LAS VEGAS’ WEEKLY CITY MAGAZINE
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FOUNDED FEBRUARY 2010
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Michael Skenandore
EDITORIAL
Nicole Ely Genevie Durano SENIOR EDITORS Paul Szydelko, Xania Woodman SENIOR EDITOR, A&E Geoff Carter ASSOCIATE EDITOR Camille Cannon SENIOR WRITER Lissa Townsend Rodgers CALENDAR COORDINATOR Ian Caramanzana EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
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THE LATEST News, politics, deals and the quintessential Vegas song
Everyone’s fighting for the same audience and the small amount of dollars. But how can we do things smarter and actually bring people together? CHAR ACTER STUDY
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★ A CURATED GUIDE TO THIS WEEK IN YOUR CITY ★ By Bob Whitby
Th OCTOBER 1
All the magic of Greece without the economic hardships! Well, the Las Vegas Greek Food Festival is kind of like that. It has everything from dolmathes to spanakopita, and when you’re done eating you can dance, sing or just enjoy the live music. 5-10 p.m. and continuing through Sunday at St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church, 5300 El Camino Blvd. LasVegasGreekFestival.com.
OCTOBER 2 While we’re enjoying other cultures, let’s head over to UNLV’s Artemus W. Ham Hall for a performance by the National Circus and Acrobats of the People’s Republic of China, 8 p.m. These folks have won a big top full of international awards, and who doesn’t want to see 12 people riding a bike? UNLV.edu.
F
First Democratic debate of 2015 is a rehearsal for next fall’s prez showdown By Paul Szydelko
October 1–7, 2015
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➜ WHILE THE RACE for the Republican presiden-
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tial nomination has already featured two highly rated prime-time debates, an already-winnowing feld of candidates and the strident ascendancy of Donald Trump, the Democrats have been relatively sedate. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders is a surprising roadblock to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s trail to the nomination, as is the potential candidacy of Vice President Joe Biden. The race has so far featured sometimes-unseemly debate about debates—specifcally, their number and timing. The Democratic National Committee has scheduled only six debates before next April, a stark reduction from the 26 Democratic debates from April 2007 to April 2008. While the Republicans are soaking in early media attention, some Democrats have groused that the last two scheduled debates this year are on weekends (when fewer viewers are watching). One is even on the weekend between the end of Hanukkah and Christmas, when even fewer are attuned to the political landscape. Whether more staged opportunities to knock off the frontrunner are scheduled is anyone’s guess. But one thing we do know: At 6 p.m. October 13 at the Wynn in Las Vegas, CNN will dispense with its around-the-clock Trump coverage. For the frst time Clinton and others seeking the Democratic nomination will stand together on the same stage for two hours in prime time and answer unscripted questions. CNN’s Anderson Cooper will moderate. The network’s chief political correspondent Dana Bash and CNN en Español anchor Juan Carlos Lopez will ask additional questions,
and anchor Don Lemon will present questions to the candidates submitted via Facebook users. Things we don’t know? The number of times “Nevada” will be mispronounced and who will be the frst candidate to stoop to using a turn of the phrase, “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.” And more seriously, how Clinton will reply to vexing email accusations; how long Sanders will weather the word “socialist” attached to his name; whether the others will prove they belong on the big stage; and whether anybody besides media darling Sanders will project authenticity (or at least fake it for two hours) in the most contrived circumstances devised. Las Vegas will again be in the political spotlight December 15 when Republican contenders debate here and October 19, 2016, when the Thomas & Mack Center hosts the last presidential debate before the general election. To host three debates is some consolation for a city that sought to host the 2016 Republican National Convention. Although that bid was withdrawn, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority estimates that the 2016 debate will generate media exposure worth more than $50 million, and the Las Vegas area will see a direct economic impact of $6 million. The presidential candidates will likely have somewhat less famboyant entourages, and there won’t be the pay-per-view sizzle of, say, the Pacquiao-Mayweather “Fight of the Century” earlier this year. But with each debate the city is sure to garner positive national media attention as a place to do serious business and a venue for civil discourse, or whatever passes for it these days.
Garage sale addicts take note: the Mountain’s Edge Fall Community Yard Sale is from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Exploration Peak Park, 9700 Buffalo Dr., and it’s a big one: 70 homeowners peddling wares in the parking lot, and another 150 or so individual garage sales throughout the development. (702) 994-8411.
Su OCTOBER 4
For the 53rd year, Boulder City is being taken over by artists for a weekend. Art in the Park is a bit of a misnomer because it’s grown to art in three parks, with food and beverage vendors, live music, demonstrations and activities. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and today. ArtInThePark.org.
M OCTOBER 5
Some very talented artists teach in UNLV’s Department of Art, and they’d like nothing more than for you to enjoy their work. The Faculty Exhibition is open through Oct. 10 at the Donna Beam Fine Art Gallery, and it’s an excellent chance to view homegrown artistry. UNLV.edu.
Tu OCTOBER 6
Still haven’t seen The Book of Mormon? Time is running out if you want to catch a performance at The Smith Center. According to The New York Times, the play is “the best musical of this century.” 7:30 p.m. tonight with shows through Oct. 18. TheSmithCenter.com.
W OCTOBER 7
Shakespeare was a great writer, but his work can be inscrutable without a little guidance. Happily, Henderson’s Green Valley Library is ready to help with its six-part Shakespeare Workshop Series. It’s led by the Shakespeare Institute of Nevada’s Dan Decker, a man who knows his Bard. Wednesdays and Fridays at 4 p.m. MyPublicLibrary.com.
