Spring Fashion 2016 | Vegas Seven Magazine | March 10-16 2016

CONTENTS

MARCH 10–16, 2016

T H E LAT EST

14

“Troubleshooting the Rebels” Game tactics, balanced recruiting must be new coach’s priorities.

By MIKE GRIMALA

16

“Cocksure of Themselves” Trump is just the latest in slide toward hubris, incivility.

Politics by MICHAEL GREEN

Plus … Event, Seven Days, Ask a Native and The Deal.

NIGH T LIF E

25

“No Average Joe” Omnia technical director Joseph Muro’s journey from darkness to the lighting booth.

By IAN CARAMANZANA

Plus … Seven Nights and a Q&A with Hunter Siegel.

DINING

49

“Take Dinner Into Your Own Hands” Three restaurants where—for better or worse—you’re the chef.

By GRACE BASCOS

A &E

55

“The Comedian Who Wasn’t” Open Mike Eagle is a rapper.

He just hangs with comedians.

By ZONEIL MAHARAJ

Plus … Seven’s 14, Colleen Green gets ready for Neon Reverb and a Q&A with Beach Slang frontman James Alex.

“#FreeKesha Isn’t Enough” Social media condemnation of rapists is a solid start, but real justice for survivors requires much more.

Social Media By EMMILY BRISTOL

SEVEN Q U EST IONS F E AT URE

70

“Spring Is in the Air”

The new season has cast a ’70s spell on us— denim, forals and high shine.

Cover photograph by Anthony Mair.

Alice+Olivia bomber jacket, gold Gucci skirt and Chloe clutch, Neiman Marcus in Fashion Show.

One Night for One Drop artistic director Hassan El Hajjami on how he got involved, his youthful doppelgänger and the world’s water crisis.

VegasSeven.com

60

|

18

Ramy Brook top, Vasari in Tivoli Village. Free People flares and Chinese laundry snake pumps, Macy’s in Downtown Summerlin. Stella McCartney bag, Neiman Marcus in Fashion Show.

Vintage neckerchief, Patina Décor.

March 10–16, 2016

PHOTO BY ANTHONY MAIR

Plus … Dishing With Grace and Drinking.

9

L AS VEGAS’ WEEKLY CITY MAGAZINE

|

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 Hubble Ray Smith SENIOR WRITER Lissa Townsend Rodgers STAFF WRITER Emmily Bristol 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 CREATIVE DIRECTOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Ryan Olbrysh Cierra Pedro Krystal Ramirez

VEGASSEVEN.COM Herbert Akinyele Zoneil Maharaj SENIOR WRITER, RUNREBS.COM Mike Grimala WEB PRODUCER Jessie O’Brien ASSISTANT WEB PRODUCER Amber Sampson TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

ENGAGEMENT EDITOR

PRODUCTION/DISTRIBUTION Marc Barrington Jimmy Bearse

DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION/DISTRIBUTION ADVERTISING MANAGER

SALES Christy Corda Nicole Scherer ACCOUNT MANAGERS Brittany Quintana. Steven Kennedy ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Robyn Weiss BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR DIGITAL SALES MANAGER

INTERNS Michaela Chesin, Scott Luehring, Soni Richards

Ryan T. Doherty

| Justin Weniger

Michael Skenandore VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING AND EVENTS Keith White CREATIVE DIRECTOR Sherwin Yumul CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Sim Salzman CONTROLLER Jane Weigel PRESIDENT

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, 702-798-7000, 302 E. Carson Avenue, Las Vegas, NV 89101 Vegas Seven is distributed each Thursday throughout Southern Nevada c 2016 Vegas Seven, LLC. Reproduction in whole or in part without the permission of Vegas Seven, LLC is prohibited.

EVENT

TOP DOCS

12

UPCOMING EVENTS • March 19

CBRE Cares’ Catch the Leprechaun Run [NPHY.org]

• March 19

Shade Tree’s 5K Hero Walk [TheShadeTree.org]

PHOTOS BY THOMAS TRAN

March 10–16, 2016

|

VegasSeven.com

Doctors like to party, too, you know. More than 50 doctors including surgeon Dr. Souzan El-Eid and pediatrician Dr. Colleen Morris trekked to the Keep Memory Alive Event Center to celebrate their new status as Top Docs at Vegas Seven’s inaugural Top Docs event. Attendees enjoyed cocktails and passed hors d’oeuvres courtesy of Southern Wine & Spirits, Table 10 and Sprinkles Cupcakes while WENDOH Media President Michael Skenandore and keynote speaker Jeffrey Cummings, M.D., Sc.D., shared their thoughts about the occasion. Sponsors included Land Rover, Hilton and HealthCare Partners Nevada.

THE LATEST Troubleshooting the Rebels Game tactics, balanced recruiting must be new coach’s priorities By Mike Grimala

14

UNLV appeared to be in the midst of a return to glory. The Rebels were cruising toward the NCAA tournament with a 7-1 record bolstered by wins over ranked teams such as Indiana (the eventual Big Ten regular season champ) and Oregon (the Pac-12 champ). Exciting star players had the fan base buzzing with a fast-paced style of play.

Coach Dave Rice looked like a hero at his alma mater. The Rebels were runnin’ again.

And then they weren’t. Since that high point on December 4, UNLV has gone 10-13 and the campaign has devolved into the basketball version of the Republican presidential primary season. Rice was kindly asked to leave after guiding the team to an 0-3 start in conference play. Assistant coaches began in-fghting, stepping over each other for the interim job. Derrick Jones, one of the team’s best players, was ruled ineligible by the NCAA. And the Mack became a tomb, as fewer than 10,000 people made it out to the last home game of the year on February 27 (contrary to the announced attendance). By just about every measure, the season has been a disaster.

So no matter what happens in this week’s Mountain West tournament, where the Rebels have a slim but greater-than-zero-percent chance to win the crown, the next head coach of UNLV basketball is going to have his work cut out.

Whether the administration brings in an outside candidate (plenty of names have been thrown around already) or elevates a member of the current staff (unlikely), the job description will remain the same: Get UNLV to the top of the Mountain West, consistently, and win in the NCAA tournament, consistently.

