LAS VEGAS’ WEEKLY CITY MAGAZINE
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FOUNDED FEBRUARY 2010
PUBLISHER
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
MANAGING EDITOR
SENIOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Melinda Sheckells (style)
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Michael Green (politics), Al Mancini (dining), David G. Schwartz (gaming/hospitality)
ART
Ryan Olbrysh Cierra Pedro Anthony Mair, Krystal Ramirez
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A Cabinet of Curiosities By J E S S I E O ’ B R I E N
➜ MEDUSA’S ANTIQUES and Col-
lectibles in the Arts District is a wonderland of strange artifacts, furniture, art and repurposed rarities. Owner Dave Fontani, a former high-rise window cleaner for Strip resorts, started the business four years ago after selling a seven-string Ibanez guitar on eBay and doubling his proft. “I love buying shit. I wish
I would have done that instead of sitting on a bar stool for 20 years,” he says. Fontani’s purchasing strategy is simple: He buys what he fnds uncommon or interesting. When you walk inside Medusa’s, you feel as though you’ve entered the storage room of a museum. Your eyes jump from a large piano transformed into a table to stunning stained glass panels from an old church to a massive brass ship’s horn from the USS Inchon. There is furniture, too, such as a 1930s Paul T. Frankl orange art deco chair or a 1950s mosaic table in the shape of an artist’s palette. Need a wall hanging? How about 3-foot walrus tusks or Sammy Davis Jr.’s T-shirt? Hayley Hunter, a Las Vegas design stylist and furniture designer whose portfolio includes Lavo Casino Club, Park on Fremont, El Cortez and Com-
monwealth, is a regular at Medusa’s because she is always on the hunt for unusual conversation pieces. “Antiques provide an element of depth and culture that are not offered when buying something from a franchise store,” Hunter says. “However, it’s good to be cautious on the amount of antiques being used for the space. Knowing how and when to incorporate the old into the new is key.” Fontani’s home is also flled with strange items, such as Wayne Newton’s jumpsuit that he bought from an old groupie and a 1967 photo of Jerry Garcia without facial hair. He suggests buyers do their research, and he encourages purchasing antiques rather than modern pieces. “I tell people when they walk in and really like something that they are never going to fnd this again,” he says. “This is one-of-a-kind.”
ADVICE FROM THE EXPERT
Buying Art
➜ John Barry of Kevin Barry Fine Art specializes in procuring art for hotels, businesses and residences across Las Vegas. And since no one wants to stare at a white wall, he gives recommendations on how to get the right pieces for the space and at the right price. Dilemma: I just bought my first house, and I am not an art collector but I need something to hang on the walls. What is my first step? Art is such a personal thing, and being able to figure out what you don’t like is just as important as what you do like. Be aware of what you’re gravitating toward—a color palette, an overall design scheme, even a detail that stands out or something that inspires you. How do you know if you’re getting a good value when you purchase art? Artwork is not like a showerhead where you can go on Amazon and compare price points. Two artists could paint the same subject and the price points could be so different. I advise people to buy what they like, and if it goes up in value, great.
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Any art trends you can tell us about? It really depends on the home, style and aesthetic of the space. There’s a lot of industrial art and different media such as wood and metal right now. Pinterest and Etsy have helped people explore their DIY side. There are some great graphic artists out there doing fun things like large-scale digital work on vinyl, which can be really powerful. –Jaymi Naciri
October 15–21, 2015
PHOTOS BY KRYSTAL RAMIREZ
Do you have any tips for choosing and displaying art? If you’re not sure what is going to look best in a space, use butcher paper or cardboard and cut it to desired sizes and shapes to see what works on the wall. Not everyone can digest abstract art or contemporary work. Photography is what it is, and can be more [familiar]. Framing can make or break a piece, helping it go from a timeless look and feel to current décor and help it work from home to home.
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How do you recommend starting an art collection? With the Internet the way it is today, you can find artists whether you’re on a budget or looking for something that is an investment. An investment for someone just out of college might be a $300 limited-edition print. Collectiongrade for someone with young money could be a Damien Hirst-type of piece that costs $50,000. For someone with a substantial art collection, it could be $100 million. It’s all relative.
