODUCTION/DISTRIBUTION
Marc Barrington Jimmy Bearse DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR Jasen Ono
DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION/DISTRIBUTION ADVERTISING MANAGER
SALES
Christy Corda Nicole Scherer ACCOUNT MANAGER Brittany Quintana ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Alyse Britt, Robyn Weiss
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR DIGITAL SALES MANAGER
INTERNS
James Cale, Aric Lairmore, Angeline Ramirez, Danny Webster
Ryan T. Doherty
| Justin Weniger
Michael Skenandore VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING AND EVENTS Kyle Markman DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS Michael Uriarte CREATIVE DIRECTOR Sherwin Yumul MARKETING MANAGER Maureen Hank PRESIDENT
FINANCE
Rey Alberto Donna Nolls SENIOR ACCOUNTANT Linda Nash HUMAN RESOURCES COORDINATOR Kara Dennis VICE PRESIDENT
ASSISTANT CONTROLLER
Comments@VegasSeven.com Sales@VegasSeven.com DISTRIBUTION Distribution@VegasSeven.com
LETTERS AND STORY IDEAS ADVERTISING
PUBLISHED IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE OBSERVER MEDIA GROUP Vegas Seven, 888-792-5877, 3070 West Post Road, Las Vegas, NV 89118 Vegas Seven is distributed each Thursday throughout Southern Nevada c 2015 Vegas Seven, LLC. Reproduction in whole or in part without the permission of Vegas Seven, LLC is prohibited.
DIALOGUE
OUR SITES TO SEE THE MAGIC OF FOOD
If you’re an entertainer who wants to stand out in a city loaded with entertainers, you better have a unique shtick. Josh Beckerman certainly understands this, which is why the New York transplant’s act intertwines magic, mentalism, comedy and—wait for it—his obsession with food. Contributor Jessie O’Brien recently met up with Beckerman, who discussed his best trick (spoiler alert: It doesn’t involve pulling a roasted rabbit out of his hat) and his hopes for a new TV show at Vrated. com/FoodieMagician. SOUTHERN EXPOSURE
BECKERMAN BY NICK SOL ARES
The comedy show Puppetry of the Penis has let it all hang out from Paris to New York, and now the vaudevillian act is coming to the Erotic Heritage Museum on April 14. Now that your curiosity is sufficiently, um, aroused, find out more details about the show that boasts more than 70 male genitalia tricks at Vrated.com/ PenisPuppetry.
MOVING ALONG
MAKING THE GRADE
PAINT IT RED
It’s no secret that the cost of student housing on and around college campuses is through the roof. That’s why John Tippins, a real estate mogul and UNLV alum, hopes to connect his two passions by creating affordable off-campus housing in the Downtown area (among other locations). Learn about his vision at DTLV.com/ StudentHousing.
Another UNLV basketball season is in the books, which means it’s time for RunRebs.com editor Mike Grimala to bust out the red pen and grade the players’ performances. You can find all the report cards—from the A’s to the incompletes— at RunRebs.com/ ReportCard.
Calling all UNLV students! Mark April 9 on your calendars for our college party Downtown. The event, sponsored by DTLV.com, will feature a roller derby, silent disco and DJ sets. Visit DTLV. com/PaintItRed to sign up for a wristband, which gets you free admission, plus discounts on food, drinks and retail items from Downtown stores.
FACEBOOK: /VegasSeven TWITTER: /7Vegas INSTAGRAM: /VegasSeven
VEGAS MOMENT
She Sure Plays a Mean Pinball
Have you taken a photo that captures the spirit of Las Vegas this week? Share it with us at Moment@VegasSeven.com.
| April 2–8, 2015
Don’t let the “I Like Warm Hugs” T-shirt fool you, lady: I’m a coldblooded pinball killa. And you’re about to be my next victim, just as soon as you fame out on this AC/DC machine. Which, judging by your playing style—my God, you’re not even controlling the freakin’ fippers!—should be any second now. Seriously, you see me, arms crossed and yawning? That’s how concerned I am about you and the other 30 amateurs who entered this fourth annual PinPin Women’s Only Pinball tournament at the Pinball Hall of Fame on March 27. Face it: Y’all playing for second place. Hell, the way I see it, my toughest chore today will be deciding which of these vintage machines I’ll take home as my winning prize ...
VegasSeven.com
Photo by Mike Stotts
13
“This does not answer the question, though, of why in the hell the lead singer of Mötley Crüe needs a LinkedIn account.” GOSSIP {PAGE 18}
After 30 years in the U.S. Senate, Harry Reid is heading home to Nevada.
There Goes Our Muscle … With Harry Reid on his way out of the U.S. Senate, Nevada is about to experience a costly power outage By Michael Green
April 2–8, 2015
|
VegasSeven.com
IF YOU WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HARRY
14
Reid’s retirement from the U.S. Senate will mean to Nevada, it’s too bad that Helen Dewar isn’t here to tell you. But she once told me, and it involves a story about another Nevada senator, one who resigned in disgrace. Flash back more than a decade ago: When Reid was having little trouble convincing his fellow Democrats to join him in opposition to the nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, then-new U.S. Senator John Ensign struggled to garner similar support from his Republican colleagues. In the wake of this news, Dewar, who covered the Senate for The Washington Post for 25 years, marveled that Nevada voters in 1998 nearly ousted Reid (who was on the verge of becoming the Democratic whip, making him the No. 2 ranking senator in his caucus) in favor of Ensign. I remember chuckling and telling Dewar, “Nevadans need a civics lesson.” Dewar replied, “Americans need a civics lesson.”
We do. Reid’s fve terms in the Senate meant he would be a major player in D.C., even without any leadership post. Much has changed about the Senate in his 30 years—it used to be much more pleasant, even when racist Southerners populated the place; today, 24/7 cable news has helped heighten the infuence of members who once were largely seen and not heard. But even today, seniority—read: power—remains crucial. Well, Reid had seniority. And because Reid had it, Nevada had it. You may recall from your high school government class that when the Founding Fathers wrote the U.S. Constitution, they gave each state two senators. California has 38 million residents and 53 seats in the 435-member House, but its two U.S. senators put together have less infuence than Reid from Nevada (population: 2.7 million) or his GOP counterpart, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky (4.4 million). Being in positions of power, Reid and
McConnell can help their states in ways that their House delegations cannot. With Reid announcing March 27 that he won’t seek re-election when his term expires next year, it means Nevada in 2017 will have a brand-new senator joining Dean Heller (who is in the middle of his frst full term). The last time our state was in this position was in 1987. And thereby hangs a tale. In 1982, Nevadans elected Republican Chic Hecht over four-term Democrat Howard Cannon, then one of the most senior U.S. senators. Nevada’s other senator at the time, Paul Laxalt, was widely known as President Ronald Reagan’s best friend, so the state could feel relatively safe—in theory. Then Laxalt quit at the end of his second term in 1986, opening the door for Reid to move up from his seat in the House. Soon after Reid took offce in 1987, Democratic Senator J. Bennett Johnston of Louisiana introduced the infamous “Screw Nevada” bill, which would route nuclear waste to Yucca Mountain. Of
course it passed: Neither Hecht, who was a latecomer to our anti-nuclear fght, nor Reid, a freshman senator, had the power to stop it. But when Reid got the power, he stopped it. After the bill’s passage, I met thenformer Senator Cannon. I asked him what he would have done about that bill. “It wouldn’t have been introduced,” he replied. “Johnston wouldn’t have done that with a senior senator.” Yeah, but what if he had? With a ficker of wryness, Cannon said, “I would have made Louisiana disappear.” So where does Ensign ft into all this? He was moving up the leadership ladder, to the point of chairing the GOP Senate campaign committee and planning to visit Iowa before the 2012 elections. Then came news of his extramarital activities, and questions about payments to the family of the woman with whom he had an affair, forcing him to resign. Had that not happened, Ensign would be a leader today on the Republican side of the aisle. Make no mistake: Ensign’s personal problems turned into a big problem for Nevada with respect to its infuence in Washington—and that problem will be magnifed once Reid returns home. Speaking of the man from Searchlight, he long ago joined the list of senators from Nevada who used their clout to beneft their state: Key Pittman chaired the Foreign Relations Committee during the New Deal, when the federal government spent more money per capita in Nevada than anywhere else; Pat McCarran headed the Judiciary Committee and delivered major pork projects while blocking federal intervention in the fedgling gaming industry; Alan Bible’s power on the Interior Committee helped him deliver the Southern Nevada Water Project, which made modern Las Vegas possible; and Cannon was the force behind deregulating airlines and getting slot taxes used to Nevada’s beneft. Besides fghting Yucca, Reid settled a major water issue in Northern Nevada, protected a number of environmental areas, protected the gaming and mining industries, and helped the Silver State become a key player in the presidential selection process. In other words, he’s had power and hasn’t been afraid to use it. Many Nevadans won’t realize what they’re losing in Reid till he’s gone. At that point, they’ll get their civics lesson.
ILLUSTRATION BY JON ESTRADA
News, style, sports betting and the Native takes a dip
FIGHT TO THE FINISH
By Bob Whitby
Big Knockout Boxing promises fsts of fury
THURSDAY, APRIL 2: Easter isn’t until
IF YOU BELIEVE ONE OF BOXING’S
oldest adages (and we’re talking boxing, so this is an old adage), then you believe that styles make fghts. In other words, tossing two star fghters into a ring may generate a ton of buzz, but it doesn’t guarantee an entertaining match. Two fghters with disparate styles, however, can make for the type of magical bout that has cigar-puffng ringside lifers waxing poetic decades later. Big Knockout Boxing is taking this old idea and basing its entire company on it. BKB will stage its second live event April 4 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, hoping to draw fans with the promise of exciting fghts and, well, big knockouts. With shorter matches (fghts consist of seven two-minute rounds) and a smaller ring (battles take place in “The Pit,” a small circle 17 feet in diameter, with no ropes), the idea is for bouts to be short, action-packed and brutal. The promotion’s frst card was staged in August at the Events Center, and although BKB offcials declined to disclose live gate or pay-per-view numbers, it apparently generated enough momen-
tum to produce a follow-up card. It also created enough buzz to attract some star power: Former welterweight champion “Sugar” Shane Mosley is the trainer for Curtis Stevens, who will challenge Gabriel Rosado in the BKB championship main event. “I had heard of the promotion and talked with one of the fghters who entered ‘The Pit,’ so I knew a little bit about it,” Mosley says. “I thought it was interesting. It defnitely has an excitement level.” That excitement comes not from the fghters themselves, but from the fghting style that BKB’s format demands. With less room to maneuver and shorter rounds, fghters are left with little option but to slug it out toeto-toe. So it really matters little that Rosado, BKB’s middleweight champ, lost his last four traditional boxing matches. Because the 29-year-old is more than willing to spend 14 minutes in a phone booth throwing haymakers, he’s a perfect ft for BKB. “The fact that you have to fght
at a fast pace and be active, nonstop,” Rosado says, “it’s brought the best out of me.” Rosado also understands the fan appeal that comes from watching fghters throw constant knockout shots. “Most fans these days are not patient enough to watch a 12-round fght, where guys are [just] boxing,” he said. “With ‘The Pit,’ most of the [BKB bouts] end in a knockout.” And in case there wasn’t enough incentive for the fghters to go all-out, BKB is offering a $30,000 knockout bonus for the title fght. That may not be enough to drag Mosley out of retirement, but he defnitely can identify with fghters who are drawn to BKB. “My style was aggressive. I was attacking,” he says. “Even when I was boxing, I was trying to knock you out, so this style would have favored me. And both fghters have that mindset. I expect this to be a big event.” – Mike Grimala Tickets to the April 4 BKB event are $28-$253; Ticketmaster.com.
