7 Home Away from Home
Martin garrix returns to las vegas
FREE August 17–23, 2017
W H A T TO D O
Die Antwoord
AF T ER DARK By JASON R. LATHAM
Over at Aria Resort & Casino’s Jewel Nightclub, DJ duo LA Leakers are celebrating The Good Life Fridays. 10:30 p.m., $20–$30, jewelnightclub.com
FRIDAY 18
THURSDAY 17 HEAR: The Space presents An Evening of Show-
cases with Phat Pack Entertainment. The show features seven 15-minute performances covering everything from Broadway hits to Robert Goulet and Shirley Bassey. 7:30 p.m., $20–$25, 3460 Cavaretta Ct., thespacelv.com
Is your love strong enough to handle the great Bryan Ferry at The Cosmopolitan tonight? The answer can only be yes. Catch him at The Chelsea. 8 p.m., $29, cosmopolitanlasvegas.com DANCE: You don’t have to wait until it’s late to get your dance on tonight. Life Time Athletic Clubs are throwing glowing dance jam Ignite the Night inside group fitness studios at their Green Valley and Summerlin locations. It’s free for members and nonmembers and includes a post-dance poolside social hour with apps and drinks. 6 p.m., register at 702-802-7300 (Green Valley, 121 Carnegie St.) or 702-228-2611 (Summerlin, 10721 W. Charleston Blvd.), lifetimefitness.com
Later, make your way to MGM Grand and catch Lil Jon hosting the About Last Night party at Hakkasan Las Vegas. Be sure to call your friends in the morning and tell them how it went down. 10:30 p.m., $25–$35, inside MGM Grand, hakkasanlv.com
Aug ust 17–23, 2017 vegasseven.com
EXPERIENCE: Friday night is Country Night at Santa Fe Station Hotel’s Chrome Showroom with a performance by Whiskey Maiden. Put on some denim, boots, a sequin shirt and a 10-gallon hat—after all, it’s not that hot outside. 9 p.m., stationcasinosevents.com LAUGH: Comedian Carlos Mencia plays the first
of two shows at the Orleans Showroom. Can’t make it tonight? Catch him on Saturday. 8 p.m., $35–$55, at The Orleans Hotel & Casino, orleanscasino.com
And Ron “Tater Salad” White is also in town for two nights, serving up laughs at The Mirage. And yes, he actually likes to be called “Tater Salad.” Really, it’s none of our business. 10 p.m., $71–$93, themirage.com HEAR: Mandalay Bay’s Concerts at the Beach
series rolls on with a performance by alternative rock outfit 311, so why don’t you roll yourself down there and check it out. 9 p.m., $50, mandalaybay.com
And Diplo checks in at XS Nightclub. By the way, if you haven’t caught Viceland’s What Would Diplo Do? starring James Van Der Beek as the titular DJ, make that a priority before you experience his set. 10 p.m., $25–$40, inside Encore at Wynn Las Vegas, xslasvegas.com
SATURDAY 19 EXPERIENCE: The 31st Annual Black & White
Party benefiting Aid for AIDS of Nevada returns to Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. Find your best monochromatic outfit—make it as crazy as you want (past years have seen everything from dresses made of balloons to fun body paint patterns)—and go support a good cause. 7 p.m., $65–$125, afanlv.org HEAR: Las Vegas headliner Frankie Moreno is staging a special benefit show at The Neon Museum. Support the local institution and stick around for a postshow meet-and-greet with Moreno. 8 p.m., $28–$60, 770 Las Vegas Blvd. North, neonmuseum.org
Or catch Life Is Beautiful alum Young the Giant’s Home of the Strange tour at Pearl Concert
Or head to Hard Rock Live on the Strip for a free show featuring soul singer Niki Crawford and special guests DT and the Soul Joos Band. 9 p.m., hardrock.com
DANCE: If you haven’t had a chance to hear Big
And speaking of soul, this is your chance to see one of the greatest lineups ever, with the Stylistics, Emotions, Bloodstone and Carl Carlton all performing at the ’70s Soul Jam inside the Cannery Casino Hotel. Lordy, take my money! 8 p.m., $29–$40, cannerycasino.com
Theater. 7 p.m., $30–$103, inside Palms Casino Resort, palms.com
Boi’s new album, BOOMIVERSE, you might want
to familiarize yourself before Sir Lucious Left Foot himself makes an appearance at Drai’s Nightclub on the roof of The Cromwell. 10:30 p.m., $30–$50, draisnightlife.com
SIP AND SPLASH WHERE TO POOL PARTY IT UP THIS WEEKEND
Miguel
Don’t listen to anyone who tells you summer is winding down. Those people obviously haven’t been to the pool.
