Life Is Beautiful 2015 | Vegas Seven Magazine | Sept. 24-30, 2015 by Vegas Seven

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14 | THE LATEST

“Out of Juice,” by Nicole Ely. Revisiting Simpson’s Las Vegas ties 20 years after the murder acquittal.

18 | Green Felt Journal

“Gaming Hall’s Class of ’15” by David G. Schwartz. Hall of Fame inductees’ diverse backgrounds show Gaming Association’s forward thinking.

20 | Style

“About Face,” by Melinda Sheckells. Hair and makeup experts draw inspiration from Life Is Beautiful street artists to put a fine-art twist on the whimsical pastime of face painting.

22 | LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL 2015

Itineraries for hip-hop heads, retro romantics, punk/indie snobs, EDM fans, TED talk junkies and others for the Downtown event. Plus, a collection of Duran Duran memorabilia and a look at Life Is Beautiful alternatives.

29 | NIGHTLIFE

“Yin and Yang,” by Ian Caramanzana. Giraffage’s nostalgia-infused electronic pop has taken him from bedroom to festival stage. Plus, a Q&A with What So Not and photos from the week’s hottest parties.

53 | DINING

“Local Love,” by Genevie Durano. At Life Is Beautiful, music is not the only thing taking center stage. Plus, a look at the logistics of feeding festival patrons, Dishing With Grace, Cocktail Culture and the debut of On the Shelf.

59 | A&E

“The Walls Have Eyes,” by Geoff Carter, with Cindi Reed. Street artist 1010 adds his work to Downtown’s most visited gallery. Plus, visiting the Mirror world of Jacqueline Ehlis, George Strait signs on to open new arena, Hit List and Tour Buzz.

66 | Movies

Black Mass and our weekly movie capsules.

80 | Seven Questions

Wirtz Beverage Group CEO and President Danny Wirtz on Life Is Beautiful, his summer with Ministry and Vegas’ NHL prospects.

Dialogue Seven Days The Deal Seven Nights

| | | |

ON THE COVER Life Is Beautiful returns Downtown for its third year.

Illustration by Bicicleta Sem Freio

September 24–30, 2015

PHOTO BY MARYANN STANSFIELD

12 14 18 34

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Nicole Ely Genevie Durano SENIOR EDITORS Paul Szydelko, Xania Woodman SENIOR EDITOR, A&E Geoff Carter ASSOCIATE EDITOR Camille Cannon SENIOR WRITER Lissa Townsend Rodgers CALENDAR COORDINATOR Ian Caramanzana EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

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PUBLISHED IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE OBSERVER MEDIA GROUP Vegas Seven, 302 East Carson Avenue, Las Vegas, NV 89101 Vegas Seven is distributed each Thursday throughout Southern Nevada c 2015 Vegas Seven, LLC. Reproduction in whole or in part without the permission of Vegas Seven, LLC is prohibited.

DIALOGUE

Reader Comments

They are really trying to make Downtown happen (“Downtown Is Getting Real (World), published online Sept. 15). What a strange location. It’s not like downtown Seattle, Los Angeles, etc. There isn’t really enough Downtown yet, is there? – Samantha Danielle on Facebook (DTLV) Maybe now DTLV will get the attention it deserves. – Cara Luttrell Abrahams on Facebook

DOWNTOWN ALLEYS

If you’re going to do something like make the alleys beautiful (“Making Alleys Beautiful, Sept. 10), you have to give credit to the people who’ve been doing that for years. ... RAS1 has brought artists from around the world here. … Show some respect to the people who really care for Downtown. – Angelo Agee on Facebook (DTLV) Waste. Unless you have a business in the alley or are delivering to one. ... Keep out of the alleys. Next problem? – Wink Miller on Facebook REAL WORLD RUMORS

Well, DTLV has now jumped the shark. – Deanna Rilling on Facebook

I am truly shocked to learn that show is still in production. – Katharine Saavedra on Facebook (DTLV) BILL NYE

I love Bill (“Seven Questions With Bill Nye,” Sept. 17), but there are some of us who know the odds, yet we spend a little in gambling as entertainment. Those who are chasing the paycheck are the ones he is talking about. – Craig Thornton on Facebook Your money is your money. Spend it on whatever makes you happy. If burning it makes you happy, then do it. At the end of the day, we work so we have money to spend on what we please. No one can tell you what makes you happy or how you should spend it. – Kelly William Mercer on Facebook

Our Sites to See CHOW DOWN

The much anticipated followup restaurant by Eat chef/ owner Natalie Young just opened next to the Writer’s Block and will be dishing out American Chinese and classic Southern-style grub during Life Is Beautiful this weekend. Find out what she’ll be serving at the walkup window at DTLV.com/ ChowOpens.

STRAIT TO THE POINT

George Strait is the most decorated man in country music, earning the undisputed title “The King of Country.” From his beginnings playing the Frontier to staying in the Elvis suite, he has a long-standing relationship with Las Vegas. Editor Melinda Sheckells sits down with the man to get the scoop on his four dates at the new Las Vegas Arena starting in April. VegasSeven.com/GeorgeStrait.

FACEBOOK: /VegasSeven TWITTER: /7Vegas INSTAGRAM: /VegasSeven

DOWNTOWN ALLEY BY KRYSTAL RAMIREZ

FLIGHTS OF FANCY

There was a figurative and literal buzz at the Rio recently when thousands of drone pilots fired up the rotors at the first InterDrone convention. Senior writer Mike Grimala went inside the event to get the story on the automated aviators. Watch the video at VegasSeven.com/InterDrone.

THE LATEST News, essays, deals and the bars to watch your NFL favorites

As the gaming industry changes, those who receive its highest honor reflect both the industry’s past and its future. GREEN FELT JOURNAL

PAGE 18

★ A CURATED GUIDE TO THIS WEEK IN YOUR CITY ★ By Bob Whitby

Th SEPTEMBER 24

You’d look so good in a 1974 Pontiac Trans Am. For that matter, you’d look good in any of the hundreds of fine vehicles going on the block at the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction, today through Saturday at Mandalay Bay. Even if the prices are above your pay grade, the gawking is affordable. Barrett-Jackson.com.

SEPTEMBER 25 While we’re on the subject of cars, Henderson’s Super Run Classic Car Show is this weekend, and it’s a four-wheel blowout. More than 1,000 classic cars, hot rods, trucks and motorcycles will converge on Water Street Thursday through Sunday. Add in music, food and vendors, and you’ve got yourself one of the best cars shows all year. CityofHenderson.com.

Out of Juice

Revisiting Simpson’s Las Vegas ties 20 years afer the murder acquittal

September 24–30, 2015

VegasSeven.com

By Nicole Ely

A BLACK MAN IN A BEJEWELED white jumpsuit stands on the pedestrian bridge linking the Tropicana to MGM Grand. He strums a guitar, firts with lady passersby and earns $1 for his performance. Although Las Vegas is no stranger to Elvis impersonators, this one is not the average street performer who hit the block after purchasing a bottle of hair gel. This one is O.J. Simpson. The scene is from a bizarre candid camera show called Juiced, in which Simpson pranks unsuspecting victims. It was flmed in Los Angeles and Las Vegas and premiered as a pay-per-view special in 2006, a little more than a decade after the former NFL star and actor was acquitted of the murders of his ex-wife Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman. Most traces of the one-off vanished until recently, when it was re-released on DVD. This American Life did a segment about the show in August. So many moments in Juiced are cringeworthy: Simpson dresses as a homeless man washing the windshields of people at a drive-thru window. He stands on a street corner selling oranges. He pretends to be the suitor of an unfaithful wife as the clueless husband attempts to confront her. The worst is when he poses as a Las Vegas car salesman, attempting to sell a white Ford Bronco to potential buyers, praising it for its “escapabilty.” After the murder trial, whose verdict was handed down 20 years ago this week, Simpson faced a barrage of negative press that lasted years. In 2001, there were rumors that he was involved with mon-

ey laundering and a drug-traffcking ring, and he faced battery charges in a road rage incident. Perhaps Juiced was an attempt to rehabilitate his image, and, if you subtract all the awkward and insensitive moments, it was one of the few semipositive media appearances he made after the trial. But the show was a brief pause in the Heisman Trophy winner’s downward trajectory. In September 2007, Simpson and a group of men were suspected of robbing sports memorabilia collector Bruce Fromong at gunpoint while Fromong was staying at Palace Station. At the time of his arrest, Simpson denied the charges, saying he was only trying to retrieve items that were rightfully his. During the media circus that ensued, he told the Los Angeles Times, “I thought what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.” Eventually he was found guilty on 12 charges of robbery, kidnapping and use of a deadly weapon, and currently sits in Lovelock Correctional Center until 2017, when he’s eligible for parole. Considering everything that followed Juiced, one sequence stands out, a poignant moment in a life flled with missteps—it’s series of scenes that punctuate each prank in which topless women strip for Simpson and his male companion. An uptempo beat pulses in the background at frst, as Simpson gasps when the women bend themselves in the typical positions. But by the end, the music becomes slow and somber, almost sad. Maybe some things really should stay in Vegas, or in the forgotten archives of pay-per-view specials.

Sa SEPTEMBER 26

Looking for a philanthropic way to spend your Saturday? Check out Clean the World, an effort to build hygiene kits for people in need locally and globally. These are the same folks famous for recycling soap at Las Vegas Sands properties, and now they trying to put together 200,000 kits in one day. Noon to 6 p.m., sign up for a two-hour volunteer shift at VegasCTW2015.EventBrite.com.

Su SEPTEMBER 27

There’s a new park opening in town, and that’s always cause for celebration. Huckleberry Park (no, really), 10325 Farm Rd. in the Providence development, features basketball courts, a stage area, dog parks and other amenities. The party celebrating its opening (with free ice cream) is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. ProvidenceLV.com.

M SEPTEMBER 28

UNLV’s Nevada Institute for Children’s Research and Policy throws an annual party celebrating Children’s Day called Step Up for Kids, and it’s happening today at Springs Preserve, 3-7 p.m. Free food, entertainment, a petting zoo, a raffle and games are all on the agenda. UNLV.edu.

Tu SEPTEMBER 29

Modern tattoo art takes a lot of influence from maritime imagery. But what happens when tattoo artists are landlocked in the Mojave Desert? Hot, Dry & Inked, an art exhibit on display through Jan. 10 at Springs Preserve, explores that question through the work of Las Vegas area tattoo artists. What inspires them? Does it inspire you? SpringsPreserve.org.

W SEPTEMBER 30

For a guy who died 400 years ago, Shakespeare has quite a lot to say about modern times. For example, Beatrice, the beloved heroine in Much Ado About Nothing, is quite the feminist and a role model for modern women. UNLV theater professor Lezlie Cross discusses her influence at 7:30 p.m. in UNLV’s Barrick Museum. UNLV.edu. Have an event you want considered for Seven Days? Email VegasSevenDays@Gmail.com.