Rice had particular trouble with the frst step. UNLV thinks of itself as a big fsh in the mid-major pond of the Mountain West, but Rice was never able to capture a regular-season or tournament title. It was almost as if he tried to skip that step, as his blueprint to building UNLV back into a national brand was often at odds with building a consistent MWC winner. Rice scheduled nationally, and he recruited highly talented players with designs on playing in the NBA sooner rather than later. But the Mountain West is a league dominated by physical teams led by three- and four-year veterans, and Rice’s Rebels fell into a pattern of hot starts followed by diminishing returns once conference play began. We saw it once again in January when Rice let the paceoriented Rebels get dragged into three slow, low-scoring contests to open league play, with UNLV losing each game by a single possession. That skid led directly to Rice’s fring.

The new coach will have to do a better job of recruiting “program players”—guys who intend to play four years and get better every year, giving the Rebels a solid foundation that can compete against the grown men playing for San Diego State, Boise State and the rest of the league’s favorites.

That’s not to say the new coach should abandon all efforts at attracting fve-star recruits to Las Vegas. If UNLV wants to be relevant in the bigger picture beyond the MWC, star power is essential. Teams don’t win in March

The era of Dave Rice: solid recruiting, disappointing records.

Seven Days A curated guide to this week in your city

By B O B W H I T B Y

THU 10

Does the basketball goodness ever end around here? Yes, but luckily for you, not yet. The Western Athletic Conference men’s and women’s tournament is here through Saturday, with teams from Seattle to MissouriKansas City. OrleansArena.com.

FRI 11

Henderson knows how to party.

Discover that for yourself at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival, 5 p.m. today through Sunday. The parade is at 10 a.m. Saturday, but whiskey tasting, a car show and Irish dancing go on all weekend. CityOfHenderson.com.

SAT 12

It’s a little early for the dog days, unless you make it over to the Bass Pro Shop at the Silverton. You’ll be treated to the Dog Days Family Event, two days of giveaways, seminars and activities, through Sunday. BassPro.com.

SUN 13 without NBA-caliber talent, so in addition to constructing a stable of quality “program players,” he’ll also have to bring a certain number of players with high-end ability.

It’s a delicate balance, but with high school powerhouses such as Findlay Prep and Bishop Gorman nearby and talent-rich Southern California just a few hours away, the talent is there, waiting for a deft recruiter to take advantage.

Despite his reliance on one-and-done players, recruiting was not Rice’s problem. Hardly a game goes by in the Mountain West without a top-shelf coach on the opposing sideline, whether it’s Steve Fisher at San Diego State, Larry Eustachy at Colorado State, Larry Shyatt at Wyoming or Eric Musselman at Nevada-Reno. The league is full of brilliant tacticians who whip their squads into a frenzy when UNLV is on the schedule, and in order to compete for conference titles year-in and year-out, the Rebels will need a coach who can match wits with the rest of the X’s and O’s men in the Mountain West.

Of course, any coach who has proven himself capable of doing all that will probably command a salary higher than UNLV is capable of paying—without help. But with rumors of boosters fronting the money for a big-time hire, it’s opened the foodgates for Rebels fans to start throwing out names and dreaming about landing the perfect coach. The possibility of turning the program over to the legendary Rick Pitino has captured the imagination of the fans, and other accomplished sideline stars (former NBA coach Mike Brown, Pitt's Jamie Dixon, South Carolina's Frank Martin) have popped up in speculation.

This hire is hugely important for UNLV. The resources are in place for a quick turnaround and sustained success, but as we saw this season, things can go wrong in a hurry without the right man at the top.

If you’re wondering where to find 90 of Vegas’ finest arts and crafts vendors in one place, mystery solved: the Suncoast, at the Las Vegas Artisan Craft Festival Expo, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Entertainment, food, crafts—it’s all there. ArtisanCraftFestival.com.

MON 14

John Steinbeck recalled his time as a war correspondent when he wrote, “It is in the things not mentioned that the untruth lies.” The statement also aptly describes silencing critics. Black Mountain Institute explores that topic at 7 p.m. in Breaking Silence, with three women writers who reveal the myths and untruths of society through the stories of silenced women. UNLV.edu.

TUE 15

You can always count on the South Point to bring the yeehaw! Through March 20, it arrives in the form of the Silver Dollar Circuit Quarter Horse Show and Western Gift Expo.

Expect expert riding, endless shopping and country-size good times.

SilverDollarCircuit.com.

WED 16

Are you overweight? Do you live, work or play in Henderson? Register for Lighten Up Henderson, a citywide online weight-loss competition, and see how many pounds you can shed in eight weeks, beginning April 9. Lose a bunch, maybe win a prize.

CityOfHenderson.com.

PHOTO BY JOSH METZ

March 10–16, 2016

|

VegasSeven.com

➜ THREE WEEKS INTO the 2015-16 season,

News, deals and political incivility sinks to new depths.

THE NEW SEASON HAS CAST A ’70S SPELL ON US—DENIM, FLORALS AND HIGH SHINE PHOTOGRAPHER

Anthony Mair / STYLIST Kris Kass / STYLING ASSISTANT Garen Romeo / HAIR Shantel Gauna / MAKEUP Natasha Chamberlin using MAC Cosmetics Javon Isaac / MODEL Terra/Elite / ON-SET CREATIVE DIRECTOR Ben Ward / LOCATION Nico Santucci’s Parisian Palace

PHOTO ASSISTANT

Get the Look Inspired by all those American hustlers out here, our get-dressed inspo for spring is vintage print scarfs, peachy lenses, bell bottoms, cropped frayed denim and colorful stripes.

Gucci dress, Neiman Marcus in Fashion Show. Boots, Zara in Fashion Show.

Vintage sunnies, Patina DĂŠcor, 1300 S. Main St. 702-776-6222.

