Utensils are for the weak! Or at least that’s what I scream before every bite of Tiabi Coffee and Waffle Bar’s Break-the-Fast Wafflewich, a full breakfast in one handheld unit with eggs, cheese and bacon caressed between two crispy-yet-spongy thin waffles. Dunk in syrup and try to contain yourself. CB
3961 Maryland Parkway, 702-222-1722, iwanttiabi.com
DEALicious Mealers: Jim Begley, Chris Bitonti, Scott Dickensheets, Jarret Keene, Andrew Kiraly, Heidi Kyser, Debbie Lee, Molly O’Donnell, James P. Reza, Lissa Townsend Rodgers
This marks the fifth year that we’ve herded our collective gastronomic adventures into an annual flavorpedia of deliciositude. Whew! Five years. At an average of 79.3 meal deals per yearly feature, that comes to [kachunka kachunka, punching buttons on calculator, kachunka kachunka] … 396.5 DEALicious Meals served up in these pages — which translates into, geez, who knows how many moments of utterly transcendent foodie bliss. But it’s not like we’re counting or anything.
Once again, forks in hand, we’ve scoured this tasty valley for great dining deals, hidden treasures and forgotten pleasures for palates of every persuasion. Eat forth!
UNDER $5
$2 street tacos at Park on Freemont
Taco Tuesdays are a perfectly popular promotion at cantinas across the country, but we don’t think anyone in Vegas picked up on the trend until Park snatched it up. Or maybe they did, but we didn’t care until these triple-bite-sized nuggets of steak-and-yum found their way to this pleasant gastropub. Order two and a happy hour brew and you’re still under 10 bucks. Tuesdays only. JPR
506 Fremont St., 702-834-3160, parkonfremont.com
$5 rice and beans at Desnudo Tacos
Rice and beans are an afterthought in most Mexican restaurants, but at Desnudo Tacos, they’re the makings of a meal. The flavors rotate based upon what ingredients are available (garlic, verde, Spanish spices) at this surprisingly authentic Mexican joint run by two gringos, so you need to go early — and often — to get your favorites. Trust me on this. JB
3240 S. Arville St., 702-982-6435
$4 hot dog at American Coney Island
Back home in Detroit, the ongoing battle between American
Coney Island and Lafayette Coney Island for hot dog supremacy is fierce. However, only Detroit Coney Island has staked a claim in Vegas, carrying on the tradition of serving up classic dogs to the hungry (and possibly drunk) masses. The dogs themselves have the “snap” of a good tube meat and are awash in Coney sauce, a semi-chili concoction that tops it off just right. LTR
301 Fremont St., 702-388-2120, americanconeyisland.com
90 cents glazed buttermilk donuts at Donut Tyme
What’s open 24 hours and offers Texas sugar donuts, hot coffee and free Wi-Fi? Find the answer at this family-run eastside O-ring shop, where you’ll be transported back in time. Old-timers congregate here in the morning to drink hot fresh joe and opine, discuss, kvetch and kibitz. Come for the casual atmosphere; stay for the perfect glazed buttermilks. JK
4268 E. Charleston Blvd., 702-459-2106, donuttyme.com
$5 colita de pavo at Juarez Border Food
Juarez Border Food showcases the food of El Paso and Juarez, where, apparently, flocks of turkeys roam the streets all free-range — explaining the popular dish colita de pavo, or turkey tails. These morsels are diced, fried to crunchy, fatty perfection and served on an airy, mayo-slathered bun. No turkey chasing required. JB
412 N. Eastern Ave., 702-242-0055
$3.50-$4.95 fries at Sammy’s Pastrami
These tiny kiosks may seem austere but, oh, the excess of cheesy, fatty, meaty, bacony goodness contained therein. Along with its vast menu of sandwiches, burgers and hot dogs, Sammy’s offers several over-the-top renditions of the humble french fry. There are the bacon cheddar fries, awash in cheese sauce and bits of real bacon — not that synthetic nonsense. For a full-meal-of-fries experience, the deluxe chili cheese fries are smothered in chili and cheese as well as grilled onions and jalapeños. It’s a lunch in itself — and possibly dinner. LTR
2191 E. Tropicana Ave.,
702-736-1698;
4035 S. Decatur Blvd.,
702-644-8747,
sammyspastrami.com
$1.75 gourmet donuts at Pink Box
Contrary to bro code, there’s nothing wrong with putting the Pink Box on a pedestal. The dollar donuts at this local chain are delightful, but for three extra quarters you can upgrade to the “Date with a Nutty Pig,” flavored with maple, dates, bacon, blue cheese, almonds, and balsamic — a treat fit for a fine dining dessert menu. DL
Various locations, 702-478-7465, pinkboxdoughnuts.com
50 cents Deviled Eggs at Sporting Life
Sporting Life’s deviled eggs give you but a hint of what treasures await in one of the valley’s most intriguing — and unsung — menus. For the price of a payphone call (yes, those still exist), you get a meld of mustard and pickle topped with fried capers. So much better than a phone call. JB
7770 S. Jones, 702-331-4647, sportinglifebar.com
$5 Break-The-Fast Wafflewich at Tiabi Coffee and Waffle Bar
Utensils are for the weak! Or at least that’s what I scream before every bite of Tiabi Coffee and Waffle Bar’s Break-the-Fast Wafflewich, a full breakfast in one handheld unit with eggs, cheese and bacon caressed between two crispy-yet-spongy thin waffles. Dunk in syrup and try to contain yourself. CB
3961 Maryland Parkway, 702-222-1722, iwanttiabi.com
