To Have & To Hold | Vegas Seven Magazine | May 26-June 1, 2016

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ESCAPE THE FATE

CONTENTS

MAY 26–JUNE 1, 2016

T H E LAT EST

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“Libertarians Sound Off” Candidates spar and spare no “truth” at final debate. By EMMILY BRISTOL

14

“Allen-Wrench You!”

16

“Level Up”

If you’re excited about Ikea, you live in the wrong town. By AL MANCINI E-sports start to take hold of casinos’ imaginations. Green Felt Journal by DAVID G. SCHWARTZ

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

NIGH T LIF E

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“The Coolest DJ” DJs are re-emerging at the forefront of rap, and Esco is here for it.

By KAT BOEHRER

Plus … Seven Nights, a Memorial Day weekend guide, Vegas nightlife’s increasing presence in Mexico, a documentary about DJ AM and photos from the week’s hottest parties.

DINING

53

“Farther South of the Border” Bahia tackles a variety of Central American cuisines. By AL MANCINI Plus … Restaurant Week, Dishing With Grace, Drinking and how four grapes went from the endangered list to the wine list.

59

“Going Steady, 40 Years On” Ever fallen in love with the Buzzcocks? You should.

By IAN CARAMANZANA

64

F E AT URE

“Castles, Coens and Compilation” Your nerdy showgirl has a bit of catching up to do. The Most Fabulous Thing by CHARLIE STARLING

Bride Revisited

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Plus … Seven’s 14, Q&A with Trever Keith of Face to Face and a preview of the Punk Rock Bowling Festival.

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18

Ron DeCar as Elvis renews a couple’s vows at Viva Las Vegas.

SEVEN Q U EST IONS

Wedding professionals are uniting for the first time to boost the stagnating matrimonial industry.

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Plus … Our picks for where to tie the knot.

Cover photo by Krystal Ramirez.

Rush Hour star Chris Tucker on honoring the troops, sequel rumors and a surreal night in Las Vegas with Prince and Michael Jackson,

May 26–June 1, 2016

PHOTO BY KRYSTAL RAMIREZ

A &E

9

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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.

Wedding professionals are uniting for the first time to boost the stagnating matrimonial industry B Y N I C O L E E LY

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in one day, Ron DeCar might be Elvis, Merlin, King Arthur and the Grim Reaper. “You might have a pink Cadillac wedding and then right after that, a gothic scene where you gotta bring out the coffin and the tombstones,” says the owner of Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapels.

“Then you go into a Camelot wedding.

Put up the banners—Merlin comes out.”

As one of the largest freestanding chapels in town, Viva Las Vegas is known for its themed weddings. When it comes to putting together a customer’s dream show, DeCar and his team do not skimp. For the right price, they will tear down and build new sets to create a couple’s fantasy wedding. The main chapel can facilitate an aerialist act during the ceremony. They offer every theme package, from intergalactic to vampires to rockabilly.

“I’ve married [people dressed as Mr. and Mrs.] Potato Head before,” DeCar

Joni Moss-Graham and husband, John Graham, of LV Wedding Connection on their wedding day; Viva Las Vegas’ Pink Cadillac wedding package.

says. “I’ve had all sorts of crazy mascots up there with me.”

Viva Las Vegas has five wedding locations: the main chapel, a smaller chapel, a gazebo, a garden and a 1950s diner.

Themed weddings make up a quarter of its business. On a good Saturday, it can host 40 weddings, but on “number holidays” such as November 11, 2011, DeCar’s business explodes.

“We did 36 [consecutive] hours of weddings, more than 230 ceremonies that day,” he says.

When Viva Las Vegas first opened in 1999, DeCar originally saw it as a place for married couples to renew their vows and do something less traditional than the first time they were married.

Many of the chapels have seen requests for vow renewals grow over the past years, and some people, such as Cliff Evarts from Vegas Weddings, believe the vow-renewal market could be one of the keys to Las Vegas’ connubial future.

“If you ask people what Vegas is known for, weddings are going to be in the top five,” says Evarts. “‘Weddings have a huge psychological impact on the promotion of Vegas, but it doesn’t have a big financial impact.”

For Evarts, capitalizing on Vegas’ matrimonial notoriety is a no-brainer—it’s simply a matter of finding other angles. Of the millions of visitors each year, the majority of them are already married, he says.

In 2011, Evarts supported a campaign by then-County Clerk Diana Alba to make semi-official vow renewal certificates issued by the county available for customers who may want keepsakes. However, the idea was quickly abandoned after meeting opposition from chapel owners, who usually provide that service in-house.

“If Vegas rebranded itself from the Wedding Capital of the World to the Vow Renewal Capital of the World,” Evarts says,

“it would tap into a huge market of people who never really thought of having their vows renewed, but then think, what a great opportunity to get my vows renewed in Vegas.”

Another untapped market? Millennials, the fastest-growing segment of the population applying for marriage licenses, according to Goya. She points out that many millennials live together before getting married, and are known for seeking out unique experiences, including their nuptial choices.

“What we’re finding is they love vintage Vegas,” she says.

“They love the mid-century modern, which is one of our key architectural elements. They love the whole Rat Pack era.”

while the question of how the Las Vegas wedding industry can get its groove back remains unanswered for the moment, it hasn’t stopped the Wedding Chamber of Commerce from buzzing. As they wait for the results of the research study, the chamber members are working together, turning former competitors into allies.

In the short term, members are holding networking events and working together to combine services and create special packages for couples. In the long term, they will be working with public and private organizations to uphold the city’s title as the Wedding Capital of the World.

“It’s a very rewarding, emotional industry, but you’ve got to have the passion for it. Some people think it’s easy. It’s not easy,” Moss-Graham says. “But to stand back and say I got to be part of somebody’s life-changing day is an amazing reward for your profession.”

VIVA L AS VEGAS BY KRYSTAL RAMIREZ; MOSS-GRAHAM COURTESY OF LV WEDDING CONNECTION

April 7–13, 2016

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shoot craps. You can have a completely traditional wedding without spending months figuring out place settings and floral arrangements.

“People [outside Las Vegas] have this concept of The Hangover weddings,” Moss-Graham says. “There is a niche for everything ... but for people to think that we can’t give them a beautiful traditional wedding here is misleading.”