[ FOUND MATERIAL ]
OVER THE RAINBOW; UNDER THE INFLUENCE
It might be difficult to believe, but the MGM Grand—now home to Hakkasan, Wet Republic and a number of other adults-only venues—was once a large-scale representation of a beloved family film. The MGM’s ocean-size casino was once themed to 1939’s The Wizard of Oz, and as such, it had all the accoutrements you’d expect: a Yellow Brick Road, an Emerald City skyline, and dead-eyed robotic figures of Dorothy, the Tin Man, et al. ¶ This BIG KNOCKOUT BOXING PHOTO BY JON ESTRADA
video, shot around the property at some unidentified point in 1995, heavily features the Oz room (which was located, roughly, in the place where Hakkasan now stands). It also includes some good footage of an attraction that I—despite having seen it with my own eyes some 20 years ago—still can’t believe existed: a robotic version of comedian Foster Brooks (pictured), whose entire, wildly inappropriate act was based on his battles with alcoholism. Basically, the robot sat at a casino bar and told jokes in a barely decipherable slur. (Bizarrely, the recordings of Brooks that MGM used also included an audience laugh track, which was more audible than the jokes themselves.) ¶ Eventually, the MGM de-Oz’d itself and morphed into a higher-class establishment. But that doesn’t change the fact that all this weird, flying monkey
Sunday, but the good folks of Summerlin have been celebrating since March 21. Destination Spring at Downtown Summerlin features arts and crafts, cooking demonstrations, and parties under the stars. Hurry, because it all ends April 4. DowntownSummerlin.com.
FRIDAY, APRIL 3: You don’t have to be
Filipino to enjoy the rich cultural heritage of the Philippines being offered at the Pinoy Pride Celebration, beginning at 11 a.m. daily today through Sunday at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center. All you need is an appreciation for good food, music and art. DLVEC.com.
SATURDAY, APRIL 4: The career of a professional
dancer can be tumultuous, exhilarating and all-toobrief, as the Pink Tutu Ballet Company demonstrates with a free performance of Shinka: The Life Cycle of a Dancer, 7 p.m. at the Sammy Davis Jr. Festival Plaza, 720 Twin Lakes Dr. The production features choreography by the renowned Grigory Smirnov of the Moscow Conservatory. Did we mention it’s free? ArtsLasVegas.org.
SUNDAY, APRIL 5: It may be Easter
Sunday, but this is Las Vegas, where the good times pause for no holiday. The Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend certainly isn’t slowing down. Music, cool old cars, pinup fashion, dancing—what’s not to love? The party started Thursday and concludes today at the Orleans. VivaLasVegas.net.
MONDAY, APRIL 6: Art tells us stories, and stories create our myths. That’s the gist of a lecture by artist Branden Koch titled “Art Practice: Memory, Myth and Storytelling,” 7:30 p.m. at UNLV’s Barrick Museum. Koch is known for interjecting humor into his presentations, so you’ll laugh as you learn. UNLV.edu. TUESDAY, APRIL 7: Hey there, resident of a representative democracy: It’s Election Day. Have you voted yet? If not, why not? If you live in Henderson, Las Vegas or North Las Vegas, you have a dog in this fight. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Check Clark County’s elections page for locations. ClarkCountyNV.gov. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8: A county without a county fair is like a day without sunshine, which is gloomy and sad. Clark County’s version of this American tradition, which includes a rodeo, has been going on in one form or another since 1965. It has all the fixings: concerts, a midway, animal husbandry, exhibits and plenty of good things to eat that are bad for you. Today through April 12 at the fairgrounds in Logandale. CCFair.com.
crap was there on Day One. If only we knew what became of robotic Foster … – Geoff Carter Find this clip, and all of our Found Material links, at VegasSeven.com/Found.
Have an event you want considered for Seven Days? Email VegasSevenDays@Gmail.com.
Focus on the ‘F’ Word
J A M E S P. R E Z A
WHAT ARE THE BEST HOTEL POOLS IN LAS VEGAS?
Final Four is destined to come down to one thing: fundamentals By Scott Spreitzer WITH THE FINAL FOUR FEATURING A TRIO
April 2–8, 2015
|
VegasSeven.com
of No. 1 seeds (including an undefeated squad shooting for immortality) and a talented No. 7 seed (which should’ve been no worse than a No. 4), this NCAA Tournament ended up favoring the favorites. That’s certainly a far cry from last year, when No. 7 UConn cut down the nets after defeating No. 8 Kentucky. As compelling as this Final Four is for college basketball purists— each team is led by a current or future Hall of Fame coach—it’s not easy to handicap from a wagering standpoint. Which is why your best approach is to zero in on the basics: classic fundamentals. After all, that’s the reason these programs are still alive. And come April 6, fundamentals will likely determine who cuts down the nets—as is usually the case when championships are on the line! Let’s examine both matchups:
16
(1) Kentucky vs. (1) Wisconsin The line: Kentucky -5; Total: 131 Better offense: Wisconsin (by a little); Better defense: Kentucky (by a lot); More meaningful depth: Kentucky. You may be surprised that I’m giving Kentucky a decided edge on defense. After all, the media has spent a lot of time this postseason raving about Wisconsin’s defense. Truth is, Wisconsin creates the illusion of great defense by holding onto the ball so long on offense. That leads to lower scoring games (which leads to a strong defensive reputation). But holding onto the ball isn’t the same as getting steals, blocking shots or forcing opponents into bad looks. When you adjust for pace and strength of schedule, Wisconsin doesn’t even have one of the nation’s best 50 defenses on a per-possession basis (according to Ken Pomeroy’s trusted statistical website). On the other hand,
Lack of depth could be the downfall for Duke coach Mike Kryszewski.
after making those adjustments, Kentucky ranks No. 1 defensively. Bottom line: The Wildcats’ defensive fundamentals and skill sets are signifcantly better. Now, which team is going to make more plays on offense because of their mastery of fundamentals? The Badgers have a shot to do that (although they don’t fgure to knock down 3-pointers at the crazy pace they did against Arizona). Both teams have multiple threats and can score from all over the foor (as well as the free-throw line), and both work the ball to create high-percentage spots. Kentucky is 5-point favorite because of its defense, and because the Wildcats’ roster is so deep that they can handle fatigue, foul trouble and most anything else— except an opponent catching fre from the 3-point line. (1) Duke vs. (7) Michigan State The line: Duke -5; Total: 139.5 Better offense: Duke; Better defense: Very close; More meaningful depth: Michigan State. Duke joins Wisconsin and Kentucky on the list of the nation’s most effcient offenses, because the Blue Devils can beat you inside and outside while limiting turnovers (they had just three against Gonzaga in the Elite Eight!). Michigan State can’t match Duke’s athleticism or explosiveness, but the Spartans are better than their reputation offensively. Tom Izzo’s squad “plods” its way to effectiveness in a way that doesn’t always please the eye,
but the Spartans are a top-20 team in adjusted offensive effciency. Defensively, Michigan State has a better reputation than Duke, but once again, that’s an illusion created by pace. Duke likes to push tempo when it can; Michigan State is much more methodical. Once you adjust for pace, these defenses are similarly effective. Whether or not depth will be a factor in this one will depend on offciating. You saw the Spartans survive in overtime against Louisville despite two players fouling out. Duke doesn’t have that luxury, which means a tightly called game favors Michigan State. Duke is laying points here because of its superior seed and because it is 4-0 against the spread in the Big Dance. But note that in the Round of 32, Michigan State beat Virginia, the regular-season champ in the ACC (Duke’s conference). So which of these four teams will be left standing when the fnal buzzer sounds April 6? The odds certainly favor the coronation of an undefeated champ. But as Notre Dame proved, any talented squad can hang with or beat Kentucky in a 40-minute war on a neutral court. Either way, we’re about to witness history. Last week’s picks: 3-0 NCAA Tournament record: 5-1 For Scott Spreitzer’s top proposition wagers for the Final Four, visit VegasSeven.com/2015Final Four. Follow Spreitzer at @ScottWins.
If our gorgeous weather has you daydreaming about dayclubbing, you aren’t alone. March is Las Vegas’ busiest visitation month, attracting 3.6 million tourists—mostly spring breakers and college basketball bettors, almost all eager to drink in the sun … literally and figuratively. The dayclub scene has transformed many pool experiences from one of lizardly lounging with a mai tai to a 120 beats-per-minute clubbing frenzy, replete with the peacocking, fist-pumping and bottle-servicing you’d find on any given Saturday night. That said, if you still crave the old-school luxe tranquility once enjoyed at, say, the Desert Inn, fear not: Dayclubs haven’t completely swallowed the Strip. Since Las Vegas is pretty good at being everything to everyone, your experience is almost entirely subjective to your taste and budget. Want a bikini-clad bump-and-grind? Encore Beach Club—with its headlining DJs, Strip-side cabanas and stripper poles somewhat effectively disguised as showers—is a difficult ticket to score, day or night. But there are plenty of other options, from the sandy beach party at the Hard Rock’s original Rehab to the splashy massive held weekly at MGM’s Wet Republic. Then there’s Planet Hollywood, which has the Strip’s first FlowRider, allowing guests to surf the curl. Want an LGBT-friendly party? Check out Temptation at Luxor, returning May 17. Others seek a setting on the opposite end of the spectrum, like the family-friendly wave beach and lazy river at tropical Mandalay Bay. But keep in mind that Daylight (a dayclub) and Moorea (a topless pool) share the same property. If you crave subdued, European elegance, the seven Roman-esque pools at Caesars Palace are exceptional, including Venus, a nongawky top-optional area. Bellagio is another excellent choice, with multiple, DJ-free areas and cool pools for those 110-degree days. Particularly pleasant is the resort’s Cypress Pool, with limited reserved seating for hotel guests only. Or maybe you’re looking for some serenity with a modern, urban vibe. Mandarin Oriental’s eighth-floor spot, surrounded by CityCenter, is reminiscent of something you might experience in Macau. And for those who prefer the middle ground—a taste of DJ action but with a more grown-up, laid-back setting—Aria’s Liquid and the Palazzo’s Azure deliver. Keep in mind that dayclubs are like nightclubs in many ways, including being open to anyone who can wrangle the door host using some combination of appearance, attitude and cash. But the most relaxing luxury pools (like at the Wynn) are usually open only to hotel guests. Choose your resort (and your pool) accordingly. Questions? AskaNative@VegasSeven.com.
PHOTO BY BOB DONNAN/USA TODAY SPORTS
THE LATEST
BETTING
SATURDAY, APRIL 11 ACROSS FROM
DLVEC.COM
THE LATEST
@edsbs “Hmm it’s a beautiful Sunday and I’m driving past a church just letting out, so yes ‘Put ’Em on the Glass’ is a great choice, Sirius/XM.”
@drewmagary Kevin James as Calipari. Just consider if they can get the hair right.
@BillCorbett Harry Reid retiring so he can finally cough up that sliver of almond stuck in his throat for 30 years.