The Parisian Palace is a temple of gold-leaf decadence and serves as the perfect backdrop to the disco-fabulous fashion trends for

spring 2016. Owned by Nico Santucci, a restaurateur and designer, this estate is one of Las Vegas’ most outrageous homes. Featured on dozens of television shows and films, including ABC’s The Bachelor, VH1’s Supergroup and DJ Afrojack’s music video “The Spark," the rooms have hand-painted ceilings that took more than 10 years to complete. Built in 1949, the palace has been a work in progress for Santucci, who has added modern amenities such as an indoor Indonesian salt bath, an outdoor lagoon with grotto, a full-size Brunswick bowling alley, a nightclub and a movie theater. ParisianPalace.net

Gucci stripe blouse and Chloe leopard bag, Neiman Marcus in Fashion Show.

3X1 jeans and Vince mules, Vasari in Tivoli Village.

Vintage sunglasses, Patina Décor.

Opposite Page: Turban, Topshop in Fashion Show.

Chelsea and Violet dress, Dillard’s in Downtown Summerlin.

Chinese Laundry shoes, Macy’s in Downtown Summerlin.

Bodysuit, Topshop in Fashion Show. Vintage Neiman Marcus hat, Patina Décor.

Opposite Page: Vintage fur coat and necklace, Patina Décor. Hervé Leger dress, Neiman Marcus in Fashion Show. Chinese Laundry shoes, Macy’s Downtown Summerlin.

Bonus!

For more looks from this shoot and the seven hottest men’s trends for spring, visit VegasSeven.com/ SpringFashion2016.

NIGHTLIFE Your city after dark and photos from the week’s hottest parties and Canada’s musical treasure

No Average Joe Omnia technical director Joseph Muro’s journey from darkness to the lighting booth

Police and NWA. “We’d switch off every other track. They were actually solid mixes.” He enrolled in Basic’s theater program, where he worked behind the scenes and got his frst taste of production while starting a rock/ rap band called The Kick Worms. Muro graduated in 1996, and brought his two worlds together by pursuing a recording arts degree in production at Florida’s Full Sail University.

Degree in hand, Muro returned to Las Vegas, quit his band and landed a gig with Station Casinos to open Sunset Station’s Club Madrid as an audio engineer and stage manager. He would spend the next seven years there, working with acts such as Quiet Riot and Louie Louie, while exploring another aspect of Las Vegas nightlife by DJing. Spinning under the moniker Boomer, Muro made connections with 98.5 KLUC’s Chet Buchanan and DJ Hollywood along the way—so much so that he saw glimpses of a potential career.

|

LET’S GET THIS OUT

of the way: Joseph Muro, 39, is the technical director at Omnia, Caesars Palace’s $107 million nightlife behemoth. He oversees the crew that runs the club’s audio and video aspects, deals with artists and their managers and stage-manages the DJ booth on a nightly basis. But behind the multicolored confetti, 22,000-pound kinetic chandelier and worldclass DJs is a man who’s defed the odds by working in virtually every aspect of Vegas’ sprawling nightlife and entertainment worlds while struggling with crippling alcoholism.

How’d he do it? The answer lies with Muro’s passions. His story begins in Henderson, where he quickly developed his interests in music and production while attending Basic High School. He would create mix CDs with his father to make commutes more bearable. “Honestly, that was my frst exposure to DJing and programming,” Muro says. “And I didn’t even know it!”

At the time, he was into bands such as The

March 10–16, 2016

PHOTO BY KRYSTAL RAMIREZ

➜

VegasSeven.com

By Ian Caramanzana

25

March 10–16, 2016

|

VegasSeven.com

NIGHTLIFE

Muro as Boomer through the years.

26

He eventually DJ’d on air and landed residency at The Drink. “I was torn between my work in production and DJing,” he says. “If I DJ’d full time, it would be a huge risk because back then DJs weren’t making money like they do now.”

With new opportunities and new avenues in view, Muro was enjoying a promising, fruitful professional life, but his personal life was a different story. In late 2004, after suffering from a relationship breakup, Muro turned to alcohol to cope with his distress, which made his already alarming addiction even worse. “That’s when I realized I had an alcohol problem. I was still doing stuff, still getting all of these amazing achievements and making the right decisions, but with a clouded mind, and defnitely not [functioning] at 100 percent.”

While Muro juggled his ventures with battling addiction, he received an offer from N9NE Group to open the then forthcoming Playboy Club at the Palms’ all-new Fantasy Tower as an audio/visual technician. That eventually put him at the helm of running Moon and Rain nightclubs, where he worked alongside some of the biggest-name DJs at the time. This was in 2004—before the DJ boom. “I was working with DJ Jazzy Jeff, Snoop Dogg, Mix Master Mike and so many others. It was

humbling,” he says. Muro also worked with the late DJ AM, who left a lasting impact in his life and Las Vegas’ nightlife world. “AM was the one who changed everything. He was the frst celebrity DJ—everybody had eyes on him. We, the staff, were foored. He was a great guy.”

Then in 2012, Muro hit rock bottom after a barrage of disparaging circumstances. His father passed away, his mother was diagnosed with an illness and he was still mourning the loss of two of his major infuences, DJ AM and Michael Jackson. Muro continued drinking to cope, and became a functioning alcoholic—repeating a vicious cycle of working and drinking on a daily basis. “I was the alcoholic who couldn’t go home. I was fne after every big night, every big show, but I couldn’t go home. I had to fnish the night off by going to bars and clubs and drinking,” Muro says. This led to his ffth DUI, which he claims was his turning point. “This time it was for real. This time I was in front of a judge. It was get sober or go straight to prison. I’m not prison material. I sat back and realized who I’ve worked with and refected on my talents. I told myself, ‘You need to utilize these in a good way!’”

In desperation, Muro made efforts to sober up and search for other oppor-

tunities as the Palms’ nightlife department underwent a corporate takeover.

“It was tough. I had to reintroduce myself as a new person, tell everybody, ‘This is a new me.’” He reached out to Gerardo Gonzalez, his colleague at N9NE Group who left the company (now technical director for Hakkasan Group), and asked if there were any other opportunities, but to no avail.

Muro received a call from Future Restaurant Group owner Michael Cornthwaite a week later, who recruited him to work on projects at Container Park and Inspire Theatre. This eventually gave him opportunities to manage events while simultaneously attending A A meetings in Henderson.

While this may seem like a departure from nightlife, Muro fgures it allowed him to see the other side of the coin.