Goya brings up The Hangover wedding phenomenon, jokingly assuring that Las Vegas doesn’t issue marriage licenses to drunks. “The press keeps promoting the really tacky things,” she says. “These chapels aren’t tacky; they’re vintage and custom and lovely little chapels.”

Conveying that message to the masses is the goal. The $14 fee increase, which went into effect in August, is expected to raise more than $1 million a year. Earlier this month, the Clark County Commission struck a deal with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority to create a partnership to market the Las Vegas wedding industry. The first outlay of funds is currently going toward research from which the LVCVA will develop a marketing plan.

One vital question: How should the city sell itself to the world and get more people to come here to seal the deal?

Our picks for where to tie the knot

BY LISSA TOWNSEND RODGERS

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LITTLE WHITE WEDDING CHAPEL Drive-thru nuptials may seem like the ultimate in no-frills, but at the Little White Wedding Chapel, it’s done with panache in a pink Cadillac beneath a canopy of stars and cherubs. “We were actually the first drive-thru,” wedding planner Jennifer Waggoner says.

She points out that chapel owner Charlotte Richards created it years ago, not out of kitsch, but kindness. “We did have handicapped people, so she made the drivethru so they could just pull up to the window and get married,” Waggoner explains. “It became a Vegas thing.”

Richards began her career in weddings as a florist, and her Little White Wedding Chapel was originally her home, which has grown over the years to encompass several chapels from small to large. Richards’ connection to Elvis also runs deeper than hav-

ing a guy with sideburns on staff: “Elvis was married at the Aladdin, her husband was his photographer and she was his coordinator,” Waggoner says. 1301 Las Vegas Blvd. South, 702-382-5943, ALittleWhiteChapel.com GRACELAND WEDDING CHAPEL A wedding with Elvis overseeing the “I do’s” is a Las Vegas tradition—even if it’s not your wedding. “Can we crash a wedding?

We get that a lot,” says Brendan Paul, owner and chief Elvis of the Graceland Wedding Chapel for more than a dozen years. He adds that ceremonies are private, but some couples welcome extra wellwishers. “Some say, ‘Yeah, sure, it’s Vegas—the more, the merrier!’”

Paul has four backup Elvises to share the “Love Me Tender” duties, but it still adds up. “We do over 9,000 weddings a year.

I sing in about a third of them,” he says. Among the celebrities married at Graceland is Jon Bon Jovi, who was wed there 25 years ago. “He pops in sometimes when he’s in town,” says Paul, who’s also done vow renewals for Rob Zombie and Billy Ray Cyrus. 619 Las Vegas Blvd. South, 702-382-0091, GracelandWeddingChapel.com VEGAS WEDDINGS As the Vegas wedding industry expands, so do many of the chapels—in 15 years, Vegas Weddings has gone from one venue to multiple locations. “Right now it’s wedding season. This Saturday alone we have 30-40 weddings over our eight venues,” says Aimee Stephens, director of marketing for Vegas Weddings.

Vegas Weddings offers a variety of sites, including ceremonies in a rooftop gazebo and a traditional indoor chapel with stained-glass windows and pews, as well as outdoor “Hawaiian Garden” packages at a location on the Strip. For

CHAPEL PHOTOGRAPHY BY KRYSTAL RAMIREZ; PARIS COURTESY; CANNABIS CHAPEL BY JESSIE O’BRIEN

April 7–13, 2016

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VIVA LAS VEGAS WEDDING CHAPEL Las Vegas is a place where people escape reality—why should their wedding day be any different? The Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapel offers couples fantasy ceremonies, whether it’s being married by Elvis in a replica ’50s diner or having Dracula tie your knot while sexy vampire chicks fly overhead. You can also make your own combo platter. “We’ve had Spock in Camelot,” chapel owner Ron DeCar says, “a pink Caddy, but in Egypt with Darth Vader.

Whatever the customer wants.”

Over the years, DeCar has officiated ceremonies dressed up as everyone from Batman to Dr. Frank-N-Furter. He came up with the themed wedding chapel idea years ago, and “it just took off.” What’s the busiest time at Viva Las Vegas? “It’s like a conga line of costumes on Halloween,” DeCar says. 1205 Las Vegas Blvd. South, 702-384-0771, VivaLasVegasWeddings.com

NIGHTLIFE

DJs are re-emerging at the forefront of rap, and Esco is here for it By Kat Boehrer

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The Coolest DJ

WILLIAM MOORE IS KNOWN professionally as Esco, the DJ and producer who rose to fame after his collaborative mixtape release with Future titled 56 Nights. The project title is a nod to the 56 nights he spent in a Dubai jail because of a security snafu in the Abu Dhabi airport. The tape’s shining hit, “March Madness,” reignited Future’s rap career and brought attention to Esco and his work. The two artists have been in high demand for their live performances, and Drai’s managed to snag Esco for a summer residency. Catch him every Thursday at Drai’s at the party he describes as “a cool event, the coolest party in the world.”

➜

May 26–June 1, 2016

PHOTO BY JOE FURY

DJ Esco at Drai’s.

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Your city after dark and photos from the week’s hottest parties

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A lot of water and a lot of smoke. I’m like a human bong when I’m in the studio, all Fiji water and smoke and that’s it.

I don’t even like to eat when I’m in the studio.

You’re putting out a solo album soon, right?

That’s what’s around the corner. This summer I’ll definitely have my first solo album out, and my single will be coming before that. I’ll be releasing my single at Drai’s onstage.

The obvious question: What is it like to work with Future?

It was cool. I don’t have any brothers, but I guess it would be like working with your family member, or brother, or something. It goes pretty smooth. We don’t bump into anything because he lets me do my thing, and he just focuses on really just creating the music itself, and then let me worry about what to do with it.

May 26–June 1, 2016

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You’ve said before that you have the ability to predict what’s next in the industry. So what’s next for hip-hop and nightlife?

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What you’re going to see in hip-hop is a lot of DJ and artist relationships emerge. That was the whole point of how Future and I wanted to do it. We wanted to take it back old-school, like the DJ with the rapper, the DJ and the artist. It’s one big thing, it’s one show. They’re together in a unit like Run-D.M.C. with Jam Master Jay. Like even Will Smith—Fresh Prince—and DJ Jazzy Jeff. You always saw them together, helping each other.