$1.95 revueltas pupusas at Las Pupusas
More than just fun to say, the pupusa is a pancake-sized Salvadoran corn tortilla that is stuffed and griddle-cooked. Inside Las Pupusas’ revueltas pupusa, you’ll find refried beans, melted cheese and finely ground pork. Top that with curtido, a mild cabbage slaw, drizzle on some thin tomato salsa and fold to eat like a taco. Repeat as necessary. CB
Multiple locations, laspupusasrestaurant.com
$3-$5 happy hour menu at McCormick & Schmick’s
Odd that this clubby seafood restaurant located in suit ’n’ tie central offers some of the best food deals in town. From 4-7 p.m., the restaurant’s dark-paneled bar offers a dozen options, from $2.99 garlic rosemary fries to a $3.99 burger to $5.99 tuna tartare. You have to buy a beverage of some kind to qualify — which is where their beer, wine and well drinks for under $5 come in. LTR
335 Hughes Center Drive, 702-836-9000, mccormickandschmicks.com
$4.50 roasted pork butt arepa at Viva Las Arepas
You’ll never be so grateful you ordered something with the word “butt” in it. This arepa is a surprisingly filling, savory hunk of nirvana. Think the best sandwich you’ve ever eaten: roasted pork, juicy tomato and rich cheese between two corn cakes that could keep a gorilla going for days. MO
1616 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 702-366-9696, vivalasarepas.com
$5 PBB&J at the Goodwich
With not a single sandwich over $9, this downtown eatery could easily dominate our list. My favorite is their riff on the childhood lunch classic combining housemade peanut butter, pepper jelly, rosemary and bacon. Heck, they’d be well-advised to rename themselves the Greatwich. JB
1516 S. Las Vegas Blvd., 702-910-8681, the-goodwich.com
$2 al pastor tacos at Taco Tijuana
This may be blasphemous, but there’s a better taco out there than Tacos El Gordo’s adobada. Also from just south of the border, Taco Tijuana’s al pastor tacos eclipse their TJ brethren. The secret is in the preparation: Each is finished with slices from the outer layer of the spit, guaranteeing you charred goodness with every bite. JB
2554 E. Tropicana Ave., 702-547-9163
Free griddlecakes at M&M Soul Food
Yes, the cornmeal griddlecakes that accompany entreés at M&M Soul Food are complimentary. But these sweet, almost ethereally light cakes glistening with a swipe of butter are such a treat that I’d gladly pay for them. JB
3923 W. Charleston Blvd., 702-453-7685, mmsoulfoodcafe.com
UNDER $10
$9.25 Salmon Loves Lemon Roll at Sushi Twister
I’d stack this Boulder Highway-hidden Japanese raw fish joint against any other in town. The Kill Samurai roll kills. The Dead Dragon will do in your hunger. But it’s the Salmon Loves Lemon that so many rave about, and for good reason. Likely the best off-Strip gem of a sushi restaurant you’ll find south of Chinatown. JK
5566 Boulder Highway, 702-433-8892
$8 Sesame Noodles at Fat Choy
While practically all of Sheridan Su’s outstanding menu could be on this list and two of my favorites — the pot stickers and shrimp toast — were our 2013 DEALicious Meal of the Year, my latest go-to dish is his sesame noodles. The vegetarian dish delivers more than a hint of heat — and the generous amount of mushrooms means you won’t miss any protein. JB
Inside the Eureka Casino, 595 E. Sahara Ave., 702-794-3464, fatchoylv.com
$7.29 Tijuana dog at Haute Doggery
A fondness for Tijuana rarely has anything to do with hot dogs, but this fancy fast-food creation is just as addictive as the city’s more questionable offerings. All you need to know are two key adjectives: bacon-wrapped and deep-fried. Jalapeños, onions and a squirt of mayo are just fodder. DL
3545 Las Vegas Blvd. S., #L-30, 702-430-4435, hautedoggerylv.com
$9.99 grilled vegetable wrap at Greens & Proteins
For more substantial fare at a place whose reputation is built on juices and smoothies, skip the caveman compulsion and go straight for the one that has the most flavor anyway: the grilled veggie wrap. Portobello mushrooms and bean purée give it heart, roasted red peppers and walnut cilantro pesto provide the zest, and an assortment of tasty produce will extend your post-workout self-satisfaction well into the afternoon. HK
9809 W. Flamingo Road,
702-541-6400;
8975 S. Eastern Ave.,
702-541-7800,
greensandproteins.com
$8 Best of Both Worlds at Windy City Beefs ‘N Dogs
Chicago is famous for three foods: pizza, hot dogs and Italian beefs. Lucky for us, Windy City offers two of them together in a single order in the Best of Both Worlds, pairing a Chicago dog with a miniature 3-inch Italian beef with killer giardiniera. This duo transports me back to the Southside, even if it’s triple digits outside. JB
7500 W. Lake Mead Blvd. #10, 702-410-5016, windycitybeefsndogs.com
$6 Polish sausage at King’s Sausage
Not exactly a restaurant, but an unexpected miracle right beyond the barroom door. King’s serves up homemade sausage and pierogis outside Atomic Liquors Thursday through Saturday. There are several varieties, but I usually go with the Polish on a fresh pretzel bun with homemade sauerkraut — a perfect balance of spicy meat, soft bun and sweet, vinegary topping. Miraculous. I was not surprised when, as I took my first bite, “Like a Prayer” came on the radio. Neither was I surprised when I did not have a hangover the next day. LTR