THE LATEST VegasSeven.com

| September 24–30, 2015

Gaming Hall’s Class of ’15

Inductees’ diverse backgrounds show Gaming Association’s forward thinking THE AMERICAN GAMING ASSOCIATION

recently announced three new inductees entering the Gaming Hall of Fame this fall: bookmaking pioneer Victor Salerno, tribal gaming advocate Lynn Valbuena and longtime industry executive Larry Woolf. Let’s get to know the class of 2015. The most traditional of the three, Woolf has been a leader in the gaming industry for more than four decades. His highestprofle in-house position may be his role as president of MGM Grand during that property’s construction and opening. Before that, he served as president of Caesars Tahoe and the Desert Inn, and hired and trained the team that opened Caesars Boardwalk Regency in Atlantic City. He thus had major roles in opening both a property that helped defne the megaresort era on the Strip and getting casino gaming in Atlantic City off to a start. Since 1995, he has helmed the Navegante group, which has consulted with and run properties in many jurisdictions. Salerno segued from a career in dentistry to a long and innovative career in bookmaking after moving to Las Vegas in 1978 to run Leroy’s Horse and Sports Place. He has long championed the use of technology in sports wagering; he was among the frst in the business to embrace computerized bet taking, telephone account wagering, betting kiosks and apps. In 2012, British bookmaker William Hill acquired Leroy’s. Since then, Salerno has been chairman of the board of the company’s United States operations. Valbuena serves as chairwoman of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians in California and has long held leadership positions at the tribal, state and national levels. As the chairwoman of the Tribal Alliance of Sovereign Indian Nations for two decades, she provided steady leadership as tribes have seen challenges brought on by the dramatic growth of the tribal gaming industry nationwide. While Woolf, Salerno and Valbuena have careers in common, they have contributed to very different sectors of the gaming industry: sports wagering (a small moneymaker that is largely restricted to Nevada in the United States presently), tribal gaming and traditional casino management. A few years ago, the American Gaming Association probably wouldn’t have celebrated anyone involved from

Lynn Valbuena, Victor Salerno and Larry Woolf.

the frst two groups. But as the way people gamble has changed, the organization has adapted, broadening its membership base. The political and regulatory underpinnings of tribal gaming are very different from those of commercial gaming, but in the end what the customer gets—gambling and entertainment in a casino—is similar. While the groups may not see eye to eye on all of the issues facing casinos in the United States today, they have much more in common than not. Valbuena’s induction comes a year after that of fellow tribal gaming pioneer Ernest L. Stevens Jr., which marked the growing rapprochement between the tribal and commercial arms of the gaming industry. Similarly, sports wagering was for years almost an afterthought in the casino industry. It wasn’t part of the domestic expansion of gaming throughout the United States, and in Nevada made up about only 1 percent of total gaming win. Yet,

TEAM MEETINGS

as the recent explosion of daily fantasy sports (and a walk through any Las Vegas casino during March Madness) shows, sports engages the excitement of the general public in a way that slots and table games, for the most part, do not. Thanks to the kinds of technological advances that Salerno has championed, sports betting has evolved to keep current with the latest technology. The rest of the industry will need a similar adjustment to keep pace with changing consumer tastes. Salerno’s induction is indicative of the new respect—and high hopes—that the industry places on sports wagering. Woolf’s long career spans both traditional casino operations and the newer world of gaming consulting. As the number of jurisdictions and companies involved in gaming has expanded, those like Woolf—who can draw on decades of experience— fll a valuable role in advising and assisting those new to the business. Taken as a whole, this induction class points to an organization that is recognizing talents and accomplishments in more diverse and wide-ranging felds than it has before. As the gaming industry changes, those who receive its highest honor refect both the industry’s past and its future.

There are plenty of good places to watch football in town, but nothing matches the intensity of watching in a “team bar.” Several bars follow a specific NFL team, attracting crowds of former residents of, or current visitors from, their chosen team’s city. The combination of fans rooting for the same side and everyone originating from the same place usually makes for a super-charged atmosphere. These are often the best venues for viewing (when that bar’s team is playing), even if you aren’t from that city. I checked out Crowbar for the Lions, Jackson’s for the Packers and Moon Doggies for the Bills games last Sunday, and all were jammed to the rafters (the downside is finding parking). Every year the Las Vegas Review-Journal publishes its own list, but it’s too restrictive in its qualifying requirements, resulting in several legitimate team bars being left off. The list here has many more options, 73 in all, that cover 19 of the 32 NFL teams (you can find their locations easily online). 49ers: Hi Score Bar & Arcade, Inn Zone (S. Nellis), Lucky’s Lounge (S. Jones), Timbers (W. Azure), Tommy Rocker’s. Bears: A Slice of Chicago, Brando’s, E-String, Inn Zone (two: St. Rose Pkwy., S. Rainbow), La Piazza, Rosati’s (N. Rainbow), Shucks (N. Durango), Timbers (W. Cheyenne); Windy City Beefs N Pizza. Bills: Anchor Bar, Johnny Mac’s, Moon Doggies, Stake Out, Time-Out Sports. Broncos: Balboa Pizza, Black Mountain Grill, Four-Mile Bar, Jake’s Bar, Road Runner (N. Buffalo). Browns: Annie’s Gourmet Italian, Boulevard Bar & Grill, Giuseppe’s, Kopper Keg West, Tap House, Sauce Italian American Bistro. Chargers: Shooters, Surf City, Timbers (N. Gibson). Chiefs: Blue Diamond Saloon. Cowboys: Mr. D’s, Red Label, Bottom’s Up Sports Bar. Dolphins: BJ’s (E. Tropicana). Eagles: Madison Avenue. Giants: Dealers Choice, Johnny Fontane’s, Torrey Pines Pub. Lions: Crowbar (W. Flamingo), Cheers Bar. Packers: Big Dog’s Draft House, Jackson’s, Rum Runner (three: Boulder Hwy., E. Tropicana, E. Desert Inn), Tenaya Lodge, Timbers (E. Lake Mead), Chilly Palmers. Raiders: Crowbar (S. Rainbow), Legends, Lucy’s, Shifty’s. Ravens: Crab Corner (two: S. Eastern, S. Rainbow). Redskins: Crown & Anchor (E. Tropicana), Steiner’s Pub (N. Buffalo). Seahawks: Crown & Anchor (Spring Mountain), Old School Brewing Co., Scooter’s, Timbers (W. Horizon Ridge). Steelers: Adreneline Sports Bar, Bob Taylor’s, Noreen’s, Timbers (two: Novat and N. Durango). Vikings: Bailey’s, Blue Ox Central, Blue Ox Tavern. The Bears lead the way with 10 bar followers (really, they’re 0-2 this year), followed by the Packers with 8. There are 13 teams without a team bar: Bengals, Buccaneers, Cardinals, Colts, Falcons, Jaguars, Jets, Panthers, Patriots, Rams, Saints, Texans and Titans. No Patriots bar? Now there’s an opportunity.

David G. Schwartz is the director of UNLV’s Center for Gaming Research.

Anthony Curtis is the publisher of the Las Vegas Advisor and LasVegasAdvisor.com.

THE LATEST

STYLE

About Face

●

A team of hair and makeup experts drew inspiration from four of the street artists represented at the Life Is Beautiful festival. The result: a fne-art twist on the whimsical pastime of face painting. By Melinda Sheckells ●

September 24–30, 2015

VegasSeven.com

●

street artist Bordalo II uses trash, recycled junk and found objects to create 3-D installations. “[Bordalo] has a notable raccoon mural that we re-created using recycled trash from a makeup artist’s bin. You’ll see powder puffs, mascara wands, glitter and rhinestones, even lace to create our version,” makeup artist Jasmine Ringo says. See the mural: Ninth Street and Fremont Street. ● Portuguese

artist Pixel Pancho specializes in large-scale works often depicting androids juxtaposed with an ancient, dusty hue. “Pixel Pancho is heavily influenced by robots. [We translated his style] with a little touch and used the pattern that shows up quite frequently in the work, which is that yellow and black texture,” Ringo says. See the mural: Seventh Sreet and Fremont Street, on El Cortez’s parking structure. ● Italian

artist Ruben Sanchez is known for geometric graffiti inspired by cubism and ’80s music. “Sanchez does beautiful color blocking that lends itself well to face painting. He has some cool pieces that come together to make faces within his murals, so we stuck with his forms and shapes,” Ringo says. See the mural: On the exterior wall of Inspire Theater, facing Las Vegas Boulevard. ● Spanish

Rican artist Bikismo paints realistic, large-scale works and most recently has achieved notoriety for his series of metallics. “The goal was to represent Bikismo’s chrome texture in beauty form. We could have taken this in so many ways, but we settled for the most straightforward approach—body painting with dripping chrome down the model’s face,” Ringo says. See the mural: On the Emergency Arts building, facing Fremont Street. ● Puerto

PHOTOGRAPHY Anthony Mair. PRODUCED BY One Luv Agency, OneLuvAgency.com. KEY MAKEUP ARTIST Jasmine Ringo. MAKEUP Natasha Chamberlin, Aimee Caballero Using MAC Cosmetics (One Luv Agency). HAIR Kimberly Layman (One Luv Agency). MODELS Nina Black (Bordalo II). Liberty (Pixel Pancho). Olesa (Ruben Sanchez). Cory (Bikismo). BEST Agency.

●

HOW TO EXPERIENCE

LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL 2015

ITINERARIES

For The Hip-Hop Head ➜ When it comes to hip-hop at Life Is Beautiful, Kendrick Lamar reigns supreme. But he’s not the only rap act who should be on your radar. When the nasally, rambunctious Chance the Rapper hits the stage, he’ll likely bring his band, the Social Experiment. Expect a range of music that spans from spoken-wordy raps to gospel-inspired sing-alongs, all led via Chano’s intricate, animated fow.

WENDOH Media) is three solid days of cuisine, art, learning and music, and we want to help you experience it in full. Here are some suggestions, neatly tailored to the way you’re living.

For The Punk/Indie Snob ➜ Begin Day 1 by taking in a frst leisurely breath of fresh festival air. Just kidding! Sleep in, because there isn’t much going on today. Grab lunch and catch Dan Deacon. He’s big on crowd participation, so you might just be able to whip and nae nae on stage with him. You’ve heard enough AWOLNATION on the radio, so next, see North Las Vegas’ own Shamir sing and dance his ass off at his homecoming gig. And you should cap off with violinist Lindsey Stirling, because her beautiful melodies, hard beats and pixieish demeanor basically make her America’s next sweetheart. Life Is Beautiful is one of the few festivals, if not the only one, to have both Canadian jazz trio BADBADNOTGOOD and Ghostface Killah onstage together. Their collaborative album, Sour Soul, went down like honey thanks to Ghost’s imaginative rhymes and BBNG’s authentic nod to ’60s and ’70s soul. Dress like a boy, talk like a girl/ I am a individual, I live in my own world, Leikeli47 asserts on “Miss America.” The Diplo and Jay Z-endorsed emcee always wears a ski mask and baggy clothes, concealing her body to let her confdent rhymes and aggressive sound grab your attention. A strong set here could propel the Brooklynbased mystery woman out of 8-pointsize font. SZA is not a rapper, but she is the only vocalist signed to Top Dawg Entertainment (the same record label as Ab-Soul and Kendrick

On Saturday, chug yourself a Red Bull and head Downtown early because local punk rockers Mercy Music open the fest (Yeah, that’s right, a punk band is playing this festival. You didn’t know?). Giraffage (see page 29) is the only DJ you should be seeing all

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➜ Chef Hubert Keller may have been trained in traditional French kitchens, but his cuisine has taken those fundamentals and made them modern. It’s allowed him to not only play with the staples of France, but with small plates from Japan and Italy, and even oldfashioned burgers. Head from Fleur’s stand to fnd one of Andrew Pollard’s cocktails; they’ll likely be the ones with well-worn names, but newer ingredients and taste profles (Pollard created the updated classics at Vesper Bar at the Cosmopolitan). End your early Friday tour by taking in Andra Day’s set. The R&B singer's cover of Nina Simone’s “Mississippi Goddam” earlier this year earned her comparsions to Simone, Billie Holiday and even Ms. Lauryn Hill. –Robert Spuhler

➜ Welcome to the party. Life Is Beautiful (which

For The Retro Romantic

September 24–30, 2015

LIB CROWD BY TONY TRAN; RUN THE JEWELS BY MICHAEL SCHMELLING; MERCY MUSIC COURTESY REVERBNATION

Craving a brutal aural assault instead? Try Run the Jewels. The incredible tag team of El-P and Killer Mike have been on a warpath, with their abrasive albums and live shows garnering high praise. They brought out Zack de la Rocha and Travis Barker at FYF in August, and recently hit the studio with Nas—our fngers are crossed.

Lamar). The 24-year-old emanates a rasp warm and spicy as apple cider, poured over tripped-up drums and hazy production. Plus, she’s written lyrics for Nicki Minaj and Beyoncé. –Zoneil Maharaj and Camille Cannon

LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL 2015 weekend; he makes tasteful remixes of classic ’90s throwbacks without the awful dubstep wobbles. Since you’re staying away from the Troubadour stage, catch dance-y music created by people who actually play instruments by seeing synthpop powerhouses Clean Bandit and Metric. End your second day with Baltimore’s synthpop quartet Future Islands, because you probably have yet to rid your brain of the catchy keyboard intro from “Seasons (Waiting on You).” Finally, Sunday brings the grand fnale! Well, not really, but there are still a handful of winners. Look beyond the big-name DJs and you’ll fnd that girls rule Day 3. Head in late and check out the pop tunes of Ryn Weaver. After, you’ll have to choose between the sun-soaked tunes of Best Coast or the electro pop of Halsey. Get a doubledose of nostalgia via back-to-back sets from Weezer and Death Cab for Cutie, then end the weekend with Kendrick Lamar. Yawk, yawk, yawk, yawk! –Ian Caramanzana

For The EDM Fan ➜ This year, the Life Is Beautiful squad has teamed up with Insomniac to bring in more DJs. There’s now a dedicated stage where the majority of our favorite party-throwers will be showcasing their music and mixing skill.