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NIGHTLIFE Your city after dark, photos from the week’s hottest parties and the Cosmopolitan’s new Clique
Nightlife veterans Kalika Moquin and Jennifer Tramaglino go from clubs to apps By Ian Caramanzana
any request or run any errand at any time,” says Kalika Moquin, Las Vegas local and co-creator of Urban PALM (Personal Assistance Life Management). When it comes to nightlife, Moquin has done it all—from managing talent to marketing. As she progressed in her career, her free time dwindled, leaving less family time for the mother of two. This laid the foundation for Urban PALM. Since launching in Las Vegas in September, the nightlife and hospitality veteran’s app/website has attracted more than 400 clients and even more downloads. The idea
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It’s the tail end of a major holiday weekend. You’ve got out-oftown guests, and the seemingly endless river of alcohol has been fowing since Thursday evening. While fring up the grill, it hits you—you forgot to run that pressing errand. In a panic, you ditch your guests and get the deed done with just minutes to spare. If only there was a service—maybe an app—that could have taken care of this for you. We’ve all been there. Luckily, there actually is an app for that. “Urban PALM is basically the assistant’s assistant. We can take on
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The Assistant’s Assistant
➜ PUT YOURSELF in these shoes:
October 15–21, 2015
PHOTO BY KRYSTAL RAMIREZ
Moving from the nightclub to the office park, Jen Tramaglino (holding Bob, the office pup) and Kalika Moquin have their hands full.
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PHOTO BY KRYSTAL RAMIREZ
NIGHTLIFE VegasSeven.com
| October 15–21, 2015
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stemmed from sort of a “hangover hotline.” “We had this idea to bring soup and Pedialyte to those who were hungover after a long night of partying on the weekends,” Urban PALM co-creator and business manager Jennifer Tramaglino says. “But we thought, “Why stop at people who are hungover? Why not make these services available to everyone, for everything?” Here’s how it works: Clients reveal their locations and submit requests through Urban PALM’s website or app. From there, personal assistants known as PALMs are notifed within seconds, and tasks are completed as needed. Typical errands include picking up dry cleaning, waiting in line at the DMV and booking travel reservations. It doesn’t stop there, though. Urban PALM offers remote services such as creating spreadsheets for contacts, processing electronic invoices and party planning. “One time, we got a request from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, to plan a barbecue, and we totally did it,” Moquin says. All of these tasks are carried out by experienced PALMs who, like Uber drivers, are “fully vetted,” and who go through a rigorous training process. The fee for the service is a fat rate of $20 per hour, and, like Costco, you can save if you buy in bulk. Services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. The idea for Urban PALM might sound similar to other on-demand, app-based services, but Moquin argues it’s a different concept. “We’re not Uber, we’re not Postmates, but we can certainly help you make arrangements for those services. Think of it as the Uber for everything else.” The difference can be seen in the nature of some of the requests—they’re not all offce-related, especially in a town with a sprawling nightlife industry. “We like to keep our list of clients confdential, but we may or may not have gotten a request to deliver ping pong balls to a big-name DJ’s party at 3 a.m., because he wanted to play beer pong,” Moquin says. Tramaglino says the service comes in handy for busy weekends—especially holidays and major events, such as the reccent Life Is Beautiful festival. She utilized the service, as well. “I tried calling for a limo, but it was so busy—nobody was available. I ‘PALMed’ somebody, and [he/she] was able to get me a limo near me, and for even cheaper than what the other guys were asking. It really comes in handy for big things like that.” Moquin and Tramaglino are already preparing for what they expect to be a very busy Halloween weekend. “We’re here in case anybody needs an emergency candy refll—just PALM it!” As for the more distant future, the women have ambitious plans for Urban PALM. “Our goal over the next few months is to examine the market [via the requests], fnd out what it needs and tailor services to ft those needs. [Eventually], we’d like to take Urban PALM worldwide,” Tramaglino says. The duo says that most of their clients are the elderly, the disabled and other busy moms. Moquin, who gave birth to her second child in September, says she uses the services now more than ever. “Urban PALM is actually Urban PALM’s biggest client. I used it a bunch after I gave birth,” she says. “Mostly to deliver coffee.”
NIGHTLIFE
By Ian Caramanzana
Rev Run and DJ Ruckus.
performance by Minneapolis hip-hop collective/record label Doomtree. The group is comprised of seven members—most notably rapper and multiinstrumentalist P.O.S. and female rapper/singer/spokenword artist Dessa. See the septet come together to create a musical mixture full of clever wordplay and good vibes. Jacksonville, Florida, rapper Astronautalis opens. (In SLS, 10 p.m., TheSayersClubLV.com.)