@johnmoe
Just Killing Time For NHL fans, Vince Neil and owners of Fatburger restaurants, the waiting is the hardest the part By Jason Scavone
Again, Harry Reid is the Senate Majority Leader who announced his retirement, Hairy Reed is a disgusting thing on your clarinet.
@lizzwinstead Harry Reid recommends Goldman Sachs to become next Senate Minority leader.
@bomani_jones
18
a time to celebrate rebirth; to shake off the lingering sloth of winter and embrace spring; to eat way too much ham. But while everyone gets all Cadbury and PAAS for Sunday, no one ever thinks about all the time JC’s 12 pals had to kill waiting for him to start the show. The anticipation had to be brutal. Lots of boredom runs to the Jerusalem Starbucks. Lots of time to look up ham recipes. Which is kind of how it feels waiting for the NHL to finally announce its intentions in Las Vegas. According to an ESPN report this week, the season-ticket drive has surpassed the magic number of 10,000 deposits. Bill Foley, the head of the ownership group looking to bring Las Vegas its first major professional sports franchise, told Canadian sports news website TSN.ca that a formal announcement will be coming soon, possibly within a month. The NHL’s Board of Governors has its next meeting here
June 24, and the board would have to make the formal invitation to Foley’s group to submit its plan for an expansion team. Vince Neil is playing the waiting game, too. He’s still trying to regain control of his social media accounts, and is suing Oregon consultant Kristy Sinsara to get his passwords back, which establishes a legal precedent as the least rock ’n’ roll lawsuit of all time. Neil says Sinsara promised she’d turn over access to his Facebook and LinkedIn accounts, but still hasn’t. This does not answer the question, though, of why in the hell the lead singer of Mötley Crüe needs a LinkedIn account. Things were so much better when singers could join bands the old-fashioned way: by word of mouth through mutually acquainted strippers. Darin Feinstein is hanging by the phone until Floyd Mayweather gets hungry. In case you hadn’t heard, Mayweather switched to an all-organic diet in training for his upcoming fght against Manny Pacquiao, which means he had to give up Fatburger. And if there are two things
Mayweather loves about Fatburger, they’re ordering the double kingburger and fghting T.I. Feinstein, who owns the Fatburger on the Strip where Mayweather rumbled with T.I. last year, also owns the all-organic El Dorado Cantina. He had the chef there put together an organic Fatburger that Feinstein offered to have delivered to the Strip restaurant whenever Mayweather desires it. Any chance they make a version with all-organic rat poison for Justin Bieber? About the only people who don’t have to wait around are Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland. They can fnally eat again: Beyoncé graced them with her presence March 28 at the Stellar Gospel Music Awards at the Orleans. Williams took Music Video of the Year for “Say Yes,” which features Rowland and Beyoncé, and Bey came out to do a live performance. To answer your burning question: There is a zero percent chance that the clientele at the Orleans would have stopped smoking and playing video poker long enough to look up and notice Beyoncé waltzing through the casino foor.
If Kentucky wins, Cal needs to dedicate it to the memory of Jerry Tarkanian, just to see what would happen.
@Misnomer BREAKING: Retiring Sen. Harry Reid to become new face of Allstate Insurance Co.’s ‘Mayhem.’
@Braunger The bartenders in the Beatles “Revolution Lounge” have string-taut girdles to accentuate their breasts, of course, and wait what’s happening.
@kumailn I must have missed the meeting where we decided it was cool to like wrestling again.
Share your Tweet! Add #V7.
ILLUSTRATION BY JON ESTRADA
April 2–8, 2015
|
VegasSeven.com
IT’S EASTER WEEK,
THE LATEST
STYLE [ TRENDSPOTTING ]
MENSWEAR TRENDS TO EMBRACE THIS SPRING
1
Clockwise from top: Lacoste, Bally and Roberto Cavalli (from Macy’s Mens), all available at Fashion Show.
1 CRAYOLA Bolder colors in menswear have been on the runway for a while now, but this season, it’s all about searing Crayola shades. Gone are the days of bright hues worn as accents; now the focus is full-on for outerwear, jackets, bags and hats.
[ ENVIABLES ]
Men’s Watches on the High and Low THE ATTAINABLE Breda Mitchell watch, $49. JackThreads.com
2 DENIM Everyone’s favorite fabric has made what’s old new again. Tom Ford gave us the hip denim-on-denim effect with sleek jackets and shirts paired with jeans, while Prada delivered chic, fitted denim suits with piqued lapels, as well as cropped jackets worn with pullovers, jeans and sandals. If sandals aren’t your thing, trainers are the next best option. 3 TRAINING DAY Trainers—the haute version of the everyday running shoe—continue to reign as the footwear of choice for designers. Also referred to as “kicks,” they’re the ultimate versatile accessory, pairing well with everything, notably suiting. If Alexander McQueen, Dior Homme and Louis Vuitton are too high style for your taste, go casual 3 with Adidas Stan Smith in canvas or leather. – Stephanie Rivers
Made in America
THE POSSIBLE Movado Bold with yellow gold-toned sunray dot, $395. Movado in Las Vegas North Premium Outlets, 702-3839616; Movado.com
2
THE DESIRABLE Hublot Big Bang Unico in Magic Gold, price upon request. Hublot in the Forum Shops at Caesars, 702-489-9444; Hublot.com
Target’s new menswear
collection, Target Collective, dropped in stores recently, and StyleConvic-
20
ing. ¶ “Two reasons. First, they’ve given smaller brands—all of which are quality, made-in-the-USA products—a chance to showcase their craft to a much grander audience,” she says. “Secondly, I really want most of the items for myself. Visit Target.com and read the short bio on each of the six hand-selected brands that collectively have produced limited-edition graphic T-shirts, hand-tooled leather belts, durable canvas bags and even stationery. Warning: You probably will be compelled to buy.” Brands include Owen & Fred, Taylor Stitch, Duluth Pack, Locally Grown, Billykirk and Terrapin Stationers. Items are priced from $10 to $270. Target.com
TARGET LINE BY SEAN MEZAROS
April 2–8, 2015
|
VegasSeven.com
tion.com’s Claire Wigglesworth is among those who covet this new offer-
VegasSeven.com
| April 2–8, 2015
22
A CITY IN FOCUS At long last, our photographer takes fight to capture little Las Vegas B Y A N T H O N Y M A I R
Arbors Tennis & Play Park in Summerlin.
alization still causes your pulse to race. Perhaps to test my alertness—or my bladder control—the pilot’s frst maneuver was to bank hard to the right to head north on the Strip. When he did, I was literally facing the ground. It was both awesome and frightening. Then my inner photographer kicked in, and I started clicking away. We did a couple of runs up and down the Strip, then headed toward Nellis and the speedway. From there, we went to Red Rock, which was the only place I had diffculty shooting—because the topography looked different from the air, I just couldn’t get my bearings. Another challenge: waiting for the Bellagio Fountains show to begin—I think we
hovered above the Cromwell for about seven minutes. A split second after we decided to leave, the show started, and the pilot made a sharp turn so I could get the shot (see Page 9). By the time our two-hour adventure crisscrossing the Valley ended, I had taken more than 2,000 photographs. My editor and I then narrowed 2,000 down to 200, eventually settling on the 11 images that you see on these pages (you can view additional shots—as well as video of the experience—at VegasSeven.com/LittleVegas). Of course, now that I’ve scratched one city off my tilt-shift photography bucket list, it’s time to add another: Next stop, Dubai!
|
Helicopters, I consulted Google Earth to plan the route, selecting prominent areas of the Valley: the Strip (of course), Lake Las Vegas, Red Rock, Nellis Air Force Base, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, etc. Not that I had fnal say on the locations—we were at the mercy of the Federal Aviation Administration’s approval. I did, however, choose our departure time. Because shadows are crucial to this type of aerial photography, there were only two ideal options: early morning or late afternoon. We opted for a 4 p.m. takeoff, and as soon as the helicopter lifted off the pad, it dawned on me that the only thing keeping me inside the doorless aircraft was my seatbelt—which sounds obvious, yet the re-
April 2–8, 2015
➜ my first break in photography was for the in-fight magazine of Japan’s All Nippon Airways. After the publication was printed, I would scour the pages and admire the work of other photographers, inevitably pausing when I saw a uniquely framed shot of a stunning Japanese landscape spread across two pages. I often couldn’t tell if it was a toy model or the real deal. This was before I fully understood the art of tilt-shift photography. But once I did, I made myself a promise: One day, I would use a tilt-shift lens to photograph iconic areas in Las Vegas. It took more than fve years, but on March 22, I fnally fulflled that promise. After securing a ride with Sundance
VegasSeven.com
Garden of the Gods Pool Oasis at Caesars Palace.
23
April 2–8, 2015
|
VegasSeven.com
Wet ‘n’ Wild in the southwest.
24
The AEG/MGM Resorts International arena.
Mandalay Bay’s pool/beach scene.
| April 2–8, 2015
The Neon Museum Boneyard.
So how does a photographer go about creating this toy-model effect? It all starts with the tilt-shift lens. When used properly, it can do what no other lens can, which is get an entire image in focus (this is done by literally tilting the lens). I primarily use this lens when shooting food, jewelry or anything where I want more than one object in focus. To make the objects appear to look much smaller, I simply reverse the process, flipping the lens the other way to create a very thin area of focus. Add to that the height you gain from being in a helicopter and—voila!—you’ve got Little Vegas. –AM
VegasSeven.com
Toying Around
25
The Clark County Government Center, Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health and World Market Center.
April 2–8, 2015
|
VegasSeven.com
Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
26
Vegas Xtreme Paintball in North Las Vegas.
April 2–8, 2015
Lake Las Vegas.
27
|
VegasSeven.com
NIGHTLIFE Your city after dark, photos from the week’s hottest parties and EDM with a side of country
Clean Bandit went from no-budget YouTube videos to a Grammy win By Kat Boehrer
VegasSeven.com
|
Steal This Music
U.K. QUARTET CLEAN BANDIT HAS COME A LONG WAY IN THE PAST
year, from the release of their breakout hit, “Rather Be” featuring Jess Glynne, to winning the Grammy for Best Dance Recording at this year’s ceremony. As a result of their success, Clean Bandit has made the rosters of some of the top festivals this year, including Ultra, Coachella and Governors Ball. Although their April 10 performance at Brooklyn Bowl has been postponed indefnitely, Grace Chatto, the group’s cellist, took a few moments to talk about her bandmates’ collective success and what to expect of the Brits’ invasion of the U.S. this year.
April 2–8, 2015
PHOTO BY JOSHUA SCHULZ
The UK quartet combines classical instruments and electronic music.
29
NIGHTLIFE
How did Clean Bandit come together as a group?
From left: Luke Patterson, Jack Patterson, Grace Chatto and Neil Amin-Smith.
Neil [Amin-Smith] and I play violin and cello, respectively, and we started playing together when we were really little in a local youth orchestra in London. We started a classical string quartet, and then we met Jack [Patterson] and Luke [Patterson] at university. [Jack and Luke] had a rock background. They played in a lot of rock bands with bass guitar and drums. When Radiohead started making electronic music, Jack started to think it was cool as well, and started experimenting with writing electronic stuff. When we became friends, we wanted to do something together. [Jack] was listening to our classical music a lot and decided to add his own electronic ideas. We put on a club night [to perform] this stuff, and everything kind of started from there. How did you find Jess Glynne?