The two big EDM acts playing outside of the Insomniac umbrella, Major Lazer and Kygo, appear on the Ambassador stage. Major Lazer is given Friday’s headlining spot on that stage, and rightfully so, because their dancehall-driven ragers have developed a reputation for pleasing partyhungry crowds. Norwegian Kygo has pioneered a rather interesting tropical house subgenre, and his panfute loops will help to bring the fest to an exciting close on Sunday. –Kat Boehrer

For The Visually Oriented ➜ We’re all afutter over the 11th-hour addition of Banksy to the 2015 lineup, even though his (or her) level of participation in the festival is a big fat unknown to us at press time. But even if you take Banksy out of the equation, the arts lineup of Life Is Beautiful still adds up.

| September 24–30, 2015

Kendrick Lamar's headlining set should be on everyone's list.

Porter Robinson kicks it live for a change.

It’ll be easy for you to check out the fun street art of D*Face, Bikismo, 1010 and others (see “The Walls Have

Eyes,” page 59); it’s plastered all over the buildings you’ll need to walk past to get to the stages. And you’ll easily spot the sexy and deranged cast of Absinthe, lurking about in front of Container Park. But the Art Motel is a commitment, and it’s one you should make, because this converted motel represents the Las Vegas art scene in miniature. Here you’ll fnd solo exhibitions by Juan Muniz, Anthony Bondi, 3 Baaad Sheep and many more, alongside curated exhibitions from Sin City Gallery, Lil’ Art Bodega and other local gallerists. Nearly every medium will be represented at Art Motel, from acrylics to robotics. It’s a must-see. It’s diffcult to say too much more about the visual arts program, because I haven’t really seen many of the works yet. I’ll discover most of these pieces at the same time you do. However, I can and will make a conjecture about Banksy’s contribution: It is either that goddamned Slotzilla— sitting right in front of us this whole time!—or it’s The Fat Jew pretending to be Banksy. –Geoff Carter

For The Worldly ➜ Traveling around the world is almost as easy at Life Is Beautiful as it is at Epcot Center. For food, maybe start in the Caribbean with the animal-free Strictly Vegan Jamaican cuisine, before heading to Mexico for one of the drinks from tequila ambassador Jaime Salas. The Brazilian infuence on Thievery Corporation has always been obvious, but maybe never more so than now; the Washington, D.C.-based downtempo duo recently released a bossa nova-inspired album Saudade. If you miss that set, check out a post-festival DJ set by the group's Rob Garza at Commonwealth, 1 a.m. Friday. –RS

For The TED Talk Junkie ➜ Bill Nye is making a solid comeback. Before very recently, I wouldn’t have put him on my list of people who needed to be part of Life Is Beautiful’s Learning Series. (I never watched

KENDRICK L AMAR BY SIMON L AESSOEE

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Highlights from the Troubadour stage include the chill, trappy vibes of Cashmere Cat and Claude Vonstroke’s signature house-heavy bootybass; they’ll set the tone for the weekend on Friday night. Porter Robinson also brings his live show to the festival on Friday, which is a special change from his usual DJ sets that he plays at his resident Strip nightclub, Marquee. Saturday’s electronic kings are Jauz, What So Not and Giraffage. Sunday closes out with deep sounds from Tchami and our favorite “Internet Friends,” Knife Party.

Another must-see for the techie and foodie crowd is Kimbal Musk. Maybe you’ve heard of his brother? While Elon is busy with Tesla and SpaceX,

For Those Who Got Free Tickets ➜ It’s tempting simply to stick with the names that you know. And that’s fne; Duran Duran, Brandon Flowers, Imagine Dragons, Hozier, Snoop Dogg and Stevie Wonder are top-billed for a good reason. But there’s more to a city music and arts festival than the headliners. There’s the chance for discovery. Listen: Only a handful of local venues can afford to make the kind of risky, six-

Walk around with your ears wide open. You might pick up on the sludgy garage rock English duo of Royal Blood, who could be the next Black Keys; Madeon, who’s achieved a Daft Punk-like mastery of booty disco at the tender age of 21; or the piano-driven dance pop of Saint Motel, whose catchy “My Type” is that one song you keep hearing every time you stock up on V-necks at American Apparel. Or you might discover something else entirely. You just won’t know if you don’t show, so do yourself a favor and come to the festival a few hours before the band you’re there to see. Perhaps you’ll add some fresh names to your existing collection. –GC

➜ All Las Vegans love to be called that thrillinducing three-letter acronym: VIP. And that special access is no longer just reserved for the casino and the nightclub. Life Is Beautiful’s Very Important Persons will be treated to upgraded restrooms, expedited entry, the option to purchase bottle service and food from Nobu and Hearthstone, and, at the upper echelons, hosted food and drink. Here’s the breakdown of what money will and won’t buy you.

FANCY Life Is Beautiful’s VIP and All In Pass packages will have you singing I’m so fancy the second you put that wristband on. For $595 (VIP) or $2,495 (All In), three days of superb access awaits you. VIP passholders have permission to party in the misted VIP tents alongside the Downtown and Ambassador Stages, which have dedicated express entry lanes. VIP also gets you priority seating for the Learning Series, a swag bag with a water bottle and fan, VIP cash bars and the ability to purchase pizza and gelato from Hearthstone at Red Rock. And, for the sake of irony, complimentary flower crowns will also be available. All In Pass wristband holders will be treated to the coveted Artists Lounge, featuring activations from MAC Cosmetics, Grass Roots Juicery, Audeze and Red Bull, plus complimentary beverages and culinary demos such as Grazing Pig Food Group’s “Chicken Swing Set.” At this level, there is platinum viewing of the main stage, free parking and one free ticket to the Life Is Beautiful kickoff event Grills & Guitars at Foxtail at SLS on September 24. HYDE OUT If you love the vibe of a nightclubstyle VIP area in the style of the Electric Daisy Carnival’s Marquee Deck, then Hyde Out will be just the right place to party. Adjacent to the Downtown Stage, SBE’s Hyde Nightclub hosts the tables and cabana area, which includes three levels of pricing ($3,000 to $7,500) and special Hyde Out entry tickets. Those who spend the dough are privy to a minimum applicable toward food and beverage; a dedicated drop-off, entrance and pick-up zone; bathrooms far above Honey Bucket status, culinary options such as pizza from Hearthstone and sushi from Nobu; and a table area with a dedicated lounge.

D*FACE MURAL BY JOSH METZ

JUST FORGET IT

D*Face offers new work this year, plus some old zombie favorites.

Follow all our on-the-ground coverage of the festival activities at DTLV.com/LIB2015.

Word on the street is that there’s another super-secret space at Life Is Beautiful, but permission to enter can’t be bought; it’s all about who you know. The “Partner Pad” is rumored to be accessible by invite only, and it’s reserved for the partners of the festival and their special guests. Seriously, don’t bother asking. You won’t get in. –Melinda Sheckells

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his PBS show as a kid.) Then the science nerd appeared on Dancing With the Stars in 2013, and earlier this year, he made a hilarious appearance on Comedy Central’s Inside Amy Schumer, explaining how the universe really works: “Scientists once believed that the universe was a chaotic collection of matter. We now know that the universe is essentially a force sending cosmic guidance to white women in their 20s.” See, I knew that bobblehead nodding at me in Walgreens was the universe’s way of telling me to buy those Prada shoes, and to see Bill Nye speak at Life Is Beautiful on Friday.

Damn, It Feels Good To Be a VIP

Rosario Dawson gives the Learning Series star power.

Bringing more of that celebrity power is the beautiful Rosario Dawson, closing the Learning Series on Sunday. Dawson delivered a strong performance as Claire Temple in Netfix’s Daredevil series, but that’s only the most recent of an impressive list of flm credits (Seven Pounds, Sin City, Rent). If that weren’t enough, the leading lady also has her hands in several charities that deal with environmental and social issues. –Nicole Ely

people-show-up bookings that the Bunkhouse routinely made. This market has little in the way of alternative radio. (KUNV’s excellent Neon Reverb and Nightshift programs account for only a very small portion of the station’s programming, which is predominantly jazz.) And many bands only come to Las Vegas only after they’ve played virtually every other major city surrounding this one. Thing is, Life Is Beautiful offers a prime opportunity for you to double your knowledge of the current musical landscape, and all you need to do is simply be there.

September 24–30, 2015

Kimbal has made it his mission to revolutionize food culture from every angle, from getting kids to eat more vegetables, to building gardens, to making farming proftable again. Catch him Saturday.

BUYING DURAN DURAN

Duran Duran bassist John Taylor called his band’s evolving aesthetic “Brand Duran.” He was insinuating that Duran Duran’s look, sound and attitude is drawn from a kind of mental style book—but he could just as well have been talking about the astonishing amount of collateral material the band has generated over the years, from apparel to home décor. Here is just a small sampling of items that Brand Duran has inspired, drawn from the personal collection of WENDOH Media creative director Ben Ward. Maybe we can get the band to sign some of it after they play the Downtown stage on Saturday night. –Geoff Carter

PHOTOS BY KRYSTAL RAMIREZ

➜ In a recent interview with Rolling Stone,

Songs in the Key of Life (Is Beautiful) BA D SCENE

By Ian Caramanzana

➜ I guess there’s a major music and arts festival happening in my hometown this weekend.

How nice. Here, I’ve dissected seven songs I’m anticipating to hear over the three days of Life Is Beautiful 2015. I’m excited to hear these, and you should be, too.

the song’s verses and simply bask in its ’90s power pop glory. “El Scorcho” is one of those sad bar songs you should play on the jukebox when all the cool people are just starting to come in.

STEVIE WONDER

“My Cherie Amour” We all know Chocolate Thunder has a knack for writing love songs with style and grace, but on this track, he gifts us an enchanting melody that hasn’t left our heads since it was released in 1969. Even before Lil’ Stevie utters a word, his infectiously catchy “La-lalas” take hold above thick layers of Motown’s signature horns and strings. “My Cherie Amour” is a prime example of the Michiganborn songwriter’s ability to connect lyrically and sonically—truly the stuff of which legends are made.

SNOOP DOGG

“Gin and Juice” When Mister “Dee-ohdouble-gee” released this song through Death Row Records in 1994, not only did he give us a solid (house) party anthem, he introduced the world to West Coast culture. Snoop Dogg’s career-defning tune is shaped by nothing more than G-funk synthesizers, good times, weed and booze. And its beauty lies in Snoop’s honesty. With one-liners such as With my mind on my money and my money on my mind, “Gin and Juice” is one of those unaffected, feelgood tunes that’ll get us into party mode when Snoop hits the stage Saturday night.

WEEZER

“El Scorcho” The second song from Weezer’s sophomore effort is probably the band’s weirdest song to date, with its unconventional vocal harmonies and noodly riffng. (Hell, it’s even got a double-time “punk” part.) But its magic lies in the simplicity of its hook: I’m a lot like you so please, hello, I’m here, I’m waiting / I think I’d be good for you and you’d be good for me. In a moment, we forget the jumbled mess of

approach on its sixth album, Narrow Stairs. The band managed to tap into some of their more obscure infuences on the album: the eight-minute, psychedelic “I Will Possess Your Heart” delves deeply into krautrock territory, with its bright guitar tones and droning bassline. It’s a shame that the radio version cuts the song in half and takes away some of its experimental magic. Let’s hope Ben Gibbard and company give us the full, undiluted experience.

DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE

“I Will Possess Your Heart” Everybody thinks Death Cab for Cutie peaked at Transatlanticism or Plans, but I’m particularly fond of the band’s less-is-more

RUN THE JEWELS

“Close Your Eyes (And Count to Fuck)” El-P and Killer Mike would’ve done just fne without a hook and a verse from ex-Rage Against the Machine singer Zack de la Rocha, but his vocal gives this already rambunctious political banger even more oomph. “Close Your Eyes (And Count to Fuck)” is one of the highlights from the duo’s 2014 sophomore effort, Run the Jewels 2. The two effortlessly call out the hypocrisy in everything from the fashion world to the police force, and nearly everything else in-between. Run The Jewels brought out de la Rocha to perform his bit at last month’s FYF Fest in Los Angeles; I’m hoping they do the same this time around.