917 Fremont St.
$7 Mick Sandwich at Southwest Diner
Thank god for Mick. A hardworking regular of Boulder City’s Southwest Diner, Mick was a vegetarian with exquisite taste; such taste, in fact, he earned an eponymous sandwich. Combining two eggs, avocado, Monterey Jack and mayo layered on wheat toast, it’s a simple combination that’s simply great. JB
761 Nevada Highway, Boulder City, 702-293-1537
$7-$10 lunch special at Chicago Joe’s
Chicago Joe’s location is suspended somewhere between Downtown and the Arts District, its vibe somewhere between retro-mafioso vibe and lawyers-who-lunch. The lunch special aims to please a wide array of palates and wallets — everything is under 10 bucks, be it spaghetti and meatballs awash in old-school red sauce, golden-breaded eggplant parmigiana, the heavy four-meat sub or a light chicken salad. LTR
820 S. Fourth St., 702-382-5637, chicagojoesrestaurant.com
$8 Rainbow Burrito at Rainbow’s End
The original vegetarian/vegan health food store took its unspoken philosophy — all taste, no harm — rolled it into one savory log of goodness, and made it the namesake of its café. It’s all the rice, black beans, avocado, salsa and sour cream you want in a burrito, minus the dairy, hormones, lard and animal fat you’d rather avoid. HK
1100 E. Sahara Ave. #120, 702-737-1338, rainbowsendlv.info
$7 chicken and waffles at Fukuburger
Fukuburger is the valley’s most successful and storied food truck; while others have come and gone, the original Fukuburger remains. And unbeknownst to most, they still serve one of their periodic specials from the early days: chicken and waffles. A honey-and-sesame fried
chicken skewer served alongside cinnamon andagi (Okinawan donut holes), this special truly is. JB
Various locations, fukuburger.com
$8 thali at Rani’s World Foods
You may not expect to find fresh Indian cooking inside a supermarket, but that’s exactly what’s happening at Rani’s. This cafeteria-style spread is best sampled with a thali, an Indian mixed plate consisting of a pair of vegetarian dishes from a rotating selection, dal (lentils), roti (Indian flatbread), basmati rice and pickles. Inspired to try it in your own kitchen? Fresh produce, spices and even cookware are just a few aisles away. JB
4505 W. Sahara Ave., 702-522-7744, ranisworldfoods.com
$5.99 chicken fajitas at Eggcetera Café
Located at Eastern and Charleston, this just-opened breakfast-and-lunch nook nullifies appetite pangs with kickass breakfast omelets and exceptional (and exceptionally sizzling) chicken fajitas. A more blue-collar and affordable — and far less pretentious — coffee house to treat the family before a visit to Downtown Container Park. JK
2000 E. Charleston Blvd., 702-388-9998
$6 happy hour Prime Burger at Fleming’s
Fleming’s Prime Burger, with a patty combining ground trim from their steaks topped with peppered bacon and cheddar, is an absolute steal during happy hour at $6 — the catch is it’s only available at the bar. If you want proper elbow room for some quality burger time, note that the Town Square location’s bar is much more spacious than the original on Charleston. JB
8721 W. Charleston Blvd.,
702-838-4774; 6515 Las
Vegas Blvd. S., 702-407-0019,
flemingssteakhouse.com
$6.50 torta ahogada at El Birotazo
Torta ahogada means “drowned sandwich,” named after, I assume, the first Guadalajaran who tried to swim after eating this dense pork bundle. El Birotazo makes an authentic version of the regional entrée with a semi-hard French roll stuffed with pierna, then doused in a red chile de arbol salsa, lime and onion, served gliding in a pool of excess sauce. Life jacket not included. CB
4262 E. Charleston Blvd, 702-888-0858, elbirotazolasvegas.com
$6-$10 kimchi ahi poke at Poke Express
Poke Express is what every grocery store deli counter should aspire to, offering authentic and fresh fare at affordable prices by the pound. And they should all aspire to dishes like this: cubed bites of raw ahi tuna tossed with mild kimchi, green onions and sesame oil. Pair with a sweet fruit drink and shrimp chips, or feast on it over rice. CB
655 W. Craig Road #118, 702-639-0500
$6.99 Fried catfish meal at The Hamburger Hut ’N’ Market
The Hamburger Hut won’t win any restaurant decor awards, but its entire menu can be on this list, especially the fried catfish meal. The chow-pack comes with two catfish pieces coated in a Southern-style cornmeal batter and fried to a crispy-moist brilliance, then served on a bed of fries with homemade tartar and house hot sauce. CB
2512 E. Cheyenne Ave., 702-657-9202
$8.95 loco moco at Kauai Cafe
For an island-style take on Salisbury steak, head to this mom-and-pop Hawaiian cafe in the Southwest. A traditional bowl of white rice topped with gravy-smothered beef patties and fried eggs will immediately stick to your ribs, leaving you to wonder how anyone manages to surf after eating it. DL