MON 19
October 15–21, 2015
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THU 15
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At Hakkasan, you can witness a hip-hop icon team up with one of the hottest DJs in the game. Rev Run and DJ Ruckus switch off on the ones and twos tonight, and given the fact that both are tastemakers, you should expect an eclectic set. We hope to hear modern tunes, such as Future and Drake’s “Big Rings” mixed in with timeless rap classics along the lines of Kurtis Blow’s “The Breaks”! (In MGM Grand, 10:30 p.m., HakkasanLV.com.)
FRI 16 At the other end of the music spectrum, you can catch EDM sweethearts Krewella pull a DJ tag team with British trance producer Mark Eteson at Omnia. This one should be a little more accessible for the fans of the untz. Given that the
Krewella sisters sing, we’re already thinking about a future collaboration from the trio. Perhaps they will give us a preview tonight—or even better, riff on their current jams. We hope Krewella will take vocal duties on Mark Eteson’s bumpin’ reimagining of Imogen Heap’s “Canvas.” Meanwhile, Turbulent causes … turbulence in Heart of Omnia. Sorry—had to do it. (In Caesars Palace, 10 p.m., OmniaNightclub.com.) If you prefer to focus your energy on one singer rather than two, hit up Drai’s for a performance by R&B singer Ciara. The 29-yearold “Goodies” hitmaker paired the release of her latest album Jackie with a steamy relationship with Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson. With Ciara’s album sales dwindling, and the Seahawks struggling, hopefully the power couple trend can help both out. But for now, at least we can “One, Two Step” to her hits
including “Body Party” and “Like A Boy!” (In the Cromwell, 10:30 p.m., DraisNightlife.com.)
SAT 17 Remember when “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites” came out in 2010? The EP turned ex-From First to Last member Sonny Moore—a.k.a. Skrillex—from emo kid to worldfamous producer. The release garnered two Grammys and received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics. Five years later, Moore has gone on to produce songs for artists including megastar Justin Bieber, rapper Vic Mensa and nu-metal band Korn. See how far he’s come when he blows the speakers up at XS. (In Encore, 10 p.m., XSLasVegas.com.)
SUN 18 The group efforts continue at The Sayers Club with a
Did you catch Porter Robinson’s stunning live performance at Life Is Beautiful? The Atlanta producer closed out the frst day of the festival with a set that sounded just as good as it looked. The bright, animeinspired visuals were the perfect complement to the lush, mellow soundscapes of songs, such as “Polygon Dust” and “Sad Machine.” Hopefully we get both tonight when Robinson mans the decks at Marquee. He won’t be playing keys or triggering drums, but at least we can enjoy some stunning visuals via the club’s screens. (In the Cosmopolitan, 10 p.m., MarqueeLasVegas.com.)
TUE 20 The only thing we like more than alliteration and good music is delicious tacos. Thanks to Techno Taco Tuesday at Tacos & Beer, we can indulge in all three. DJs serve up the techno
Ciara.
tunes while the chefs get cookin’. And you can also indulge in a wide selection of craft beers. It’s probably the only place where you can pair Gessaffelstein’s abrasive techno with savory carne asada tacos and fresh CraftHaus’ brews. With a party like this, it’s fair to call Tuesday the new Friday! (3900 Paradise Rd., 9:30 p.m., TacosAndBeerLV.com)
WED 21 Make your Hump Day memorable by hitting up a party at a venue with one of the city’s most memorable views. Enter Infamous Wednesday at Hyde. Tonight, Los Angeles’ DJ Skratchy works the decks. The SKAM Artist is known for his eclectic mixes, where he seamlessly transitions between the hottest EDM hits to the latest hip-hop bangers. Get ready to get wild at this midweek party; they don’t call it Infamous Wednesday for nothin’. (In Bellagio, 10:30 p.m., HydeBellagio.com.) Doomtree.