FUTURE ISLANDS

“A Dream of You and Me” I’ll say it fat-out: Future Islands is the band I’m most excited to see at Life Is

Beautiful. The Baltimore synth-pop quartet hits all the right spots for me— simple, heavenly melodies; a driving, new wave-like rhythm section; and the singer’s hilarious yet lovable dance moves. This song in particular spotlights singer Samuel Herring’s vocal delivery; his raspy singing provides a nice contrast to the light melodies and touching lyrics. In fact, a line in the chorus exemplifes what this festival's ethos should be: People lie, people love, people go / But beauty lies in every soul. Indeed.

SHAMIR “Demon” The hometown hero’s song about how relationships can change individuals for the worse happens to be one of my favorites from his debut album, Ratchet. Lyrically, it’s somber, but musically, it’s one of Ratchet’s poppier cuts with shimmering keys, a bumpin’ bassline and a huge hook that’s made to be sung along en masse. It gives off all the vibes we need to commemorate the momentous weekend. I’ll be pissed if festival organizers don’t use this song in their festival recap video.

L I B A LT E R NAT I V E S

You Don’t Have To Be Beautiful ➜ While Life Is Beautiful is annexing our Downtown core this weekend, it doesn’t own the whole city. If you’re not a fan of large crowds (or Imagine Dragons), you have other musical options to consider. If you want to stick to the Fremont area and don’t mind a late night, 11th Street Records (Facebook.com/11th.Street.Records.Las.Vegas) is hosting a local music series sponsored by the deathless Neon Reverb music festival. The Lique plays on Saturday night and Dark Black on Sunday. All shows begin at 1 a.m., but a Dos Equis-fueled party kicks off promptly at midnight. The Las Vegas Jazz Festival (LVJazzFestival.com) runs through the weekend at the Henderson Pavilion. Friday features artists with a neosoul vibe, including Erykah Badu and Musiq Soulchild. Saturday leans toward smooth singers, with Toni Braxton and Brian McKnight taking the stage. And Saturday wraps it up with an R&B dance party featuring the Isley Brothers, Anthony Hamilton and Mint Condition. Wanna get all your festivalgoing done in one day? Mandalay Bay is throwing it way back with Lost ’80s Live (Facebook.com/Lost80s), featuring ABC, Wang Chung, A Flock of Seagulls, Gene Loves Jezebel, Animotion and several other acts still valiantly standing up for the asymmetrical haircut. And for the third consecutive year, the Life Is Shit Festival (Facebook.com/ LifeIsShitFestival) raises a dirty-nailed middle finger in Life Is Beautiful’s direction. It brings a collection of local and almost-local punk bands to the Dive Bar, including Dangerboner, Leather Lungs, Toxic Dump, Swamp Pussy and Blood Dumpster. The much-beloved Shitty Car Show is no more, but there will be a dunk tank, charity raffles and DIY art projects. –Lissa Townsend Rodgers

NIGHTLIFE

Girafage’s nostalgia-infused electronic pop has taken him from bedroom to festival stage By Ian Caramanzana

Yin and Yang

DURING DAY TWO OF LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL, you might be confused when you walk past Insomniac’s Troubadour stage and aren’t bombarded with the typical buildups and drops of EDM. ¶ Don’t be alarmed; it’s all part of the program. You just happened to catch a bit of Giraffage, a.k.a. Charlie Yin. The 25-year-old San Francisco-based producer’s signature brand of lush, dreamy soundscapes laid over a bass-driven hip-hop/R&B core have gotten him nods from numerous music outlets, including Pitchfork and FADER; a cosign from Porter Robinson; festival appearances; and even a spot in an Apple commercial. His music may stick out like a sore thumb when compared with other EDM acts playing the Troubadour stage, but stay awhile and you’ll fnd the music is (literally) a pleasant surprise.

September 24–30, 2015

PHOTO BY MADONNA SARMIENTO

Charlie Yin is Giraffage.

VegasSeven.com

Your city after dark, photos from the week’s hottest parties and that’s so What So Not

“I never intended for [music] to be my career,” Yin says. Unlike most DJs, his beginnings in music started with a guitar. “I played guitar throughout high school; it was one of my main instruments.” Take a listen to any of his songs, and you’ll notice that his recurring melodies and infectiously catchy guitar riffs are sprinkled throughout— embodying his experience with the instrument. These dream-pop-esque segments create a unique style of electronic music that includes the familiar lightning-fast hi-hats of trap or pulsating bass of house, but with an added melodic depth. He hasn’t completely abandoned the instrument, though. “I still use [guitar] today, but it’s through a MIDI [keyboard] now,” Yin says. Eventually, six strings turned into keys. While attending UC Berkeley, Yin’s interest in electronic music began to develop, and he started producing music under the moniker Giraffage. Instead of a lavish studio with soundproof walls, his place of creation was a dark bedroom lit only by a computer’s backlit screen. “It was all a result of me being bored at home, I guess. I got a copy of Reason and just messed around with it throughout college.” In its infancy, the majority of Giraffage material was sample-based. Yin sampled some big names to give familiar songs fresh facelifts. He took bits from Ready for the World’s “Love You Down” and Keith Sweat’s “Don’t Stop Your Love” for songs on his second album, Needs, which was released in 2013. “I’m a big fan of nostalgia, and I always try to incorporate that feeling into my music,” he says. Yin’s yearning for the past serves as an inspiration. He’s especially fond of songs from his youth. “I’m a ’90s kid. I grew up listening to those kinds of songs, and they really

resonate with me. One of my dream collaborations would be R. Kelly.” However, his latest effort, 2014’s No Reason EP, showed that he isn’t just a one-trick pony; the collection of candy-coated melodies and bumpin’ basslines is completely free of samples—marking a new era for the musician who once heavily relied on them. The new tunes show a more mature side of the producer: “Hello” features layers upon layers of synths, and the slow drums of “Be With You” are the foundation for bouncy piano arpeggios. Yin says his songwriting process evolved right along with his songs. “Sometimes it begins with drums; other times I’ll come up with a cool melody and write chords around it. And at times, it goes right back to sampling. It’s different each time, and that’s what’s really cool about [producing].” Life Is Beautiful won’t be Yin’s frst festival appearance. He recently played the Jay Z-curated Made in America Festival. And after Vegas, he’s heading to Atlanta to spin at TomorrowWorld. “I honestly like doing festivals more,” he says. “I’m infnitely more nervous when the room is smaller—I’d rather play to 5,000 than to 200.” As for what to do before and after the festival, Yin says he’s not looking for a typical Las Vegas Hangover experience. “I’ve been to Vegas but it was with my parents, so, technically, this is my frst real experience there,” he says, and he will make his way to a casino or two. “I’m not much of a gambler, but I’ll hit up a table just ’cause I’m there. I do want to check out Circus Circus, though. I’m coming with my girlfriend, and I want to win her as many stuffed animals as I can.” Giraffage performs on the Troubadour Stage at 5:55 p.m. Sept. 26.

Giraffage in the wild.

PHOTO BY MADONNA SARMIENTO

NIGHTLIFE VegasSeven.com

| September 24–30, 2015

“I’m a ’90s kid. I grew up listening to those kinds of songs, and they really resonate with me. One of my dream collaborations would be R. Kelly.”

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NIGHTLIFE

By Ian Caramanzana

The trio, consisting of Jean Paul Makhlouf, Alexander Makhlouf and Samuel Frish, began playing for pop-rock band The Consequence in 2002. As they matured, they embraced their tendency to make great dance hits and abandoned their guitars for turntables. Now they’re churnin’ out melodic EDM bangers. Hit up Marquee to see how far they’ve come, and try to predict where their careers will take them next. We hope they go full circle and pick up their guitars again! (In the Cosmopolitan, 10 p.m., MarqueeLasVegas.com.)

Steve Aoki.

TUE 29

September 24–30, 2015

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THU 24

It’s a huge weekend for all music lovers, so get it started right. Let Amsterdam trap trio Yellow Claw push you into party mode. Since forming in 2010, the group has released a handful of EPs and singles including the monster festival anthem “Shotgun” and the rambunctious “Till It Hurts.” Now it’s time for a full-length. The trio debuted “Run Away,” the frst single from their frst album, via a music video on Billboard.com. The tune shows a more melodic, artistic side of the trio that differs from the usual hard-hitters. You can listen to it on SoundCloud, but we recommend hearing it in the proper club setting. Luckily, the group visits Encore Beach Club at Night. (In Encore, 10 p.m., XSLasVegas.com.) Kick off Life Is Beautiful weekend with Grills & Guitars at Foxtail. The event pairs local and celebrity chefs, grilled comfort food and a performance by Austin, Texas, rock band, Spoon. FYI: You don’t need a spoon to eat a grilled cheese

sandwich, but we’d love to see you try! (In SLS, 7 p.m., FoxtailLasVegas.com.)

FRI 25 It’s still hot enough outside to hit a pool. Take full advantage of the lingering summer season by hitting Drai’s Beach Club for a pool party. Electro house producer Sidney Samson comes all the way from Amsterdam to provide your poolside soundtrack; you oughta thank him! (In the Cromwell, 11 a.m., DraisNightlife.com.)

SAT 26 You’re probably dead tired after a full day of festival fun, but it’s no time to rest, because Fool’s Gold takes over Downtown! Commonwealth hosts an evening featuring several artists from the Brooklyn-based record label. On the bill: Atlanta house producer Treasure Fingers, self-proclaimed DJ/producer/

cat Kittens and a very special guest. Who could it be? We don’t know, but we predict the person’s name will include a noun. (525 Fremont St., 10 p.m., CommonwealthLV.com.)

SUN 27 “Booyah” and “Cannonball” hitmaker Showtek hits Hakkasan. The duo consisting of brothers Sjoerd and Wouter Janssen, produced a song on Carly Rae Jepsen’s latest full-length, “I Didn’t Just Come Here to Dance.” Sure, the song features her usual bubblegum pop vocals, but they’re layered above a driving house backbone. Show the two that your party itinerary includes more than just hitting the dance foor. (In MGM Grand, 10:30 p.m., HakkasanLV.com.)

Nickel F—n’ Beer Night at Beauty Bar presents a rare opportunity: You’ll see a DJ who regularly spins at festivals on the venue’s compact stage for the Low Dough Pizza Show. Crizzly and friends make a visit to give us a dose of their signature blend of dubstep, trap, crunk and other genres we can’t even wrap our heads around. He’s best known for his party bangers “Like Dat” and “Bust It Wide Open,” but he’s also given some of the hottest pop hits some twerk-friendly remixes such as Ace Hood’s “Bugatti” and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ “Thrift Shop.” We’d recommend stretching before he hits the stage. (517 Fremont St., 9 p.m., TheBeautyBar.com.) Steve Aoki makes his way to Omnia. The Miami native headlined the world’s largest

Treasure Fingers.

pizza festival earlier this month in a mansion in Beverly Hills alongside rappers 2 Chainz and Tyga. Unfortunately, there were no reports of him “caking” his fans with pizza. See if that fnally happens tonight, then dance to some of the darker, emotional tunes on his latest album, Neon Future II. (In Caesars Palace, 10 p.m., OmniaNightclub.com.)

WED 30 Head down to Henderson for an evening of fun and fundraising. Elixir Lounge hosts the second annual TEAL Fight Night—an event that includes live entertainment, a silent auction, raffes and, of course, drink specials, which will all beneft the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. Five dollars gets you a specialty cocktail, but knowing you’ve contributed to a great cause is one of those feelings the juice just can’t provide. (2920 N. Green Valley Pkwy., 6 p.m., ElixirLounge.net.)

MON 28 Cash Cash went from playing stages on the Vans Warped Tour to some of the biggest nightclubs in the world.

Crizzly.

NIGHTLIFE

Everything Just So What So Not to bring his latest collaborations to Life Is Beautiful By Kat Boehrer

AUSTRALIAN CHRIS EMERSON

(also known as Emoh Instead) mans a standalone project called What So Not that will grace Life Is Beautiful’s Troubadour stage on September 26. Although What So Not is now a solo project (formerly a duo with Flume, a.k.a. Harley Streten), Emerson has been collaborating with numerous other artists to roll out a ton of new music that we anticipate hearing very soon. What have you been up to lately?