10140 W. Tropicana Ave. #122, 702-754-3559
$6 two mini burgers & fries at Kona Grill
Known more for its sushi and its scene, this Boca Park patio party also slings something special: two gorgeous mini-burgers with a side of fries. Don’t call these babies sliders; while diminutive in diameter, they are thick, grilled to order and stacked with fixin’s. Chow ’em down in the bar during happy hour only, which thankfully includes all day Saturday and Sunday. Add a cold draft and you have a mouthwatering meal under $10. JPR
750 S. Rampart Blvd., 702-547-5552, konagrill.com
$6.75 Tim’s Fabulous Reuben at Great Harvest Bread
This cool, cozy, family-owned bakery offers awesome made-to-order grilled sandwiches, and Tim’s Fabulous Reuben is the one to choose from the signature list. The pastrami, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and Thousand Island dressing are taste bud-banging, but the fresh pumpernickel bread is what really astonishes. Take some white chocolate chip cranberry scones back to your office co-workers. JK
4800 E. Bonanza Road, 702-452-9622; 6475 N. Decatur Blvd.,
702-982-2465, breadheadslv.com
$7 pozole rojo at El Menudazo
Pozole is all about the broth, and El Menudazo’s is rich, hearty and robust. Powered by pork ribs, this offering is substantially more complex than you’d expect from a tiny, off-the-beaten-path joint only open on the weekends. And because they take their time cooking it, once it’s gone, you’re out of luck — until next weekend. JB
3100 E. Lake Mead Blvd., 702-336-3334, menudazo.com
$7.90 Italian beef sandwich at Big Al’s
It’s just sliced beef and white bread, and yet so much more. This Midwest creation is a manwich at its finest: exploding with flavor and free of vegetables. In fact, if you want to add something green (in the form of peppers), prepare for a supplementary charge. DL
6840 W. Sahara Ave., 702-644-2333, alsbeef.com
$8.50 Oggie at the Cornish Pasty Co.
There’s a reason the Oggie is the first item on Cornish Pasty Co.’s menu. Sure, they have fancy salmon and even vegan pasties. But this crusty envelope is hard to top with faux or fancy anything. With perfect oniony steak and thin potatoes, it’s a classic that, until now, was the only reason to see Cornwall. MO
953 E. Sahara Ave. 702-862-4538, cornishpastyco.com
$8 chile verde combination plate at Chile Verde Express
A cardinal rule of mine is that if a place is named after a dish, chances are that dish is pretty outstanding. You’re doubling down on goodness when said place is in a gas station — that’s just pure confidence. Chile Verde Express’ signature dish is robust and complex, fuel good enough to be served outside a gas station. JB
Inside Choice Gas Station, 8095 S. Rainbow Blvd., 702-260-7758
$7.50 tostones con queso at Doña Norma’s
You’ve probably never noticed the Nicaraguan joint across from the Huntridge, but you should. The valley’s only Nicaraguan restaurant, Doña Norma’s serves the undeniably addictive tostones con queso. Caramelized plantains accompany lightly fried cheese of curd-like consistency with a hint of salinity, making for a symphony of salty and sweet. JB
1122 S. Maryland Parkway, 702-385-7309
$6.99 tonkatsu (pork) curry at Oh! Curry
This anime-festooned Japanese curry house dishes up generous plates of crisply breaded pork cutlets, rice and pickled ginger with a lagoon of Asian-style curry. (It’s more gravy-like than Indian curry.) Order the tonkatsu with a side of fried chicken or an Orange Dream (citrus gelatin topped with whipped cream). JK
5051 Stewart Ave. #101, 702-531-5785
UNDER $15
$13 Coconut Raspberry Shake at Holsteins in the Cosmopolitan
Being a vegan should mean never saying no to a milkshake. Well, maybe that’s not what being a vegan means to everyone, but Holsteins makes sure that nobody has to skip dessert. Coconut sorbet and raspberry vodka topped with a square of toasted coconut marshmallow, it’s like a piña colada if sickly sweet turned sassy tart. MO
3708 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 702-698-7940, holsteinslv.com
$13.50 stuffed pizza at Amore
This is not so much a pizza as it is a bread bowl full of melted cheese (with a splash of tomato sauce for color). Lactaid-dependents need not apply. Tip: Call the shop 30 minutes before coming in, since each gooey pie is baked to order. DL
3945 S. Durango Drive, 702-562-9000, amoretasteofchicago.com
$13 Shrimp and Grits at Eat
Smoked bacon, eggs, and pico de gallo are part of what make the delicately stacked decadence of the tastiest shrimp and grits you’ll get outside of Louisiana so refined. Although this is a dish for the famished and not the peckish, anyone can appreciate something that’s this worth the calories. MO
707 Carson Ave., 702-534-1515, eatdtlv.com
$11.50 country nachos at Our Families Country Café