That’s happening a lot lately, and the DJs and producers are now also listed as lead artists on tracks alongside vocalists and rappers.

Somehow in hip-hop that got lost, and the DJ got just thrown in the background. It became all about the rapper. But we brought it back now.

People are paying atten-

tion to me and Future’s relationship, with the DJ and the loyalty. You’re not going to see me DJ for another artist, just like you wouldn’t see Jam Master Jay DJing for anybody but Run-D.M.C. We’re just trying to do it the right way, show people what loyalty is.

You’re going to start seeing more artists showing love to their DJ. It’s already happening now.

What does a typical day look like for you?

Usually I got to go somewhere. We go to the airport, get on a plane, get off, check in the hotel, go find some good food. I’m a vegetarian, so I always try to find some good food in the city. I give up all the energy I got every show, so I need to eat.

Why are you a vegetarian?

Is it a health thing or a moral thing?

I just lost the taste for meat. It was weird. I didn’t just do it at one time, but I gradually became [a vegetarian].

I’ve been a vegetarian for 10 years now. I don’t know what happened. I just lost the taste. I can’t explain. I don’t have nothing against [eating] animals, or none of that, I just lost it. It makes me feel better. My body feels great, so I guess it’s working for me.

How can a hip-hop producer take notes from you to follow in your path?

To follow my path … you have to figure your own path. It took me a long time to figure out my own way. It’s hard to do it the exact same way I did it. I had to go through 56 nights in Dubai for this to happen. You know what I’m saying? You never know what you’re going to have to go through.

I thought I was at a high, and I ended up at a low, and I had to get back. Now I’m at an even higher high than I thought I was at the beginning. To any producer, I would say: Don’t ever get down. Because I’ve been at the lowest of the low to reach the highs right now.

“You have to figure your own path. You never know what you’re going to have to go through. Don’t ever get down. Because I’ve been at the lowest of the low to reach the highs right now.”

PHOTO BY TONY TRAN

NIGHTLIFE

What’s your work process like?

NIGHTLIFE

Blac Chyna and Rob Kardashian.

Seven Nights Your week in parties

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

SAT 28

Puff Daddy.

THU 26 Memorial Day weekend means it's time for hot parties and hot weather, so cool off with “The Coolest DJ in the World,” DJ Esco, when he mans the decks at Drai’s. He’s been regularly rockin’ the room for a while now—his residency locks him in to spin just about every Thursday—but see if he pulls any surprises since it’s a holiday weekend. Here’s your chance to make it one of coolest parties in the world! (In the Cromwell, 10:30 p.m., DraisNightlife.com.)

May 26–June 1, 2016

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FRI 27

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He goes by roughly a dozen names, but his presence is unmistakable.

Sean John Combs, a.k.a. P. Diddy, Diddy, Puffy or Puff Daddy, stops

by Hakkasan. The rapper/hypeman–turned–business mogul is known for throwing one of the most exclusive and coveted parties in the world—the annual White party—so he knows a thing or two about having a good time. Don’t be surprised if you brush shoulders with a celebrity or two at this function. (In MGM Grand, 10:30 p.m., HakkasanLV.com.) Speaking of celebrities, Joe Jonas spins at Hyde.

He may be the middle child of the Jonas Brothers, but given his status, we’re sure he received the same amount of love as a young heartthrob. Jonas is deep in the Revival Tour with his band DNCE, so show him love when he mans the decks at Hyde. (In Bellagio, 10:30 p.m., HydeBellagio.com.)

The celebs just keep on coming.

Kick off your all-day party the right way with a fete hosted by Rob Kardashian and Blac Chyna at Sky Beach Club. Rumors are swirling that the two have been busy … gettin’ busy, because they’re expecting a baby. Don’t quote us on that, because in the world of celebridom, rumors rule. Celebrate with them now, before they’re stuck taking care of a young’un. (At Tropicana Las Vegas, 10 a.m., SkyBeachClubLV. com.) Brooklyn Bowl hosts Portland pop/indie electro trio STRFKR and New York synthwave producer Com Truise for an evening full of alternative-dancey goodness. Seriously, if your body isn’t moving to the opening keys of “Never Ever” or the bouncing synths of “VHS Sex,” we think you should get your ears checked. (At the Linq, 8 p.m., Vegas.BrooklynBowl.com.) At Omnia, you can witness a tantalizing team-up. Young progressive house great Martin Garrix spins alongside fellow Dutchman Julian Jordan in the main room. Too much teamwork to handle? Rising Los Angeles DJ Bee Fowl keeps the beats flowing at Heart of Omnia. Pick your party! (In Caesars Palace, 10 p.m., OmniaNightclub.com.)

SUN 29 If you're somehow still alive after that daylong party extravaganza, hit up Foxtail for another all-day rager. This time, it’s A-list rappers instead of DJs and celebrities on the docket. All Day Memorial Sunday kicks off bright and early with a performance by Yo Gotti. The Com Truise.

Memphis native has been rapping since the early 2000s, but he’s just now getting the taste of the spotlight thanks to his viral hit, “Down in the DM.” Give him a direct message of appreciation when he hits the stage. Following that, “Paranoid” and “Blase” hitmaker Ty Dolla Sign performs. He’s been on a slew of features lately, including a verse on Kanye West’s friendship banger, “Real Friends.” Show him you’re a real one. Lil Wayne closes out the evening with a career-encapsulating set. Sure, we’ll likely get “A Milli” and “Believe Me,” but will we get “Mrs. Officer” or “Fireman?”

Show up and find out. (At SLS, 11 a.m., FoxtailPool.com.)

MON 30 Andrew Rayel just played back-toback sets at Ultra Music Festival in Miami and in Thailand, and yet he still has time to release new music.

The Moldavian DJ/producer released “Epiphany” a few days ago, and critics are calling it a return to form. It’s an upbeat trance tune that’s got a dark leading melody, which provides a stark contrast to the airy angelic vocals in the buildup. The result is a nicely balanced song that will carry us over

until winter … or until he releases new music. Hear it at Marquee Dayclub. Ready for “another one?”