“It was a breath of fresh air, a different point of view, and it was a great learning experience.” Eventually, he was able to reconnect with the nightlife world via Inspire Theatre, which became a sort of playground for Muro, who brought Boomer back while exploring new ideas in production. He equated it to managing and spinning at his own nightclub. “It was great: During the week, I was the production guy in a really cool venue in the best part of the city, and during the weekends I was spinning as Boomer.”

With escalating turbulence and changes Downtown, Muro wanted to explore other options. “I was doing fne, and I knew Fremont was gonna be fne, but I was ready to do something else,” he says. He reached out to Gonzalez once again, who welcomed him with open arms. “He told me, ‘Dude, I actually need you to run Omnia. I’ve seen you change. I’ve seen what you’ve done and I know you’re ready to do it mentally.’ And I was thrown aback.

Only a few years ago, I was at the worst part of my life, and now I was given the opportunity to run the best nightclub in the world.”

Muro hopes to continue working at Omnia with a clear focus and clear mind. He refects daily on his accomplishments. “I sit back everyday and tell myself, ‘Wow, I run this place. This is the result of my sobriety.’”

Muro wants to further his career with Hakkasan Group, and is excited to be a part of the May 19 opening of Jewel in the former Haze footprint.

Recently, he was asked to speak at the prestigious Live Design convention, which he refers to as to “the SEMA of nightlife production.”

“I want to share my story with the world,” he says. But he hasn’t left DJing completely. “Every now and then, I take Joe time and take Boomer time by going Downtown to drop a set.”

Your week in parties

By I A N C A R A M A N Z A N A

Mark Eteson.

It’s been about a month; by now, you should have digested Kanye West’s highly anticipated seventh album, The Life of Pablo. West has described the album as a “gospel record” and, while the subject matter strays away from all things heavenly, it does feature beautiful strings and airy, harmonized vocals on several tracks. Even if you haven’t heard the seminal work, we’re sure you’ve seen the social media storm surrounding the release of the album and his supplementary clothing line, Yeezy Season 3. West sneakily teased pieces from his Adidas Yeezy Season clothing line and announced many name changes to the album several hours leading up to its release. He finally debuted the two simultaneously at Madison Square Garden on February 11. The guy’s living an incredibly stressful, yet fruitful life. Just ask the Chainsmokers, whose song aptly titled “Kanye” is a testament to the Chicago producer/ rapper/designer’s superior, uncompromising attitude toward his art.

The electro house tag-team is sure to drop it at Hakkasan, where you can voice your admiration for the self-proclaimed “God,” and dance to other hits including the melodic “Roses,” (In MGM Grand, 10:30 p.m., HakkasanLV.com.)

March 10–16, 2016

|

VegasSeven.com

THU 10

28

FRI 11 “It’s a Trap!” Hold the Star Wars and head to the Foundry, because Australian basshead What So Not will be there. He’s best known

for his rambunctious trap banger “Jaguar,” which features an anonymous woman screaming “Jaguar trap!” before the tune kicks into bumpin’ melodic trap.

Since its 2014 release, the song has racked up 12.7 million views on SoundCloud. It’s sort of a more frightening, less nerdy version of the Sci Fi series’ hilarious tagline.

See how it sounds in the mix tonight. While you’re there, don’t miss supporting sets by Hunter Siegel (see our interview on Page 32) and Venessa Michaels. This is one trap we wouldn’t mind getting stuck in.

(In SLS, 7 p.m., FoundryLV.com.)

SAT 12 The freaks come out at night, right? Well, so do the animals.

Disclosure’s Wild Life residency at Light comes back to life with a stacked set. Aside from crafting tunes that bridge the gap between house and pop, the brothers Lawrence are known for their eclectic tastemaking abilities. That can be seen in the booking tonight, which features a stacked bill consisting of Seth Troxler and Tiga. You might catch a new favorite.

(In Mandalay Bay, 10:30 p.m., TheLightVegas.com.)

SUN 13 In case you haven’t noticed, temperatures are heating up, which means pool-party season will soon be in full bloom. Celebrate

What So Not.

FAED.

the premature temperature increase by dressing down and partying at Wet Republic. MGM’s pool club caps off its opening weekend with a DJ two-fer that consists of sets by local spinner Jeff Retro and British radio host/DJ/producer Mark Eteson. The latter calls himself a secret agent, which we could totally believe since he moved to Las Vegas in fall 2013 after he landed a residency with Hakkasan Group. Anyways, we think the abrasive bounce of “The Gathering” might complement a secret data compromise scheme

or a high-action foot race across Strip rooftops. We’re not trying to give our dear readers any bad ideas, but maybe you can beat Jason Bourne in getting some white-knuckle car-chase action on the Strip. Skrrt! (At MGM Grand, 11 a.m., WetRepublic.com.)

MON 14 Mad Decent bass-mongers Slander released its latest single, “Breathe” (featuring Matthew Steeper and Haliene), in late January, and already it’s surged to the top of our “must-listen” summer playlist.

The trap-inspired tune features angelic vocals courtesy of Haliene, a bludgeoning trap climax and a huge, melodic synth lead. It’ll go swimmingly with the warmer weather we’re experiencing. Hear it tonight, along with other “heaven trap” songs including “Love Again” and “Gud Vibrations” at XS. (In Encore, 10 p.m., XSLasVegas.com.)

TUE 15 Are you one of Nervo’s close to a million Twitter followers?

If so, you’re among the many

who’ve witnessed the Australian progressive house duo’s fitness journey. The two have been chronicling their “exercise program” since early last month.

So far, some activities include walking up 1,000 steps in a forest, jumping on trampolines and swimming in beautiful Australian pools. See if the sweating is doing the two any good at Omnia, then break the sweat by raising the roof during “The Other Boys.” Too tired? DJ Five and Eric D-Lux team-up as FAED to spin at the intimate Heart of Omnia. (In Caesars Palace, 10 p.m., OmniaNightclub.com.)