What happens when you layer the valley’s best chicken-fried steak atop nachos and smother the whole lot in sausage gravy and cheese? Welcome to country nachos, the ultimate comfort food. JB
10591 S. Rainbow Blvd., 702-270-8700, mycountrycafe.com
$13 katsu curry at Tonkatsu Kiyoshi
Hungry Man meets Hokkaido on this massive plate of deep-fried pork with Japanese brown curry. Two juicy cutlets are crusted with panko crumbs — its crispy crags perfect for catching every last drop of spicy gravy — while a generous side of short-grain rice gives the palate a break between bites. DL
7780 S. Jones Blvd. #103, 702-837-7300, tonkatsukiyoshi.com
$11 Cock-A-Waffle-Doo at Nosh & Swig
With a color-coded menu organized by meats — purple (pork), red (beef), blue (seafood), chicken (yellow) — this small-plate eatery does it right. From the mighty Monte Cristo (black forest ham, gruyere cheese, fried egg, wild berry compote) to the outstanding Cock-A-Waffle-Doo (cornflake-crusted chicken with Belgian waffle and blueberry-maple reduction), Nosh & Swig will nourish your deepest foodie cravings. JK
3620 E. Flamingo Road #5, 702-456-6674, noshandswig.com
$12.90 grilled cheese at Echo & Rig
Sam Marvin’s gussied-up grilled cheese bears no resemblance to the after-school snacks of yore. There are no plastic-wrapped processed cheese slices here; instead, braised short ribs mingle with salty Parmesan, sharp white cheddar and nutty gruyere. Sandwiched between thick-cut toast and served with housemade chips, it’s a brown bag lunch gone glam. DL
440 S. Rampart Blvd., 702-489-3525, echoandrig.com
$11 mulipipi at Hungry Islander
So apparently flocks of turkeys run free in Samoa, too. At the valley’s only Samoan restaurant, their version of turkey tails known as mulipipi is served from a small, protein-heavy buffet in the back of the retail space. Bathed in slightly sweet marinade, the meat falls off the bones with the touch of a fork. JB
3385 S. Decatur #33, 702-464-5100
$12.50 rock and roll fries at Brooklyn Bowl
Rock and roll fries are an East Coast institution, so where better to find the dish than Brooklyn Bowl? A riff on poutine from the Great White North, this messiness is as addictive a dish as you’ll find. Aged cheddar supplies a surprisingly nutty undertone, melding with gravy and provolone in gooey goodness. JB
The LINQ #22, 702-862-2695 vegas.brooklynbowl.com
UNDER $25
$22.99 Saturday buffet at Cafe Berlin
German might not be music to the ear, but the crowd at Café Berlin proves their food is manna to the mouth. The curry wurst reimagines German cuisine in a divine way, and that’s before you touch the assortment of schnitzel, kraut and brats on the buffet. Es ein party! MO
4850 W. Sunset Road #100-105, 702-875-4605, cafeberlinlv.com
$18.99 Maharaja shrimp tikka masala at Mint Indian Bistro
You don’t have to know that “maharaja” means great king; you just have to try Mint’s shrimp tikka masala and you’ll feel statelier. All the saucy, sweet, spicy creaminess of an eminent tikka with the sophistication of shellfish, this meal is fit for … someone craving the best Indian in town. MO
730 E. Flamingo Road, 702-894-9334, mintbistro.com
$24.99 all you can eat at Rollin Smoke
The eternal line at this ever-bustling barbecue joint would move a lot faster if everyone would just pony up for this all-you-can-eat offer. An ideal arrangement includes rib tips, smoked brisket and some shrimp, but you can choose anything on the menu at any time of the day — no catch. DL
3185 Highland Drive, 702-836-3621, rollinsmokebarbeque.com
$21 lunch, $26 dinner all-you-can-eat sushi at Oyshi Sushi
All-you-can eat sometimes means not-the-best-you-can-eat. No one has bothered to tell the chefs at Oyshi Sushi this, though. Hyperbolic roll names are nothing new in sushi world, but this place actually lives up to their Fantasy roll reputation. With salmon, shrimp, avocado, asparagus and cream cheese, who misses the rice? MO
7775 S. Rainbow Blvd., 702-646-9744, usmenuguide.com/oyshi.html
You guys are doing three straight nights here. Do you have anything special planned to make them different? Not quite yet. We haven’t really thought about that. We’ll probably be working in some new songs—right now, we’re only playing two or three live, but we’ll probably be playing at least two or three more by the time that comes up. So maybe we’ll be previewing a song or something there, but we’ll see how it goes.
Why did Spoon go on hiatus for four years? We’ve been working nonstop and going nonstop since 1994. We’d put out seven records up until 2010, and pretty much from the start all we’ve been doing is writing, recording, touring, writing, recording, touring, with pretty much no break either. It just felt like we needed to step back and do some other things, and when we felt like getting back at it we would call each other.