This album—our frst album—New Eyes, we really tried to work with loads of different voices. We heard Jess Glynne performing on a recording—the only other recording she had made at the time. It was a dance track called “My Love” by Route 94. We just thought that was the perfect voice for our song, “Rather Be,” which we had been performing live for a long time, but hadn’t decided to record it yet. Is that how you find all of the vocalists you work with?
Most of the singers on the album are just people that we heard [about] randomly from a friend or met in our studio, which is a local community project. We’ve met a lot of young singers who came through that project: Sharna Bass from our song “Extraordinary” was only 14 when we met her there. One singer, Eliza Sheddad, we literally met on the street with her guitar.
30
Oh, it was very emotional. It was really so special. It was kind of unexpected when the announcement came, because the ceremony was so long and we had been waiting. We’d been listening to all of the quite random awards, like the “Best Latin Jazz Calypso Single” and all of these categories that we’d never heard about. We had been kind of snoozing off at the time. And then, all of a sudden it was like, “Clean Bandit!” It was really amazing, and then I cried! What is your recording process like, since you fuse together so many traditional instruments with the electronic vibe?
It’s different for every song. Jack records everything himself, usually, so the rest of us come in one by one with him and record ourselves. Sometimes, with the strings, Neil and I record together. Sometimes we do it in a church to get a good acoustic.
What are your performances like? Are they more like a DJ set or a live set?
It’s very live; it’s not like a DJ set at all. There are many instruments [involved]. All of the drums are played by Luke; there’s a massive electronic kit that has acoustic cymbals. Jack plays many different keyboards. He also plays bass guitar and an electronic saxophone with eight octaves that can play really deep bass lines, and also really high solos. Neil plays the wooden violin, and he also plays some keyboards. I play the cello—electronic cello. And there’s an electric steel pan [drum] and two backing artists, who are also playing extra keyboard parts. What do you do about vocalists?
On the album, we have 12 different singers. But when we perform live, we have one lead singer, Elisabeth Troy. She can sing everything on the album, including the rap. She’s amazing.
Do you have any advice for aspiring artists?
Just that you have to really work very hard and do as much as you can yourself, because no one else is gonna do it for you. And that means not only writing the best music you can write and recording it in the best way you can, but also how you present the music is a big thing. We made the frst fve of our music videos ourselves with no money. These days it’s possible to make a good video without any money. I think it’s really important now with YouTube to use the visuals and stuff on your side. What’s the story behind your album art?
Jack designed it. It was initially designed [to refect] four string instruments; when we started, we were a string quartet. And [Jack] wanted to make electronic instruments for us. They were gonna be in those shapes: a triangle violin and
another square violin, a circle for the viola and then the big green diamond for the cello. We haven’t actually made them, yet. But the logo, we just loved how it looked and it just kind of stuck. We use it for everything. Do you get asked a lot about being the only girl in the group?
Yeah, I do, actually. But that’s the only time I ever think about it is when I get asked. I don’t notice my gender within the group. We have the singers and others who tour with us, as well, so it’s actually quite even in gender on the road. As the only female in the group, are the expectations different for you than your male counterparts?
I feel like it’s the same, really. I guess when we do red carpets, they often ask me to do a round of photos of my own because I’m a girl. Apart from that, there isn’t really any difference.
PHOTO BY JUSTIN SUTCLIFFE
April 2–8, 2015
|
VegasSeven.com
How did you feel the moment that you found out that you won the Grammy?
FRIDAY 4.3
SATURDAY 4.4
SUNDAY 4.5
MONDAY 4.6
FRIDAY 4.10
SATURDAY 4.11
SUNDAY 4.12
MONDAY 4.13
FRIDAY 4.17
SATURDAY 4.18
SUNDAY 4.19
MONDAY 4.20 MAD DECENT MONDAYS
RESERVATIONS 702.770.0097
XSLASVEGAS.COM
XSLASVEGAS
WYNNSOCIAL.COM
MUST BE 21 OR OLDER | DRESS CODE STRICTLY ENFORCED | MANAGEMENT RESERVES ALL RIGHTS
WYNNSOCIAL
NIGHTLIFE
By Ian Caramanzana
SUN 5 Las Vegas resident DJ Franzen is known to hang with Drake and his OVO crew. He opened up for Drizzy’s cohorts PartyNextDoor and ILoveMakonnen during both of their recent Las Vegas visits. Hopefully Franzen brings some of Canada’s fnest with him when he mans the decks at Drai’s. (In the Cromwell, 10:30 p.m., DraisLV.com.)
MON 6 Still haven’t checked out Carnage’s Black and White residency? Wear either of the colors and head to Marquee, where he’ll give you a heavy dose of trap and hip-hop mixed with EDM bangers. The Guatemalan DJ recently announced that he will spin at Lollapalooza this summer. (In the Cosmopolitan, 10 p.m., MarqueeLasVegas.com.)
TUE 7
Waka Flocka Flame.
Soothe the sting of those horrible April Fools’ Day pranks with a good drink. Born and Raised has your back with happy hour specials from 4-7 p.m. and 3-6 a.m. Enjoy $3 beers, $4 well drinks and more than a dozen $5 appetizers to kick-start your weekend. And that’s no joke. (7260 S. Cimarron Rd., BornAndRaisedLV.com.)
FRI 3
Bar tonight, and we can’t wait to hear the bump and thump of “What It’s Worth” and his latest hit, “I Guess,” with a live band. (517 Fremont St., 9 p.m., TheBeautyBar.com.) Two of our favorite things about festival season are good tunes and booze. Thanks to the Vegas Beer & Music Festival at Foxtail, we can indulge in both. We’re already buzzin’ thinking about pairing the bitter hops of a Stone IPA with a rockin’ performance by Falling Doves. (At SLS, 7 p.m., VegasBeerAndMusicFestival.com.)
April 2–8, 2015
|
VegasSeven.com
THU 2
34
Pitchfork.com praised Black Milk’s latest effort, If There’s A Hell Below, comparing the rapper/producer to Q-Tip and Kendrick Lamar. The Detroit native plays Beauty
SAT 4 Waka Flocka Flame canceled his show at University of Oklahoma
when videos surfaced of a fraternity at the school chanting racial slurs. You can give him a “Round of Applause” for his actions when he performs at Brooklyn Bowl. Last year, while supporting Chance the Rapper, Flame handed off the mic and jumped with fans in the audience. Now that he’s got a headlining spot, the show is bound to be rowdier. (At the Linq, 8:30 p.m., Vegas.BrooklynBowl. com.) Get pumped to party with bodybuilder Jay Cutler. He’s hosting the offcial Desert Classic After Party at Ghostbar, so you can have a couple of drinks and compare biceps with the former Mr. Olympia. (In the Palms, 10 p.m., Palms.com.)
Ride your “Pony” to 1Oak, where R&B hitmaker Ginuwine will grace the stage. His steamy performances are sure to tantalize audiences like the two adult beverages in his name. Ginuwine tells us how he got hooked up with Parks and Recreation and what to expect from his new album in our interview at VegasSeven. com/Ginuwine. (In The Mirage, 10:30 p.m., 1OakLasVegas.com.)
Ginuwine.
WED 8 Get over Hump Day with a glass at wine at Silverton’s Wine Down Wednesday. The weekly event features wines from around the world, and the frst two tastings are free. Additional glasses, samples and small plates start at $2. Entertainment comes courtesy of local band Highrise Duo. (3333 Blue Diamond Rd., 6 p.m., SilvertonCasino.com.) Electro-rock duo Ratatat has a booty-shaking anthem called “Seventeen Years,” and they’ve been making beats for 14, since back when members Evan Mast and Mike Stroud met in college. Catch the Brooklyn-based band at Boulevard Pool. (At the Cosmopolitan, 8 p.m., CosmopolitanLasVegas.com.)
Ratatat.
NIGHTLIFE
The Silver State Just a country boy in an EDM town—Dee Jay Silver cowboys up By Lissa Townsend Rodgers
COUNTRY MUSIC AND DJ CULTURE MAY SEEM LIKE UNLIKELY
bedfellows, but Dee Jay Silver has fgured how to tuck them in nice and cozy. In 2013, he became the frst DJ signed to a major country-music label and the frst DJ to play the Academy of Country Music Awards. Additionally, he has toured with artists such as Jason Aldean and Eric Church, and is currently accompanying Rascal Flatts during their Hard Rock residency while also playing gigs at Rehab and Body English, where you can catch him April 3-4. How long have you been a DJ?
I’ve been DJing professionally for about 20 years. I started in college, just making a little extra cash … doing frat houses and little local college clubs. Quarter-draft-on-Monday-night kind of parties. Anything I could do just to play. When they told me I was going to make $20,000 a year as a high school teacher, I just decided to do this instead. How has the job changed over the years?
When Pioneer came out with the CDJs and Serato came out, DJ bookings tripled, because it didn’t cost so much money to fy out—you didn’t have to check 15 crates of records, they weren’t losing your music. Now you can carry two records or CDs in your backpack. We can even play off of fash drives, so you can walk in with [your music library] in your pocket. What’s the difference between working the Rehab pool and Body English?
April 2–8, 2015
|
VegasSeven.com
Do you have a go-to track guaranteed to get—or keep—the party going?
38
I just look at the crowd. I never come in with a set. The worst thing a DJ can ever do is walk in with a set. I play what a crowd wants to hear, or I try to, anyway. It’s supposed to be their party, about them having a good time. It’s not all about me. My style, as long as I’ve been playing, has always been Top 40 with country, rock, house and hip-hop all mixed together so there’s not too much of anything. There’s nothing worse than going to a club and the guy plays the same type of music all night long. Makes me want to stick my head in the wall. Where do you find new music?
I spend a lot of time on iTunes and Soundcloud. A lot of my friends will send me music before it comes out —“Try this, see what you think.” The DJ community
is pretty small, and we’ll get together. I was in South Padre Island [Texas] last night, and we just all sat around and shared music for two hours. Was there an artist or album that inspired your love of music?
I was completely into gangsta rap. If it weren’t for gangsta rap, I’d probably be a doctor right now, because half my brain is full of gangsta rap lyrics: NWA, Ice Cube, all of it. The frst show I ever went to was House of Pain, Beastie Boys, Cypress Hill and Rage Against the Machine. Is that why you mix genres—country, rock, hip-hop— when you play?
A DJ plays what they know, they push the music that they know and try to play it in a different way. I know country and I know rock and I know what you have to play to keep a crowd going, but also I don’t want to sound like the guy who went to iTunes and down-
loaded a Pitbull track last night. You want to play it a different way where people kind of take note that it may be the same song, but it has a fresh sound to it. I play country music for people who don’t like country music; I’m trying to make the fan base younger and broader. People need to understand that country music isn’t music for ugly people losing their dogs and hitting on their sister. It’s good-time music, good-looking people, beer-drinking … they just gotta get that stigma off of that a little bit. You’re not out there playing lonely Merle Haggard all night; you’re playing Luke Bryan and mixing it with Pitbull and Bruno Mars. Any advice for the aspiring DJ?
Just practice, practice, practice and don’t take no for an answer. Be who you are. If people don’t like you, they’re not your audience. Don’t worry about it. Whatever show you do, do the best show you can do—whether it’s fve people or 5,000.
PHOTO BY JAMIE VESS
Rehab is all about people having a good time and drinking. It’s more of a laid-back party than Body English, where everybody’s crazy at all times. Down there [at the pool], it’s about the experience of just being there, laying out in the sun, hot girls, good-looking people and drinking. [At Body English], you turn it up a little bit, for sure.