NIGHTLIFE
Down With My Clique Nightlife and restaurant impresario Andy Masi shares details on his return to the Strip with Clique in the Cosmopolitan By Melinda Sheckells
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about Andy Masi, it’s that he’s the guy that pretty much established bottle service as an industry standard in Las Vegas during his tenure as CEO of the Light Group. And now he’s breaking that paradigm with a new lounge in the Cosmopolitan, Clique. 2015 has been an incredible year for Masi. Since stepping away from the Light Group, a company he helmed for more than a decade, Masi’s new venture, Clique Hospitality, has been forging full steam ahead, taking over Hearthstone at Red Rock Resort and opening Salute in the adjacent former Terra Rossa space. Along for the ride are many of his former executives, including Clique Hospitality partners Shane Monaco and chef Brian Massie. Masi says that after many successful months off the Boulevard, he’s ready to return to his old stomping grounds. “We are over the moon about Clique [lounge],” he says. “The Cosmopolitan is just an awesome place. I worked with [Cosmopolitan CEO] Bill McBeath for the last 15 years, when he was at MGM Resorts.” Clique will open mid-December, occupying the former Book & Stage space on the casino foor. The venue will be partially enclosed, and will have a distinct identity from the resort’s other bustling watering holes. It will also serve food in the form of the everpopular small bites—a tuna dish, gourmet wings, tacos—as Masi calls it, “drinking food.” Comparison can be drawn to such places as NoMad Bar in New York City, which has consistently been voted one of the best drinking establishments in America. Clique will open at 3 p.m. to capitalize on the Cosmopolitan’s convention business, and will close at 3 a.m. “They have incredible bars throughout the Cosmopolitan. The food and beverage program, the cocktail program—everything they do is phenomenal. We wanted to do something really cool that complemented the rest of the hotel,” Masi says. Clique will offer patrons an alternative to bottle service by way of tableside mixology, with a cocktail program created by longtime collaborator Michael Monrreal. “We want to take mixology to another level. I believe that bottle service is great, and it’s great for nightclubs, but I don’t think that is something a lot of consumers want any more,” Masi says. “The mixologist comes over, makes some great cocktails at your table [on a custom-built cart], talks to you, shows you what they are doing and teaches you how to make a drink. We bring the mixology right to the
customer as opposed to them going to the bar and watching it happen.” He hopes that social interaction will solve the lack of connection between patrons that is common in nightlife venues. “Back in the day, you went to the bar, you got a place to sit and you hung out,” Masi says. “Guy meets girl, girl meets guy. [Then] people started going to nightclubs, where they are forced to buy a table, and they are only interacting, really, with the people next to them.” Don’t expect to hear EDM at Clique either. With music from a DJ or a band as its centerpiece, genres will range from the 1950s on. The approach will be
to let the crowd’s vibe dictate what is played, versus a set playlist. “I will probably mix in one or two nights of some sort of live entertainment, and our DJs will be like curators of music in the space,” he says. It is important to note that before Masi made his way to Las Vegas and before opening his frst nightclub or restaurant, he worked as bartender. Still, when asked if patrons will see Masi behind the stick at Clique, the answer is a pretty frm no. “I only poured tequila and handed people beer. The mixologists of today have far surpassed my skill set. But if you want a really chilled shot of Jägermeister, I’m in.”
PHOTO BY KRYSTAL RAMIREZ
October 15–21, 2015
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➜ IF THERE IS ONE THING you need to know
A true rock legend.
T H E A L L N EW
CENTERBAR R E D E S I G N E D .
R E D E F I N E D .
H A R D R O C K H OT E L .CO M
NIGHTLIFE
PARTIES
HAKKASAN MGM Grand
[ UPCOMING ]
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See more photos from this gallery at SPYONvegas.com
PHOTOS BY THOMAS TRAN AND TONY TRAN
October 15–21, 2015
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Oct. 15 Rev Run and DJ Ruckus spin Oct. 16 Bingo Players spins Oct. 17 Dada Life spins
CALENDAR LAUNCH
AFTER-PARTY OFFICIAL LAUNCH PARTY FEATURING DJ CUTT SPECIAL APPEARANCES BY:
J.B. Mauney Shane Proctor Cooper Davis Tanner Byrne Reese Cates and more
Come mingle with celebrities and the ladies of FANTASY.
DOORS OPEN AT 10:30 P.M.
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FOR VIP TABLE RESERVATIONS, CALL 702.262.4529.