How did that conversation go? You produced a ton of records during the hiatus, so it’s not like you were struggling for work. Yeah, and that was awesome. That’s what I love to do, so I pretty much did that for three years straight. Britt [Daniel] was doing Divine Fits, Eric [Harvey] put out a solo record and Rob [Pope] opened a bar and got married, so we were all doing things and we were all really busy. But when it came time to start getting back together, we said, “Let’s start seeing what songs we have.” We were all really excited to get back.
Sounds like a healthy step away, to refresh for the next go-round. Exactly, it gives you a little perspective and makes you appreciate it a little more, just by getting away from it.
You just released the first new single, “Rent I Pay,” and R.I.P. seem like an ironic abbreviation for a band coming off hiatus. Was that intentional? Yeah, we just kept abbreviating it whenever we were talking about it or figuring out the track listing or in emails. It felt like a super-ballsy, tough-sounding Spoon song, so we felt like it would be a good thing to release first—the first recorded Spoon music anyone hears in four years is the gnarliest snare drum you’ve ever heard in your life.
So we thought, why not announce the single with a few things that say “R.I.P Spoon June 10th,” just to see what people thought. And it was funny, I was in Barcelona, sitting in a bar with one of our crew, and he was talking to some fans and they didn’t know I was sitting right there. They were like, “Oh, you work for Spoon? They’re breaking up on June 10.” (laughs)
Would you say your music has changed or evolved in a major way on the new record? I feel like our producer-slash-mixer Dave Fridmann added a lot to this record. I feel like he sort of pushed us a little bit out of our comfort zone. It’s a thicker record, tougher record, but to me the mixes are amazing. You can hear every instrument, but it sounds like a rock record. And it still sounds like Spoon.
As you mentioned, you guys have been going since 1994. And the musical landscape is so different now. Has anything changed for Spoon in that respect? From a songwriting standpoint, I feel like this record is probably the best songs Britt has written. And I would say that we listen to a lot of modern music, so we’re obviously going to be influenced by newer stuff as it comes out. I feel like that is probably creeping its way into our records.
But the bottom line is, we still sound like Spoon—we still sound like Girls Can Tell and A Series of Sneaks. I think maybe things are a little bit more refined, but I also feel like this one is a little wilder, too. We took some chances. There’s a swagger and a confidence to this record that is really important. I also think this is the type of record where you can put it on and tell we were having a lot of fun in the studio.
How do your years producing affect you as a musician working with a producer? I feel like everything rubs off, and I learn things from a lot of different people. I engineered a record by Alejandro Escovedo here in Austin, and the producer was Tony Visconti. He produced all that T. Rex, David Bowie stuff, and working with him, learning about different techniques, is going to rub off on my next project, whether it’s Spoon or whether its any other band.
Spoon with Babes (Thursday & Friday) and Harriet (Saturday). June 26-28, 8 p.m., $20-$35. Brooklyn Bowl, 702-862-2695.
Web link: http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/ae/music/2014/jun/25/weekly-interview-spoon-drummer-jim-eno/
Music has been a large part of your career lately, but has it always been a creative outlet for you? Yeah, well, since I was maybe 13 or 14 years old and I picked up the guitar, started writing tunes and stuff. So a long, long time, yeah.
How do you explain the difference in response for 2000’s Be Here Soon and your 2011 self-titled album? The difference, I think, was that the Jeff Bridges album came out after Crazy Heart, and it was kind of inspired by Crazy Heart, doing that sound with my dear friend T. Bone Burnett—that really set fire to my music. After that movie was over I thought, if there was ever a time to get into the music now would be a good time. I asked T. Bone if he wanted to make an album, and he said sure.
So do you think after Crazy Heart people were more willing to take you seriously as a musician, rather than an actor with a side project? Possibly so, yeah.
When you’re acting, you can have a really gruff voice—characters like Rooster Cogburn (True Grit) and Roy Pulsipher (R.I.P.D.)—but your singing voice is very soft. It kind of depends on the song, and the movie, too. Different songs, different movies you’re playing different characters.
Your backing band, The Abiders—obviously that’s a play off The Dude, right? (Laughs) Yeah.
When I saw that it made me really happy that you had embraced the cult status of The Big Lebowskiand of The Dude. Oh absolutely. The Abiders played the Lebowski Fest in LA not too long ago. We had a great time and Lebowski, in my mind, is an amazing movie. It looks kind of improvised and haphazard, but that’s not the case. It was really so well-thought-out by the Coen brothers, and I’m so pleased to have been involved in that movie.
How similar would you say you are to The Dude? Oh, we have certain similarities. That’s where I begin with all my characters—I look inside myself, see what parts of myself I can use, and The Dude is in there for sure.
How often do you wear a bathrobe out and about? (Laughs) I wear something called a galabeya or a jilbab, some people might call it a muumuu. My wife brought it to me from Egypt, like, 15 years ago, and that’s kind of what I wear around the house when I’m not going out. I don’t have the balls to wear it out. One of these days, though. I keep telling The Abiders that we’ve all got to wear our galabeyas, man. One day.