NIGHTLIFE
PARTIES
RAVEALATION [ UPCOMING ]
April 2–8, 2015
|
VegasSeven.com
April 16 Borgore at Foxtail Pool Club
44
See more photos from this gallery at SPYONvegas.com
As summer nears, one pool party is looking to heat up its annual bikini contest. Wet Republic’s Friday afternoon staple Hot 100 has always offered some of Vegas’ most beautiful ladies their shot at a bounty of cash and prizes, but this year one lucky winner could bring home $1 million. “This will be our biggest year yet, and we expect to see a record number of contestants,” says Alex Cordova, executive vice president of marketing for Hakkasan Group. “Offering not one, but five lucky ladies a chance to walk out with a million dollars is a huge incentive. There will of course be more competition among the ladies, but it’s all in good fun.” As in prior years, women can register at SpyOnVegas.com/ Hot100/signup (full disclosure: SpyOnVegas is a sister company of Vegas Seven), and are then invited to show up to one of eight Friday qualifying rounds. Each Friday, roughly 15 contestants will advance to the voting rounds; finalists must come to at least two of the five voting days. While at the pool, guests of Wet Republic can vote for whom they think is the hottest, or anyone can cast a ballot at SpyOnVegas.com. The Top 100 field will return for the final Friday when $100,000 in cash and $50,000 in prizes will be given out. First place wins $35,000, second $15,000, third $10,000, with the 40th winning $500. Prizes include services such as massages, hair appointments, tables at nightclubs, room packages and bikinis. While the prizes are guaranteed, each of the top five women also receive three spins on a giant wheel. If the spins total $1,000, the contestant walks away with $1 million. So clear your Fridays and prepare for some serious eye candy... err, we mean competition. –David Morris
RAVEAL ATION BY AMIT DADL ANEY; HOT 100 BY TONY TRAN
WET REPUBLIC’S HOT 100 TO OFFER A SHOT AT $1 MILLION
NIGHTLIFE
PARTIES
WET REPUBLIC MGM Grand
[ UPCOMING ]
50
See more photos from this gallery at SPYONvegas.com
PHOTOS BY AMIT DADL ANEY
April 2–8, 2015
|
VegasSeven.com
April 4 Dada Life spins April 5 Eva Shaw spins April 11 Calvin Harris spins
DINING
“Surpassing the size of other large-format bottles named after Biblical kings, the 27-liter is referred to as a primat, which comes from the Latin word for leader.” {PAGE 54}
Restaurant reviews, news and hare today, dinner tomorrow
A Change of Pace Table 89 joins the quick-casual game and scores high marks By Al Mancini
Artisan thin-crust, sun-dried tomato and prosciutto pear wood-fired pizzas.
VegasSeven.com
| April 2–8, 2015
PHOTO BY JON ESTRADA
IN CASE YOU HAVEN’T NOTICED, CASUAL SIT-DOWN,
full-service restaurants have been giving way to a concept known as quick-casual. A cross between a casual restaurant and a fast-food joint, these places generally offer inexpensive, yet quality food, ordered from a counter, made to order and delivered to your table. It’s certainly not a new concept—we’ve had places like these for decades. But much like high-end chefs shifting toward more casual concepts, they’re capturing an ever-growing segment of the marketplace. Case in point: Sami Ladeki recently converted Sammy’s Woodfred Pizza’s Centennial Hills location into a quick-casual spot called Table 89. The frst Sammy’s Woodfred opened in Southern California more than 25 years ago, and the chain expanded into Las Vegas in 1997. It now boasts more than 20 locations in California and Nevada. In 2013, Ladeki opened the more formal Sammy’s Restaurant & Bar in Green Valley. But Table 89 is a step in a different direction. The menu is smaller, and nothing is priced above $12, thanks to smaller portions and lower overhead. And while you’ll still fnd such Sammy’s classics as nine wood-fred pizzas and his signature duck tacos, he’s also signifcantly tweaked the salad selection and is, for the frst time, offering sandwiches. Despite the lower prices and more casual atmosphere, Table 89 doesn’t skimp on quality. As with all of Ladeki’s restaurants, Table 89 is dedicated to keeping the food local and natural. As for what to order, you can’t go wrong with familiar dishes such as the aforementioned duck tacos, a luscious salted caramel pudding dessert or any of Ladeki’s famous pizzas. But I was considerably more interested in the dishes I can’t get at another location closer to my home. From the appetizer section, a plate of pork and beef meatballs in a well-spiced red sauce was worthy of any neighborhood Italian restaurant. And for a mere $6, the portion was surprisingly generous. Moreover, while I’m not a big
53
DINING
Steak and watercress sandwich.
Al’s
Menu Picks Mini duck tacos ($7), meatballs and marinara ($6), organic kale and romaine Caesar salad ($8) and steak and watercress sandwich ($12).
salad eater, I like the way the chef uses a hearty mixture of kale and romaine lettuce in an otherwise traditional Caesar. Moving on to the sandwiches, my wife and I both loved the steak and watercress. The tender cut of marinated steak was grilled to medium rare, sliced thick and topped with a dense horseradish aioli. We had mixed opinions, however, on a grilled chicken and hummus
wrap. My wife felt the hearty dose of kalamata olives overpowered the poultry, hummus and roasted red peppers. I concede her point to a degree. But I apparently like kalamata olives more than she does. I’ve heard at least one friend complain that the portion sizes have decreased since the concept changed over. But in this age of super-sizing, I don’t see portion control as a horrible thing. As for service, it’s diffcult to critique in a quick-casual restaurant. But the cashiers and servers have been extremely personable and helpful. (My only signifcant complaint was that someone at Google en-
tered the address wrong for Table 89’s listing, and I ended up at a bus terminal.) It’s debatable whether the prevailing shift toward casual dining is good or bad. But you can’t fght market trends. And if quick-casual is the wave of the future, I’d prefer to get it from someone like Ladeki.
TABLE 89
7160 N. Durango Dr., 702-365-7777. Open for lunch and dinner daily, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Dinner for two, $20-$30.
[ JUST A SIP ]
THEY ACTUALLY ARE GIANTS.
Move over Methuselah and
Nebuchadnezzar—something much larger is arriving at Bazaar Meat by José Andrés in SLS. Beginning in the first week of April, four 27-liter wine bottles will join the restaurant’s wine program. Surpassing the size of other large-format bottles named after Biblical kings, the 27-liter is referred to as a primat, which comes from the Latin word for leader. Wine from these bottles will be poured for guests and displayed in the restaurant’s main dining room. ¶ By-the-glass selections will include: Sandhi Santa Barbara County pinot noir (vintage and price TBD); 2011 Qupé Bien Nacido Vineyard Syrah from Santa Maria Valley ($18); 2011 Fable Mountain Vineyards “Night Sky” red blend (syrah/ mourvèdre/grenache) from South Africa ($18); and 2012 Leviathan Red (cabernet sauvi-
April 2–8, 2015
|
VegasSeven.com
gnon/cabernet franc/merlot/syrah) from Napa Valley ($21). ¶ One size down from the
54
Melchizedek, the largest bottle size ever made, these rare bottles (you won’t find them anywhere else in Las Vegas) are massive, each standing about 3 feet tall, weighing 125 pounds, holding the equivalent of 36 750-milliliter bottles when full. One primat can pour up to 216 glasses of wine. Long cherished for gracefully aging wine, these super-size bottles also double as striking dining room showpieces. – Marisa Finetti
Get the latest on local restaurant openings and closings, interviews with top chefs, cocktail recipes, menu previews and more in our weekly “Sips and Bites” newsletter. Subscribe at VegasSeven.com/SipsAndBites.
Monte Carlo is one resort on the Strip that has an underrated lineup of restaurants, including Yusho, Andre’s and the Pub, each of which comes with its own well-curated beverage program. The property recently announced its Booze & Bites dinner series, featuring five-course menus at its various restaurants, all paired with interesting spirits, wines and cocktails. Last month kicked off with a sake dinner at Yusho, and you can next get in on the action April 22 with a Terlato wine dinner at Brand Steakhouse ($65, 702-730-7010). Maybe we can thank the popularity of such food halls as New York’s Eataly and The Market Hall in Seattle for the upgrade we’re seeing in food courts. The recently renovated Forum Food Court in Caesars Palace already boasts a DiFara Pizza (with its traditional square pizzas, even!) and Earl of Sandwich for fast-casual diners. Now it has welcomed San Antonio favorite La Gloria (ChefJohnnyHernandez. com) as well as the Oprah-praised Graeter’s Ice Cream (Graeters.com). La Gloria, which means “the heavens,” is kind of a street-food nirvana for Mexican fare from chef Johnny Hernandez, who’s putting out tacos bistec and al pastor, as well as a classic fruteria with aguas frescas and smoothies, such as the healthy-sounding Verde, made with nopal, grapefruit, pineapple, celery, parsley and orange juice. A Cincinnati institution, Graeter’s will be a welcome respite during the hot summer months, but I have to admit I’m most excited for the 1870 Tower. It’s a sundae made with hot fudge-filled chocolate bundt cake, topped with a scoop of black raspberry chip ice cream, then anointed with the standard accoutrement of more hot fudge, whipped cream, pecans and a cherry on top. The area just south of the World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop will get a little tastier this summer when Pawn Plaza (725 Las Vegas Blvd. South) opens, courtesy of Pawn Stars host Rick Harrison. The reality show star announced the first three tenants going into the 72-cube, 6,000 square-foot retail space. Rick’s Rollin Smoke BBQ and Tavern (702-836-3621, RollinSmokeBarbeque.com) takes over two floors with its Arkansas-style, hickory-smoked meats and 16 beers on tap, while Rita’s Italian Ice (RitasIce.com) cools things down with custom flavors. Meanwhile, the second-ever U.S. location of Smoke’s Poutinerie, Poutine Vegas (SmokesPoutinerie.com), offers the Canadian specialty all the time. Try it traditional (hand-cut fries topped with signature gravy and Squeaky Cheese Curds) or dressed with double bacon, pulled pork or carne asada. I’ll still call it poutine, though. – Grace Bascos Grace Bascos eats, sleeps, raves and repeats. Read more from Grace at VegasSeven.com/ DishingWithGrace, as well as on her diningand-music blog, FoodPlusTechno.com.
TABLE 89 BY JON ESTRADA, BAZA AR MEAT BY JAVON ISSAC
WINING AND DINING, FOOD COURT UPGRADING AND PAWNSTAR POUTINE
FOOD IS A LARGE PART OF MOST
holiday traditions. When I was growing up, my family usually had a turkey dinner for Thanksgiving, ham for Easter and some of mother’s favorite Polish dishes for Christmas. But as with most things in my life, when I became an adult, I veered in a different direction: I never eat turkey on the holidays. For Christmas, I try to seek out venison, getting a perverse thrill out of being able to say I ate Rudolph. And rabbit is my dish of choice for Easter. In addition to allowing me to vent my rage at Peter Rabbit for not having brought me any candy over the past three decades, it’s also quite delicious. So for those of you who might also like to eat the Easter Bunny this year—or just enjoy a great rabbit dish year round—here are some of the Valley’s best. CASCABEL CHILECRUSTED R ABBIT
April 2–8, 2015
|
VegasSeven.com
During my 14 years in Las Vegas, I’ve probably had more Easter rabbits at Mesa Grill than anywhere else. The current preparation is in many ways a classic Bobby Flay recipe, highlighting his ability to coax subtle favors out of chili peppers without burdening us with heat. The loin and leg are bathed in a rich dark cascabel sauce that has mild hints of both heat and sugar, as well as a smoky favor. It might be overpoweringly rich if it weren’t for the bright, mildly acidic wild mushroom couscous with green chiles and mint that accompanies it. $38, Mesa Grill, in Caesars Palace, 702-650-5965, MesaGrill.com.