DANCE: Locals get in free at Jewel Night-
club’s Flawless Mondays party, and tonight local veteran DJ Shift is behind the decks. 10:30 p.m., $20–$30 (nonlocal), inside Aria Resort & Casino, jewelnightclub.com Next door at The Cosmopolitan’s Marquee Nightclub, DJ (and sneaker connoisseur) DJ Vice supplies tunes for the Monday-night crowd. 10:30 p.m., $23–$33, marqueelasvegas.com
TUESDAY 22 EXPERIENCE: Pound your drink and
If you’re Downtown, you can see all-female Black Sabbath tribute band Black Sabbitch as they take the stage at Beauty Bar tonight. They’re bringing special guests Spiritual Shepherd, Dinner Music for the Gods and the Fat Dukes of Fuck (all great names) along for the “Crazy Train” ride. 8 p.m., $10, 517 Fremont St., beautybarlv.com DANCE: Hopefully you rested your legs during the day; otherwise, how are you gonna make it through Zedd’s show at Omnia Nightclub? 10:30 p.m., $30–$50, inside Caesars Palace, omnianightclub.com
And next door at The Mirage, DJ duo Scooter and Lavelle are reporting for duty at 1 OAK Las Vegas Nightclub. 10:30 p.m., $20–$30, 1oaklasvegas.com As if those options aren’t already enough, Grammy-winning artist Miguel headlines at Drai’s Nightclub. $30–$50, inside The Cromwell, draisnightlife.com
SUNDAY 20 HEAR: Cracker: Now that’s a band we haven’t thought about in a minute. If you’re nostalgic for ’90s alt-rock (and who isn’t?), the “Low” and “Teen Angst” band brings the noise to Brooklyn Bowl tonight. 7 p.m., $22–$25, at The Linq Promenade, brooklynbowl.com DANCE: The best part of Las Vegas weekends is that you can spend hours at a dayclub, rest for a bit, then hit a nightclub—without even changing out of your bathing suit. Make sure you’ve got yours for Nicky Romero at XS Nightclub’s Night Swim party. 10 p.m., $40–$60, inside Encore at Wynn Las Vegas, xslasvegas.com
Or go home and change before you see EDM DJ/ producer Party Favor at Hakkasan Las Vegas. 10:30 p.m., $20–$30, inside MGM Grand Las Vegas, hakkasanlv.com
Aug ust 17–23, 2017 vegasseven.com
scream “We’re Not Gonna Take It” as loud as you can at Liquid Courage Karaoke inside Double Barrel Roadhouse at Monte Carlo. You’ll feel better after you do. 9 p.m., montecarlo.com HEAR: Hip-hop trio the Artifacts and guest rapper
Bukue One bring the beats Downtown at The Bunkhouse Saloon. $10, 8 p.m., 124 S. 11th St., bunkhousedowntown.com
And on the Strip, Drai’s Beachclub welcomes back Snoop Dogg for its Swim Night party. You know you want to grab your suit and get in the pool with Snoop. 10 p.m., $20–$30, at The Cromwell, draisbeachclub.com DANCE: If you don’t want to get wet but you don’t mind the sweat, that’s cool. Kaskade is waiting for you at Omnia Nightclub. 10:30 p.m., $20–$40, omnianightclub.com
WEDNESDAY 23 HEAR: Relieve some midweek stress with South Af-