Must be 21+ with valid ID. Subject to capacity. Schedule subject to change without notice. Management reserves all rights.
luxor.com |
NIGHTLIFE
PARTIES
XS
Encore [ UPCOMING ]
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See more photos from this gallery at SPYONvegas.com
PHOTOS BY K ARL L ARSON
October 15–21, 2015
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Oct. 16 Tommy Trash spins Oct. 17 Skrillex spins Oct. 19 Hudson Mohawke spins
By Al Mancini
October 15–21, 2015
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➜ CHEF SANDRA MALLUT has endured a lot of bad
luck in the decade since she graduated culinary school, but she has never let that dampen her spirit or her drive. The latest came on August 17 while she was serving as culinary coordinator for Life Is Beautiful. Mallut was walking down her front steps when her shoe
got stuck and she lost her footing. She shattered the bones in her left hand in the fall, resulting in surgery and the insertion of three pins. Mallut tried to keep working, hoping the injury would heal in time for the festival. But when her doctor told her that the bones weren’t fusing properly, requiring another surgery that would only be more
PHOTO BY KRYSTAL RAMIREZ
DINING
Chef Sandra Mallut responds to life’s setbacks with career-changing advances
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Rolling With the Punches
complicated if she delayed it, she told her boss. “‘I don’t know what to do. I’m not going to be able to do the job to the best of my ability. It’s too big an event.’” So, less than two weeks before Grills & Guitars, the festival’s kickoff party that Mallut was helming, she stepped down from the position. But she’s still positive about the future. Because over the course of her life and her culinary career, the chef has faced other setbacks, crises and even tragedies and used them as inspirations to move forward. When she was 35, while working as a mortgage broker in Southern California, Mallut began moonlighting with pastry chefs at friends’ restaurants simply because she loved it. But when her mother and best friend were both diagnosed with terminal illnesses, she had an epiphany. “When you’re faced with that, you’re like, ‘OK, if there’s anything I want to do in the world, what do I want to do?’ Because you can make that choice.” She’d always loved cooking, so after seeing a TV commercial for Le Cordon Bleu, she quit her job as a broker and went in to apply. After graduating from the school in 2005, Mallut began working with a French chef in a tiny pastry shop. “And I ended up falling in love with doing wedding cakes,” she says. Some other pastry work followed. But eventually the chef’s interest turned to event catering—particularly for TV and movie sets. A friend, engaged to someone working on Grey’s Anatomy, suggested she contact the show’s craft-services coordinator. “It took me fve months to get the guy to actually let me come visit him on set,” she says. “And I came in with seven culinary students and enough food for 300 people. No one ever does that. I walked in there, and I said, ‘I’m gonna get this account.’ Because I knew it was my best shot. So I brought all kinds of goodies. I brought gluten-free, I brought vegan—all kinds of crazy stuff. And he hired me on the spot.” Other Hollywood gigs followed. Mallut’s company, Henrietta Poodlestone’s Bake Shop (the name inspired by stories Mallut’s grandfather told her as a little girl), provided food to the sets of Desperate Housewives, Private Practice and Weeds, among other shows. “In fact,” Mallut says, laughing, “for Weeds I had some special orders, which was fun, because I used to knock them on their butts.’” Building on that success, Mallut was preparing to purchase her own bakery when tragedy struck once again. On January 9, 2010, she was in an auto accident in which she broke her hip, ankle and arm. As a result, she was unable to walk for a year and a half. While she healed, her injuries convinced her to shift her career into event planning. Her new company, the Culinary Butler Consulting Services, was involved with such events as the Disney Food & Wine Festival, the World Pastry Championships and the Las Vegas Food & Wine Festival. In October 2013, Mallut was asked if she would be willing to move to Las Vegas to take over as culinary director at Southwest Career & Technical Academy. “I’d never taught class. I’d never wanted to teach class.” Nonetheless, she sent in her résumé, and within three weeks found herself helping high school juniors and seniors prepare for careers in the culinary world. Under Mallut, the program was intense, but successful. Graduates have gone on to jobs at Bazaar Meat, Freed’s Bakery, the Bacchanal Buffet and other notable Las Vegas restaurants. So, what’s the future hold once her hand heals? Mallut is already back to work, developing a new culinary program, classes and a largescale barbecue competition for Galaxy Outdoor kitchens in 2016. “I’m rethinking it now, like when I broke my hip,” she says. But even as she rattles off ideas, there’s no doubt that, having changed her course before, this determined chef will fnd her way—or blaze a trail— once again.
One of the book’s strengths is how well rendered its world is. Did you do a lot of research?