Producer, hypeman and Snapchat superstar DJ Khaled obliges with a DJ set at Marquee. See if another chapter of his Lion Order will unfold when he mans the decks.

(In the Cosmopolitan, 10 p.m., MarqueeLasVegas.com.)

TUE 31 Like the weather, Sucio and Exile heat things up at Vanguard’s Studio V. Enjoy open-format sets by two locals in our beloved DTLV. Show the small guys some love! (516 Fremont St., 10 p.m., VanguardLV.com.)

WED 1 Your week of nonstop parties comes to a close with Eric D Lux at Light. The SKAM Artist recently acquired coffee mugs with his logo printed on them. Enjoy one of his signature open-format sets, then ask him for one so you can drink that morning coffee in style. Trust us: You’re gonna need it.

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

NIGHTLIFE

Internet personality Kirill Was Here brings his Champagne showers and debauchery to Ditch Fridays. His parties are known to get messy, but at least you’ll be able to rinse off in the pool. (In the Palms, 11 a.m., Palms.com.) It seems like globetrotting DJ and producer Steve Aoki has been everywhere lately.

He recently hit Japan for a series of dates, worked with Adam Lambert, Felix Jaehn and Walk the Moon on music videos, and hung out at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner with President Obama and DJ Khaled. Experience what allowed him to do those things when he mans the decks at Wet Republic. (At MGM Grand, 11 a.m., WetRepublic.com.) Speaking of Japan, a frequent visitor—Porter Robinson—spins at Marquee.

He’s a huge fan of Japanese culture—from video games and anime to food—and it can be heard in his music.

After all, “Sad Machine” sounds like the name of a new emo video game system. (In the Cosmopolitan, 10 p.m., MarqueeLasVegas.com.)

Hy!£UN35. Excuse us—no, we didn’t just smash our keyboards. That’s the title of one of Young Thug’s mixtapes. The Atlanta rapper’s distinct, gibberishinfused melodic flow hit the world’s stage thanks to a flurry of hits in 2014 including “Stoner,” “Danny Glover” and Rich Gang’s No. 1 hit, “Lifestyle.” He’s gotten cosigns from Kanye West, Tyga and Elton John, so see if you can join that list at The Foundry. (In SLS, 8 p.m., FoundryLV.com.)

May 26–June 1, 2016

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SATURDAY, MAY 28

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The Cheat Sheet Your Memorial Day weekend party guide By Ian Caramanzana

➜ In 1868, Union soldiers organized a day to remember those who died in the bloodiest battles on American soil—the Civil War. Since then, every last Monday in May is set aside as a day of reflection, honor and memorial for our troops. Be productive and pay your respect to those brave ones in the morning, then take advantage of a day off at these parties.

Call the “Plur Police!”

Australian EDM duo Knife Party hits The Joint. The two have crafted quite an eclectic discography since they entered the limelight in 2011. Songs such as “Internet Friends” and “Antidote” show more straightforward electro house traits while “Centipede” is a hard-hitting dubstep tune. Sample some of their eclectic platter. (In Hard Rock Hotel, 8 p.m., HardRockHotel.com/TheJoint.) Don’t deal with diversity? Get a double dose of Disclo-

sure at Daylight and Light. The English house duo were recently spotted at a Houston Astros game.

Tell them your team’s better, then get down to “Bang That.” It’s a daylong extravaganza! (In Mandalay Bay, 11 a.m., TheLightVegas. com.) If you prefer to stay away from the Strip, hit up Oddfellows for an indie electro party. New Noise brings songs from artists such as Shamir, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Phantogram and more to the screen and your ears. (150 Las Vegas Blvd. North, 8 p.m., OddfellowsVegas.com.)

SUNDAY, MAY 29

When he’s not busy creating and releasing new tunes, running his own Revealed Recordings record label, taking selfies with David Guetta or mixing at gigs around the world, Hardwell calls Las Vegas home.

And since they’re both Hakkasan residents, see if his mentor Tiësto makes an appearance.

Kill the Buzz opens. (In MGM Grand, 10:30 p.m., HakkasanLV.com.) If rap and R&B are more in your wheelhouse, hit up Drai’s for a team-up consisting of New York rapper 50 Cent and Chicago singer Jeremih. Their 2010 banger “Down on Me” still sounds fresh six years later, so see if they’ll give us a taste of another collaborative hit. (In the Cromwell, 10:30 p.m., DraisNightlife.com.)

MONDAY, MAY 30

Speaking of team-ups, catch another one at XS when two EDM heavyweights—Skrillex and Diplo—collide. As a pair, they’ve already given us an album’s worth of material under the Jack Ü project. Skrillex and Diplo’s Jack Ü was a genredefying album; it was a melting pot of genres including Moombahton, trap, dubstep and more. Songs from that album such as the Justin Bieber-featured “Where Are Ü Now” and “Take Ü There” are still hot on the radio. Maybe they’ll surprise us with new songs to usher in summer. (In Encore, 10 p.m., XSLasVegas.com.)

ILLUSTRATION BY RYAN OLBRYSH

FRIDAY, MAY 27

JENNIFER LO P E Z ’S M E M O R I A L D AY W E E K E N D

S U N D AY M AY 2 9

DRAI’S BEACHCLUB • NIGHTCLUB • AFTER HOURS | 1 (702) 777.3800 | 3595 LAS VEGAS BLVD SOUTH | DRAISLV.COM

N I G H T C L U B

A T

E N C O R E

6 YEAR A N N I V E R S A R Y

W E D N E S D A Y, J U N E 1

NIGHT-LITES

REMEMBERING DJ AM

PARTIES

DRAI’S BEACHCLUB The Cromwell [ UPCOMING ]

May 26–June 1, 2016

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May 27 Bassjackers spin May 28 Trey Songz performs, Brody Jenner spins May 29 Jennifer Lopez performs, MAKJ spins

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See more photos from this gallery at SPYONvegas.com

➜ Watching a documentary about a person you once knew really brings home the truth that a life’s story is multilayered, episodic and better recounted through the voices of many than through the perspective of one. So is the case with As I AM: The Life and Time$ of DJ AM, directed by Kevin Kerslake (2011’s Electric Daisy Carnival Experience) and featuring commentary by Diplo, Steve Aoki, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Paul Oakenfold, Seth Binzer, Pasquale Rotella and Jonathan Shecter, among many others.