Have an event you want considered for Seven Days? Email VegasSevenDays@Gmail.com.
ILLUSTRATION BY CIERRA PEDRO; PHOTOS: SHUT TERSTOCK
Ready for Our Close-Up
Sa OCTOBER 3
Knight in Shining Art Todd VonBastiaans is keeping art alive and well in the city By Lissa Townsend Rodgers
October 1–7, 2015
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➜ WORKING IN THE arts anywhere
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J A M E S P. R E Z A
is a struggle, but, as in all things, Las Vegas offers a unique set of challenges. Vegas may be the Entertainment Capital of the World, but high culture often rides pretty low on our priority list. “If you actually put your heart into things here, you’re a chump,” Todd VonBastiaans says. “And that’s exactly what a lot of us are, we’re chumps.” But it’s chumps like him who keep the Vegas arts scene afoat, whether it’s through the rough waters of recession and gentrifcation or Sin City’s particular brand of fux. Originally from Chicago, VonBastiaans functions behind the scenes as owner of the ALIOS lighting agency as well as a supporter of several local institutions, from the Cockroach Theatre to KNPR. While most creative folk are laserfocused on their clay or canvas, VonBastiaans sees the arts in widescreen. “We’re not just putting on a play, we’re not just putting on an art show,” he says. “What we’re doing is making sure there are always multiple components so there is exposure.” His own work can be seen at bus stops (the ones that look like swimming pools viewed from above), apartments (pillows mimicking giant pancakes) and local stages (the dazzling array of lights that turned the Onyx Theatre into a rock ’n’ roll club for Hedwig and the Angry Inch). VonBastiaans moved to Las Vegas in 1996 on “the day Tupac was shot in front of my apartment at the Meridian on Flamingo and Koval,” he says. ALIOS creates architectural and entertainment lighting for properties including City Center, the Cosmopolitan and numerous Cirque shows. But the lighting business is more means than end: “We make our living on the Strip so we can take our money and invest it in the community,” he says. He tries to make that investment go as far as it can. “Everyone’s fghting for the same audience and the small amount of dollars,” he says. “But how can we do things smarter and actually bring people together?” It’s not just about bringing people together, but keeping them here—especially after a summer that has seen a number of art-scene stalwarts leave for greener pastures. “We used to see the cycle as people are here for fve years, then go. Then it was three. And then it was a year,” he says, adding, “At the six-month point, people realize what is special and unique to Vegas, but also what they’re missing.” Community also informs his work. “We don’t put anything in our space or anything on a stage unless we feel it will be important to the people of Las Vegas,” he says. He and his partner Bryan McCarthy have produced plays including Seven Homeless Mammoths Wander New England and The Leslie Hall Show under their Todd + Bryan aegis. One of their new projects is a play that originated at the National Theater of Scotland. “It’s based on the
I moved to Las Vegas in June. When can I unpack my fall clothes?
All these weather questions suggest I should have been a weatherman. But then I’d have to learn words such as “thunderboomies” and catchphrases like “Mostly sunny!” With all due respect to Eric Randall and Nate Tannenbaum, I’ll stick to answering your questions. Yes, your friends back in Wherever, USA, are already posting #cutefallstyle selfies wearing peacoats and mittens, but please, in Las Vegas, we hold off until Halloween. And not a day sooner. Nothing is weirder than sitting in a café sandwiched between someone wearing a T-shirt and shorts and another with leggings and a beanie. That kind of style juxtaposition gives me vertigo, and you wouldn’t want me to spit up my Americano all over your new boots now, would you?
Downtown tower mystery unsolved
movie Let the Right One In, and the composer of the score also is one of the composers from The Hunger Games,” VonBastiaans says. “So here’s an opportunity to bring in a play that, one, is very entertaining, and two, is very current with the kids. They don’t understand who John Williams is, but they certainly know who this DJ and producer is.” And naturally a multimedia show about vampires and bullying would appeal to younger audiences. They’re still seeking the right space for the show, as well as related artworks and musical performances. “If you come to the show, you can do three or four artistic things at once with the same understanding. That’s something that’s not done here and it should be done.” VonBastiaans’ other forum, ALIOS, has provided display space for many local artists, most recently Justin Favela’s Chop Shop. It has also been home to the Contemporary Arts Center’s juried show and the annual art exhibit by Las Vegas high school students. However, VonBastiaans says he is rethinking the ALIOS space and will shutter it soon. “We don’t own the building,” he says, “[and] there are a lot of other things we can do with that money,” including theater and other, “more interactive” forms of art. “Nobody buys art here,” he says. “We’re really good at giving out awards … but I’d rather see action.” Like other Las Vegans who’ve stayed in the city over the decades, VonBastiaans has also seen the neighborhood change: “I think that time has moved on. … It’s now just vintage antique alley.” The departure of ALIOS will leave the street with just one space for art, the Gallery Red on Main Street. VonBastiaans remembers stopping in shortly after it opened and meeting the proprietor. He smiles, “She welcomed me to the neighborhood.”