Just a stack of [new] music. I’ve been jumping in and out of studios with so many different rappers and vocalists and producers the last year or so, sort of building a catalog that I’m going to start moving out quite soon. It’s all very exciting. Care to namedrop?

I did a track with A$AP Ferg, which was awesome. I’m looking to have that come out soon. Mainly, I work with people down in Philly, my homies like Tunji Ige and Noah Breakfast. I was jamming with Jahlil Beats the other week. That was really cool. Are you working on an EP right now? When will that hit?

September 24–30, 2015

VegasSeven.com

What can we expect to hear?

There are some collaborations with some good friends. A bunch of tunes that Harley and I worked on this time last year, and fnished up a few months later. Is there a certain vibe you were going for on this EP?

The vibe was just us working together again. We hadn’t worked together for quite some time. [We brought] what we both learned to the table and combined it again. Will we get to hear some of those tracks during your Life Is

Beautiful set?

Oh, defnitely. That and more. I’ve been playing a lot of this stuff. It’s really cool seeing people’s reactions before they know [what it is]. What are three tracks that are not your own that you like to play in your sets right now?

Future’s “I Serve the Base.” It’s been destroying everything lately. That’s a great one. I usually play that as one of the frst few songs to just kind of switch up the expectations. There’s a really cool Mr. Carmack remix of “Sanctifed” [by Rick Ross, Kanye West and Big Sean]. That’s an interesting fip on the original. One more: I worked with this guy High Klassifed in Mon-

treal a few months back. He gave me [a currently unreleased] track. That one as well is really awesome. Where do you find the best music for your sets?

I travel a lot. I work in the studio a lot. I used to be one of those kids living on Reddit and Soundcloud, trying to fnd the coolest, latest thing that’s come out. Now, I feel like the resident DJs of the world are the ones that have the coolest songs. The artists who are doing a lot of the international touring aren’t able to keep up with that world. I have a bunch of friends all around the world that I ask and that I produce with and work with.

I’m usually just like, “Hey, what’s been going on on the Internet?” I have a bunch of really awesome friends who send me folders of interesting music. Then I go through it all and usually get pretty inspired and play something that I think is appropriate for the show. How can unknown producers get you listen to their music?

The best way is to bring a USB stick to a show and give it to me. Then it’s just there, and I have it in my pocket. I’ll usually check it the next morning. You can send me stuff on SoundCloud DMs or Facebook DMs. [But] they’re sometimes hard to keep up with. If someone goes

through the effort of physically giving me a stick, I will always check it out. What should up-and-coming artists do to get noticed?

Think outside the box. Use sounds and samples that are completely different from the genre you are trying to make, so that you sound unique and stand out from everyone else. You’re going to have to work really hard and put up with the good times and the bad. Just always keep your head up. Always be good to people. Always respect people. You’ll usually come out on top. What So Not will perform on the Troubadour stage at 9:55 p.m. Sept. 26.

PHOTO BY SYLVÈ COLLESS

It’s been fnished for some time. I’m just sort of waiting for it to come out. We’ll get there eventually.

HOMECOMING P A R T Y

FAREWELL TO SUMMER

DJ SHIFT SUNDAY • 9.27

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PARTIES

WET REPUBLIC MGM Grand

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September 24â&#x20AC;&#x201C;30, 2015

PHOTOS BY JOE FURY

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Sept. 26 Armin van Buuren and Mark Eteson spin Sept. 27 DVBBS and Fergie DJ spin Oct. 3 Chuckie spins

PARTIES

XS NIGHTSWIM Encore

[ UPCOMING ]

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September 24â&#x20AC;&#x201C;30, 2015

PHOTOS BY DANNY MAHONEY

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Sept. 27 End-of-season closing party with Robin Schulz

DINING Restaurant news and what on earth is a Muffcake?

To break even,” he says, “the restaurant needs to be able to crank out a pizza every 60 seconds. DINING

PAGE 56

Local Love

At Life Is Beautiful, music is not the only thing taking center stage By Genevie Durano

IF WE’RE REALLY BEING HONEST, food is the star of the Life Is Beautiful festival (LifeIsBeautiful. com). With more than 20 chefs participating, three days hardly seem enough to get one’s fll. This year the spotlight is on local eateries. We’ve already checked in with Itsy Bitsy Ramen & Whisky, VegeNation and Gimme Some Sugar. Here, we greet three more neighborhood restaurants that will be feeding you September 25-27. So while Duran Duran and Stevie Wonder will depart at the end of the weekend, you can revisit the culinary magic all year round. Beautiful, indeed.

Mochiko’s coconut pudding with taro topped with roasted coconut.

Find it at Grills & Guitars: Misa is dishing up the restaurant’s signature chargrilled chicken with Asian Q sauce and truffe brown rice with Asian cole slaw garnished with furikake. For dessert, he’s making a coconut pudding with taro topped with roasted coconut exclusively for the event. Find it in town: 2101 S. Decatur Blvd., 702-789-7103, MochikoLasVegas.com.

September 24–30, 2015

PHOTOS BY ANTHONY MAIR

For those who’d like to pre-game Life Is Beautiful, the culinary event that kicks off the festival, Grills & Guitars, is the place to be. On September 24, 15 chefs will show off their grill skills at Foxtail Pool in SLS. One of them is Jerry Misa, who co-owns Mochiko Chicken with his wife, Sandra Lenska. Mochiko, which specializes in chicken tenders and chicken bowls dressed in a variety of ways, has gained a steadfast following. Misa describes Mochiko’s style as “Asian fusion with Hawaiian and Polynesian infuences.” But the secret is in the sauce, and there are many to choose from, including the signature Asian Q and Polynesian varieties.

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MOCHIKO CHICKEN

[ A SMALL BITE ]

Mac and cheese bites with bacon from Truffles N Bacon and a strawberry funnel cake from the Funnel Cake Café.

TRUFFLES N BACON CAFÉ

THE FUNNEL CAKE CAFÉ

Find it at LIB: The ladies of Truffes N Bacon will be playfully urging festivalgoers to “Bite your tots!” with a trio of nibbles—mac and cheese bites, truffe tater tots and cinnamon sugar sweet potato tots. Find it in town: 8872 S. Eastern Ave., Suite 100, 702-503-1102, TruffesNBacon.com.

Find it at LIB: While the regular menu has more exotic toppings such as bacon and maple syrup and banana split, LIB fans will be treated to the classics: strawberry, chocolate, caramel, cinnamon or powdered sugar atop warm swirls of hot fried dough. Find it in town: First Friday, FunnelCakeCafe.com.

The name may sound quaint, but one trip to this Southeast restaurant will make you realize that its chef, Jacqueline Lim, is a formidable talent. Lim, along with her business partner Magnolia Magat, are no culinary newbies. They honed their palates in New York City, and Lim has worked with notable names such as Lidia Bastianich and Wolfgang Puck. Truffes N Bacon is known for its mouthwatering specials (a recent appearance includes lobster and bacon mac and cheese drizzled with truffe oil), but most especially for Lim’s homemade bacon jam, which can make everything taste better.

[ JUST A SIP ]

September 24–30, 2015

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GRRROWLERS— THREE WE WANT RIGHT NOW

Shine Growlers by Wander & Rumble combine minimalist design with functionality to make growlers that last a lifetime. The singlewalled stainless steel vessels are 100 percent BPA- and phthalatefree, while high-grade passivation (a coating of protective material), prevents metallic aftertaste. Shine growlers are hand-polished and available in a variety of vibrant

What is a state fair or a street festival without funnel cake? Nothing is more beautiful than fried dough topped with sugary goodness in the form of syrup or powder. Funnel Cake Café has been serving up sweetness since 2009, and what began as a fun side business for owner Dennette Braud and her husband, Elbert Sr., is now a full-time job, with the truck traveling everywhere in town for food fests, corporate and school events, and First Friday. Now in its second year at Life Is Beautiful, it’s a familiar sight for festivalgoers who last year enjoyed listening to their favorite musicians while sitting on the grass licking powdered sugar from their fngers.

colors. Plus, a portion of each purchase is donated to the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. So drink up, you do-gooder, you! $60, ShineVessels.com. To ensure your beer has bubbles, the regulator caps on uKeg Growlers are made with a CO2 cartridge that keeps oxygen out. The cap’s dial allows you to regulate the carbonation level, from 0 to 15 psi. Its double-walled, vacuum-insulated stainless steel shell is durable and keeps beer cold all day. Change the tap handle just as you would a regular tap, and there is a sight glass that shows you how soon you’re going to have to go get more beer. $129 and up, GrowlerWerks.com.

Finally, if Bear Grylls were to buy a growler, this would be it: the durable, portable and versatile HydroFlask. The double-walled vacuum insulation of the growler is designed to keep your beer carbonated and cold for up to 24 hours while eliminating condensation. It can also keep hot items hot for up to six hours— perfect for camping trips, once the brew is gone. The nonporous, food-grade stainless steel interior is made with rounded edges to prevent bacteria buildup (a sworn enemy of beer), and unlike that glass thing you’ve been toting to your local brewery, it is guaranteed for life. $55, HydroFlask.com. –Jessie O’Brien

Get the latest on local restaurant openings and closings, interviews with top chefs, cocktail recipes, menu previews and more in our weekly “Sips and Bites” newsletter. Subscribe at VegasSeven.com/SipsAndBites.

A new breed of cupcake—the Muffcake—is coming to the Arts District. After discovering that she was gluten intolerant, Chelsea Austin, a self-taught baker, created the muffin-cupcake hybrid while experimenting with glutenfree flour. Muffcakes have a dense and moist texture like a muffin, but are sugary-sweet like a cupcake. And yes, she comprehends the innuendo. “Some people are like, ‘Wait, does she get it?’ I totally get it,” she says. Austin came up with the concept four years ago, but was set back after being hit by a car. The physical challenges have been the biggest hurdle for this one-woman show. “It takes a lot to stand in the kitchen and make everything after being afflicted like that,” she says. Despite her injuries, the San Diego native was working as poker player Antonio Esfandiari’s executive assistant in L.A. and Las Vegas while selling Muffcakes and other baked goods on the side. Word of muff is what has led to her being able to finally open a storefront. Austin is currently looking at multiple properties in Downtown’s Arts District and has all but secured a spot in the area. Austin’s bakery will carry six to eight varieties of Muffcakes, as well as cookies and coffee. She will also have a createyour-own option, which allows customers to select their preferences of cake, frosting and even stuffing. In the interim, you can find Muffcakes at Fruits & Roots juice bar or order by phone (917-202-9406, MuffcakesBakery.com). Recipes incorporate creative flavor combinations such as ginger zucchini, spiced pear and cinnamon roll. Austin is currently experimenting with goat cheese. “Although I do like to push health consciousness and I do like to incorporate fresh fruits and vegetables into a lot of my recipes, I am definitely one for indulgence, too,” she says. And not all Muffcakes are gluten-free either, although they still maintain their signature texture and sweetness. “I take pride in the fact that I make everything from scratch and I process every single piece of my recipes. And there is love,” she says. “You can taste the love.” ’Muff said. – Jessie O’Brien

PHOTOS BY ANTHONY MAIR

DINING

THE CUPCAKE, REINVENTED

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It Takes a Village Feeding Life Is Beautiful is a team efort for Clique Hospitality By Al Mancini

September 24–30, 2015

VegasSeven.com

A MERE EIGHT DAYS BEFORE THE KICKOFF OF

Life Is Beautiful, executive chef Brian Massie and fve other Clique Hospitality executives are gathered at Hearthstone Kitchen & Cellar in Red Rock Resort. The restaurant has been charged with providing food to the festival’s VIP section and for the private cabanas, as well as at a booth in the general admission section. That’s a bit more labor intensive and time sensitive than the concessions at a typical festival or Hearthstone’s simple booth last year. And to make things even more hectic, Clique had just soft-opened a sister restaurant, Salute by Luciano Sautto (which will be collaborating with Hearthstone at the festival) at Red Rock the previous evening. Massie is no stranger to pressure. The former corporate executive chef with Light Group, he operated six restaurants in Las Vegas, as well as provided food to the group’s three dayclubs during pool season. But setting up on the streets of Las Vegas for 90,000 music fans over three days is different. As they gather around the table this afternoon, they’re all cool and collected, despite the fact that a few critical decisions— such as how they’re preparing Hearthstone’s pizza dough and serving Salute’s

gelato (the only two items on the menu this year)—still needed to be made. On top of that, they won’t get to tour the site until two days before the gates open. As the meeting begins, marketing manager Amber Poders circulates a “punch list.” It contains 42 items that need to be addressed, divided into fve categories: equipment, tasks, supplies, marketing collateral and staffng. First up for discussion is freezer space for the gelato, which is not being provided by the festival organizers. Massie will borrow two freezers from Red Rock and a gelato case from Novocento restaurant. Nonetheless, there are still worries. “My concern,” sous chef Ren Caceres says, “is that we take the gelato over there and, like last year, the circuits trip overnight. I just don’t want to take all those containers of gelato and have something go wrong overnight or in the middle of the festival, and all of a sudden we lose everything we have.” It turns out that one of their team incorrectly started an electrical generator last year, causing a freezer to go out. To guard against a repeat of that experience, they debate bringing their gelato supply in two shipments. The idea seems to go unresolved.