I met the subject of this documentary, Adam Michael Goldstein, a.k.a. DJ AM, in 1997, while working for L.A. club promoter Dillon Jordan.

Goldstein was an overweight kid who loved sneakers and digging in the crates; he had a biting wit and was, at that time, the guy who spun at every cool-kid club party in Hollywood. This was years before he would have a gastric bypass, date Nicole Richie, survive a plane crash with drummer Travis Barker and launch the celebrity DJ explosion. AM was the soundtrack to my late teens. In those days before TMZ, we celebrated the hedonism of Hollywood at clubs called Garden of Eden and the Opium Den, but little did we know that the real star among us was Goldstein.

One thing that always struck me about AM was his honesty about his excesses with women, food, gambling and drugs. He was a recovering addict and would openly share the tumultuous details of his young life. This documentary brilliantly details that complexity—his stints in rehab and the characters that surrounded him, his Hollywood days and later, his ascent as one of the world’s most sought-after DJs. Homage is paid to AM’s musical talent and superb ear for hooks—he was especially gifted in mashing up songs from different musical genres.

As I AM is a gripping story of addiction, a Shakespearean tale of a man who cheated death in a fiery crash, refused to slow down and then a few months later succumbed to his own demons—dying of a drug overdose, alone in his New York City apartment—after years of helping other addicts overcome theirs. It will resonate with Las Vegans who knew DJ AM during a pivotal time in the city’s nightlife history— from his bookings at Light nightclub in 2002 through residencies at Body English, Pure, LAX and then at Palms’ Rain nightclub shortly before his death in 2009.

After making the rounds on the festival circuit, As I AM will have limited release in Los Angeles, New York and 50 other theaters across the country.

It screens June 1 at Palms Casino Resort’s Brenden Theatres, with an afterparty at Ghostbar, where DJs will spin tribute sets. A limited number of tickets for the film are available for purchase.

–Melinda Sheckells Read our interview with director Kevin Kerslake at VegasSeven.com/ DJAMDoc.

DRAI’S BEACHCLUB PHOTOS BY AMIT DADL ANEY

NIGHTLIFE

Adam Michael Goldstein’s charisma and excesses chronicled in new film

Feasts to Fight Famine Restaurant Week is a chance to help out the hungry in the Valley By Al Mancini

May 26–June 1, 2016

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VegasSeven.com

➜ “I have kids. And the first

56

place they head when they get home from school is to the refrigerator. And it is frightening for me to think that that very basic right my kids have would be a privilege for someone’s else’s children —the thought that they don’t have access to that. And when they’re saying, ‘There’s no food in the house,’ there’s [really] no food in the house.”

After nearly a decade of covering and working with Three Square food bank, every visit to their warehouses and every conversation with its reps still features a moment that kind of floors me. On a recent Monday, after a weekend of fine dining, it was that statement by the organization’s chief development officer, Michelle Beck.

Beck and I were speaking because Las Vegas Restaurant Week will celebrate its 10th year from June 6-17.

Over the years, the event has raised more than $1 million for Three Square, Southern Nevada’s largest food bank. I

wanted to discuss where that money goes. And the short answer is, it goes to combatting the frightening reality Beck described.

More than 140 restaurants will be joining that fight this year by creating special prix fixe lunch and/or dinner menus priced between $20 and $80. (The $80 option was added to allow some of the city’s more expensive restaurants to participate.) Every time someone orders one of these options, a portion of the proceeds will be given to Three Square. Restaurants can opt to donate $4, $5 or $6 for every meal sold to Three Square, which then converts every dollar into three meals for those who don’t know where their next meal is coming from.

For those of us who take our meals for granted, the need for Three Square may not be obvious. But one in six Southern Nevadans is “food insecure,” meaning they don’t have consistent access to adequate food. Among children,

that number rises to a staggering one in four. Last year, the food bank distributed 38 million pounds of food and groceries (or 31 million meals) in Southern Nevada.

They do that by joining forces with a network of 1,300 nonprofit, faith-based organizations, schools and feeding sites. They include groups such as the Salvation Army, Catholic Charities and the Las Vegas Rescue Mission.

“If we can gather the food in and source it economically, they can have food, distribute it to the people who need it and continue to do their mission without everybody in the community trying to run and source food from everywhere,” Beck says.

To reach children during the school year, Three Square assists about 27 schools with more than 5,500 children receiving supplemental weekend meals every Friday through the Backpacks for Kids program. Small enough to fit inconspicuously into a backpack and distributed

in neutral places such as the nurse’s office, they provide enough food to get a child through the weekend until their next school meal is available.

When school is out, however, those kids run the risk of being left without. Three Square’s Meet Up and Eat Up program provides free meals during the summer months at

90 sites across the Valley. Those include Boy and Girls Clubs, fire stations and libraries.

“You have kids who are winding up [at libraries] in the morning with parents picking them up there later in the afternoon,” Beck says. “So we found there were librarians who were trying to purchase pizzas a couple of times a week to help those kids out.

And we figured if we can get the food there, they will have access to it.”

While the reality of the local hunger situation is sobering, Restaurant Week is a celebration of our local bounty and a great chance to pig out for a good cause. The list of restaurants, available at HelpOutDineOutLV.org (along with their menus and contributions), is stunning. So this is a great chance to check some key spots off your culinary to-do list. And there are some great bargains to be had.

Take, for example, the notoriously pricey Hakkasan.

While it’s created an $80 menu, there’s also a $50 three-course meal that includes the restaurant’s signature dim sum and three tasty entrée options.

Whichever menu you select, the restaurant will donate $6 to the cause. So you can get dinner for two for $100 (before tax, tip and beverages) and provide 36 meals to your neighbors.

If you want something less expensive, try the Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill in Downtown Summerlin for a $20 threecourse lunch that includes a $4 (12 meals) donation.

In a town packed with some of the world’s best food, it’s unthinkable that so many people are hungry, especially kids. Thanks to Restaurant Week, we can celebrate the first fact while fighting the second. That’s the ultimate win-win for foodies.