A continuing saga I’ve explored is that of Downtown’s mysterious metal tower (11th Street at Ogden Avenue). Recently, I discovered what I thought was the answer on George Apfel’s Las Vegas Radio History website: It was the broadcast tower for KGIX! I was convinced, but others were skeptical. Reader Scott B. said “a good source” (a cabbie) told him the tower was used to display a revolving, multisided billboard. That sounded similar to reader stories of the tower’s provenance as an advertising medium. Then Apfel himself wrote to say that further research of the KGIX studio—which old-timers thought was at 12th and Stewart—suggests it was actually between Seventh and Eighth streets nearer to where U.S. 95 sits today. He posted a photo purportedly showing the KGIX broadcast tower, and it looks nothing like the tower we know. Back on the “unsolved Vegas mysteries” pile you go!
The quintessential Vegas song, remixed
On January 12, 2012, in answering a question about songs that best capture Las Vegas, I suggested that unlike San Francisco, perhaps our town (the obvious “Viva Las Vegas” notwithstanding) has yet to hear its perfect tribute song. Recently, thanks to the talented musicians of Sin City Sinners, I was reminded of Vegas native Mark Slaughter and his namesake rock band’s hit “Up All Night.” Sure, lyrics such as “Drivin’ down the Boulevard, all alone/The neon signs are callin’ your name” could be referencing the Sunset Strip as much as the Strip, but combined with “24 hours a day” and the sing-along refrain “up all night, sleep all day,” this song is Vegas all the way. It belongs in the body of work that celebrates our city. Questions? AskaNative@VegasSeven.com.
PHOTO BY KRYSTAL RAMIREZ
THE LATEST
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October 1–7, 2015
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DOWN ON
MAIN STREET South of Charleston used to be a barren collection of industrial outposts and antique shops. Now it is turning into Downtown’s hottest new neighborhood.
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call it a tale of two cities. One has been the recipient of governmental and civic love and money; the other, a stepsister that’s been a bit overlooked. Divided by one of Las Vegas’ most important east-west roadways, Charleston Boulevard, the 18b Arts District has been a study in the success of New Urbanism. The north side of Charleston has seen various developments established, including the Arts Factory and Arts Square, while the south side has been the funky precinct of mechanics, upholstery outfts, a few second-hand shops and low-priced furniture stores. ¶ That’s changing, and changing fast. ¶ The south-side investors of the 18b, who can use the same redevelopment tax diversions that their northern neighbors use, have over the last three years invested in bars, restaurants, art galleries, tattoo shops and stores peddling collectibles of all kinds. South Main Street isn’t just diversifed, it’s positively hip.
October 1–7, 2015
PHOTO BY KRYSTAL RAMIREZ
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cindy funkhouser, who has owned antique store The Funkhouse for 15 years and has lived in and near the Arts District for just as long, can’t think of any negatives resulting from the changes that have come to the neighborhood. She likes being able to walk to Makers & Finders for a coffee and lunch, or dinner at Rock’N’oodles, a block north of her shop on Third Street. Some things still need to be worked out, however. Pedestrian traffc has increased, but cars still speed on Main Street and fail to stop for people in the marked crosswalks. As those challenges are addressed, Funkhouser believes the appeal of the south side of the 18b district will increase. “I’m very pleased with the changes,” she says.
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“there’s a vibrancy to Main Street right now that we haven’t had in a while,” says Marc Abelman, president of the 18b Arts District Neighborhood Association and owner of interiordesign business Inside Style on Main just south of Charleston. “The future is pretty bright for this community.” Although new development is moving in, there are some components of the existing area that have to be maintained, Abelman says. One of those components: keeping the arts in
Rockin’ Bettie
1216 S. Main St.
★★★★★
Red Elephant Tattoo Company 1106 S. Third St.
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the “arts district,” which means having good quality, affordable housing. The starkest change that’s come in the past decade is the boom in rent. In 2000, 55 percent of tenants in the area ponied up $500 to $749 in rent, according to the U.S. Census. In 2013, 55 percent are now paying $750 to $1,499. Unlike the northern part of the Arts District, the southern part has some existing housing—but it is older and, according to residents of the area, at least somewhat dilapidated. More than two-thirds of the available housing was built in 1979 or before which can lead to maintenance issues for tenants. (To learn more about your rights as a tenant or landlord, see sidebar.) Some of the urban pioneers who have moved into the area are not happy with the conditions that they have found. New housing is a possibility down the road, according to Las Vegas Councilman Bob Coffn, who represents the area. He said developers are beginning to look for opportunities for residential building, and he’s happy to see the changes in a neighborhood in which he used to deliver newspapers as a boy. He recalls patronizing the Milky Way “greasy spoon” diner, now the site of Casa Don Juan, decades ago. At one time, there was more residential property in the Arts District, but it began a transition to industrial and commercial properties decades ago. “A lot of people lived there,” Coffn says, “but of course they moved out as it changed.” Now it’s changing again. City planners are preparing to make the area more walkable and conducive for the type of businesses and art galleries that are moving into the area. Main Street, now a two-way street, will become one-way, north, while a block west, Commerce Street will be all southbound. Landscaping and cosmetic changes as well as dedicated bike lanes are also slated for the neighborhood. “Main Street is really jumping,” Coffn says. “All the stores are getting a new look. It’s not all art, but it’s cool.”