LAS VEGAS WRITES RELEASE PARTY The latest volume of the Las Vegas Writes book series, The Anarchy of Memories, gets a release party at the Writer’s Block (1020 Fremont St., Suite 100, 702-5506399), 6 p.m. Oct. 16. The local fiction and nonfiction writers who make up this year’s compilation—including Doug Elfman, Sonya Padgett and C.J. Mosher— will read from their contributed works and sign copies afterward. LAURA MCBRIDE Reeling from the success of her acclaimed Las Vegas novel We Are Called to Rise (“Ardently told,” says Kirkus Reviews; “[A] universal story about the messy wonders of community,” says Entertainment Weekly), Laura McBride has a conversation with Desert Companion’s Andrew Kiraly at the Historic Fifth Street School (401 S. 4th St., 702-229-3515) 11:15 a.m. Oct 17.
they’d have a word, a disparaging shorthand, for people from California and the Southwest. That this would be part of the process by which they’d invent a subclass of people, how it might develop in response to something like a refugee crisis. I fnd it funny, too, the way we talk about the “California Drought”—as though drought respects state boundaries. This is an issue for the whole Western U.S.; climate change and sustainable consumption are not regionspecifc. It might be a way for us to displace our anxieties about the way we live now. We can tell ourselves that Californians are simply getting what they deserve and that we will be fne. The media seem preoccupied with the ideas of apocalypse and postapocalypse—films, television shows, video games. Did you consume any of this when writing the novel?
I defnitely don’t seek that stuff out. I fnd a lot of the work in the “post-apocalyptic” genre to
be extremely dishonest. I don’t like how often it pretends to be an unfinching look at how bad things could be when it’s actually escapist—it’s the opposite of honest. There is narcissism, too, in fantasies of the apocalypse. The survivors are represented as the pinnacle of our species, and are exaggerated, glorifed. The truth is that we’re no different than other species: we’ll most likely die and go to dust like everything else. That’s the really scary thing. Drew Cohen is co-proprietor of the Writer’s Block, 1020 Fremont St., Suite 100, TheWritersBlock.org.
NEVADA HUMANITIES PRESENTS CLAIRE VAYE WATKINS
At Vegas Valley Book Festival, 3 p.m. Oct. 17, Historic Fifth Street School, free, 702-229-6469, VegasValleyBookFestival.org
RECYLING, UPCYCLING AND THEFT: POETS IN CONVERSATION WITH POETRY Las Vegas expat Gregory Crosby—now a creative writing teacher living in New York—returns home to talk (and probably recite) poetry with Claudia Keelan, Olivia Clare and Laura Mullen at the Historic Fifth Street School, 11:15 a.m. Oct 17. Fun fact: One of Crosby’s poems is cast in bronze mere feet away, in the Lewis Avenue Pedestrian Corridor. COLUM MCCANN A National Book Award-winner for his metaphorical New York City novel Let The Great World Spin, Colum McCann is scheduled to deliver the festival’s closing keynote address at the Historic Fifth Street School, 4:15 p.m. Oct. 17. Let The Great World Spin has been optioned for the big screen by J.J. Abrams, so there’s a good chance that McCann will share some stories from the faraway galaxy of Hollywood. –Geoff Carter For more information on these and other Book Festival events, visit VegasValleyBookFestival.org.
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I’ve been trying to coin this term: schadenfornia, a mixture of schadenfreude and California—a name for the particular type of pleasure you derive from observing the misfortune of Californians. I’ve noticed a kind of puritanical undertone to some of the coverage of the West’s drought crisis, as though these “decadent” Californians are fnally getting what they deserve, that they never should have been there in the frst place. This kind of attitude contributed to my understanding of how people might react to the so-called Mojavs in my novel—that
BRAD MELTZER The New York Timesbest-selling author of The Inner Circle and The Book of Fate delivers the festival’s opening keynote speech at Clark County Library (1401 E. Flamingo Rd., 702-5073400), 7 p.m. Oct. 15. Meltzer is prolific and versatile—he’s written everything from thrillers to children’s books to comics—and hosts an investigative history program, Decoded, on the History Channel.
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You teach for the Helen Zell Writer's Program at the University of Michigan. Do people in the Midwest—and, more generally, the rest of the country—talk about the fate of the West differently than its residents?
MORE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE VEGAS VALLEY BOOK FESTIVAL
October 15–21, 2015
I needed to create the appearance of expertise, as close as I could get to actual expertise! I studied the language of water management, the bureaucracies and organizations that become involved in addressing drought. I kept what were essentially models for each of the big speculative inventions. For instance, when developing the evacuation procedures I read a lot about the internment of JapaneseAmerican citizens during World War II, the propaganda that went along with it and the logistics of forcibly moving people away from their communities. I studied the Dust Bowl, and the way Okies were treated. For each character, I wanted to create a specifc frame—the way they might process what was happening around them. Luz, one of the main characters, is a former model. So I ended up watching a lot of documentaries about modeling. I didn’t really click with that material until I had my picture taken for Vogue to accompany a piece that ran when Battleborn came out. That was a profoundly weird and physically taxing experience. You’re sort of out of your body, and people are talking about you like you’re not there and are moving you around. The work was so much more demanding than I’d imagined!