PHOTOS BY MIKE STOTTS

DINING

Volunteers help pack lunches at Three Square.

A&E

PAGE 62

Art, television, punk rock and even more punk rock

Ever fallen in love with The Buzzcocks? You should.

By Ian Caramanzana

VegasSeven.com

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Going Steady, 40 Years On

➜ NEVER MIND THE BOLLOCKS; let’s talk the Buzzcocks. From the day these four lads first met—at the Sex Pistols’ first Manchester gig, June 4, 1976—the Buzzcocks set about transforming punk rock—and rock itself—through their slick, punchy sound and keenly ironic lyrics. These songs are perhaps best heard in Singles Going Steady, a collection of the band’s first eight singles (and their b-sides) that’s arguably the greatest collection of songs not gathered by the artists themselves. Songs such as “Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn'tve)” and “Orgasm Addict” flirt with catchy pop melodies while maintaining the blazing speeds and vigor of punk rock. ¶ It’s been four decades since that fateful gig, and the band is celebrating by performing at Punk Rock Bowling on May 29. We spoke with guitarist Steve Diggle, 61, about the Buzzcocks’ enduring legacy and that legendary Manchester show that started it all.

May 26–June 1, 2016

PHOTO BY IAN ROOK; PUNK ROCK BOWLING BY TYSON HEDER

The Buzzcocks today, from left: Steve Diggle, Danny Farrant, Pete Shelley and Chris Remington.

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A&E

The Buzzcocks celebrate their 40th anniversary as a band at Punk Rock Bowling. Did you ever think you’d make it this far?

Not at all. As a matter of fact, 40 days seemed like a fucking long time, and I’m sure Jesus felt the same way. Time rolls on, and it’s been an incredible and amazing journey. Lately, we’ve been doing shows in Italy, Australia and France. [Punk Rock Bowling] is a bigger pitch than what we’re doing now.

The thing is, our music has stayed the same over the years, but we’ve grown as people and as musicians.

The Buzzcocks are bigger and better than ever. And we’re cleaner, too.

You don’t realize it over the years, but by playing this stuff, you just get better. When the Buzzcocks first started, we were a sloppy mess. Now we’re a band of musicians who can play our older, classic songs tight, and the new ones just as great. When we first came to the States, a lot of other British bands were making their way over there, so we needed to make an impression—to kick ass. And we still do; that hasn’t changed. The attitude is still there. The only difference is that we’ve gotten older.

Why celebrate this milestone in Las Vegas?

Jesus was born in Bethlehem … why did he fucking choose that?

He could’ve been born anywhere!

[Laughs.] But really, I love Vegas.

The opportunity just came, and we agreed to do it.

60

We’ve been there about four or five times as a band, and it’s always been great. I wish we could go more. It’s home to gamblers, wastes, strays and outsiders; if you think about it, that’s kind of what punk rock is—or was, anyway. It’s also home of the tourists.

I’m not sure if they don’t like punk rock, or fucking Coldplay. We’ll see. I don’t do the machines too much, but some of the guys do.

Many years ago, I was in Venice, Italy, and a couple of days later, I was in Venice, the Venetian, in Las Vegas.

There were many things that were different between the two, but also several that were the same. That was kind of a psychedelic moment, and those kinds of things only happen in Las Vegas.

Last time I was there, we saw Elton John’s The Million Dollar Piano. After the show, Elton invited us backstage. He had a pint of beer with us, and he kept saying, “Oh, I love the Buzzcocks!” We grieved over Elvis together. That was a happy memory.

You and Pete Shelley are the only original members of the Buzzcocks left …

We’ve got a gang of members anyway.

Howard Devoto fronted the band in the early days, but the Buzzcocks have been mostly Pete and me. It took us two years to get to America. The place felt like the home of rock ’n’ roll—the Beatles and Stones explosion was

Applause addicts: Diggle and the Buzzcocks perform live at Shepherds Bush Empire.

thanks to America. Then you’ve got Little Richard and Prince, who are just so great. I hope to live there one day.

Can we expect new music with this lineup?

We did an album two years ago called The Way, and we’re excited to play a few songs from it. That’s the focus now, even though those songs are 2 years old. It’s always difficult when we make a set list, because we’ve got roughly 120 songs to choose from. We can’t put them all on the set.

I don’t anticipate we’ll put out something new anytime soon, unless we get Springsteen on it. I know The Boss, and he knows us. Last time I talked to him, he kept saying, “I know your record, Steve!” Or maybe Eddie Vedder.

He says, “You guys play really loud!

That’s fucking rock’n’ roll!.”

Tell us about that legendary gig with the Sex Pistols in Manchester in 1976. Some credit it as the “gig that changed the world” and “the day the punk era began.”

That was really amazing. Everybody came down to see the Pistols, and we ended up opening for them two years later. Howard and Pete brought them down, actually, and I met them there. At the time, London was bubbling up, and

it was sort of a Bethlehem—where punk rock was born—so everybody wanted to see for themselves. Apparently, we started the band two days before the Clash.

People kept saying, “Fuck, there’s a band from Manchester—a local—opening for these guys?” We played a 20-minute set, and I went straight to the bar after.

The press ripped the Sex Pistols, and they ripped the Buzzcocks, but the people didn’t care. We were all experiencing something new. This is what they called punk rock. We were alive again, even though it was only for a few moments. It felt like the birth of rock ’n’ roll with Elvis and Little Richard.

Who was in the audience?

A few people from Joy Division, Tony Wilson … a lot of people who would form Manchester bands. Everybody was inspired, moved, by what they were doing, and we all said, “Fuck, anybody can do this!” It wasn’t just about making a great song and being able to sing ... it was about the attitude. It was an amazing time, and there was a shift in everything ... and nobody knew it.

Bands define themselves by making good records. Every now and then, the world kind of turns—that was one of them.

What are your plans after the gig?

We’re looking to score some crystal meth and cocaine! But really, we’re looking forward to going there. We’re just gonna stay at our hotel and live our lives. After all the years of doing this, Vegas still feels new to us, so we’re gonna celebrate right but not get too crazy.

I have many memories of wild parties. The wildest party I had happened in Utah with the Mormons.