E. COLORADO AVE.
one of the first pioneers of the area was Pamela Dylag. She and her sister, Christina, opened Velveteen Rabbit on Main Street in May 2013. The bar, which features live music and DJs alongside signature cocktails, brings an Edwardian vibe to a neighborhood that (aside from First Friday parties) had largely gone unnoticed. In the past two years, the neighborhood has changed so much, Dylag says. When it opened, Velveteen Rabbit depended on people driving in. Now, “foot traffc, day or night, has increased signifcantly,” she says. A half block north of Velveteen Rabbit is Hop Nuts, a craft beer joint, which, paired with the Makers & Finders coffeehouse next door, seems like a little slice of Portland plopped into the neighborhood. Hop Nuts, Dylag’s spot and Mexican restaurant Casa Don Juan gives the block a little momentum to make bar-hopping possible, with restaurants nearby to soak up the alcohol. There’s the nucleus of drinking establishments to bring people into the south side of the Arts District—and of course, there are bars such as Mingo, Artifce and the anticipated Crown & Anchor on the north side just a short walk away. Shopping for art or antiques at nearby galleries and stores also pairs well with a crisp chardonnay, Dylag notes. Those who love the neighborhood for its low-down chic need not worry about gentrifcation, at least not yet. Despite the changes in the surrounding commercial development, the demographic makeup has not changed much in the last 13 years. In 2000, the U.S. Census reported that the 89104 ZIP code, where the majority of these new businesses reside, contained mostly white, 25-to-44-year-olds who work in the arts, entertainment and service industries. Although there were a few percentage point ticks in either direction, the 2013 Census data shows the same mix. Alongside the art galleries, tattoo parlors and quirky specialty boutiques, one will still fnd the auto shops, upholstery joints and furniture stores that have called the area home for decades. The overall vibe, though, is different.“It’s just this wonderful sense of community,” Dylag says. “[Velveteen Rabbit] doesn’t feel like an island any more.”
D Gallery Red 1237 S. Main St. E Cowtown Guitars 1235 S. Main St. F Sin City Yoga 1231 S. Main St. G Amberjoy’s Vintage Closet 1225 S. Main St. H Koolsville Tattoos 1223 S. Main St. I Buffalo Exchange 1209 S. Main St.
NIGHTLIFE Your city after dark, photos from the week’s hottest parties and DJ advice from Firebeatz
DJ Justin Hoffman is helping addicts the holistic way By Ian Caramanzana
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The Dharma Project
October 1–7, 2015
PHOTO BY KRYSTAL RAMIREZ
DJ Justin Hoffman.
Lifetime movie: An opiate addict of 19 years miraculously defeats his addiction, fnds a calling to help others and does just that by welcoming suffering addicts into his home. Here’s the Las Vegas spin on the story: This ex-addict is a high-profle DJ, his house is in Henderson and his remedies are all-natural. Enter Justin Hoffman and Holistic House (HolisticHouseVegas.com). The 46-year-old ex-Light Group music programmer’s alternative to the sober living model pairs natural remedies such as herbs with daily yoga and meditation to transition recovering addicts through the rough period between detox and normal life. Hoffman’s personal recovery story began in desperation. After undergoing emergency gallbladder surgery four years ago because of heavy drug use, Hoffman became hooked again—this time to the potent painkilling opiate Suboxone. “I just went from one drug to another. After more than a year and a half of trying to wean myself from the drug, I found it nearly impossible to fully get off,” Hoffman says. While in a deep depression, he saw a VICE documentary about the hallucinogen Ibogaine, which is an alternative way to treat addiction. Hoffman jumped at the frst chance to try the treatment. “I said, ‘I gotta try this,’ so I went down [to Mexico] three weeks later and took it. Eight hours later, I felt that the depression and anxiety had left my body and was replaced with positivity and light. I thought, ‘Oh, my God! Why hasn’t anybody told me about this?” Following his epiphany, circumstances turned Hoffman from a recovered addict to a philanthropist, and opened Holistic House in July to help other addicts and spread the message of holistic medicine. Like his uncle, Abbie Hoffman, who stirred the world as a political and social activist, Justin aims to make a positive contribution to society. “I was prompted to start this after someone I was working with passed away.” Hoffman says. “His father’s words were, ‘I don’t want another parent to feel what I’m feeling, and I know you can stop this.’ Now we’re partners.” Calls from potential clients started coming in. “I was meeting with strangers on a daily basis and helped in laying out solid recovery plans for them,” Hoffman says. Since the use of Ibogaine is illegal in the U.S., Hoffman has to refer them to clinics in Mexico, where they undergo treatment, and return to Henderson for assistance in the recovery process. “I’d do that and help them with after-
VegasSeven.com
➜ IT SOUNDS LIKE something out of a