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CONCERT
Nostalgia Couldn’t Save 50 Cent and G-Unit
Las Vegas Village for Wine Amplified, Oct. 10
A&E
How does a once-popular-now-struggling New York rapper and his street-bred cohorts entertain a crowd comprised mainly of drunk dads at a wine festival? By giving them a heavy dose of nostalgia to supplement the booze. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough. 50 Cent and G-Unit tried their best to entertain an audience of maybe 200 people by performing hits from yesteryear, but nostalgia alone wasn’t enough to satisfy a buzzed crowd. G-Unit, comprised of five members and a DJ, began its set with guns ablaze by performing some of its rowdiest hits first. 50 and company swung their sweat rags around their heads and splashed water on fans during “What Up Gangsta,” and “I Get Money.” The members appeared just as they did in their heyday—50 still sports a flat-brim hat and hulk-like stature, Lloyd Banks still bounces across the stage while rapping like a madman and Young Buck still provides comic relief by chanting “muthafucka!” every now and then. But the focus remained on 50. He was all smiles during performances of “P.I.M.P.” and “21 Questions” and he wasn’t afraid to hand the mic off to his buddies; Lloyd Banks yelled through his verse in “Beamer, Benz, or Bentley” and Young Buck squawked like a chicken during “Not This Time.” Unfortunately, the energy was not reciprocated by the crowd, which in turn, hindered the momentum generated from the hits. Newer G-Unit material, such as “I’m Grown” and Rotimi’s “Lotto,” left the crowd nearly comatose. After a pointless outfit change and two-song encore, the crew returned to give two more lackluster cuts, closing the set on a weak note. Sorry, 50 Cent—not even your infectious grin could save this performance. ★★✩✩✩ – Ian Caramanzana
[ MUSIC ] DOOMTREE WITH ASTRONAUTALIS
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There’s rap that makes you want to light up a spliff. Then there’s rap that makes you want to light up a Molotov cocktail and chuck it toward the next Lamborghini you see cruising down Las Vegas Boulevard. Minneapolis’ Doomtree tips toward the latter. The seven-member crew, which performs at the Sayers Club at SLS on October 18, has a knack for bone-rattling production, a disdain for authority and lyrics that rip into you (and require lengthy Rap Genius annotations). Comprised of emcees Cecil Otter, Dessa, Mike Mictlan, P.O.S, and Sims and producers Lazerbeak and Paper Tiger, each member of the crew has his (or her, in Dessa’s case) own voice, style and disparate infuences (“I’m really real,
9 p.m. Oct. 18, The Sayers Club at SLS, $22, 702-761-7618, TheSayersClubLV.com.
Doomtree is lookin' right at ya.
half Built to Spill, half Kill at Will,” Sims raps on “Gray Duck”), yet they maintain a cohesive, impenetrable bond. “We’re friends frst,” P.O.S. says. “It’s always been friendship, music, business, in that order. We’ve never really tried anything else, never really thought about it.” It’s a good thing, then, that they’re good at what they do. Armed with a punk energy and
ethos, Doomtree has done things on their own terms for more than 10 years, running their own label, throwing a music festival and releasing a 500-page book of their history. Their latest outing, All Hands, stands out as one of their best works yet and builds on their gritty sound, featuring more electronic productions and epic hooks. “I don’t think anyone has ever said, ‘This is how it has to be’ so much as
that’s kind of who we all are,” P.O.S. says of the band’s music. “Outside of the Doomtree crew music, Dessa will make some things that are bordering on straight-up pop music and Lazerbeak thinks of things in terms of straight-up pop music but even those two come from being fans of harder music, or just things that are generally aggressive.” Having spent the last year on the road, Doomtree is now on a “victory lap” with their Off in the Deep tour, hitting a few spots they didn’t get to the frst time around. That means Las Vegas will fnally get hip to what the Midwest and die-hard indie rap fans have known for years: that Doomtree is one of the sharpest, electrifying hip-hop groups out today. And they’re not holding back when they get here, either. “Everyone’s putting their balls on the table. Except Dessa; she doesn’t have balls,” P.O.S. says. – Zoneil Maharaj
50 CENT BY JESSE J SUTHERL AND; DOOMTREE BY CHAD K AMENSHINE
October 15–21, 2015
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VegasSeven.com
DOOMTREE IS ‘ALL HUNGER, NO THIRST’
MARKETPLACE
MARKETPLACE
MARKETPLACE
Before running Neon Museum, you taught art at UNLV and wrote art criticism. Has running the museum changed your artistic perspective?