Other issues that arise are where the pizza dough will be stretched. Rolling out the dough by hand on-site takes two to three minutes per pizza, which is a problem during busy hours. “What happened last year,” Hearthstone general manager Andrew Pittard says, “is that the customers came in such waves, and when they did come we were trying to maximize the number of guests and be extremely effcient.” To break even, he says, the restaurant needs to be able to crank out a pizza every 60 seconds. The optimal solution seems to be to use a machine at Salute that can press the dough before it’s sent to the site. But that will require making Roman-style pizza as opposed to classic Neapolitan. And nobody’s quite sure that dough pressed on Thursday will hold up through Sunday. A similar question arises about gelato. While Salute serves it in amaretti cones that are rolled to order, us-

ing cups will save time at the festival. After a bit of debate, the preference seems to be for cups. And so the meeting goes. Is it worth it to put Hearthstone’s logo on their pizza boxes? If so, should it be stamped on, or slapped on as a sticker? Who offers the most affordable T-shirts, tank tops and hats for the staff? What will they use to provide shade for the employees at the general admission kitchen? (VIP, fortunately, has a shaded booth.) And will that shade hold up in high winds? Who are they getting to staff each station? And, of course, who’s delivering what, when and in what vehicle? Luckily, everybody at the table seems to have experience or a connection to address each of these logistical questions. So over the course of the meeting, they volunteer to handle these last-minute tasks, or trade for something they’re more confdent with handling. Dozens of items on their list were taken care of weeks ago—things such as tables, wood for the ovens, ticket boxes and even fre extinguishers. As the meeting comes to a close, nobody seems to doubt whether the Hearthstone pop-ups will be fully up and running when the festival gates open. And when they do, I won’t be taking the gourmet pizza and house-made gelato for granted.

PHOTOS BY KRYSTAL RAMIREZ

DINING

Clique Hospitality’s Caceres, Pittard, Poders, operations manager Frank Masi and marketing director Jennifer Falcione; and chef Brian Massie (inset).

[ ON THE SHELF ]

PHOTOS BY ANTHONY MAIR

KEEPING YOUR COOL is understandably a challenge while such childhood icons as Stevie Wonder, Duran Duran and Snoop Dogg—depending on when you were born—perform right in front of you. The fact that the Life Is Beautiful festival landed in September this year will keep things toasty, as well. However, there is a plan in place to keep you fresh, courtesy of Wirtz Beverage Nevada: cocktails. The honor of having the offcial festival cocktail goes once again to Ketel One with a snappy twist on the now-ubiquitous Moscow Mule (seriously, even your parents drink them). The LIB Dutch Mule combines Ketel One Citroen, Angostura bitters and lime juice over crushed ice with a little lime and mint. From Jack Daniel’s and frst-time Life Is Beautiful participant Milagro Tequila come a duo of warm-weather-friendly sippers. The Peach Dandy pairs Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel with Giffard peach liqueur, fresh lemon juice,

house-made mint syrup and bitters. The Piña Verde mixes Milagro silver with fresh lime and pineapple juices, that same house-made mint syrup and a little green Tabasco. Bringing back a modern classic from his 2012 portfolio, Wirtz beverage development specialist Andrew Pollard has revived The Old Country, which pays homage to Italian liquors of the 18th and 19th centuries. The cocktail from the now-shuttered Sirio in Aria mingles Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth, FernetBranca, Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur and two kinds of bitters, served over a large ice cube with an amarena cherry. And those are just four of the 25 cocktails available. So, it’s safe to say this is not your parents’ concession lineup. But we think they’d like it, too. For the recipes, visit VegasSeven.com/ CocktailCulture.

Elixirs of Life

September 24–30, 2015

Clockwise from top left: Piña Verde, The Old Country, LIB Dutch Mule and Peach Dandy.

In Hakkasan’s private dining room on September 15, Scotch ambassador Jennifer Wren debuted her portfolio’s newest addition, Glenfiddich 14 Bourbon Barrel Reserve ($50, Glenfiddich.com). Glenfiddich founder William Grant created the single-malt Scotch category at a time “when Granddad was still Dad,” and when most Scotch was blended, Wren said before launching into a flight of the brand’s core single-malt expressions. Glenfiddich 12-, 15-, 18- and 21-year all spend time in both European oak ex-Oloroso sherry butts and American oak ex-bourbon hogsheads from Kentucky. The former imparts tannins and fruit flavors—fresh and dried in varying degrees. The latter gives a round character and rich flavors of maple and soft oak. All expressions are then harmonized in a massive tun. However, unlike the entry-level 12-year flagship, the rich and sexy solera-aged 15-year, the small-batch 18-year or the rum-cask-finished 21year, Bourbon Barrel Reserve does not touch ex-sherry wood. Instead, it is aged 14 years in ex-bourbon casks, then spends four months in deeply charred new American oak barrels from Kentucky. This finishing (a technique pioneered at sister distillery the Balvenie by malt master David Stewart) imparts “high-octane vanillin,” and some bite, Wren says, as well as pays homage to the influence bourbon has had on Scotch making. After all, many Scottish and Irish immigrants helped create and establish bourbon as America’s native spirit. Years in virgin American oak could potentially overpower a soft Speyside Scotch, so after first use, many ex-bourbon barrels will make their way to Scotland, allowing both industries to thrive. “It’s a ‘yes and’ experience,” Wren said of the 14. As in yes, it gives the bourbon flavor experience, and the luxurious finish of a 14-year-old Scotch. Malt master Brian Kinsman’s own tasting notes speak of “layers of creamy toffee, woody spices, candied orange peel and fresh toasted oak.” And at 43 percent ABV, it also brings a touch of that Kentucky heat. - X.W.

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A SCOTCH FOR BOURBON LOVERS: GLENFIDDICH 14

Music, movies, art and a Strait-up surprise

Street artist 1010 adds his work to Downtown’s most visited gallery By Geoff Carter

The Walls Have Eyes

IN THE WEEKS LEADING UP TO the October 2013 debut of Life Is Beautiful, stunning murals began to appear one by one. Street artists from all over the world—including San Francisco-based Zio Ziegler, London artist D*Face and Brazilian team Bicicleta Sem Freio—descended on Fremont East en masse and began painting up the joint. They prettied up buildings previously so bland that we noticed some for the frst time. Even if you don’t attend the festival, you get to enjoy its fringe benefts every day as you cruise around, looking for parking spots. Working with Life Is Beautiful producers, Charlotte Dutoit of “multidisciplinary dynamic interface” JUSTKIDS is curating this year's street-art program. We’re getting new works from D*Face, Ruben Sanchez, Sbagliato and others (see sidebar). One has been completed for months: an abstract mural by the German artist who calls himself 1010. (He steadfastly refuses to give his

VegasSeven.com

Portal to somewhere: 1010's mural at 211 N. Eighth St.

September 24–30, 2015

PHOTO BY ANTHONY MAIR; STRAIT BY HELGA ESTEB/SHUT TERSTOCK

A&E

PAGE 63

MEET THE STREET TEAM A&E

1010 is just one of Life Is Beautiful’s urban art all-stars D*FACE A Life Is Beautiful fixture since 2013,

London’s D*Face created the (appropriately) now-lost “Viva Lost Vegas” mural on the Western Hotel and the pouty zombie (“I gave her my heart and she left me for…”) on El Cortez’s Cabana Suites. Lovers entwined in the thick of decay and portraits of distraught women wondering why their men just can’t freaking surf are only a taste of the tragic beauty D*Face has to offer. He is an artist of moments, and he makes them all count. Dface.Co.uk RUBEN SANCHEZ Ruben Sanchez is what you get when you bottle up the essence of the ‘80s and you chuck it hard against a wall. His murals are the aftermath of a good piñata party; splashes from every corner of the color wheel help accentuate the life behind his art, some of which is composed from wood scraps. The Madrid-born artist’s knack for geometrics gives his pieces a puzzle-like quality you don’t see on many playgrounds. Facebook.com/Roobo BORDALO II Bordalo II’s murals are trash. No,

real name, implying that to do so would take the focus off his art.) In order to meet the demands of his packed schedule, 1010 needed to paint his Life Is Beautiful piece in mid-June, which is when former Vegas Seven Arts & Entertainment editor Cindi Moon Reed and I met with him in front of his freshly painted mural at 211 N. Eighth St. Previously, you may have seen photos of the optical illusion work 1010 created along a Parisian freeway. (If you haven’t, Google “1010 Paris” now.) His colorful 48,500-square-foot “chasm”—which reportedly took some 105 gallons of paint to realize—appears to be swallowing up Paris’ 13th district interchange. You could swear those waves of color are expanding outward as you look at it. 1010’s Las Vegas mural follows a similar approach. It looks like a pandimensional crack forming in the building's façade—perhaps a kind of portal, Reed surmised. “What’s on the other side of this portal?” Reed asked him. “You have to tell me,” 1010 said. “I don’t know where you’re going. It’s bright. Maybe it’s a bright future, or it’s just a white end.” “It looks a little bit like an inverted mushroom cloud,” Reed said. She pressed him a bit: Was he infuenced by Las Vegas’ atomic past, perhaps unconsciously? “Of course, since you told me, it’s really easy to see an atomic mushroom here,” he said. But he insisted that he didn’t set out to paint one; the 211 mural is just what came out of his head. 1010’s answers to simple questions often proved as complex and abstract as his art. More than once, he punctuated his answers to Reed’s questions with a verbal shrug: “I don’t know. You tell me.” Asked to explain the meaning of his working name, he gave a response worthy of a Neal Stephenson novel: “At the end, it’s on/off, black/ white, plus/minus. It’s a binary thinking system where everybody gets implanted by everything.

Everyone who wants to govern you will divide and rule, and that’s the easiest way to do it: yes/no, black/white, bad/good/evil, whatever.” He gave a more straightforward answer when Reed asked him about his method. “I’m basically painting layers, and I usually start in the darkness,” he said. “It’s really simple work. I have a complete idea of how it’s supposed to look, and then I start from the middle. It’s really nice, because when I arrive at the end, I’m already done. I don’t have to go back in and change something. It’s step by step— like this work is 15 layers, so when you work on layer 15 you know you’re done directly afterward.” He spent about 28 hours painting his Life Is Beautiful mural. And if you remember, it started getting pretty warm out there in June. “You defnitely have to wake up early in the morning, otherwise you die here; you melt,” he said. “I would start around 5 a.m. and work until I had no shadow any more. The cans got so hot, I thought they’d explode.” It was still pretty hot outside as we talked, and soon 1010 and his friend were visibly yearning to get inside. Reed wrapped up the interview by asking 1010 what he hoped festivalgoers would take away from his work, or if there was anything in particular he’d like us to know about it. “I’m never answering this question, actually,” he said. “They will have to know. They will see it; they will know it. I see a transition: You come from one state and you go to another, like a state of mind, not just crossing from Nevada to California. Maybe it’s a shift in perspectives: thinking about the same thing in a different way. I don’t know.” In the end, we all simply looked at his mural, as we would every single day until someone paints over it. So, what does 1010’s Life Is Beautiful represent? To my mind, it represents only another fne piece of work in the Las Vegas’ most visited art gallery. And on the other side of that otherworldly portal is a building we might not have noticed until now.

seriously. The Portugal artist constructs large-scale masterpieces out of everyday junk. Think kitten and raccoon murals that stretch from floor to ceiling, made with materials salvaged from common dumpsters. His installations leap off the walls, vivid and very much alive. But try not to look at them for too long: the animal eyes tend to follow you. Facebook.com/BORDALOII BIKISMO Bikismo is an artist that will trip you the

fuck out. His chrome murals appear tangible, threedimensional—and yet, when you reach out to touch its protruding elements, you realize they exist only on the surface of whatever building Bikismo has painted up. It’s absolute magic. Even more mind-boggling are the reflections of the murals, which have their own shape and dimension. Bikismo’s art will mess you up in the best way possible. Facebook.com/BikismoPR SBAGLIATO You have to be careful in the presence of Sbagliato’s conceptual art. What may appear to be a perfectly operable doorway could actually be a wall. Sbagliato takes photos and digital graphics of common sights such as walkways, prints them into posters and pastes them onto landscapes and buildings to get the desired effect: “Was that window always there?” This type of art is timeconsuming, precise and jaw-dropping. Just take care not to run into it, like Wile E. Coyote chasing the Roadrunner. Instagram.com/Sbagliato_/ –Amber Sampson

Ruben Sanchez paints his mural on Inspire.