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care as soon as they came back. I saw the most hopeless cases turn into miracles overnight,” he says. In addition, Hoffman works closely with his assistant, Tishara Lee Cousino, a former Playboy Playmate and one of the few Kambo (frog medicine) practitioners in the country. She also heals with plant medicine, and is a master Reiki practitioner. Take a tour of Hoffman’s home, and you’ll fnd it’s vastly different from other sober houses and rehabs. It’s got the kind of easygoing sanctuary vibe that complements Hoffman’s natural remedies. It has high ceilings, earth tones, a grand staircase and wafts of sage smoke. “I want people to feel like they’re at peace when they come here. I don’t want them to feel like they’re in a low-level prison; you’ve got to treat them like human beings, especially when they’re going through so much.” Clients can use boxing dummies to let off steam and a swimming pool to unwind. Hoffman’s path to recovery post-Ibogaine— what he calls “after-care”—comprises a rigorous schedule of daily yoga, exercise and organic, home-cooked meals. “Ibogaine is only the beginning. After-care is the most important part, and it’s their choice. I ask people, ‘What do you want to do? Do you want to go back to that life, or do you want to play tennis and go for a walk in the park?’” Activities on the daily schedule include anything from hot yoga at nearby Lifetime Fitness, private boxing lessons at Top Rank gym and sessions in a fotation tank courtesy of Float Centers of Nevada. Hoffman admits that he does break the cycle once in a while, however. “Sometimes, maybe once a week, we take them out for pizza and a movie. It kind of keeps them grounded, and reminds them that there’s still a world out there.” Hoffman does have to limit the number of clients, though. He argues that it’s an issue of quality control; he wants to make sure each person receives the optimal amount of care on their paths to recovery. “The most people I’ve taken in at once is fve, and that was hell for me,” he says. “We take it slowly—step by step. I’ve been to enough rehab mills that couldn’t care less about you.” Running Holistic House takes up the bulk of Hoffman’s time, but he hasn’t completely abandoned nightlife. As Top Rank Boxing’s offcial DJ, he travels with Manny Pacquiao, and he recently DJ’d Pacquiao’s “Fight of the Century” with Floyd Mayweather. His turntables sit next to a gong in his living room to serve as a reminder of where Hoffman has come from and what he’s doing now. “I’ve worked for Chateau, I’ve worked with Hakkasan Group. I opened up Tryst and XS [as] the music director. [In Las Vegas], I’ve pretty much done it all, but it’s just not what it once was,” Hoffman says. “Holistic House is where my heart is, and this is what I’m supposed to be doing. It’s my Dharma.”
In-house chef and Holistic House grad Julian Mesa prepares healthful meals; and Tishara Lee Cousino performs rituals with clients, such as sage burning.
PHOTOS BY KRYSTAL RAMIREZ
NIGHTLIFE VegasSeven.com
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“I just went from one drug to another. After more than a year and a half of trying to wean myself from the drug, I found it nearly impossible to fully get off.”
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single “Ayo.” Since the two are both Drai’s residents, there’s a good chance they will perform the song together tonight, as well as their own material. Come on, Breezy! Prove you’re “Loyal” to the venue. (In the Cromwell, 10:30 p.m., DraisNightlife.com.)
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Are you suffering from postfestival depression? Worry not! Safe in Sound Festival, the traveling EDM event, makes a stop at The Joint. This year’s lineup is all about the bass, so we suggest bringing earplugs to coddle your speaker-seasoned ears. Self-proclaimed “veteran bass peddler” Bro Safari headlines. He recently released “Flip,” a collaborative track with Boombox Cartel that fuses the drums of trap with the abrasive melodies of electro. Let’s hope opening acts Datsik, Dirtyphonics, Terravita and Zomboy don’t blow out the speakers before we get to hear the song. Sorry, Jesse J; the bass is in our space this time. (In Hard Rock Hotel, 8 p.m., HardRockHotel.com/TheJoint.)
FRI 2 Let’s have a round of applause for Steve Aoki. The Miami electro-house producer was voted America’s Best DJ according DJ Mag’s Top 100 last month. He beat out last year’s
winner, Markus Schulz, and he’s followed by other heavy hitters such as Kaskade, Diplo and Skrillex. See him spin at Hakkasan, and give him props for this cool accolade. Tell him that he isn’t “Delirious” after all! Montreal house duo Botnek opens. (In MGM Grand, 10:30 p.m., HakkasanLV.com.) Say farewell to Hard Rock’s Friday Night Live concert series—well, for the season at least. This time, Pennsylvanian rockers Live perform, and they’re bound to play some of their ’90s alternative hits such as “Lightning Crashes” and “All Over You.” Time to break out the fannel and Doc Martins! As for your pregame, hit the newly renovated Center Bar, where you can enjoy an open bar. Now’s the perfect time to check out the expanded cocktail menu and panoramic views of the casino. (At Hard Rock Hotel, 8 p.m., HardRockHotel.com.)
SAT 3 Dash Berlin hits Marquee. Since rumors that he was
missing in July have been squashed, the trance heavyweight has made appearances in Argentina, Montreal and Paraguay. It’s a relief he’s still alive; after all, he’s responsible for creating the hypnotic single “Waiting,” featuring Australian singer Emma Hewitt, that’s been stuck in our heads since its 2009 release. A trance banger? Yeah, it’s possible. He played the fan-favorite, festival-ready tune at EDC in June, so let’s hope he does the same in 2016. Speaking of: Tickets for EDC Las Vegas 2016 are already on sale at ElectricDaisyCarnival. com. Better get on that. (In the Cosmopolitan, 10 p.m., MarqueeLasVegas.com.)
Are you ready for some football? Make your way to Inspire Theater for Gridiron Mondays, where you can witness the Lions and Seahawks face off. While you’re there, enjoy cocktails and bites from Park on Fremont. Touchdown! (107 Las Vegas Blvd. South, 7 p.m., InspireLasVegas. com.) It seems like we can’t go a day without hearing a Diplo-related project. He’s got the moombahton/trap of Jack Ü with Skrillex, the dancehall/reggae of Major Lazer, and he runs his record label, Mad Decent. And that’s beyond being a tastemaker, hosting a BBC radio show and collaborating with other artists. It’s amazing how much he’s accomplished since blowing up as the producer of M.I.A.’s “Paper Planes” in 2008. He’ll spend some of his precious time DJing at XS tonight. You should feel honored. (In Encore, 10 p.m., XSLasVegas.com.)