I had heard rumors of a Lebowski sequel based on the life of the child that The Dude and Maude had. Yeah! No, that rumor’s not true. It’d be nice if it was. If the Coen brothers wanted to do something like that, I’d certainly be there. But I wouldn’t bet on it.
Will your daughter open up for you in Las Vegas? She will. That’s another fun thing about going on the road. Jessie, my daughter, is going to be opening in Vegas and several other of our shows. She is a wonderful musician. She’s got a blog on the Internet and some tunes on iTunes.
Is she in the Big Lebowski cult as well? (Laughs) I think she’s watched it a couple of times. I wouldn’t say she’s a cultist.
She doesn’t call you His Dudeness or El Duderino? No, but my granddaughter calls me Dudepa (laughs).
Do you feel like you have to get in character for a live music performance? Or, compared to acting, is that more true to who you are? It’s funny, it’s kind of a preparation. For the movies you prepare and maybe read the lines or you learn the song and then the preparation kind of goes on the back burner, and you just show up and play or do the scene, then the preparation kind of informs your performance. But you’re not really thinking about it too much. In a way performing a concert is like improvisation with not only the musicians up on the stage but with the audience and how they feel.
What do you mean by that? Sometimes you’ve got a bunch of folks that are ready to party and you tend to that, and some folks are more sedate and you can see them sitting in their chairs and they don’t want to participate too much. So I get up and jam and that’s fine. Everybody approaches it in a different way.
Have you done live theater? Absolutely. I did a lot of summer stock when I was a kid with my dad. I remember one night we were playing in the round, and I’m waiting for my dad to come down, make his entrance, and I see that they’re messing with his fly on the way down. And he gets onstage and his fly is completely off the track and open. The audience starts to giggle and my dad broke character, and said, “Okay, I’m going back upstairs and change my pants. Jeff, will you entertain the people for a moment?” I was about 14 years old, so I broke into some tap dancing routine I had learned and waited for my dad to come back. You never know what’s gonna happen in a live show.
With success in acting and music, are there any other artistic realms you have an interest in branching into? I like to make ceramics, and I’m currently making some T-shirts for a German company that will support an organization called the Institute of Compassionate Awareness.
As you asked the question, what comes to mind is the acting itself, the performing. Music or movies are things that give you celebrity, but probably the most important aspect of that is that they are kind of a platform for me to bring more attention to things that I feel are important, like going to Las Vegas. I’m very excited about meeting with Gov. Sandoval and the first lady to talk about the issue of childhood hunger in Nevada. We’re going to be working together toward bringing attention to summer meals for kids. Low-income kids count on school for their nutrition, and when school is out so is their food. So it’s very important to have places where they can get food during the summer.
Part of the problem is that people don’t know that there are locations where low-income kids can get food. For instance, in Nevada you’ve got 163,000 low-income kids that are eligible for meals, but only 10,000 of them are getting them. That’s a little over 6 percent of them using the program, and the food is available. So one of the things I’ll be doing in my concert in Nevada also is talking about what folks can do and how they can find out where these meals are served.
I’m the national spokesperson for an organization called Share Our Strength, and their campaign called No Kid Hungry. We’ve been working with governors and going from state to state trying to get these states to be No Kid Hungry states and do their best to lower their rate of kids who are in need of food.
One of the things we’ve done that I’m really excited about is that we’ve started a texting program. If folks text FOOD to 877877 they can find out where there’s a meal site in their area. So that is one of the exciting things—when I go on tour through my music, I get to talk about ending hunger in our country.
Jeff Bridges & the Abiders June 20 & 21, 8 p.m., $58-$80. Red Rock Casino, 702-797-7777.
Web Link: http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/ae/music/2014/jun/18/jeff-bridges-house-robes-being-called-dudepa-and/
Less than a week after gracing the cover of the Las Vegas Weekly Music Issue and scorching through a spirited set at our Brooklyn Bowl Showcase, Brendan Scholz of Mercy Music has some big news to share: The local power-trio, considered to be perpetually on the verge of a breakthrough, took another step in the right direction this week, signing a licensing deal with Vegas-based punk label SquidHat Records.
“Hopefully, the future is bright,” said Scholz. “Allan [Carter] and them, they don’t want to rape the artist, which is great. So, them allowing me to keep my situation in-house while still being stoked enough on the project to want to distribute it is f*cking great and I couldn’t be happier about it.”
Scholz co-engineered and produced the band’s upcoming record, When I Die I’m Taking You With Me, alongside Dave Holdredge (Incubus, Falling In Reverse, Alter Bridge). SquidHat will distribute the album, due out in September, which is “95 percent complete” according to Scholz, who has ambitious plans for the rest of the year. “Tour starts in September and we’ll probably be headed out again before the holidays, and I’ll probably start the next record sometime between October and November.”
If you missed Mercy Music at Brooklyn Bowl last week, you can see them for free at the Gold Spike this Friday at 10 p.m.
Web Link: http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/ae/music/2014/jun/13/mercy-music-signs-licensing-deal-squidhat-records/
Las Vegas has always celebrated the comp, and music fans on a budget are still in the right city to see quality acts without charge.