WED 16 How about some soothing roots reggae to help you get over that midweek slump? Backstage Bar & Billiards welcomes Los Angeles’ Iya Terra. Since releasing its first EP in 2014, the quintet has blessed the west, giving hundreds a dose of its tranquil, easygoing tunes. We can’t think of a better way to wrap up the week than ridding yourself of those irie vibes. (601 Fremont, 9 p.m., BackstageBarAndBilliards.com.)

WHAT SO NOT PHOTO BY SYLVÈ COLLESS

NIGHTLIFE

Seven Nights

NIGHTLIFE

First Cut

Canadian DJ Hunter Siegel makes his Momentus Events debut at the Foundry

By Kat Boehrer ➜ HUNTER SIEGEL is one of Canada’s

greatest musical treasures—right up there with Celine Dion, Drake and Justin Bieber, of course. The Toronto-based DJ and producer will make his way to the desert to play the Foundry in SLS on March 11 courtesy of Las Vegas’ new dancemusic outft, Momentus Events.

Siegel’s taste is decidedly eclectic, as he draws inspiration from both The Prodigy and Kanye West. But if there are two cultural trends of which he’s not a fan, they’re “brotem poles” and kissing and telling. So shhhh …

In past interviews, you’ve listed among your influences The Prodigy, Nine Inch Nails and Kavinsky—all very #TBT types of musicians. How do you feel about today’s kids not knowing who they are?

Did I [mention] Kanye West?

No, Kanye wasn’t on there.

I wanted to put him as No. 1 because he’s been one of the most infuential artists to me of all time. But I just didn’t want to deal with having to explain that to a bunch of people who would just be like, “What is this shit?” I wanted to keep it more in the world of electronic producers that I take direct inspiration from.

But I care more if a DJ doesn’t know [The Prodigy] than if a random fan doesn’t. Because I expect more of someone who is a creator of art, to know the roots of what they’re into.

Yeah, I love it. It’s amazing. I was talking to my buddy [Matthew Progress] last night. He is a rapper I’m going to be working with. I recorded his frst-ever digital recording of his voice when he was way younger and we just relinked up recently. He’s the only guy I know who’s as big of a Kanye fan as I am. We were talking about it, and it’s crazy because every Kanye fan has a different favorite track on the record.

There’s no, “Everybody likes this one.”

Whereas, with other albums there are defnite favorite tracks. With this album, it’s so across the board.

32

You’ve said before that when you’re trying

|

VegasSeven.com March 10–16, 2016

Have you listened to Kanye’s new album, The Life of Pablo?

to make music, you listen to older tracks instead of new music. Do you still do that?

It’s important to not go out and peruse Spinnin’ Records before you’re going to write a song. Because you’re just going to end up being affected by what you just heard. Before I sit down, I’ll do a little mental palate cleanse. I’m going to listen to some stuff that is absolutely classic—The Prodigy or Nine Inch Nails or something old that still stands up—and try to draw inspiration and be like, “How can I get in this mind state of making a classic track?”

Did you used to listen to The Prodigy and Nine Inch Nails before dance music was a huge thing?

My cousin was a DJ in New York, so he made really crazy electronic music.

He’d send me mixtapes and stuff like The Prodigy. I was really into drum ’n’ bass when I was younger, so that’s where I got into electronic music. But The Prodigy was probably the frst album. This kid was a family friend, and I used to go to his house where his brother would rage and would get me really messed up. He was really into tons of electronic music. He had a bunch of CDs. He would steal CDs, dance and be like, “I want to be at

a rave!” We were 12, probably even younger. This kid was into really cool music. But when I think of it now, he was defnitely an old equivalent of a brotem pole bro, you know?

What is that?

The kind of dude who puts another dude on his shoulders like three rows back from the main stage. I can’t believe you don’t know what a brotem pole is. It’s when multiple bros sit on each other’s shoulders.

That’s terrifying.

It is terrifying.

What audiences are most receptive to your sound?

For some reason, L.A. just fucks with me and that’s great because I fuck with L.A. It’s always random, like, “What’s your favorite show?” And you’re like, “It was in Boise, Idaho.”

What else are you up to these days?

I’ve got a track coming out on Owsla on March 24, right after [I play] Ultra Fest. It’s with Autoerotique and it is a heater. I’ve got a lot more stuff coming with him, [too]. I have some other EP offers and stuff in the works with a couple of other guys.

Can you give names?

I’m not going to give names and blow the collabs out. If an artist is like, “I’m doing a track with Skrillex,” that track vanishes for him and it’s gone. Then the surprise is over. And bigger artists see the little guy fooling around, telling every single person he can.

It’s like kissing and telling.

Yeah! One hundred percent. I don’t even show my friends music a lot of the time. I like everyone to be surprised. It’s cool when your homie hears your music like, “Whoa, this is crazy!” That’s very defning for how good your stuff is. If you put out a track that your boy hasn’t heard and he hits you up like, “Oh, my God!” you know you’re on to something.

This article should be coming out while you’re in town. Think you’ll pick up a copy?

This is my frst print piece. I take all my frsts, and I either frame or mount them. I have my frst photo in print and I have my frst review, like an “artist to watch” thing in the paper. And my frst vinyl on the wall. I’m collecting it all.

And in my new studio, I’m going to put all of it up. Over time, those things will change, like … frst Grammy.

NIGHTLIFE

PARTIES

THE SAYERS CLUB SLS

[ UPCOMING ]

38

See more photos from this gallery at SPYONvegas.com

PHOTOS BY BOBBY JAMEIDAR

March 10–16, 2016

|

VegasSeven.com

March 10 White Label Thursday with Presto One March 12 Ashley Red performs March 17 White Label Thursday with Crykit and Yo Yolie

NIGHTLIFE

PARTIES

DRAI’S

The Cromwell [ UPCOMING ]

44

See more photos from this gallery at SPYONvegas.com

PHOTOS BY BOBBY JAMEIDAR AND THOMAS TRAN

March 10–16, 2016

|

VegasSeven.com

March 11 50 Cent and Jeremih perform March 12 Chris Brown performs March 13 Fabolous performs

DINING

Restaurant reviews, news and so much more than green beer Meat with panchan at Doh Korean Barbecue.

➜ WHAT’S THE POINT OF

going out to eat if you have to do the cooking yourself?