TUE 6 Didn’t get a chance to catch Tchami’s set at Life Is Beautiful? You’re in luck. The clerical collar-wearing producer hits Omnia tonight to give us another dose of his
Tyga.
signature melodic futurehouse goodness. See if he drops his collaboration with AC Slater and Kaleem Taylor, “Missing You”; it’s a boomin’ deep-house tune that features some added soul courtesy of Taylor. It’s the perfect hymn for Sunday mass, which comes early this week. And if you’re not the religious type, you can check out DJ Five at Heart of Omnia. (In Caesars Palace, 10:30 p.m., OmniaNightclub.com.)
WED 7 Female-fronted indie pop invades The Sayers Club courtesy of The Mynabirds! The band is spearheaded by singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Laura Burhenn, who has lent her talents to huge names in the indie world including the Postal Service and Bright Eyes. This time she’s front and center, and you can hear her wide variety of infuences on the band’s latest effort, Lovers Know. We hope to hear the candy-coated keys of “All My Heart”! (In SLS, 9 p.m., TheSayersClubLV.com.)
SUN 4 “Rack City” hitmaker Tyga performs at Drai’s. The tattedup, Compton-born rapper released his collaborative album, Fan of a Fan: The Album with Virginia R&B singer Chris Brown in February, and it includes the incredibly catchy
Tchami.
➜ FIREBEATZ IS AMONG the elite set
of DJ duos who make the rounds in Las Vegas on the regular. In advance of their November 30 return to Marquee, Tim Smulders—one half of the twosome, along with Jurre van Doeselaar—has a few pointers for would-be DJs wishing to join Firebeatz in the big leagues.
October 1–7, 2015
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It seems like everyone wants to be a DJ these days. What’s your advice for getting started on the right path?
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Try to get some cheap gear, or just ask friends [to use theirs] and start playing. [My start was] similar to that. One of my colleagues had old turntables. And [then] I just bought old raggedy turntables and started playing vinyl on them. Literally the shittiest turntables you can think of. How does one secure that all-important first gig?
It’s a very good idea to go to the clubs that you really like, get in touch with the people who run parties, promoters, or club owners and show them a demo or mixtape of the music you make.
Disco Inferno Firebeatz’s Tim Smulders has your zero-to-hero plan for deck domination By Kat Boehrer
Is that what you did?
I knew this guy who threw parties in my hometown, and I asked him [if I could] come over and have a drink and show my CD. I was like, “Do you mind me jumping on the decks?” There was nobody [there]. He just turned on the power, and I played for 30 minutes and he was like, “Damn, I like it. You’re coming to play at my next party.” And that’s how I did it. You have to be—not aggressive, but show them that you’re hungry and willing to play. How would they know what music to play and when during a set?
When you don’t have a lot of experience as a DJ, you don’t really know what’s going to hit with the crowd. And still, for us sometimes, it’s a big gamble.
Some songs, you just know they’re going to love, but some you just like a lot and then the crowd is like, “Actually, no.” My advice would be, [play] anything that gives you that feeling inside, like that “yeah!” feeling. “I love this song.” People will see that, people will hear it, you will give it a special place in your set, you’ll build anticipation to that song, because you like it and you want to drop it at the right time. It [also depends on] where you play. If you play a big club with more mature crowds, you should defnitely play more vocals and stuff people can sing along and vibe to. If you’re in a smaller club that is really dark or grimy, I would go for the more clubby tracks, more bass. That’s how we select tracks.
Which is more important: how songs are mixed together in a set, or the song selections themselves?
They’re equally important, because a song can totally hit or miss by the way you mix it in. If you have a really good track list, it shows that you have the knowledge [even if] you don’t have the technique to mix. And you can learn the technique to mix, but you can’t learn how to pick good songs. That’s something you have or don’t have. Fresh new remix or mainstream f an-favorite tracks?
If it’s a commercial track, we will always make edit, remix, or bootleg out of it. The crowd we generally play for isn’t expecting to hear us play mainstream music, so both are important. If you’re really into house music and into Firebeatz sets, you love your classics. And we’ve done a lot of remixes [of classics]. It’s really cool to switch it up. So you play a cool classic, you take them back, then you play something fresh. And then you play something they don’t know. That’s how you please the crowd.
PHOTO BY STUDIO CARIN VERBRUGGEN & FERRY DRENTHEM SOESMAN
NIGHTLIFE
Jurre van Doeselaar and Tim Smulders are stoked to be Firebeatz.