rican hip-hop trio Die Antwoord at The Chelsea. The group says it’s calling it quits after the release of this September’s The Book of Zef, so this could be your last chance to see the Life Is Beautiful alum. 8 p.m., $29, inside The Cosmopolitan, thecosmopolitanlasvegas.com You can also indulge in some of the greatest music ever made with Wild Child—Tribute to The Doors at House of Blues. 7 p.m., $15, inside Mandalay Bay, houseofblues.com DANCE: Join Italian EDM beatmeister EDX for a
Nightswim at the Encore Beach Club pool, as he returns to Surrender Nightclub. 10:30 p.m., $25–$35, inside Encore at Wynn Las Vegas, surrendernightclub.com 7
FRIDAY 18
It’s the penultimate round of this season’s SPYONVegas Hot 100 bikini contest at MGM Grand’s Wet Republic. There’s more than $100,000 in cash and prizes on the line, so your vote matters now more than ever. Exercise your right and get to the pool! 11 a.m., $20–$30, wetrepublic.com Meanwhile, Benzi brings The Girl Trapz Tour to Drai’s Beachclub on the rooftop of The Cromwell. Ain’t nothing like a party on the roof. 11 a.m., $20–$30, draisbeachclub.com Over at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Breathe Carolina duo David Schmitt and Tommy Cooperman are back to entertain the Rehab Beach Club crowd. 11 a.m., $10–$20, rehablv.com And local DJ C.L.A. headlines another installment of Playboy Fridays (with bunny ears and all) at The Venetian’s Tao Beach. 11:30 a.m., $14–$23, taolasvegas.com
SATURDAY 19
Give Diplo a hand! The man is taking the stage at Encore Beach Club after playing all night at nearby XS Nightclub—and he’s probably doing it with a smile. When was the last time you smiled during a double shift? 10:30 a.m., $50–$100, at Encore at Wynn Las Vegas, encorebeachclub.com If you prefer a more intimate setting with tantalizing views, DJ Nova is spinning at Bare Pool Lounge at The Mirage. If you’re thirsty, I recommend the Watermelon Cooler. It’s Belvedere vodka and Marie Brizard watermelon liqueur mixed with fresh watermelon and lemon juice. So refreshing. 11 a.m., $10–$20, barepoollv.com Adult film star and budding stand-up comedian (for real) Brett Rossi is hosting at Sapphire Pool & Dayclub. Noon, $20, 3025 Sammy Davis Jr. Dr., sapphirepoollv.com And Martin Garrix takes the booth at Wet Republic, with an assist from DJ Justin Mylo. 11 a.m., $40–$100, wetrepublic.com. Check out our interview with Garrix in this issue.
SUNDAY 20
If you’re not in the mood to lounge poolside on the Strip, DJ Maria Romano is spinning at The Pond at Green Valley Ranch Resort. 11 a.m., stationcasinosevents.com South African deep house DJ Nora En Pure makes her first appearance of the season at The Cosmopolitan’s Marquee Dayclub. 11 a.m., $23–$33, marqueelasvegas.com Rehab Beach Club dials up another live performance from 7 Series and RSS2 artist Kid Ink. 11 a.m., $20–$40, at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, rehablv.com And Kyle plays for the pool partiers at Drai’s Beachclub. 11 a.m., $20–$30, at The Cromwell, draisbeachclub.com –J.R.L.