56
R ABBIT FRICASSÉE
Kill the Wabbit Seeking delicious culinary revenge on Peter Cottontail By Al Mancini
Sadly, Rose. Rabbit.Lie. isn’t open on Sundays, so you won’t be able to get this dish on Easter. But it’s probably my favorite rabbit dish in town right now, and I just couldn’t omit it. Made with rabbit, carrots, rose petals, beech mushrooms that have been cooked in
lemon juice and olive oil, and a rich brown zingara sauce, it’s hearty, traditional and reminiscent of home cooking. Think of it as a classic rabbit stew taken to a gourmet level. Because of that, it might just be worth getting a few takeout orders on Saturday and reheating them at home for the holiday, because it’s the kind of dish that’s likely to hold up well. $16, Rose.Rabbit.Lie., in the Cosmopolitan, 877-6670585, RoseRabbitLie.com. PAELLA VALENCIANA ‘R AFAEL VIDAL’
It’s impossible to walk into José Andrés’ tapas restaurant without being drawn to the oversize paella pans, where chefs furiously prepare the traditional Spanish rice dish over faming piles of orange or olive wood, announcing the completion of each pan with the manic ringing of a cowbell. All of the seven rotating varieties are notable for the beautiful crispy grains of rice scraped from the bottom of the pan and scattered throughout. Among the most popular is the Valenciana, which offers thin, crispy bites of rabbit cooked to showcase their gaminess, large, juicy pieces of chicken, green beans and lima beans. It’s offered most days, but if it’s not on the menu you can always round up a group of eight and order a custom pan. $25, Jaleo, in the Cosmopolitan, 702-6987000, Jaleo.com. R ABBIT R AGU
I have to admit it’s been a while since I’ve had Kerry Simon’s rabbit. But I’ll never forget how the gamey taste of the bunny enriches the wonderfully spiced sauce, accented by shavings of sharp Parmesan. Moreover, the chef’s decision to serve it over spaghetti squash gives it a light springtime feel I don’t usually associate with a ragu—making it perfect for this holiday. So I was shocked to learn that it was off the menu until summer. Fortunately, Simon’s partner Cory Harwell has agreed to bring it back early for one day, as an Easter special. $12, Carson Kitchen, 124 S. Sixth Street, 702-473-9523, CarsonKitchen.com.
ROSE.RABBIT.LIE BY JON ESTRADA, CARSON KITCHEN BY PETER HARASTY
DINING
Rose.Rabbit. Lie's Rabbit Fricassée and Carson Kitchen's Rabbit Ragu (bottom)
A&E
“Alice is a brash concoction of surreal visuals, trippy choreography and rock bombast.” SHOWSTOPPER {PAGE 65}
Movies, music, art and a new use for pipe cleaners
Is the neo-hippie dream of Coachella now just a myth? By Cindi Moon Reed
VegasSeven.com
|
Bohemian Like Everybody
LEAVE THE EASTER BUNNY TO KIDDIES AND THEIR PARENTS. OUR SPRING-
time fantasy is a much more fanciful one. We sinners have the Dream of Coachella. ¶ The Dream involves this hazy, golden twilight-tinted image of fowing fower-child hair, copious fringe, adorably impractical sandals and skimpy knits draped over lithe bodies. That’s for the girls. Dudes are cool wearing T-shirts and cargo shorts. Fashion website Refnery29 defnes the Coachella look as “gypsy + hipster = gypster.” Jezebel’s Julianne Escobedo Shepherd goes further, placing Coachella in the Southern California mythos, describing it as “deeply rooted in Desert Valley
April 2–8, 2015
COACHELL A BY SEAN M. HAFFEY/ZUMA PRESS, INC.; ALICE BY MICHAEL CORTRERAS
More than a mere music festival, Coachella is a threeday cultural extravaganza.
59
Because models don't sweat: H&M's official Coachella line is more pretty than practical.
solidify this California dream, not to mention proft from it. Visit Coachella.com and you won’t miss a button featuring three beautiful youths posed along a desert highway with their classic convertible. It’s “H&M Loves Coachella: The Offcial Collection,” and it’s exactly what the idealized Vegasto-Indio road trip looks like. In a bit of accidental irony, the
image contrasts with a nearby button labeled, “Think Ahead, 2015 Shuttles.” Here you'll fnd a photo of non-famous, nonmodel festivalgoers traveling to Indio via a bus called reality. Their foral headbands are just visible over the cramped seats. In lieu of “thinking ahead,” I prefer to spend my time scrolling through H&M’s Coachella look book. There’s a
red lace dress ($19.95, sold out but still in the H&M window at Town Square) that I could just imagine myself wearing … as soon as I fnally get around to giving up sugar, carbs and joy. It’s clear that these Coachella outfts are a ridiculous co-opting of an organic subculture. It would probably be embarrassing to show up at the fest wear-
ing the same offcial Kimono with Fringe ($24.95) as every other yearning fashionista. But I don’t care. It makes for a beautiful picture. I’d like to be in that car, on that road trip. The Coachella Dream is alluring, even if you know better. And if you’ve ever been to Coachella or just spent about 12 hours wandering around the desert on foot, you can’t not know better. Sure it’s fne to look good, but you’ve also gotta dress for hot days, cold nights, glaring sun and dust-slinging wind. Think comfy shoes, sunscreen, earplugs and a good hat. Sure all that practicality sounds lame—the very antithesis of any sort of dream—but it allows festivalgoers to, you know, notice the music. Then again, if you can’t be bothered to trade in fantasy (or don't want to risk catching Valley Fever from the fying dust spores), you can always just stay home and watch many of the very same bands play Vegas. No special wardrobe required—although we do still recommend a leatherette fanny pack full of earplugs.
HOW TO DO VEGASCHELLA
Since the trendsetting Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (April 10-12 and 17-19) added a second weekend in 2012, Las Vegas has hosted bands looking to fill open dates before, during and after their sets in Indio, California. This year, more than 30 acts will make their way northeast on Interstate 15 to offer full sets and stage shows with better-than-festival sound and no porta-potty lines. If you want to maximize your music-going time, here’s your agenda:
April 2–8, 2015
|
VegasSeven.com
ST. VINCENT April 10, Boulevard Pool at the Cosmopolitan. The singer-songwriter’s 2014 eponymous effort topped many year-end critics’ lists, and her stylized stage show both excited and confused Saturday Night Live viewers last spring. Better in Vegas: St. Vincent’s vision, including staging, can be fully realized when not crammed into a small festival spot.
60
ALT-J April 13, The Joint at the Hard Rock. The British band’s second album, This Is All Yours, garnered a Grammy nomination for Best Alternative Album, and the live show has earned raves on both sides of the pond. Better in Vegas: Being among 4,000 fans in the Hard Rock is much better than being among 15,000 or more in a polo field.
BAD RELIGION April 13-14, House of Blues. Bad Religion’s two-night Vegas stand will include one night solely of hits from the 20th century and a second night of songs from the last 15 years. Better in Vegas: Try squeezing that dual-set idea into a 45-minute window in a desert tent. INTERPOL April 15, Boulevard Pool at the Cosmopolitan. A dependable presence at indie rock festivals throughout the last decade, the band ended a three-year hiatus with November’s release of El Pintor. Better in Vegas: Dancing is much easier when not at the end of a 10-hour festival day.
STROMAE April 16, Boulevard Pool at the Cosmopolitan. With a co-sign from pop stars such as Lorde and appearances on tracks with hip-hop’s heaviest hitters, the Belgian singer-songwriter is set for a breakthrough year. Better in Vegas: Seeing the next big thing at a festival doesn’t carry the same bragging rights. BUILT TO SPILL April 20, Bunkhouse Saloon. One of the top bands of the late-’90s college radio scene, Built to Spill releases a new album April 21, making its Vegas stop a de facto release party. Seeing an act of this stature in an intimate venue such as this may be the best argument for avoiding Coachella entirely. Better in Vegas: A more self-selecting crowd means more “true” fans and fewer teenagers staking out a spot for the next act. – Robert Spuhler
H&M COURTESY OF H&M; ST. VINCENT BY RENATA RAKSHA; ALT-J BY GABRIELE GREEN; INTERPOL BY ELIOT LEE HAZEL; STROMAE BY CHRISTIAN BERTRAND; BUILT TO SPILL BY STEPHEN GERE
A&E
bohemian mythologies and an amorphous concept of ‘being free’ that hearkens back to the days your moms were smoking gonzo reefer in Laurel Canyon.” As the annual festival grows (last year about 193,000 people attended, including many a hip celebrity), the Dream of Coachella has gained traction and become more outlandish. Once “festival fashion” was just what the music fans happened to be wearing. Now it’s crystallized into this monolithic cultural force, one that is often at odds with the original intent of an artist-focused music weekend. Need proof? Hippie chic starlet Vanessa Hudgens spawned a paparazzi cottage industry with her Coachella outfts, but she can’t attend this year because of a scheduling confict. “Who will usurp her fower crown?” The Huffington Post asks. The website nominates Kim Kardashian’s younger sister, Kylie Jenner. A Kardashian will be the Queen of Coachella. Voila, proof. Reality stars may be endemic to the region, but it took a Swedish clothing line to really
A&E
CONCERT
R&B Powerhouse Jazmine Sullivan Makes Pain Sound So Good The House of Blues, March 29
Philly-raised Jazmine Sullivan sings with her entire body. She belts out notes with her eyes closed and head raised toward the sky, inviting the audience to really feel her song. After a five-year recording hiatus, Sullivan is making the most of this tour, which promotes her latest effort, Reality Show. “Let It Burn” let Sullivan sway her hips methodically behind the mic stand as her trademark low-register vocals boomed throughout the venue. She danced more freely on the up-tempo, inspirational “Masterpiece (Mona Lisa).” She showcased her raspy, “spintotenor” on a sit-down, acoustic version of “Forever Don’t Last,” surprising and delighting fans. But nothing excited the crowd more than when she sang “Need U Bad.” Fans waved their hands and sang along, uniting both audience and stage through a connection of the
[ STAGE ]
The Best Is Yet to Come From Comedian Hannibal Buress By Camille Cannon
April 2–8, 2015
|
VegasSeven.com
Hannibal Buress is done talking about Bill Cosby. Buress—who brings his Comedy Camisado stand-up tour to House of Blues on April 4—recently hung up on a Pennsylvania reporter who refused to drop the subject. Why? In October, video of the comedian criticizing the 77-year-old and the rape allegations against him spurred a media frenzy that led Cosby to cancel performances—including a November 28 gig at Treasure Island. “It’s just information that’s out there,” Buress told Howard Stern. The sudden exposure became a Catch-22 for the 32-year-old comedian: catalyzing his rising fame while overshadowing his body of work. “It’s a tough business,” Buress says.