October 1–7, 2015
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NIGHTLIFE
PARTIES
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LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL 2015 Downtown Las Vegas Photography by
See more photos from this gallery at SPYONvegas.com
October 1–7, 2015
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JESSE J SUTHERLAND and KRYSTAL RAMIREZ
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Vermin and Ruckus amicably decided to pursue different avenues, which led Ruckus to Robert Nawrocki, a television producer looking to create a different kind of Las Vegas reality show—“Breaking Bad meets Casino,” as he puts it. Nawrocki wanted to make an unscripted show about the business of growing and selling medical marijuana—and in Ruckus, he found a willing and wholly appropriate host for the program, which he’s named From Seed to Sale. “We’re putting Rob at the head of this cutting-edge industry,” Nawrocki says. “And we’re not just dealing with one aspect [of medical marijuana]. We’re dealing with the whole industry, from government offcials to the growers to the dispensaries.” So far, Nawrocki and Ruckus have completed a six-minute “sizzle reel” for the show, which Nawrocki is shopping to likely buyers. (One interested party might be Netfix, which recently began showing Bad Ink on its streaming service.) Nawrocki says that enough material has been shot to do a pilot episode, which he’s hopeful we’ll
be able to see in about two months. In the meantime, the two of them are trying to keep up with a local industry whose rules, power players and public face seem to change by the day. And when he talks about the show, I see a different Rob Ruckus than I’ve seen in the past. Normally an easygoing type, Ruckus takes on a radical edge when he talks about Nevada’s stop-start approach to medical marijuana, and he does so with a clarity that betrays years of close study. “It’s politics and money,” he says. “If people fnd out that there’s an oil that they can get that’s going to take away their cancer instead of going through chemo, it’s going to take down a fucking trillion-dollar pharmaceutical industry, and they’re not about to just let that happen.” “Rob’s a real believer,” Nawrocki says. “I did feel this shoot was kind of diffcult for Rob, because it touched on a lot of things that deeply resonate withhim. But he did great. People really responded to him.” “I’m a patient, so I know what I’ve
VegasSeven.com
“Television does amazing things. If you had told me 10 years ago that people would be coming to me like I'm a doctor ... I'd have been like, ‘Oh, fuck off. There's no way.’”
gone through, but I’m meeting a lot of people from different walks of life,” Ruckus says. “Right now I’m talking to a lawyer who got hit so hard by cerebral palsy that he had to get a caregiver. He’s still a brilliant man; he just can’t get his hands to stop failing and can’t get the words out of his mouth properly. But after smoking a little bit, he calms right down and you can understand what he says. "It’s really, really heavy that this guy is paying all this money to get the licenses he needs to get this medication legally, and there’s still no real way for him to do it. He’s been paying hundreds of dollars every year to the State to get this card that basically isn’t helping him at all. It’s just putting more money into the State’s fucking pocket.” Ruckus had to keep a lid on his medical marijuana advocacy while he was working on Bad Ink. Now freed, he seems visibly transformed. He’s optimistic that From Seed to Sale will change lives, possibly because doing the show has already changed his own life for the better. He’s still a crusty punk, but he’s a crusty punk with a calling. “Television does amazing things,” Ruckus says. “If you had told me 10 years ago that people would be coming to me like I’m a doctor and asking me to help save the lives of their children or their parents or even their dog, I’d have been like, ‘Oh, fuck off. There’s no way.’ But we’re seeing the results [of medical marijuana]. It’s irrefutable shit now.”
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had to stop doing the oil. That has a lot to do with how he [died]. Ever since then, I’ve gone nuts. This is my life’s calling. This is what I need to do.” If you’re unfamiliar with the previous lives of Rob Ruckus, here’s a quick primer. The 45-year-old Las Vegan played bass for The Vermin, the venerable local punk band that called it quits in July 2015 after 20 years. (Perhaps fve of those years consisted of music; the rest was devoted to the hilariously profane stage banter at which the band excelled.) He’s a true man-abouttown, a longtime fxture of the local scene whose adventures with playing in bands, tending bar and dabbling in masked wrestling have culminated in a peerless collection of near-death stories. (Asked what it's like to be hit by a car, he replies, “Which time?”) Odds are good, though, that you know Rob Ruckus as the co-star of the A&E channel show Bad Ink, which starred his longtime friend and bandmate Dirk Vermin. The show followed the two of them around Las Vegas as they looked for bad tattoo work, which Vermin, a talented tattoo artist, could cover up. Many of the show’s best bits are just instances of the two of them shooting the shit, punctuated by Ruckus’ gravelly, infectious laugh. After debuting in August 2013, Bad Ink was renewed for a second season but not a third. (Ruckus believes the cancellation was because of a management change at A&E.) The show fnished and
October 1–7, 2015
PHOTO BY ROBERT NAWROCKI
Ruckus talks with the staff of Euphoria Wellness during the fliming of From Seed to Sale.
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Maze Runner: Scorch Trails (PG-13) ★★✩✩✩
Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine (R) ★★★★✩
A Walk in the Woods (R) ★★✩✩✩
Hitman: Agent 47 (R) ★★✩✩✩
American Ultra (R) ★★★★✩
Straight Outta Compton (R) ★★★✩✩
A year ago the inaugural Maze Runner adaptation proved a pleasantly unpleasant surprise. The Scorch Trials opens with slowmotion shots of barbed wire. This is all you need to know. These kids are up against it. The revolution is in their hands, just as it is in The Hunger Games and Divergent and Insurgent and Allegiant and Effulgent and the rest. Adapted by T.S. Nowlin, the material may be cardboard, but the actors do what they can. It’ll be useful for all of them to get out of this stuff after one more movie.
Robert Redford and Nick Nolte star as travel writer Bill Bryson and his buddy, fictionalized by Bryson as “Stephen Katz,” having a go at the Appalachian Trail for a little light banter and a casual insight or two regarding life’s highways. The project grew out of Bryson’s 1998 book. All you want from A Walk in the Woods, honestly, is a chance to enjoy a couple of veteran actors. But the book’s comic tone hasn’t found a comfortable equivalent for the screen. The movie should’ve been a little more, a little truer in the central push/pull relationship.