They were drinking cokes, not alcohol, because of their religion. I thought that was wrong! [Laughs.] But I love America, and I love Las Vegas, and I can’t wait to be there. God bless, especially with Donald Trump. That’s why we’re coming over there—to shake some things up.

THE BUZZCOCKS AT PUNK ROCK BOWLING & MUSIC FESTIVAL

May 29, Seventh and Stewart Streets, $45 (day pass)-$120 (weekend pass), PunkRockBowling.com.

PHOTO BY PETER STEVENS

May 26–June 1, 2016

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VegasSeven.com

But you’ve been here before, right?

How were those experiences?

COMING UP AT BROOKLYN BOWL LAS VEGAS

S A T U R D A Y,

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WED 6/15 FRI 6/17

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A&E

Unbroken, Reconnected

Face to Face leans hard into its 25th year By Lissa Townsend Rodgers

Your new record, Protection, is produced

by Bill Stevenson of the Descendents.

How did that happen?

I’ve been a fan of the Descendents forever. Some years back, we had the opportunity to be on the Warped tour with them, and I met Bill and the rest of the guys. Bill was producing records, so when the idea came up to make the ninth record I was like, “I’m gonna call Bill.”

It was a collaboration, but he also got a lot of really great ideas that neither Scott nor I would ever have thought of.

A lot of those background harmonies, some of the really cool drum parts—a lot of those were Bill. It was great to work with someone who has written a bunch of my favorite punk rock songs.

To have his sensibility kind of plugged into the songs that we wrote made for a really strong album.

Aside from the Descendents, what other bands have impressed you? Which bands inspired you to make music?

I grew up surrounded by music, because my dad is a musician. When I was a kid, every weekend I’d wake up and see the guitar case in the living room from the night before. He’d play clubs on the weekends while he worked a job.

I started taking an interest in music when I was 13 or 14; I messed around in garage bands. But I was a late bloomer to punk rock. Where I grew up in the ’80s—Victorville, in the high desert— there wasn’t a huge punk rock influence; the culture was more geared toward metal. There were maybe six kids in my high school that were into punk rock. When I was 19, I started listening to some of the bands that became my favorite bands like the Descendents, Bad Religion. I found a connection in punk rock that I hadn’t discovered elsewhere, and I never went back.

Danny Thompson, Trever Keith, Scott Shiflett and Dennis Hill of Face to Face. Below: The band in action.

May 26–June 1, 2016

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VegasSeven.com

Are you looking forward to playing at Punk Rock Bowling?

62

We played it for the first time in 2014, with the Descendents and the Adicts and a bunch of other bands I can’t remember. It was kind of trippy because there were a lot of grizzled, older punk rockers there, like me. Hanging around at the pool were tattoos, beer bellies and Pabst Blue Ribbon as far as the eye could see.

It’s really a mini-takeover of Downtown. There’s nothing else like it. I’ve played a bunch of other festivals in the States and in Europe, but Punk Rock Bowling has its own vibe.

Do you prefer playing festivals, or just doing regular tour dates?

➜

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IS A LONG

time, but in punk rock years, it’s the equivalent of a few centuries. As one of the stalwarts and now one of the survivors of the 1990s Southern California punk scene, Face to Face is staring down that silver anniversary this year. They’re celebrating with their ninth album, Protection

(returning to the Fat Wreck Chords label, which released some of the band's early discs), as well as hitting Punk Rock Bowling, where they’ll be playing their self-titled 1996 album in its entirety. Vegas Seven talked to founder, singer and guitarist Trever Keith about old punks, new records and taking over Downtown.

Lately, festivals have just been part of the deal with bands. A lot of times it’s easier for a band, both financially and logistically—if you’re going to another country, in particular—to be on a festival, rather than to book a club tour. Club tours are great, because you get to be up close and personal with the bands; you’re right there in the moment. Festivals are good because they have a life of their own.

What’s it like playing punk rock after all of these years? Do you still see other bands from back in the day?

Now we’re all old, middle-aged or rapidly approaching middle age and there’s still a pretty vibrant punk rock scene. If there wasn’t a sense of community in the ’90s, there is definitely one now. There was more competition in the ’90s—who’s punk and who’s a sellout, who’s got the right ticket price, who’s charging the right price for shirts. That stuff has sort of gone by the wayside and among the bands that are the survivors, the bands that are still doing it, there’s almost this unspoken sense of community because we still exist, even if once we might have been rivals, or perceived as rivals. It’s all just water under the bridge.

FACE TO FACE

May 30, Seventh Street and Stewart Avenue, $45 (day pass)-$120 (weekend pass), PunkRockBowling.com.

THE MOST FABULOUS THING

CASTLES, COENS AND COMPILATION Your nerdy showgirl has a bit of catching up to do

By Charlie Starling ➜ It feels like an age since last

we communicated. In that time, I packed my glittery suitcases, my glittery self and my glittery burlesque housemate, “quirky cutie” Kitschy Koo, and flew off for what was supposed to be eight days of friends-and-familypeppered goodness in the U.K. I did get all of those things, so that’s nice, but I also got stuck there for an extra week, which was ... stressful. And upon my return, I got sick, was held in an immigration interrogation room for two hours for no reason and then spent another two days fighting over the phone with my U.K. bank. In that time, I saw Captain America: Civil War, and it sucked. (Maybe that’s a little strong.

I’ll see it again and get back to you.)

So, yeah. What I’d really like to do is sit here and whine all about how the last month of my life has been like that Chinese drive-thru in Dude, Where’s My Car?—a veritable “And then? And then? And then?” of pure bullshit—but that’s not fabulous, and I might be the only one who appreciates Seann William Scott references from the early “aughts.” So, instead, let’s talk about castles and Fargo and lesser-known stringed instruments.

CASTLES I grew up in Northumberland, in the North of England. Think Winterfell from Game of Thrones, but with more traffic circles and middle schools. Our coastline, from Newcastle all the way up to Edinburgh, is dotted with outcrops of gray stone.

Castles everywhere, proper fairytale fodder. My family and I took a road trip up the coast so that I could show my American lady-friend first Bamburgh, where folk/punk singer Frank Turner filmed his music video for “If I Ever Stray,” and then Alnwick Castle, which stood for Hogwarts in the first two Harry Potter films. Much fun was had, fish and chips were eaten and broomsticks were flown.