62
Early in his career, the Chicago native wrote for Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock. He credits those experiences for teaching him, “It’s not about trying to have the best jokes, but it’s about pitching and not being afraid to fail.” Nowadays he’s succeeding as the low-key Lincoln Rice on Broad City (“It’s no real prep”) and the straight man on Adult Swim’s The Eric Andre Show (“A lot of the stuff is weird.”) Most of all, Buress enjoys doing stand-up. “That’s what I control,” he explains. Audiences might hear him riff on lazy rap music (Search “Hannibal Buress Gibberish Rap”) or justify peeing in the sink because “it’s the green way to piss.” His honest and observational style made him a standout at the recent Comedy
ED ALONE Ed Kowalczyk has released three solo albums since the breakup with his former Live bandmates. Now, he’s revisiting his success with stripped-down versions of hits such as “Lightning Crashes” and “I Alone.” He brings Throwing Copper Unplugged to Vinyl on April 2 ($40-$60).
Central roast of Justin Bieber. “You should thank HANNIBAL me for participating BURESS in this extremely 8 p.m. April 4, transparent attempt House of Blues to be more likable in in Mandalay Bay, the public eye,” Buress $39-50, said to Bieber. HouseOfBlues.com. Looking ahead, Comedy Central has signed Buress for his own show, Why? With Hannibal Buress Buress, slated to air this July. And he plans to flm an upcoming tour date for his next comedy special. When asked what new material he’d like to shine a Cosby kind of light on, Buress replied in his signature understated fashion: “There’s a new bit that I do about being at the airport. You gotta see it at the show.”
LESS CHAT, MORE RATATAT Mike Stroud and Evan Mast have been issuing records as Ratatat for more than a decade, so if you somehow don't know their experimental, instrumental rock, you must watch them play the Cosmopolitan’s Boulevard Pool on April 8 ($28).
ON SALE NOW Dick Dale, the "King of the Surf Guitar," doesn’t believe in playlists. At his age, having battled cancer and diabetes, he can play whatever he wants. When he launches into “Misirlou” or his cover of“Ring of Fire,” you’re going to want to be at the Hard Rock Live on June 3 ($25).
SULLIVAN BY GLENN BROGAN; BURESS BY CONSTANCE KOSTREVSKI
heart. ★★★✩✩ – Brjden Crewe
The
HIT LIST
ALBUMS WE'RE BUYING 1 Kendrick Lamar, To Pimp a Butterfly
TARGETING THIS WEEK'S MOST-WANTED EVENTS
2 Action Bronson, Mr. Wonderful (Explicit)
3
By Ian Caramanzana P3 Studio's Collaboration/ Exchange.
Björk, Vulnicura
4 Modest Mouse, Strangers to Ourselves
5 Courtney Barnett, Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit
6
Awolnation, Run
7 J. Cole, 2014 Forest Hills Drive
SHAMIR BY ANTHONY MAIR; COLL ABORATION/EXCHANGE COURTESY OF THE COSMOPOLITAN L AS VEGAS
SHAMIR SHINES
Things are looking up and up for Shamir, the North
Las Vegas-based singer-songwriter who graced the cover of Vegas Seven’s Intriguing
People issue in January (Read it at VegasSeven.com/intriguing-people-2015). He pretty much owned South by Southwest (“…Like Sylvester fronting LCD Soundsystem,” enthused Imran Ahmed in The Guardian). His 2014 hit “On the Regular” is being
According to sales at Zia Record Exchange at 4503 W. Sahara Ave., March 23-29.
used in an Android watch ad. And just last month, he received a sure sign of bigger things to come: a massive billboard in the heart of Times Square. Shamir’s latest single, “Call It Off,” is out now (complete with a bizarre and kinda wonderful puppet video), and his debut album Ratchet drops this May. – Geoff Carter
[ ART ]
Revealing the Shape Within
"Le Passage" by Cynthia Steadgains.
From newbies to seasoned sculptors, each artist in ROCK Stars has chipped and polished a block of alabaster into a fluid, thought-provoking symbol. The exhibit, on display in the Grand Gallery of City Hall through May 5, offers an array of shapes revealed by the rock-sculpting imaginations of the students of Las Vegas sculptor Sharon Gainsburg. Purple-rippled stone twists in an abstracted treble clef in the very first stone sculpture by Chuck Boxwell. A luminous white-veined orange torso by Doug Clark emerges from a chunk of rough-hewn stone, recalling a series of sculptures by Michelangelo of captives only partially released from stone. In another seemingly partial reveal, this one by Ann Bedlion, a spiral peeks out from the top side of its green stone housing like a seashell fossilized in stone. Nearby work by Kim Friesen entraps fire, a curling flame rising to a peak, simmering, frozen within yellow ochre shot through with cadmium red. In an era when advancing technology creates a dizzying list of ever-expanding mixed-media options, the classic contact between artist and stone is mentally refreshing in its skilled simplicity. – Jenessa Kenway
WE FLY HIGH Catch a screening of Hell’s Angels— Howard Hughes’ WWI classic that was, at one point, the most expensive movie ever made. The drama between two pilot brothers and a temptress is a far cry from the motorcycle club of the same name. See the 1930 film in all its glory at Clark County Library on April 7. LVCCLD.org. LET’S BUILD, FAM Help Lucky DeBellevue build his collection of woven sculptures made of pipe cleaners at P3Studio. Or help him design and arrange shapes he’ll turn into a printed piece. Either way, you have until April 12 to collaborate with the New Yorkbased artist as part of his Collaboration/ Exchange residency at the Cosmopolitan. CosmopolitanLasVegas.com. SHE’S OBSESSED Artist Deborah Aschheim explores Camelot in drawings made from historical photos in Kennedy Obsession. The drawings are of people responding to the presence and loss of President John F. Kennedy and Senator Robert F. Kennedy. See this chilling interpretation of a lost era through June 6 at UNLV’s Marjorie Barrick Museum. UNLV.edu.
VegasSeven.com
Strung Out, Transmission. Alpha.Delta 10
|
9 Empire, Original Soundtrack from Season 1
RHYTHM IS A DANCER Journey through the mind of a dancer in The Pink Tutu Ballet’s Shinka: The Life Cycle of a Dancer. Dance, live music, composition and spoken word are all parts of the production, so there’s no excuse to miss the event April 4 at Sammy Davis Jr. Festival Plaza. ThePinkTutuBallet.com.
April 2–8, 2015
8 Big Sean, Dark Sky Paradise
63
STAGE
RIGHT IN THE KISSER, ALICE Steampunk trip to Wonderland assaults the senses THERE’S GOING THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS.
Then there’s shattering it, shards hurtling everywhere. File Alice: A Steampunk Rock Opera Fantasy—a dizzying, discombobulated dance/rock riff on Lewis Carroll’s novel, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland—as inspired by the former and accomplishing the latter. Frankly, I didn’t understand a second of it. Then again, as rock operas go, after meeting that deaf, dumb and blind kid who sure played a mean pinball, I didn’t comprehend much of The Who’s Tommy, either—but was still entertained by it. Creatively slow-boiled by a cluster of Strip performers as a side project since it began taking shape at Tuscany Suites in 2013, it’s open now as a monthly gig at Vinyl at the Hard Rock (other performances will be May 20, June 17 and July 15), and is eyeing a steadier run. Dialogue-free and ear-bleedingly loud—backed by trumpeter David Perrico’s amped-up ensemble—Alice is a brash concoction of surreal visuals, trippy choreography and rock bombast baked into a nonsensical pastry, the effect akin to eating one of those funny brownies. With the Cheshire Cat, White Rabbit and Red Queen accounted for, it’s designed as an immersive journey for the senses. Though it isn’t interested in a linear framework—neither was Carroll’s novel for much of it—it often plays like a disorienting freakout. One that’s set to hits by the Beatles, Amy Winehouse, Johnny Cash, the Rolling Stones, Lady Gaga, Queen and Aerosmith, among others. Out front are two Alices, the more familiar “good” one portrayed by Anne Martinez (the show’s creative driving force) and an evil doppelganger played by Ashley Fuller (both
actresses are lead singers in Jubilee). Amid the hooded, caped and robed characters slinking and slithering around the Alices in makeup/costumes that are part-steampunk, part drug-chic, action spills from the stage. Spreading into the audience, it reaches the back of the house, where a hookah becomes central to a party within the show, set to a smoldering “Light My Fire.” Often, actors aim fashlights around the club in case we lose track of where the frenzied dancing and gyrating is/was/will be next, a whiplashinducing exercise. At one point, one character sent Frisbees spinning across the stage at another, which matched the eyes spinning in my head. Musically, Martinez and Fuller are dynamic performers, never singing with less than grab-you-by-thethroat lustiness, though the relentless red-zone-level blasting is eventually numbing. Yet many of the interpretations from the sterling Perrico band are refreshingly new, including: a badass “Paint It Black”; an intriguing, Middle-Eastern-favored “Ring of Fire”; a bump-and-grind-worthy take on “The Loco-Motion”; a slowtempo twist on the Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams”; and a version of “Pure Imagination” from Williy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory that drains it of sweetness, reflling it with sensuality. Comparatively, snatches of “Bohemian Rhapsody” sounded nearly tame. Sporadically, Alice rose above its own chaos to become infectious fun, and if Martinez and company can impose more discipline and less decibels without defating its exuberance, this inventive curio might go down the right creative rabbit hole. Got an entertainment tip? Email Steve.Bornfeld@VegasSeven.com.
MOVIES
A&E
ALIEN ATTRACTION
A purple misfit (voiced by Jim Parsons) helps a teen girl (Rihanna) find her mom.
DreamWorks phones ‘home’ with this tale of extra-friendly extra-terrestrials By Michael Phillips Tribune Media Services
THE CUDDLIEST ALIEN INVASION MOVIE EVER,
Home contains nifty turns of phrase and some actual, verifable verbal wit, owing in large part to its source material, Adam Rex’s 2007 children’s book The True Meaning of Smekday. In the grand Hollywood tradition, DreamWorks Animation threw out most of that book (and the flm’s original title, Happy Smekday!) after optioning the property seven years ago. Even though screenwriters Tom J. Astle and Matt Ember overpack the revised storyline, they get some crucial aspects right. The movie is pretty droll, and it agitates for cross-species friendship; its aggressively packaged heart-tugging elements come with an interplanetary friendly resolution. Followed by a dance party. Does it matter that Home has the generically antiseptic look and busyness of dozens of other DreamWorks projects? Sure, it matters. When the animation of a big-budget animated feature is nothing special, whatever the target audience makes of it, it’s like an ozone layer of timidity. Until one of the major houses, including Pixar, works up the nerve to develop and release more features guided by a bold visual approach, even (or especially) if the boldness translates to subtlety, we’ll be seeing the same sorts of grandiose
action sequences, the same massiveeyed darlings as protagonists, the same freneticism posing as creative energy. Home has some of these drawbacks, but fewer than usual. Jim Parsons of The Big Bang Theory voices Oh, the sweetnatured misft alien who belongs to the Boov race distinguished by squiggly little legs, advanced technology and fealty to idiot ruler Captain Smek (Steve Martin, taking it easy). The Boovs are wimps, perpetually relocating around the universe to avoid being attacked by the Gorgs. In the prologue, we see how the Boovs colonize Earth and confne, without bloodshed, the humans to Australia and other locations. No blood, but plenty of loss. It’s not easy being the teenage girl named Tip (voice by Rihanna) when your mother (Jennifer Lopez) is alien-abducted and relocated, and all you have is a cat named Pig for company. Home brings Tip and Oh together, and after a long, fractious introduction they become friends and hit the road to fnd Tip’s mom. Oh is tracked as a fugitive from his own conformity-mad race, after mistakenly sending a “warming of house party” Evite to the entire universe, including the dreaded Gorgs. Parsons makes hay on Oh’s Yodalike inversions of phrasing. Example:
“You has in nick-time saved us!: The soundtrack, meantime, makes hay on the power ballads sung by Rihanna. Director Tim Johnson has worked on better flms (How to Train Your Dragon) and worse (he co-directed Antz), but he knows how to put one of these things together. The details click, such as Oh tricking out Tip’s car (underage driving! ack!) as a convenience store-inspired hovercraft powered by Icee-type slush machines. Any movie
SHORT REVIEWS
April 2–8, 2015
|
VegasSeven.com
A Girl Like Her (PG) ★★★★✩
66
The mockumentary style is often used for either horror or comedic purposes. But director/writer Amy S. Weber has something else in mind for the format in the gripping A Girl Like Her. The conceit is that high school sophomore Jessica Burns (Lexi Ainsworth) is coaxed by fellow student and videographer Brian (Jimmy Bennett) to wear a spy camera to chronicle the harassment she suffers at the hands of the campus’ main mean girl (Hunter King). Ainsworth and King are excellent, anchoring what could have been a gimmick in a grim reality.