PHOTOGRAPHY DANIEL SANNWALD
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x i r r a G Marti n
ITS LEAD O L P X E GLOBAL ERKIND DJ S ND THE WU K TO LAS VEGA C A RIGHT B
r e v e g n i k Is N or W t
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HAM N R. LAT By JASO
“It kind of feels like coming home,”
Martin Garrix replies when asked about returning to Las Vegas. We’ll take that praise, considering all of the cities that would love to claim him as their own. When he last spoke with Vegas Seven, the then-17-year-old Dutch DJ was readying for his debut at Hakkasan, riding the success of his breakout track, “Animals.” Swipe right four years and Garrix has graduated from rising star to supergiant, hitting No. 1 on DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs poll in 2016, scoring a residency in Ibiza and becoming the face of Armani Exchange’s fall 2017 collection. He also turned 21 in May. Yes, Garrix can drink legally, but you won’t see him popping bottles in the VIP section at Omnia Nightclub Friday night. He’ll be too busy doing what he does best. “Music is my biggest passion,” Garrix explains. “Whenever I have days off, I still have to keep myself from producing just because I love it so much. “I feel really fortunate that I get to do what I love the most every day and see beautiful places and meet great people.” During one of his rare breaks between performing—Garrix is always on the job; the guy is in Spain one minute, Romania the next—the artist offered a preview of his return to the Las Vegas Strip. You’re playing Omnia on Friday night and Wet Republic on Saturday afternoon. How do you approach the two different crowds? It’s a different vibe,
for sure. Nightclubs are awesome, but it’s also really great to see people going crazy when it’s daytime. I know what track I want to start with, and which one I want to finish my set with, but everything in between is not decided. I let the crowd influence my set, so it depends on the vibe that I’m getting from them.
How do you compare an American crowd to one in, say, Romania, where you played recently? Crowds
definitely differ from each other, but that’s also really nice—even though it just seems to get crazier and crazier everywhere I go. American crowds can definitely go hard. Who are you hoping to collaborate with in the future? Lana Del Rey is still
on the top of my wish list. I think she has one of the most unique voices out there. I love it.
What are you listening to right now?
Photography LOUIS VAN B AAR
I’m really into the new Calvin Harris album [Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1]. ... Those unique sounds really inspire me.
Martin Garrix Aug. 18, 10:30 p.m., $30–$50, Omnia Nightclub at Caesars Palace, omnianightclub.com; Aug. 19, 11 a.m., $50–$100, Wet Republic at MGM Grand, wetrepublic.com.
Aug ust 17–23, 2017 vegasseven.com
[ POOL TOUR ]
TAO BEACH LONGTIME HIDEAWAY REMAINS A PARADISE FOR FANTASY FULFILLMENT By JASON R. LATHAM
Photography TOMO
WE’VE BEEN IN A RELATIONSHIP with Tao Beach longer than most Las Vegas day-
clubs. The pool-party concept was still fresh when the Champagne was first poured in 2007, and Tao’s intimate single-pool setting, Asian décor and those adorable Buddha statues enthralled us. As the years went by, we felt guilty about sneaking off on Saturdays to play in one of those fancy new multi-pool complexes. But Tao didn’t take it personally, and it didn’t try to change just to please us. Ten years in, Tao is still cozy enough to feel like you’re hosting your own party with friends, and the music is a mixture of dance and hip-hop, instead of a full-on EDM blitz. “You can get to know people, they become your friends, and they come back and see you season after season,” says cocktail server Kadie Miller. “I can stand on one side of the venue and look out and see everybody on the other side, wall to wall.”