Here’s a party I was massively late to, but on whose tables I will now dance for your pleasure. I’m not quite finished with the second season of Noah Hawley’s television adaptation of the Coen brothers’ classic film, but I can say with certainty that the Minnesota accents are the best; Martin Freeman has done his best work FARGO

since The Office; I still have a huge crush on Billy Bob Thornton; Patrick Wilson does some excellent acting without his Night Owl mask; Kirsten Dunst makes a hilariously believable crazy person; and Ted Danson has officially become Santa Claus now.

This show is a magnificent, phenomenally entertaining ensemble piece that spurred two separate train passengers to tap me on the shoulder to ask what I was watching. (This is a big deal, you guys. British people don’t talk to each other on trains.) Both seasons are available to stream on Hulu or FX Now, or to buy on iTunes.

LESSER-KNOWN STRINGED INSTRUMENTS Nonfollowers of my

Instagram and YouTube channels (Go now! I’m @charliestarling) may not be aware of this, but I recently took a drunken trip to Guitar Center in hopes of bettering myself musically. I bought a ukulele, and I urge you to do the same. I don’t think I’ve ever taken this much joy from a $40 purchase.

Currently, I’m playing for at least five hours a day. It is extremely satisfying.

This new passion led three of my dearest friends to procure for me a banjolele for my birthday. That is exactly what it sounds like—a four stringed, ukelele-sized banjo. Now if you don’t mind, I’m going to get back to learning folk songs, punk songs and showtunes on it. And if you’re wondering whether I have learned anything from Hamilton yet... Yes. Yes, I fucking have.

See Charlie Starling in Absinthe, twice nightly in the Spiegeltent at Caesars Palace, 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Wed.-Sun. Visit AbsintheVegas.com for tickets. Follow her on Twitter: @charlistarling.

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SEVEN QUESTIONS

know: What’s up with Rush Hour 4 and Last Friday?

It’s totally up to the studios to make those calls because they own the movies. … The studio did say they want to film Rush Hour 4, so we’ll see what happens with that. As far as Friday, I haven’t heard anything from anybody about that, just the rumors.

Would you be open to reprising the role of Smokey?

You’ve been reluctant in the past and were absent from the previous sequels.

I don’t know. I’d have to look at the script and weigh it. I know my fans loved the character and movie. I’ll definitely look at it because my fans love it, but I have to see if it comes together first, then I’ll make the decision.

May 26–June 1, 2016

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VegasSeven.com

Chris Tucker

74

The Rush Hour star on honoring the troops, sequel rumors and a surreal night in Las Vegas with Prince and Michael Jackson By Zoneil Maharaj It was recently revealed that Prince was originally cast to play Ruby Rhod in The Fifth Element. Did you know that when you landed the role?

I didn’t know it when I landed it, but I found out later. I bumped into [Prince] one day, and he told me all about it. Man, I was happy he didn’t take it because I enjoyed doing it. … He definitely was a big inspiration with his energy and flamboyance.

You attended Prince’s concert at the Rio here in 2006—and sat with Michael Jackson. Will.i.am, who was also there, was on Ellen recently and claimed Prince walked right up

to Michael Jackson and played the bass in his face to taunt him. Is that how it really went down?

[Laughs] It did go down sorta like that. It was amazing. I was there with the king watching the prince.

I’m sitting with Michael, and I kept looking at Michael and looking at [Prince]. I’m wondering, is he going to say something? Is he going to respond? And Michael was like [impersonating Michael and clapping], “Very good, very good.” He was excited and happy for Prince. It was a surreal moment, man.

I know you get asked this all of the time, but we need to

now. I’ll never stop doing it again. Even when I’m doing movies, I’ll continue to do stand-up. … Stand-up is just me, man. It’s who I am. It got me to the movies. It’s challenging for me, and I have a great desire to keep doing it. It keeps me digging deep for stuff to talk about—what’s going on in my life now, how my life [has] changed, how I was raised. People learn a lot about you in stand-up and who you are and what type of person you are, and I want people to know who I am.

What’s next for you?

I’m developing a lot of stuff and getting ready to jump into a new movie. But I did a movie last year that’s coming out in November on Veterans Day called Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk.

Friday is 21 years old.

It’s about a young group of That was your breakout role. guys who just came back Did you have any inkling then from the war in Iraq for a that it would celebration be a career[during a defining football] CHRIS TUCKER moment? halftime May 28, 8 p.m.

No. You just show. … It’s at The Pearl don’t know, a dramatic at Palms, $46-$92, man. It was role. When 702-944-3200, considered a the direcPalms.com/ low-budget tor, Ang Lee, Pearl-Theater. movie in came to me, that day and I wanted to this day. We do it because did it in 20 I’ve bumped days. Most of it was on a into a lot of the guys who street. The budget was $2 came back from war in airmillion. At the beginning ports while touring all over it wasn’t even [backed by] the country. I wanted to do a studio; Priority Records this movie to honor them, was financing it, and New because I really appreciate Line [Cinema] picked it what they’ve been doing up in the middle of shootfor the country and for me. ing. I just knew it was an opportunity for me. I was Is it difficult to be taken doing stand-up comedy as a serious actor? constantly and I knew that You have to do something it was time for me to get a to prove you can do it. I movie role. ... I took it redid Silver Linings Playbook a ally serious because it was few years ago with David my first co-starring role. I O. Russell, another great wanted to make sure I was director, and I had a great prepared for it. I didn’t time doing it. I did Dead know where it would take Presidents back in ’95 or me, but I knew it would something and that was a take me to my next job. serious role. I knew that I could do both. Now I’m just It seems like you’ve been doing stuff that I love and pushing your stand-up more showing a different side of lately. Your first-ever standme. People know I can do up special, Chris Tucker: comedy. I’m still gonna do Live (on Netflix), only came it—that’s my first love—but out last year.

I’m going to do some draI’ve been touring for years matic stuff, too. but of course, when I first started in movies, the Do you still not let people movies kinda took over. touch your radio?

I’ve been back on the road Never, man! Don’t touch doing stand-up for years my radio!