A soup spoon turns lethal in the unlikely hands of sweet and spacy stoner Mike (Jesse Eisenberg) in the violently paranoid action comedy. Mike’s a lot like the spoon— harmless unless deployed in the right way—because he used to be a particularly effective “asset” at the CIA, a term used to describe highly trained super-killers. Mike just wants to get stoned, be happy and have the government leave him alone. Ultimately, the humanist nature of the film doesn’t allow that to fully happen, but it’s a heck of a lot of fun watching Mike figure that out.
Oscar-winner Alex Gibney, who has taken down such powerful institutions as Enron in The Smartest Guys in the Room and Scientology in Going Clear is never one to pull his punches. Jobs, usually revered as the Silicon Valley genius who transformed our lives with beautifully designed technology, gets raked over the coals and is revealed to be a despotic high-tech titan willing to throw anyone under the bus, even his own baby daughter, in his quest for power. You may never look at your iPhone the same way again.
The story in Hitman: Agent 47 seems overly complicated but is actually quite simple: Someone’s trying to make more of the genetically enhanced “agents,” and in order to succeed, they need to find the originator of the project, who has dropped off the face of the earth. Ultimately the film is about work: what it means to work a job that strips one’s humanity in the service of a contract, and what it means when your life’s work results in those agents. However, the execution of that particular story just falls flat in the sanguine Hitman: Agent 47.
This is a musically propulsive mixed blessing of a biopic, made the way these things often get made: with the real-life protagonists breathing down the movie’s neck to make sure nothing too harsh or unflattering gets in the way of the telling. Straight Outta Compton alternates between party scenes, filmed as if they were hip-hop videos, and confrontations or reconciliations. A tougher-minded biopic would’ve had the nerve to acknowledge some of the group’s seamier material and its role in the group’s international success.
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SEVEN QUESTIONS
reinvent the wheel. It’s all about adding on to what we have and giving it that little Vegas remix. We’ve been looking at the different stages and different setups, what the dancers are going to wear, what they’re not going to wear— hopefully they don’t wear much. They’re going to be up there sexy and sophisticated. More importantly, what are you going to wear? You have this reputation, and you always come dressed to the nines. How do you manage to stay cool under that tux?
It’s amazing to see what a young mind can accomplish. We want them to be excited about education. So what better way than to be doing algebra and have it based around football, baseball or basketball. And it’s been amazing for us. The school we have in Miami is a high-B school; we took all the kids in D and F schools, and now they’re in a high-B school. I’m sure it’ll be an A school this year. It’s the priceless part of the journey to help people really believe in themselves, to inspire and motivate them. That’s when you can create, and—I mean this in the nicest way possible—little monsters. That’s what I’m very excited about.
October 1–7, 2015
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I love coming up looking real clean and sharp, and then getting sweaty and crazy because that’s what it’s all about—having a great time. When you’re up in the club looking Speaking of your journey, sharp but you’re dancing have you and having had a a good time, chance to you’re going PITBULL visit Cuba? to be lookI went in ing kind of a Planet Hollywood, 2001. I mess. That’s 9 p.m. Sept. 23, 25, won’t be a good 16, 30; Oct. 2, 3, 7; going back thing be$39-$169, until it is cause I want 702-777-6737. completely to show the free, and people that then we’ll I’m working be there doing a concert. for them and how much I think 3-4 million I really enjoy being up people will be out there there performing. That to watch that. And I can’t way they can walk away wait to live that dream and say that guy is a hard for everybody who had worker. to leave the country.
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Pitbull
On keeping cool in the spotlight, inspiring youth and outdancing Enrique By Melinda Sheckells What do you hope your die-hard fans will get out of this residency? What do you have in store for them?
To perform in Vegas is defnitely an honor. [Think about] folks like Elvis and Sinatra, and all the amazing names that have been to Vegas. Also, Vegas is deeply rooted in our [Cuban] culture. The idea of Vegas was spawned from Havana. [Right] before the revolution happened is basically when
Vegas took off. It’s great and amazing for me to be a part of this platform. As far as the die-hard fans and what to expect? What they’re going to get is energy, an escape for at least an hour and a half—not to think about bills, or all the other negative things in their lives—and hopefully, they leave motivated and inspired. As far as preparation, it’s real simple: We’re not trying to
You recently announced that you’re going to open a Sports Leadership and Management Academy charter school in Vegas, something you did in Miami in 2013. How has sports and leadership contributed to your success?
[Participating in] sports is important because it creates discipline. It creates punctuality. You understand what it means to work for a team. It also creates resourcefulness. When you throw all those things in a pot, that’s what allows you to become a leader. And the only way to lead is to lead by example. [I want] to mold their minds and teach them how to believe in themselves, how to work hard and how they can accomplish anything as long as they envision it.
Have you thought about putting down deeper roots in Vegas?
The thing about the residency is that it is a temporary residency. I’m hoping that—well, I know it—will lead to a permanent residency. So I love Vegas, and I love to be out there.
Ricky Martin was just in Vegas. Are you going to call him and ask him for advice?
No. I mean, Ricky is great, and he’s given me the best advice in the world. He taught me to live la vida loca. Who is a better dancer, you or Enrique Iglesias?
Ricky is a better dancer, but Jennifer [Lopez] is the ultimate dancer. Enrique? I can defnitely outdance Enrique.