I’ve loved neon signs for a long time, ever since I lived in Portland. Portland offers such a specifc experience of signs; it’s very flm noir. But having taught at UNLV and having been a part of this cultural community, I saw in this collection of signs a wonderful opportunity to show people how valuable Las Vegas’ native culture is. Special things happened in this city that didn’t happen anywhere else. It’s been life-changing to have been able to spend so much time with the signs. The curation of the Neon Boneyard changed my molecular makeup. It’s been so meaningful. Was there ever a moment in your time here where you thought it could all fall apart?
October 15–21, 2015
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VegasSeven.com
Danielle Kelly
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The outgoing executive director of the Neon Museum on playing in the dirt and a memorable visit from Conan O’Brien By Geoff Carter What made you decide it was time to move on from the Neon Museum?
My husband [David Sanchez Burr] was offered a tenure-track teaching position in Las Vegas, New Mexico. It’s not just about him; it was a family decision. He’s been very supportive of me while I’ve been terrifically career-focused here. This is a great opportunity for him, and
the museum is in a great place. I’m ready to try new things. You’re leaving on a high note. Not that long ago, this was just a storage yard for old casino signs.
Nothing but beautiful things are happening here. And we’ve grown so much without losing the personal attention. We want a quality experience
A bunch of times. This organization is The Little Engine That Could. Right before I joined, the recession hit. And I thought, “Not only is no one going to come to Las Vegas, but no one’s going to spend money.” But it just continued to grow. You just chug along, and it works out. As big as we’ve always dreamed, our implementation of plans has always been very conservative in order to protect the organization. What are your best memories of working here?
Saving the Moulin Rouge sign. Meeting Wayne Newton, who was just so charming and elegant; I blushed the whole time I was with him. Conan O’Brien came to the museum once; that was a pretty big deal for us. He’s so funny, and extremely tall. He called us up and said, “I don’t know about Vegas, but I’ve heard that I’ve got to see you guys.” And I’ll remember the time when the Stardust letters got put back together.
That was a “pinch me” kind of thing. Prior to that, they’d been all folded up, so you couldn’t see them all. When I was a kid, I played in the dirt every single day. Every day I’d build a new city in our backyard. My whole life has been preparing to do this—to be out in the dirt, moving giant signs all over. Who’s going to succeed you as executive director?
I’m serving as interim director while the museum conducts a national search for my replacement. But this organization attracts amazing people. And I have no doubt that, in the hands of this team and whoever comes in to work with them, it’ll only continue to thrive. Do you feel like you’re leaving behind any unfinished business?
Oh, a million things! Right now I’m just making sure that all the things we’ve put in motion or thought about putting in motion are moving before I go. For example, we just sent out the Desert Rose sign to get painted. We didn’t raise all the money we wanted to do that, but we have faith that the community will continue to support that project and help us to offset our costs. And I want to make sure that the Las Vegas Club signs are OK. The property recently changed ownership, and it’s in purgatory right now. That baseball player [sign] needs to live here (laughs). We can’t lose that guy. And, of course, I worry about the Blue Angel. [I’ve had] many nights of no sleep, worrying about that sign. This is actually a very stressful job. Until we have signs in our possession, we don’t rest. Tiny obstructions can build up, and the next thing you know, a sign is just gone and you don’t know where it is. Soon you’ll be gone, and we’ll miss you. You’ve lived here since 2001. What will you miss most about this town?
The resilience of its people. There really is a pioneer spirit here. There’s a sense that you could do anything … anything! You could be anything you want to be here. And I’ll miss the signs, of course. But you’ll come back to visit.
Yes, of course I will! What they say is true: You always fnd your way back here. Las Vegas gets under your skin, because there’s no place like it. It’s incomparable.
PHOTO BY KRYSTAL RAMIREZ
SEVEN QUESTIONS
for everyone who visits the museum—a personal and intimate experience with the collection. Every person involved with this organization, from the board to the staff to the volunteers and everyone in-between, has a sincere love for what we’re doing. That was the case when I started here [in 2008], and I know it to be the case as I leave.