It turns out, the interactive experience of gathering around the table and cooking your own meal lends to a more intimate, social affair. Yes, there’s the part where you have to pay attention, making sure your meal doesn’t get overcooked (shrimp fondue, I’m looking at you), but with a big group and multiple burners, pots and plates flled with meats and vegetables all piled on the table—everyone is in this together; either we all eat, or none of us do. Of course, the real reason I love cooking at the table in restaurants is this: Unlike that dinner party at home, no one has to do the dishes.

Three restaurants where—for better or worse—you’re the chef By Grace Bascos

VegasSeven.com

|

Take Dinner Into Your Own Hands

While the grill is in front of you, Korean ’cue is a little more hands-off. Servers will often migrate from table to table fipping the various cuts—thin-sliced brisket, pork belly, marinated beef or pork bulgogi—as needed, moving them about the metal plates to cooler spots.

Or they might go full-on ahjumma (that’s “auntie”) on you and start putting the sizzling meat right onto your plate once it’s done. Unlike a lot of spots that might have only a heavy-duty ventilation hood a few feet over your grill, Doh (sister to Doh Sushi & Tapas and relative of Tofu Hut, both on Spring Mountain Road) has long, silver tubes coming down from the ceiling close enough to suck the smoke up as it wafts from the grill, making sure you don’t leave the place smelling like you’ve been cooking meat over an open fame all night (though some might argue that’s a plus).

There’s an assortment of six or so tiny dishes that arrive with your raw meat called panchan, various pickles and snacks that are meant to be eaten with your barbecue. There will obviously be spicy red kimchi, the classic fermented spicy cabbage; fsh cakes in an

March 10–16, 2016

PHOTO BY KRYSTAL RAMIREZ

DOH KOREAN BARBECUE

49

A ST. PATRICK’S DAY DINING CRAWL THAT SHAM-ROCKS!

SWISH SHABU SHABU

March 10–16, 2016

|

VegasSeven.com

Similar to Chinese hot pot, Japanese shabu-shabu begins with a wide, metal pot of seaweed (or miso) broth that is brought to the table, then set on the hibachi burner to heat. Beef is the star here, sliced paper-thin so it cooks quickly—well-marbled rib eye is standard, but Kobe, salmon and shrimp are options as well, all served with leaves of bok choy, carrots, tofu, shiitake mushrooms and udon noodles. Vegetarians aren’t forgotten with a huge platter of mushrooms, including clusters of enoki, trumpets, maitake and matsutake varieties.

The dish’s name is onomatopoeic for the sound the meat makes as it’s dragged through the broth— a quiet swish swish.

After the beef takes a swim in the bubbling cauldron, dip it in either a bright ponzu or sesame sauce and take a bite! The meat and vegetables favor the broth as well, so once you’ve exhausted your protein, that’s the time to add in the thick, chewy udon to the soup. A few minutes later, you have your fnal course. 5115 Spring Mountain Rd., 702-522-9345.

50

F. PIGALLE

So many things can go wrong with fondue: scalding cheese that burns the roof of your mouth, bubbling hot oil that could splatter at any time, melted chocolate that could break and become an oily mess.

But then I experienced fondue at F. Pigalle, which makes the Swiss

Shrimp fondue at F. Pigalle.

specialty decidedly more Parisian with its Red Light-District décor.

Chef Sam Marvin has taken all of the guesswork out of your hot-dip options—including oil, cheese or broth—which are gently heated over tea lights.

As you may have guessed, beef is the meat of choice. Stab a cube of tri-tip steak with your designated skewer, pop it into the oil and appreciate for a brief moment the pleasant bubbling sound. Mediumrare is where it’s at, so the beef only needs to cook for about 30 seconds.

Pull it from the oil (and yes—it’s hot!), give it a second to cool, or send it for a dip through any of the accompanying sauces (chimichurri, steak sauce and béarnaise,

to name a few) and pop it in your or your date’s mouth. (I’m partial to hooking my arm through that of my dining companion for optimum hilarity). Cheese lovers should need no instructions to operate the proffered cubes of bread, Genoa salami and Granny Smith apples—you could eat a leather shoe if it were dunked into the creamy, melty mixture of Emmental and Gruyère cheeses spiked with Chablis and kirsch. Chocolate follows the same drill, except that the silky, rich Belgian chocolate enrobes strawberries, Rice Krispies treats or pound cake. Like the restaurant’s grafftied walls, this DIY dessert has passion written all over it. 508 Fremont St., 702-550-4797.

Get the latest news 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.

➜ My favorite drinking holiday is once again upon us, but with the misfortune of landing on a Thursday. Purists such as myself would normally celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with prime day-drinking the weekend before, which is what Irish-centric cities such as Chicago and Boston do. But, this is Las Vegas, and we have no problem partying on a school night. If you’re going to do it right, you need to lay down a good base.

I’d start with the Irish breakfast at Rí Rá (in Mandalay Bay, 702-632-7771), which features two eggs, Irish sausages and rashers (that’s bacon made from pork loin instead of the belly), black and white puddings, grilled tomatoes and mushrooms and toast. And I would definitely order the side of baked beans, and wash it all down with a breakfast Guinness, of course. The next few hours can be spent drinking green beer and convincing people that I’m Irish at either of the Strip’s biggest outdoor parties: Celtic Feis at New York-New York or O’Sheas Bloq Party at the Linq.

To keep myself in check while at the Linq, Tilted Kilt’s specials of Scotch eggs ($7) and beer-battered fish ’n’ chips ($14) should hold me over until I am overcome with the desire to eat something that is not deep-fried or liquid bread.

The next stop on my St. Paddy’s Day journey will take me Downtown to Triple George Grill (201 N. Third St., 702-384-2761) for potato leek soup with Irish cheddar, green oysters and another Scotch egg with pickled red onions and cornichon, followed by a fortifying shepherd’s pie made with ground beef, mashed potatoes and vegetables.

For my final destination, it’s not the setting, but the man, who makes Crush (in MGM Grand, 702-891-3222, CrushMGM.com) a must-stop on March 17. Self-styled “funologist” John O’Donnell mans the bar at the emerald casino, serving up beer and whiskey, all with a dash of his Irish charm and brogue, which will undoubtedly become more pronounced as the night goes on.