1010 BY ANTHONY MAIR; RUBEN SANCHEZ BY CIERRA PEDRO

September 24–30, 2015

VegasSeven.com

"Really simple work": 1010 paints his way out of "the darkness."

CONCERTS

A Legendary Crew Keeps it ‘Old School’

AXIS Theater at Planet Hollywood, September 19

A&E

Now that’s what I call a throwback. The Old School Block Party pulled together a staggeringly large crew of classic hip-hop artists, playing all your favorite jams. Shock G of Digital Underground and Biz Markie both brought humor and charisma to the proceedings, while Tone-Loc’s raspy flow kept it mellow. Another purveyor of laid-back cool was Sir Mix-aLot. One of the evening’s highlights was his rendition of “Posse on Broadway”—the slow-rolling epic tale of one night spent cruising the streets of Seattle that’s part “Walk on the Wild Side” and part On the Road. He also did the mandatory “Baby Got Back” and “Anaconda,” with a few ladies from the audience coming onstage to provide backup booty. En Vogue was actually only half of En Vogue plus another chick, but man, do they have a lot of hits. The ladies were flawlessly choreographed and in fine voice (if their backing tracks were a bit bombastic at times). “Free Your Mind” is still a rockin’ hybrid of the Supremes and Guns N’ Roses, “Whatta Man” is still swinging and sassy and “Giving Him Something He Can Feel” remains the definitive version of the R&B classic. Headliner MC Hammer took the stage with at least a dozen backup dancers. Handing out long-stemmed red roses during “Have You Seen Her,” Hammer wore a bright-red suit rather than his trademark baggy pants, but his horde of female dancers were clad in Hefty bag-style Hammer pants and bellhop-inspired bustiers. The group got even bigger during the concluding number “Can’t Touch This,” when audience members were pulled onstage. “Hammer time,” indeed. ★★★✩✩ – Lissa Townsend Rodgers

Mark Knopfler Sails Past the Straits The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, September 16

A low-key Mark Knopfler, playing a small stage with his pack of lads, somehow managed to turn the packed Colosseum into a pub gig that was light on flash and heavy on the heart. Since Dire Straits came undone in 1996, Knopfler’s superb songwriting has only gotten better—his ballads carrying us to places and people in the process of being forgotten. ¶ Knopfler took us down a fading “Telegraph Road” to meet a broken-down driver at the “Speedway at Nazareth,” and he bade us to listen to a laborer’s last days in “Mighty Man.” He and his band strung all these stories together on a thread of Brubeckian jazz and Anglo folk, creep through Marbletown to the sound of plucked bass, fiddle and Uilleann pipes, sending

September 24–30, 2015

SOUNDS FROM THE DEPTHS Swervedriver is back. I Wasn’t Born to Lose You popped in April, a full 17 years after 99th Dream. Delight in new songs such as “Autodidact” and “Setting Sun” when Swervedriver plays Backstage Bar & Billiards on Sept. 24 ($10-$15).

STIRRING IT UP In celebration of what would have been Bob Marley's 70th year, his sons Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley and Stephen “Ragga” Marley are touring with Morgan Heritage and Tarrus Riley. The Cosmopolitan’s Boulevard Pool gets stirred up on Sept. 24 ($43).

ON SALE NOW Anger seems to course through John Lydon’s veins, which makes him such an effective and amusing frontman for seminal post-punk band Public Image, Ltd. He’ll be 60 next year, but he’s still a sight to behold onstage. PIL plays Brooklyn Bowl on Nov. 25 ($30-$50).

PHOTOS BY ALEX ANDER ZAYAS

out a soft squall along the wires of Knopfler’s National Guitar. ★★★★✩ – Kurt C. Rice

VegasSeven.com

blended in green hills and towns black with soot. It was the sound of a place where the dead

ATTRACTED BY THE TITLE, Breathe Onto the Mirror, I entered Jacqueline Ehlis’ exhibition anticipating highly self-refexive works. Bright breathy colors, refective materials and disco lighting bring the viewer into the work. Close examination and refection allows us to contemplate Ehlis' artistic decision-making process. A series of works titled “This Thy Mirror” is comprised of smallish rectangular canvases with monochromatic designs mounted on top of sheets of refective board— think miniature funhouse mirrors. The viewer sees their warped refection and the gallery behind them, which is kinda fun. Confusion arises from the placement of the canvases onto the mirrored surface, which feels arbitrary: The two surfaces maintain distinct separateness, forming no relationship beyond the forced placement. Still, the Gaussian blur of myself and the space behind me was playful and impressionistic,

which was quite different from the stoic geometry of the canvas. I found myself wondering what might have happened if the rigid geometry had transpired directly on the mirrored board, imagining a delightful tangle of organic forces working upon straight lines. If intended, the confguration only allowed this idea to happen in my mind. Calling upon masters Rubens, Titian, Veronese and others, a series of works titled “A Space Without Time” nods to the Renaissance trend of painting Venus at her toilette looking into a mirror. Each sepia-toned image transfer is placed onto a bright geometric background, which allows punchy pinks, greens and oranges to tone the classical paintings. The works provided an enjoyable art history lesson, but what thought did Ehlis give to the layered notion of looking at an artwork that looks at itself? It’s a rich, self-refexive terrain to look into more deeply.

[ MUSIC ]

GEORGE STRAIT RIDES INTO TOWN “King of Country” George Strait will play four dates, April 22-23 and Sept. 9-10, at the Las Vegas Arena, located at New York-New York. MGM Resorts and AEG announced the multi-date gig, Strait to Vegas,, on Sept 22, as the kickoff to programming for the new venue. “My first gig in Vegas was at the Frontier … back when two shows a night was common. And I filmed parts of [my 1992 movie] Pure Country at The Mirage,” Strait says. “It’s fun to play Vegas. The crowds are great, and they come from all over the place.” Strait hasn’t officially performed a show since the closing date of his The Cowboy Rides Away tour at AT&T Center in Dallas, which

BREATHE ONTO THE MIRROR

Through Nov. 8 at Sahara West Library Gallery, 9600 W. Sahara Ave., 702-507-3630, JacquelineEhlis.com.

set the North American indoor concert attendance record at 104,000. The Las Vegas Arena will hold about 20,000 concertgoers, and its executives are banking on Strait’s major star power to pack the house. Strait has released 42 studio albums and sold 68.5 million records with 60 No. 1 singles. Country music fan or not, you should be able to identify his 1987 song “All My Exes Live in Texas,” as its catchy title has made its way into the vernacular. (We probably have an Urban Outfitters T-shirt emblazoned with this saying stashed somewhere in the back of our closet.) His new album, Cold Beer Conversation Conversation, will be released Sept. 25. Genre devotees are no doubt kicking up their boot heels over this addition, which further solidifies Vegas’ status as a country music destination. For more details on George Strait’s Las Vegas shows, visit StraitToVegas.com. – Melinda Sheckells

HIT LIST TARGETING THIS WEEK'S MOST-WANTED EVENTS

By Ian Caramanzana The Moulin Rouge, as it once was.

BRAKES, BRATS AND BANDS Drive down to Boulder City’s Bicentennial Park for the 19th annual Wurstfest Car Show and Auction. Beyond automobiles and annoying auctioneers, you can grub on grilled brats and catch performances by local indie rockers Same Sex Mary, guitarist Tommy Rocker and “hillbilly jazz” combo the All-Togethers. This epic mismatch begins at 10:30 a.m. on Sept. 26. BSCR.org. ONLINE NOW! In Water by the Spoonful, a man uses the bond between his family and four strangers in a chat room to cope with his Iraq war trauma. Your last chance to catch the Nevada Conservatory Theatre production at UNLV’s Black Box Theatre is at 2 p.m., Sept. 27. Do us a favor and keep your phone in your pocket. UNLV.edu/NCT. A LIFETIME STORY The Writer’s Block gives you another event to add to your Life Is Beautiful itinerary. Author Jillian Lauren visits the bookstore for a reading and book signing of Everything You Ever Wanted at 3 p.m. Sept. 27. She’s got quite the story: The college dropout/ex-drug addict was selected to become a member of a harem. After the stint, she became a world-class author. TheWritersBlock.org. CELEBRATE DIVERSITY The iconic Moulin Rouge made national news by opening as the country's first desegregated hotel-casino in 1955. Filmmakers Stan Armstrong and Gary Lipsman celebrate the 60th anniversary of the legendary hotel with a Sept. 27 screening of The Misunderstood Legend of the Las Vegas Moulin Rouge, 2 p.m. at West Charleston Library. LVCCLD.org.

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MOULIN ROUGE COURTESY OF UNLV SPECIAL COLLECTIONS; STRAIT BY HELGA ESTEB/SHUTTERSTOCK

VISITING THE MIRROR WORLD OF JACQUELINE EHLIS

The

[ ART ]

The visual experience of color approaches the edible in a series of crusty candy-colored strips titled “Laughy Taffy.” Each piece pulls out the intensity, from pale hue to pure pigment. Interrupting the experience of color as object are the visible support structures painted to match the works. I craved deeper interaction with these bacon-y colored strips, but the works are vertically stacked toward the ceiling, eliminating the possibility of experiencing the texture of “Cherry” and “Orange.” At the entrance, a grouping of ceramic sculptures march to a different tune from the rest of pieces in the exhibition. Disco lighting fecks viewers, placing them within the installation “Starting Long Before That,” prompting contemplation of a geometrically-mixed nebula of squares and circles. Rubber bumps comprise the galaxy, while the squares are uncertain planetoids within it. Many of the small textured panels are placed too high to really see. I fumbled about seeking intentionality, but came away with mixed messages. As I contemplated Ehlis’ works, I recalled the words of writer Ann Lauterbach, from her book of essays The Night Sky: “All artworks are, at the most basic level, simply an accrual of relationships that are the result of choices: this, not that.” Clarity of choice makes the difference between an ambiguous and constructed viewing experience. It is the essence of the artist’s breath upon the mirror. – Jenessa Kenway

September 24–30, 2015

Six works from Jacqueline Ehlis' Eyes Wide Open series.

A&E

MOVIES

CAPTAIN HIJACK

NOT A GOOD FELLA

Johnny Depp plays it straight, and scary.