THE SCENE
When you’re together this long, you’ve got to do what you can to keep the relationship fresh. Tao Beach relies on a strategy that’s done well for many couples: role-playing. “We have clients that come in [asking for] ‘a specifc bottle of Champagne, and I want to see you in a mermaid outfit and deliver it to me on a surfboard,’” Miller says with a laugh. “The next one [wants] the race car with race car outfits, and the next one—schoolgirl outfits. “Those are our best days, when clients come in and they want us to have fun as much as they want to have fun.” Behind the scenes is a treasure trove of costumes and accessories, Miller says, with everything from coconut bras to “cops and robbers” attire. “And we just got this maid outfit that’s a huge hit,” she adds. “We got these little dusters, and you can dust a cabana. “It’s supercute and it’s a smash hit every time.” The cosplay doesn’t stop there. This summer, Fridays at Tao Beach are “Playboy Fridays,” with the servers adorned in the classic bunny ears, bow ties and cufflinks—in black bikinis, of course. Miller and her friends are more than willing to take a photo with guests, but she points to Buddha’s belly as the prime spot for the perfect selfie.
THE LINEUP
Tao’s music programming is a rotating mix of up-and-coming local acts, established stars and industry veterans such as Jermaine Dupri. Headliners can often be seen pulling day-night duty at Tao Beach and the nightclub inside The Venetian. This season’s talent lineup
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“We have this big Buddha in this reclined pose next to the pool, and we get people all the time who will lie down next to it and mimic the pose,” she says.
THE MENU
It goes without saying that bubbles rule at Las Vegas dayclubs, and Tao Beach is no exception. The menu famously boasts a $250,000 30-liter bottle of Armand de Brignac on the highest end, with bottles starting at $400. But, as Miller is quick to point out, you’re not just paying for the bottle. “It’s not because Champagne is liquid gold,” she says. “It’s because you’re getting the experience. We like to dress up, put on fun outfits and deliver Champagne.” If you’re browsing the specialty cocktail menu, Miller recommends Bubbles and Berries, a mix of Veuve Clicquot Champagne, Belvedere Vodka, St-Germain liqueur and muddled strawberries. “It’s superlow in calories and it’s delicious,” she says, adding that it’s a perfect drink for ladies. As for her favorite dish on the menu, Miller points to the sweet potato fries. “They’re waffle-cut fries sprinkled in sugar, and they come with two sauces that are the greatest thing ever,” she says. “Curry mustard and a mango ketchup, totally to die for.”
includes Wellman, Eric D-Lux, Carnage, DJ Mustard, DJ Khaled and Ruckus. “Ruckus was my favorite,” Miller says. “We did a little interview and I said, ‘Hey, who’s your favorite Playmate?’ and he said, ‘Well, she’s not a Playmate, but my wife.’ “It was adorable.” 7
TAO Beach 11:30 a.m.–6 p.m. daily, at The Venetian, taolasvegas.com/beach, Instagram: @taobeach
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Circus 1903 Tue.–Fri., 7 p.m.; Sat.–Sun., 3 & 7 p.m.; tickets start at $53, Paris Las Vegas, caesars.com/paris-las-vegas
UNDER THE BIG TOP BEHIND THE SCENES WITH THE THREE-RING ACTS OF CIRCUS 1903 While one might understandably assume that Circus 1903—The Golden Age of Circus is a 114-year-old big-top spectacular, the newest stage production at Paris Las Vegas is actually less than a year old. The production, which landed at the Strip hotel July 25 after debuting in Australia’s Sydney Opera House last November, is a nostalgic, old-fashioned, family-friendly show with a talented global cast of jugglers, a cyclist, a contortionist, aerial artists, puppet elephants Queenie and Peanut, a family high-wire act and more. We chatted with five of the acts featured in Circus 1903, all of whom have been with the production since its launch last fall.
RINGMASTER WILLY WHIPSNADE (DAVID WILLIAMSON OF OHIO)
In the requisite top hat and tailcoat, ringmaster Williamson commands the big-top spectacle. He says that Circus 1903 was a year in the making, from the costumes and sets to the designs and scripts, and that the finishing touches were completed about two weeks before its world premiere. “We put the show together brand new, but we’ve been touring nonstop—we’re at 150 performances now,” Williamson says. The performer, who has 40 years of stage experience, is not from a circus background but has a new appreciation for circus artists and their talents. “This is not about pomp and circumstance; it’s about raw showmanship,” he says. “Circus folk are cut from a different cloth.” Working with kids might be one of the toughest challenges in entertainment. Williamson does just that during each performance of Circus 1903, as children are picked from the audience to interact with performers onstage. How did he become such a pro? “I have been doing magic since I was a kid and [I] worked on the Disney Cruise Line,” he says. “I love working with kids. ... I’m not here to condescend [to] them, but rather to celebrate the magic of childhood.”