By this time, I’ll be making a big to-do of the fact that I haven’t eaten any corned beef and cabbage yet, but chef William DeMarco’s got me covered with a spread that includes the traditional meatand-veg pairing plus Irish soda bread and draft beer for $20.16. The dulcet tones of bagpipes will play throughout the night, playing such standards as “Danny Boy,” “Amazing Grace” and, uh, other songs that sound good on bagpipes.

Remember: Celebrating St. Paddy’s Day isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon. Eat well and drink something that isn’t green or brown every once in a while, so that when you raise your final pint with a “Sláinte!” at the end of the night, even faux-Irish eyes will still be smiling.

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.

PHOTO BY KRYSTAL RAMIREZ

DINING

earthy, red sauce; pickled daikon radish; and a mayonnaisebased macaroni salad to give your mouth some relief from the spice. For dipping, there’s sesame oil or red bean paste, along with a slightly sweet soy sauce with jalapeños and onions. With so many ways to dress up your meat, it’s possible to never have the same bite twice.

7920 S. Rainbow Blvd., 702-538-7887.

DRINKING

A Healthy Dose

Marcella Williams (left) and Jamie Stephenson.

abide by the Happy Russian, which brings together Bee Happy nut milk with vodka, Kahlua and optional crème de menthe, peppermint oil or a shot of espresso. Being relatively low-calorie and easy to mix, vodka plays into fve of the drinks; the rest of the menu raids the liquor cabinet for bourbon (Queen For a

Day), tequila (Spice of Life) and rum (Living Legend).

Before they were juice mavens, Williams and Stephenson had their own very personal juice journeys.

Williams, the company’s COO and a mother of three children under 10, including twins, says she quickly became adept at sneaking healthy

foods into her kids’ meals.

Smoothies were the gateway to juice, crammed with spinach, avocados, kale and other goodfor-you goodies. “I found that if I put just enough beet in, it would turn pink and they would suck it down,” she says.

Stephenson, the company’s CEO, witnessed her stepfather’s own transformation

frst-hand when he was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer and given seven months to live. Her mother cleaned out the pantry and stocked only fresh, healthy foods and produce for the family. “Five years later, we were all sitting around with Walter on his birthday. Food did that,” she says. “Nutrition really helps heal the body. We’re just here to spread the juice.”

A former portrait photographer, Stephenson loved her career, but dreaded the act of selling her work. “I knew a long time ago that I was meant to do something meaningful, but here I am now, fnally realizing that what I’m really good at—and what I fnd very easy to sell—is something I really believe in.”

With three stores now open in less than two years, preparation is already under way for the Juice Standard to make that four. “We plan to open a production facility in which we will make all of our juices, and bottle and label them like we currently do, but in a much bigger space,” Stephenson says. “We’ll also create a kitchen for kale chips, salads, chia puddings.

We’d like to get into kombucha, kimchi and all kinds of really great, healthy, yummy, grab-and-go foods.” Plans call for the facility and its small storefront to open by the end of the year.

Want to get your juice fx when it’s freshest? Deliveries to the Cosmopolitan location are made daily right before the kiosk opens at 7 a.m., and again between 10 a.m. and noon—and the cocktails are available the entire time.

“I live here, and I believe in health,” Stephenson says. “Of course I believe in consuming lots of plants, but I was raised with a pretty good understanding of what it is to live a good life, to try a bit of everything. Life is a buffet.”

The Juice Standard isn’t the only juicery in town embracing the bottle. Find out who else just got their liquor license at VegasSeven. com/JuiceAndBooze.

|

bad, be really good at it.”

That’s the bottom line for Marcella Williams and her business partner, Jamie Stephenson, founders and co-owners of the Juice Standard (JuiceStandard. com). The pair opened their cold-pressed juice concept’s third location on Leap Day, February 29, in the Cosmopolitan, but their new kiosk on the second foor between All Saints and Holsteins has something their two neighborhood juiceries don’t: a liquor license.

If you’re gobsmacked at the thought of someone defling your greens juice with vodka, try to remember where you are and then think of it as more like someone putting the freshest, healthiest mixers available into your cocktail.

“We’ve always believed in a healthy balance,” Williams says. “I mean, this is Las Vegas. For me, [creating this menu] was like going back to Day 1, when we got to create a bunch of juices.

I was inspired and excited to create new recipes, but with alcohol.” In addition to the nine cocktails, Williams and Stephenson have also launched a brand-new juice blend in honor of the property: Bee Cosmopolitan combines alkaline water, detoxifying bentonite clay, lemon, agave and beet juice.

Order the Sex Panther and have it mixed with vodka, triple sec and lemon for a Cosmo that is both the cause and the cure.

The rest of the cocktails ($14) follow a similar pattern: a base of one of the Juice Standard’s seven organic, cold-pressed juice blends or four nut milks, a healthy dose of spirits and a dash of other modifers that bring the drink close to something you may have had before. Bloody Mary fans will love the Hail Mary, which pairs the greenspacked Bee Resilient with gin, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, lemon, salt and Tabasco. Dudes will happily

March 10–16, 2016

PHOTO BY KRYSTAL RAMIREZ

➜ ”IF YOU’RE GOING to be

VegasSeven.com

The Juice Standard squeezes liquor into its cold-pressed offerings By Xania Woodman

53

8 p.m. (Open Mike Eagle at 1 a.m.) March 12, Backstage Bar & Billiards, $15, 702-382-2227, NeonReverb.com.

It’s a world-famous alternative comedy space. I arranged to perform there once as part of a comedy show, and then I started getting asked to come back. Once I saw how natural that was in terms of what I do, I started making efforts to get booked on more shows like that. It’s just a really good ft, in terms of how I write a lot of my stuff and how comedy audiences listen. It’s a different sort of audience than a hip-hop audience.

A lot of times, it suits me better.

Why do you think that is?

It comes down to listening. Not all comedy fans are the kind of comedy fans who would go to a place like the Upright Citizens Brigade, [but] humor is very prevalent in my music, and it’s a humor akin to the style done there. That audience dials in pretty easily.