Johnny Depp portrays genuine menace in the derivative gangster drama Black Mass By Michael Phillips Tribune Media Services

TURNS OUT THE THING JOHNNY DEPP’S

career needed was simple. He needed to play a type of role relatively new to him, even if it’s relatively familiar to the rest of us. Some scenes in the solid, vividly acted gangster picture Black Mass come from real life, or something like it. These trade off with scenes yanked straight out of the movies. In a major GoodFellas moment, Depp, as South Boston underworld kingpin James “Whitey” Bulger, has been invited over for steaks on the grill at the home of his old neighborhood pal and current Federal Bureau of Investigation liason and protector, John Connolly (Joel Edgerton), along with Connolly’s colleague, John Morris (David Harbour). Connolly’s wife is upstairs, both angry and fearful about the social engagement. Bulger raves about the marinade. What’s the recipe, he asks. Morris says, can’t tell you, it’s a family secret. Then Morris capitulates with a smile and says, well, I’ll tell you, it’s soy sauce, a little garlic. He fxes Morris with an icy blue stare;

Depp probably took the role simply to be able to wear the scariest contact lenses in movie history. In a low Southie growl Bulger responds: How can I trust with you with anything if you spill an alleged family secret so easily? The room gets very chilly, and the specter of Joe Pesci’s “I amuse you? How?” routine in Martin Scorsese’s gangland chronicle foats above the proceedings. The true-crime flm, directed with calm authority by Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart, Out of the Furnace), draws direct and indirect parallels to other flms, GoodFellas and The Departed among them. Beyond the Hong Kong thriller Infernal Affairs, which Scorsese and screenwriter William Monaghan adapted for a Boston setting and took all the way to the Oscars, The Departed drew some pulpy inspiration from

the criminal exploits of the real-life criminal, convicted killer and eventual fugitive Bulger. Here’s the rich part. Bulger’s brother, Billy, was the most powerful politician in Massachusetts, the president of the state Senate. Black Mass revels in multidirectional corruption. The script by Jez Butterworth and Mark Mallouk uses Connolly as a symbol of the good man brought low by temptations and by neighborhood loyalty. After a prologue, in which one of Bulger’s Winter Hill Gang associates (Jesse Plemons) recounts his story to the feds, the movie zips back to the mid-1970s. It traces Bulger’s rise; his relationship with a sometime mistress played by Dakota Johnson, with whom he has a son with his own tragic destiny; and an empire founded on slots, vending machines,

September 24–30, 2015

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SHORT REVIEWS

Everest (PG-13) ★★✩✩✩

In May 1996, eight climbers died on Mount Everest. Shot in Nepal and the Italian Alps, Everest does several things right. It doesn’t pump itself up with triumphalism when someone makes it to the top. Nor does it treat the deaths of the climbers in baldly melodramatic terms. Yet even before the air gets fatally thin, the thinness of the characterizations presents a liability. The screenwriters were after a lean, purposeful procedural, but the result feels timid, afraid to express a strong viewpoint or opinion on what went wrong.

Maze Runner: Scorch Trails (PG-13) ★★✩✩✩

A year ago the inaugural Maze Runner adaptation proved a pleasantly unpleasant surprise. The Scorch Trials opens with slowmotion shots of barbed wire. This is all you need to know. These kids are up against it. The revolution is in their hands, just as it is in The Hunger Games and Divergent and Insurgent and Allegiant and Effulgent and the rest. Adapted by T.S. Nowlin, the material may be cardboard, but the actors do what they can. It’ll be useful for all of them to get out of this stuff after one more movie.

Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine (R) ★★★★✩

Oscar-winner Alex Gibney, who has taken down such powerful institutions as Enron in The Smartest Guys in the Room and Scientology in Going Clear is never one to pull his punches. Jobs, usually revered as the Silicon Valley genius who transformed our lives with beautifully designed technology, gets raked over the coals and is revealed to be a despotic high-tech titan willing to throw anyone under the bus, even his own baby daughter, in his quest for power. You may never look at your iPhone the same way again.

drugs and extortion, plus murder. Then comes the sweetheart deal, just as some FBI higher-ups are getting suspicious about the leeway the local boys are giving Bulger. Connolly makes a proposition: If Bulger helps the FBI rat out and clean up the Irish underworld’s nemesis, the Italian-American mafa, Bulger can do as he pleases. Just lay off the killing, Connolly says. Bulger does not. The movie goes light on the drug dealing and the seriously grubby business of being one of these people. If anything, director Cooper is so intent on portraying Bulger as a man, not a monster, the man comes off a little softer than he was, probably. With false and rotted teeth, slicked-back hair and a masklike countenance right next door to Kabuki, the makeup and costume particulars of the role no doubt appealed to Depp, who loves to play dress-up on screen. (Most actors do.) He resembles Orson Welles as the older, hollowed-out Charles Foster Kane, only he’s tricked out in black leather and massive sunglasses. Behind those glasses, Depp’s sidelong glances are enough to curdle milk. The superb Julianne Nicholson plays the conficted Connolly’s wife. During the marinade dialogue, she’s upstairs, pretending to be sick to avoid being in Bulger’s fearsome company. I’ll go check on her, see how she’s doing, Bulger tells a nervous Connolly. At her bedroom door, Bulger calls her bluff, and then Depp and Nicholson ease into the flm’s most unnerving encounter. At such moments Black Mass does not feel like other gangster movies; it feels like its own gangster movie, and real life in the bargain. Black Mass (R) ★★★✩✩

By Tribune Media Services

A Walk in the Woods (R) ★★✩✩✩

Robert Redford and Nick Nolte star as travel writer Bill Bryson and his buddy, fictionalized by Bryson as “Stephen Katz,” having a go at the Appalachian Trail for a little light banter and a casual insight or two regarding life’s highways. The project grew out of Bryson’s 1998 book. All you want from A Walk in the Woods, honestly, is a chance to enjoy a couple of veteran actors. But the book’s comic tone hasn’t found a comfortable equivalent for the screen. The movie should’ve been a little more, a little truer in the central push/pull relationship.

Hitman: Agent 47 (R) ★★✩✩✩

American Ultra (R) ★★★★✩

Straight Outta Compton (R) ★★★✩✩

The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (PG-13) ★★✩✩✩

The story in Hitman: Agent 47 seems overly complicated but is actually quite simple: Someone’s trying to make more of the genetically enhanced “agents,” and in order to succeed, they need to find the originator of the project, who has dropped off the face of the earth. Ultimately the film is about work: what it means to work a job that strips one’s humanity in the service of a contract, and what it means when your life’s work results in those agents. However, the execution of that particular story just falls flat in the sanguine Hitman: Agent 47.

This is a musically propulsive mixed blessing of a biopic, made the way these things often get made: with the real-life protagonists breathing down the movie’s neck to make sure nothing too harsh or unflattering gets in the way of the telling. Straight Outta Compton alternates between party scenes, filmed as if they were hip-hop videos, and confrontations or reconciliations. A tougher-minded biopic would’ve had the nerve to acknowledge some of the group’s seamier material and its role in the group’s international success.

Fantastic Four (PG-13) ★✩✩✩✩

From Miles Teller to Kate Mara to Reg E. Cathey, everyone on screen in Fantastic Four speaks in a flat, earnest monotone with a determinedly low-keyed air bordering on openly not giving a rip. The film, genuinely listless as directed and co-written by Josh Trank, showcases the revised origin story of the Marvel Comics quartet, basing its storyline on the 2004 Ultimate Fantastic Four books. Adversary Dr. Doom (Toby Kebbell) wants to destroy earth and rehab Planet Zero to his liking. Lame is lame.

A soup spoon turns lethal in the unlikely hands of sweet and spacy stoner Mike (Jesse Eisenberg) in the violently paranoid action comedy. Mike’s a lot like the spoon— harmless unless deployed in the right way—because he used to be a particularly effective “asset” at the CIA, a term used to describe highly trained super-killers. Mike just wants to get stoned, be happy and have the government leave him alone. Ultimately, the humanist nature of the film doesn’t allow that to fully happen, but it’s a heck of a lot of fun watching Mike figure that out.

Director and co-writer Guy Ritchie’s The Man From U.N.C.L.E., inspired by the 1964-1968 TV series, stars Henry Cavill as Napoleon Solo, an American CIA spy. Armie Hammer plays Illya Kuryakin, the Soviet KGB operative enlisted to team up with Solo in Cold War 1963 to unravel and destroy a Nazi-tinged, nuke-minded crime ring based in Italy. In The Man From U.N.C.L.E. we find out how these two adversaries meet (badly, violently) and how they learn (petulantly) to accommodate each other’s lone-wolf habits.

The Gift (R) ★★★✩✩

A delayed-secret suspense thriller of unusual stealth, The Gift comes from actor and screenwriter Joel Edgerton, here making his feature directorial debut. All three leading performers (Jason Bateman, Rebecca Hall and screenwriter/ director Joel Edgerton) are scarily convincing on the film’s own tight, clammy terms. Gradually The Gift unwraps a story of the past, in the present day. At heart this is a three-character chamber piece, with three very interesting actors showcased in a confident directorial debut.

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What about the festival excites you this year?

First of all, I am excited for it to be a little bit earlier. The different layout; each year seems to get a little bit better in terms of fow. I’m selfshly excited about how the beverage program comes to life. And then obviously the lineup. It is so diverse. I am defnitely excited to see Future Islands, Royal Blood, Best Coast, Major Lazer, Chance the Rapper—Chicago! Obviously, the headliners are great: Duran Duran, Stevie Wonder, Kendrick Lamar. I am pretty all over the place when it comes to my musical taste. People seem apt to sample from many genres. The same goes for their beverage choices; there’s a certain curiosity or “promiscuity.”

Absolutely. I believe it’s more by the occasion. So maybe earlier in the day, it’s going to be all about something refreshing, and maybe later in the day it’s something a little heavier. Depending on people’s moods and where they are, they’re going to explore beverage like they explore the music scene.

Danny Wirtz

The president and CEO of Wirtz Beverage Group on Life Is Beautiful, his summer with Ministry and Vegas’ NHL prospects By Xania Woodman

September 24–30, 2015

VegasSeven.com

What beverage trends excite you right now?

What does Wirtz’s sponsorship and involvement in a festival such as Life Is Beautiful mean to the company?

There is obviously a brand-awareness piece to sponsorship, but we are in a unique situation. We’re a business-to-business company; we are not brand owners, but we do represent all the great wine, spirits and beer brands in the market. For [Wirtz], it

was more about supporting the market and what’s happening Downtown, supporting the “new Las Vegas,” so to speak. … We really believe in the Life Is Beautiful mission, in the Downtown Project and what’s happening Downtown, and for us to be able to bring the brands we represent to the festival, to bring their brand experiences to life to the con-

The broad and almost mainstream acceptance of great quality cocktail creation and spirits. It is no longer like this privileged, niche experience to have a fresh cocktail made with fresh juice and great spirits at a great cocktail bar. You can go to an airport, a chain hotel or a music festival and have a great cocktail or spirit experience. It took a lot of work to get there and sometimes you take it for granted that you can have a fresh margarita at Life Is Beautiful, but for a long time that was not the norm. The brands coming to market are really exciting: a lot of innovative craft spirit and craft beer producers, this idea of selection and variety. We’re in an exciting time in beverage.

Were you responsible for bringing craft products—beer and spirits—under the Wirtz umbrella?

I don’t know if I can take full responsibility, but I know it is a passion of mine. I live in downtown Chicago, and it was exciting to see the emergence of craft beer and craft spirits around me, and how the trade was responding to it. It was important as a company to have a position [in craft], and important that we found the right way to be a part of that emerging community of brands. After graduating from Boston College, you spent a summer on tour with the industrial metal band Ministry. What was that like?

An experience to say the least.

Did you learn a lot about branding?

I did, because I was in charge of the backstage beer. [Laughs] I had to make sure that the band was fully loaded with their Heinekens. And I believe Bushmills was the spirit of choice at the time. I got to see what life was like on the road and realized that I probably don’t want to be living out of a bus for my career. But it was a pretty cool summer vacation. Among the Wirtz Corporation’s many holdings are the Chicago Blackhawks. On Twitter you describe yourself as a lifelong “puck head.” What do you think of the prospect of the NHL coming to Las Vegas?

I believe it is going to happen. The effort and the response from the local and business communities have been just overwhelming. Las Vegas has performed really well, and it’s exciting to think about. It’s a different market than other NHL cities, but what a great platform for the sport of hockey to be in an entertainment mecca like Las Vegas, to expose the sport to a different audience and also, probably, present the sport in a different way. What does Wirtz think of the future of the craft beer and spirits industries? Find out at VegasSeven.com/DannyWirtz.

PHOTO BY DAVE RENTAUSK AS

SEVEN QUESTIONS

sumer and ultimately put together a beverage program that helps make the festival that much better— that was our contribution to the festival.

catch a fre tour 2015 fogging molly

counting crows

OCTOBER 2 @ BOULEVARD P OOL

WITH CITIZEN COPE OCTOBER 3 @ BOULEVARD P OOL

garbage

neil young

father john misty

HALFWAY TO ST. PATRICK’S DAY FEATURING

SEPTEMBER 24 @ BOULEVARD P OOL

OCTOBER 10 @ BOULEVARD P OOL

AND PROMISE OF THE REAL WITH JENNY LEWIS OCTOBER 11 @ THE CHELSEA

OCTOBER 15 @ BOULEVARD P OOL

A L L T I C K E T S AVA I L A B L E T H R U C O S M O P O L I TA N L A S V E G A S .C O M

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