By DON CHAREUNSY Photography KRYSTAL RAMIREZ
PEANUT THE ELEPHANT
(LUKE CHADWICK-JONES OF THE UNITED KINGDOM)
After training in the craft of puppetry during drama school seven years ago, Puppeteer Chadwick-Jones auditioned for Circus 1903 while living in London. He was part of the Australian and North American tours before landing at Paris Las Vegas, and believes that the show uses his repertoire of puppetry perfectly with Peanut the Elephant.
“The puppetry is adorable and cute, but it’s very strenuous. It’s not an easy job,” he says, describing his role as a human replacement for a live elephant (Circus 1903 uses puppetry created by the same team behind the National Theatre’s War Horse production). “While it’s enjoyable, it is very sore on the back.” “I am so stoked to be here. It’s Las Vegas. Where else would you want to be to perform a show?” Chadwick-Jones says. “[Ringmaster] David [Williamson] is charming and the glue that holds the show together. The talent is magnificent as well.” Chadwick-Jones has jumped off The Stratosphere and ridden the roller coasters here, so what’s at the top of his to-do list in Las Vegas? “I want to get my skydiving license!”
FRATELLI ROSSI
(RICARDO AND ALEJANDRO ROSSI OF BARCELONA, SPAIN)
As the base of the sixth-generation juggling act Fratelli Rossi, Ricardo Rossi is on the floor and juggles his brother, Alejandro, with his feet. “The best part of my job is to … show people what I do. The show is amazing, [with] high-quality acts from Russia, Mexico, France and more,” he says. But what about working with his brother? “It can be difficult because we also live together. But doing this act, it’s easy as long as we have good communication and a good relationship outside work. Without him, this act would be very difficult,” he says. “We are keeping the family tradition alive.” And about performing in Las Vegas? “For an artist, it’s the top goal and the dream.” When he has time off, his to-do list includes attending resident shows featuring Elton John, Cher and Celine Dion, as well as going to the Grand Canyon and Red Rock Canyon. Alejandro also enjoys his work, and echoes his brothers thoughts on performing with a sibling. “In the beginning, it was difficult, but you get used to it. You have a
connection working every day together—you have a life together.”
THE CYCLING CYCLONE
(FLORIAN BLÜMMEL OF SPEYER, GERMANY)
“It’s not a job. It’s a passion, and it’s my life,” Blümmel says of his act as the Cycling Cyclone, in which he circles the stage while performing feats atop a bicycle. Outside of practicing, Blümmel spends time in the gym for strength, stretching and coordination. He started cycling at age 6—his parents enrolled him in a bicycle club—and he has been at it for more than two decades now. “I don’t really get injured because it’s always the same,” he says.
THE ELASTIC DISLOCATIONIST
(SENAYET ASSEFA AMARA OF MEKELLE, ETHIOPIA)
“I love being able to do what I love for a crowd. There’s nothing like sharing my talent in front of an audience,” says elastic dislocationist Amara. In an orange and gold costume dripping with fringe, she bends her body into hard-to-believe shapes—but only after stretching for at least an hour. Amara says of Circus 1903 and Paris Las Vegas, “I am really enjoying it a lot. It’s very different because we are staying in the hotel.” And at the top of her Las Vegas to-do list? “I want to go to Red Rock because I hear it is beautiful. Everything here is more natural and different from my home country, so I’d like to see it.” 7
Aug ust 17ñ23, 2017 vegasseven.com