March 10–16, 2016

|

VegasSeven.com

You went to college with Hannibal Buress. Has he influenced the comedy aspect in your music?

56

I wouldn’t say “infuenced.” When we went to school together, he was just starting comedy.

It’s just been really, really cool to see how his career has taken off, like from literally starting. I just interviewed him on my podcast and we talked about this— the week he started from not being a comic to “OK, I’m doing this open mic” to “I’m doing every open mic” to “I’m touring.” It’s really been amazing to see his career and art

develop over time.

He’s really awesome at it. The way his career has blown up is a testament to that.

But he’s not much of an infuence in terms of how I make music, because I’m just a fan of stand-up in general.

Would you ever venture into stand-up yourself?

I dabble. It’s fun. The best stand-up guys, they’re constantly crafting jokes. That’s just how their minds work, but my mind at this point might be constantly thinking of rap lyrics or song ideas. To really be good at it, I’d have to take away a lot of mental resources from my music, and at this point I’m not that hungry to do that.

You’re also a father.

How do you find time to fit everything in?

It’s a lot sometimes, but if I’m making use of all the hours in the day properly, then I’m doing all right.

It’s not completely overwhelming. I look at these things like they’re my jobs, and I give them what I think is the appropriate workday. That’s how I structure it, and it works. I don’t know if I can add another thing, but for now, it’s right where it should be.

What can we expect when you come to Vegas next month?

I rap. I’m a rapper, man. I enjoy rapping and I enjoy entertaining. It’s fun. It’s dark sometimes.

We’ll laugh. We’ll throw our hands up a little bit. We’ll move around. It’s tight.

PHOTO BY ANDY J SCOT T

A&E

OPEN MIKE EAGLE WITH THE LIQUE, CAMERON CALLOWAY, ON THE OTHER HAND, FAILURE MACHINE AND ALL NIGHT VISITORS

MARKETPLACE

MARKETPLACE

MARKETPLACE

e h t d i d n e h W price of a ? e l p i r t e l b dou

YOU

REAL DEALS FOR REAL PEOPLE

ME?

At Stratosphere we’re taking Vegas Back from the pricey and pretentious. From our casino to the top of our iconic Tower, we offer great fun and real values. We back it up by delivering an unforgettable Vegas experience.

Sign up to Take Vegas Back at StratosphereHotel.com

SEVEN QUESTIONS

Hassan El Hajjami One Night for One Drop’s artistic director on how he got involved, his youthful doppelgänger and the world’s water crisis

By Melinda Sheckells

70

up. When I frst saw One Drop 2014, in the Michael Jackson Theatre, as I was watching the show, I said, “I would like to put my story onstage.”

Will all of the scenes relate to your personal story?

It’s about a little boy fallI left [Light], and I went ing into a waterhole. And to [One Drop’s] after-party the little boy is going to last year. I didn’t have a visit this world and he wristband, so I pretended will have this talisman to be one of the working for the characters onartists. I saw Jerry Nadal stage. You’re going to see [senior vice president, some of my story inside Resident Shows Division, it, and he may or may Cirque du Soleil], and told not return to his family. him about an idea that I was workWhy did ing on. A you decide week later, to include ONE NIGHT I made a non-Cirque FOR ONE DROP presentadu Soleil March 18, 7 p.m., tion for a performers $100-$325, show about into the show The Smith Center, my life this year?

OneNight. when I was Fifty perOneDrop.org. a young cent of our boy visiting performers my grand[work with] mother in Morocco. I was Cirque du Soleil. Then shocked that she didn’t we have performers from have water at home. Jerry other shows [such as] Jubitold me that we had to lee!, [singer] Leona Lewis meet Russ Petroni, proand my dear friend Miles ducer of One Night for One “Baby Boogaloo” Brown Drop. I heard they had 20 [who stars in ABC’s Blackdifferent artistic directors ish]. I met him six years they were considering. ago on America’s Got Talent I [went back to] France when he was 4. We did that because my contract was show, and we kept in touch. fnished at Light, but they We train together, we travel called me in July and said, together, we compete to“Congratulations, we like gether and we did a music the concept and story.” video together. I was teaching him some [moves], how What stood out to you on those to dance, how to react. visits to Morocco?

When I did [the concept My grandmother walked for One Drop], I wanted to every day to a well. One day have a little boy playing I said, “I will go with you.” me. I called his father. I I was shocked. As a kid, I was scared because he had didn’t understand: How become very popular and come you don’t have water he was on a hit show and at home? To take a shower, I didn’t think he was able she had to get water and to do it. His mother was put it in the oven to heat it crying. She was surprised,

“The artistic director has called us to ask our son to play the lead role!” It was intense for them.

This is the first time One Drop is not happening at a Cirque du Soleil theater. What challenges does The Smith Center present?

We are accustomed to working on Cirque du Soleil stages. It’s like we have to do a Cirque show in a blackbox. It’s a big challenge because we have only two days to put it together [once we move into the theater]. We [rehearse] on the Zarkana stage. We have to rehearse the show in sections.

It is a work in progress. [It requires] a lot of time, [there is] pressure and stress—from the props and choreography. It is very complicated.

What is one thing you are hoping audience members will take away from the show?

I hope I change [their] lives. [We are sharing a dire situation that millions of people] don’t have access to water and don’t have water to drink. This is my opportunity to make a change. That’s why I put all my heart and energy into this concept.

What are you going to do after One Drop?

Go back to France, relax and wait for the next opportunity to create a show and dance. I cannot live without dancing. It would be like cutting off my arm. I’m an artistic director, a conceptual director, but I am also an artist. Even when I was a director, I was onstage dancing. A lot of choreographers don’t do that because they are scared, but I’m not scared. I just let go and don’t take it seriously. I love to put a smile on your face and do whatever it takes to make you happy. My life is like that.

PHOTO BY JIM K. DECKER

March 10–16, 2016

|

VegasSeven.com

You originated the character of the Walrus and performed in The Beatles LOVE for many years. Then you were the artistic and creative director for Light nightclub when it was partnered with Cirque du Soleil. When did you find out you were going to direct One Night for One Drop?