Serena (R) ★★✩✩✩
Bradley Cooper plays a Depression-era timber baron racing to clear-cut the mountains before the feds it into the Smoky Mountains National Park. His loyal aide (David Dencik) may forgive; his mysterious, superstitious hunting guide (Rhys Ifans, creepy) may understand. Then Serena (Jennifer Lawrence) a Westerner who grew up in timber wealth, crosses his field of view. Cooper and Lawrence get to do things on horseback, swing an ax and play intimate scenes that they’ve never had the chance to show off onscreen. They don’t create much heat.
Get Hard (R) ★✩✩✩✩
Hobbled by a nervous, insecure editing rhythm and a total lack of slapstick finesse, Get Hard does the people onscreen no favors. Will Ferrell plays James King, a stuffy hedge-fund wizard with a duplicitous gold digger fiancée (Alison Brie) and a lifetime of unexamined prejudices. Framed and arrested for fraud and embezzlement, King hires car wash manager Darnell (Kevin Hart), whom he mistakes for a hardened ex-con, to school him in prison survival and sexual assault prevention in a 30-day runup to San Quentin.
featuring a hovercraft that shoots microwave burritos at adversaries is OK with me. As for Lopez’s involvement in Home, well, that was fated: In Rex’s book, the sympathetic alien wasn’t named Oh; he was named J.Lo. True story. Home, for the record, is not, but I brought a couple of my kids, who liked it fne and found the friendship at the center rather affecting. Home (PG) ★★★✩✩
By Tribune Media Services
Insurgent (PG-13) ★★★✩✩
In the second of four planned movies from the hugely popular Veronica Roth trilogy, we’ve landed once again in the miserable future and a world where everyone’s divided into rigid subsocieties. Kate Winslet returns as the icy authority figure crucial to every dystopian young adult story. Martial law rules, and the characters played by Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Ansel Elgort (The Fault in Our Stars) and Miles Teller (Whiplash) are on the run, wondering how to start the revolution as effectively as possible. The actors are saving this franchise’s bacon.
The Hunting Ground (PG-13) ★★★✩✩
Seymour: An Introduction (PG) ★★★★✩
This documentary covers a lot of ground, not always carefully. The stories about rape survivors Andrea Pino and Annie Clark, former university students, break your heart. The on-camera subjects are dangerously light on official collegiate voices. The tension sometimes feels rigged, and the ominous scare music does not help. But Pino and Clark, and so many others, exhibit true heroism. The system didn’t do right by them, and this film takes heart from their efforts to show why it needs fixing so badly.
This first documentary directed by Ethan Hawke grants full expression to great classical pianist Seymour Bernstein’s wise and witty commentary on his craft. Seymour is a paean to understatement—a concept made literal when Bernstein carefully tests one Steinway after another, searching for the most delicate sound possible. In his calm defense of beauty, craftsmanship, curiosity and emotional connection as vital human needs, this is one artist who knows he doesn’t have to raise his voice to speak volumes.
The Gunman (R) ★★✩✩✩
Cinderella (PG) ★★★✩✩
’71 (R) ★★★★✩
Run All Night (R) ★★★✩✩
Jim (Sean Penn) works in private security, but his sideline is killing for a fee. The film begins in the Republic of the Congo; Jim’s lover (Jasmine Trinca) is a surgeon saving lives in a makeshift hospital. Jim assassinates a high-ranking Congolese politician and slips away while chaos reigns. Mark Rylance, Idris Elba (as a supercool Interpol agent) and Ray Winstone, as Jim’s pal and protector, are English; Peter Franzen, hapless hit man, hails from Finland; Javier Bardem is Spanish. It’s a tasty cast, but the script does not do its job in crucial areas.
This Belfast-set manhunt thriller puts us in the precarious situation of a British private stranded behind enemy lines. Screenwriter Gregory Burke lays all this out with unusual lucidity, though his teeming character roster can get a bit confusing. Burke wrote the Scottish-warriors-in-Iraq play Black Watch, and ’71 carries a similar gut impact. Focusing on a young British soldier in the middle of a Belfast nightmare might seem dodgy, but it works; the ambiguities of purpose and alignment prevent the audience from an easy, reductive good-vs.-evil response.
Disney’s live-action Cinderella features Lily James as Cinderella, Cate Blanchett as the evil-ish stepmother, Richard Madden as the handsome prince and Helena Bonham Carter as the voiceover narration/fairy godmother. It’s a sincere, open-hearted rendering of the familiar tale. Director Kenneth Branagh presents the demise of Cinderella’s parents as inevitable parts of the narrative. The unreal stuff reveals Branagh to be a workmanlike wrangler of digitized fantasy. I’d like to see a live-action fairy tale with a little less of that business and a little more practical magic.
Liam Neeson is our supreme late-winter action star. The film co-stars Ed Harris and Vincent D’Onofrio, and it also makes room for a Nick Nolte cameo. Joel Kinnaman, as Neeson’s bitter and increasingly desperate son, may be the secondmost-important character in the film, but I don’t remember much about him. Directed, frantically, by Jaume ColletSerra, written by Brad Ingelsby, Run All Night promises a sprint punctuated by a lot of gunfire, and bleeding, and bodies. Mission accomplished.
MARKETPLACE
MARKETPLACE
Photo by Jeff Speer
LOV E CO N Q U E RS A L L
^
^
^
^
MARKETPLACE
$9.95 Month
to Month
Join the NEW Name in Fitness! 5 Las Vegas Locations: Las Vegas Northwest/ Las Vegas South/ Las Vegas Centennial/ Las Vegas Aliante/ Las Vegas Southeast
702-529-2139
MARKETPLACE
MARKETPLACE
Tens of thousands of people served since 1954 and still more await help
SEVEN QUESTIONS
strongly [discouraged] me from going into medicine. I was told that a lot of medical schools didn’t accept applications from black people. I was told that there were no black women doctors—a lie, of course, but I didn’t know any better. I’d never met one. Unfortunately, I was 17 years old, and I believed it. It’s one of the last times I took somebody’s word for something. … I used to say it was the one regret of my life. But now that I’m a bit older, I consider myself very fortunate because I love what I do. ... [Science and writing are not as] unrelated as people might think. If you’re communicating about medicine, then it’s important to be verbally adept. You have to be very good with language because you’ve got scientifc jargon and conventional English. I enjoy writing about the history of medicine, medicine culture and ethics, so it allows me to indulge my two interests. In 2012’s Deadly Monopolies, you explored the dangers of the medical-industrial complex including the patenting of human genes. Is there a solution to the medical status quo and the emergence of Big Pharma?
Medical ethicist, author and UNLV Shearing Fellow on mental illness, Big Pharma and the power of one By Cindi Moon Reed
April 2–8, 2015
|
VegasSeven.com
In Infectious Madness [Little, Brown and Company, $28, October] you discuss the infectious causes of mental illness. It’s terrifying to learn that pre-natal flu could cause schizophrenia or strep throat could cause Tourette’s syndrome. What can we do with this knowledge, other than become hypochondriacs?
78
It sounds scary, but it’s very good news because I’m talking about mental disorders for which [for the most part] we don’t understand their cause. One reason schizophrenia is so frightening is because we don’t know what causes it. … Once we know what causes it, we can craft better tools against it. We can do better than treat a disease—we can actually prevent it. … The other thing is a lot of mental disorders have very serious stigmas. Those beliefs can be [mitigated] by understanding that at least in some cases, it’s simply a biological disorder like any other.
What are you working on now?
I have been speaking and writing about the Ebola crisis as a Rorschach test for the way we approach crises in the developing world. Some really troubling misconceptions and issues keep arising whenever there is a confict that is dramatic enough for the West to notice. Although we are inclined to approach poor people in the developing world as supplicants, that’s not accurate at all. Many health care providers [treated] people with Ebola before Western physicians addressed the epidemic. Our news media ignore them, and that leaves the impression that there are no health care providers there. You’re based in New York, and you’ve done fellowships at Harvard, one in public health and the other in medical ethics. What attracted you to Las Vegas and the
Shearing Fellowship at UNLV’s Black Mountain Institute (BMI)?
I’m tempted to say the weather, but I didn’t fnd out until after I got here how wonderful the weather is. I’d spoken here [in 2012] on a medical ethics panel. It was really great, and when I learned about BMI, with the variety of writers they have, I was really impressed. … I thought [this fellowship] would be perfect, so I applied. It’s wonderful. I’m expected to give at least one presentation on my work and to attend the functions of the institute. I’m basically doing the things that I would’ve done anyway, but in this really collegial atmosphere. Writing can be lonely; I love the idea of doing it here among other writers. Do you ever wish that you’d simply become a medical doctor?
That was my original plan. But when I went to college [in 1969], my adviser
What do you say to those who refuse or are skeptical of vaccines?
I’m old enough to understand that a lot of the problem comes from the fact that the people who are making decisions today did not live in the pre-vaccination era. … It’s absurd that people balk at vaccinations from a nebulous fear; there’s been great evidence showing that it’s not a rational fear. … It’s important not to discount their fears, or say, “Oh, you are paranoid,” or “How stupid are you that you don’t understand vaccination is necessary?” Vaccination is necessary and it’s a good thing, but people aren’t stupid because they’re afraid of it. It’s just human nature. Public health just has to do a much better job of showing people that they’re safe and not resort to shaming. Throughout your years of research, what has really surprised or inspired you?
All too often I found in my research people who stood up and refused to do something they thought was wrong. And [they] actually stopped it. Until a few years ago, women all around the world who were about to go into surgery had their bodies [used] so that medical students could practice intimate examinations—until a few students in London said that’s not right. Never discount the fact that one person can change centuries of injustice by speaking out.
PHOTO BY A ARON MAYES
Harriet Washington
The solution is simple, but it’s not easy. One of the reasons why the pharmaceutical industry can do what it does with impunity is that there have been a lot of laws passed that promote its interest. Why? Because the pharmaceutical industry hires an immense number of lobbyists [who push] legislators to vote for a company’s interest rather than for the interest of U.S. citizens, to say nothing of the interest of people in developing countries. Lobbying in any health care arena should be banned.