The casino lounge once inspired images of cheesy cover bands, but the Lounge at the Palms and Chandelier Bar at the Cosmopolitan have stomped that stereotype by offering groups like Franky Perez, Lovesick Radio and the Jennifer Keith Quintet.
Beyond the lounge, Vinyl at the Hard Rock Hotel frequently hosts cover-free nights and aftershows with the likes of Guns N’ Roses guitarist Bumblefoot. Brooklyn Bowl has started no-cover shows sprinkled into its all-star lineup— punk and jam acts like Brown Sabbath ( June 6, midnight), Greyhounds (June 12, 10 p.m.) and The Stooges Brass Band (July 12, 8 p.m.).
Downtown, you can see monster acts like Three Doors Down and Deep Purple gratis at the Fremont Street Experience (June 14, 9 p.m.). A bit more under the radar, Velveteen Rabbit has started to put together some great Thursday-night shows pairing local favorites with emerging regional and national acts. Artifice offers late-night performances that span the spectrum from goth to jazz. And finally, the Griffin’s back room offers close-range rock and never charges.
Web Link: http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/ae/music/2014/jun/05/short-cash-you-can-still-hear-ton-music-town/
Marion Write began rapping as a teenager, sneaking into open mics through the back door. Since then he’s opened for Ghostface Killah and Kendrick Lamar. While his local incubation chamber, Flo Deep Music Group, disbanded last year, the soul-influenced MC is still pushing forward, with album Black Gold due in July.
LeRoyCHOPS has been creating a buzz with his minimal beats, chilled-out vibes and slick spit—all present on February EP Ruff Draft of a Shining Donut. His style is less gangster and more stoner, with a nod to the West Coast MCs of the ’90s.
Late for Dinner, aka Jay Dubbler, is a born-and-bred Las Vegan who’s come up through Macro-Fi and the Campfire Crew with an eye toward uniting all corners of the hip-hop scene. He constructs provocative rap narratives laid over heavy, rock-infused beats, and he’s dropped four albums since ’09—with another one underway.
Web link: http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/ae/music/2014/jun/05/three-local-hip-hop-names-know-music-issue/
Best Performance: Against Me! Taking the stage with an arsenal that included a reshuffled lineup and new album Transgender Dysphoria Blues—maybe the band’s best record to-date—Laura Jane Grace and her Gainesville ensemble have never sounded better to my ears.
Best Emerging Act: Masked Intruder Performing tongue-in-cheek pop songs about armed robbery, kidnapping and assault (all in the name of love, of course) this young Midwest band won over hard-hearted punk fans with its fun shtick.
Craziest Pit: Judge Fans took full advantage of a rare opportunity to catch the NYC straight-edge pioneers, rushing the stage, flipping into the crowd, grabbing the mic and knocking over musicians.
Best Showman: The Adicts’ Monkey A graduate of the Rip Taylor school of pageantry, this British glam-punk joker loves to cover his crowd in glitter, streamers, playing cards, beach balls, confetti and anything else he can shoot off the stage.
Best Fan Moment: The Dwarves During the Bay Area vets’ “I Will Deny,” an audience member stormed the main stage, stole Blag Dahlia’s mic and performed the song in its entirety.
Biggest Temper Tantrum: John Cougar Concentration Camp JCCC struggled through part of one song before an argument onstage led to a smashed drum set and an abandoned performance.
Best Band Name: Cerebral Ballzy Simple, funny and offensive—the punk-rock trifecta.
Biggest Surprise: Cock Sparrer One night after headlining the main festival stage, the British Oi! originals ambushed fans by performing an unannounced set to a jam-packed crowd inside Backstage Bar & Billiards.
Web Link: http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/ae/music/2014/may/28/best-punk-rock-bowling-PRB-2014/#/0
Tue, May 27, 2014
I arrived at the closing day of the 16th annual Punk Rock Bowling and Music Festival with Good Riddance’s scream-heavy hardcore filling the stage and an intense heat oppressing the crowd, which was still filing in, if at a slower pace than in previous days.
If you were wondering if Keith Morris is still angry, he is, maybe more than ever. His latest band Off! took the stage at 6 p.m. and seared through tracks off recently released album Wasted Years. Hard as they try to capture their live energy on record, it still doesn’t do them justice, and Morris looks and sounds healthier than in past years.
Leftover Crack performed a mostly uneventful set of anti-everything crust punk. I think I may have set my mayhem expectations too high for the NYC crew, which has been banned from nearly everywhere.
The highlight performance of this year’s festival once again came from Laura Jane Grace and Against Me! This year’s Transgender Dysphoria Blues—which tackles gender roles and society’s definitions of them—might be the band’s best album to date, and it translates solidly to live performance. Songs like “True Trans Soul Rebel,” “Unconditional Love,” “Drinking With the Jocks” and the album’s closing powerhouse, “Black Me Out,” burn with true emotion, and Laura’s voice sounds strong as ever. Against Me! has also seen its lineup change recently, with Atom Willard (Rocket From the Crypt) joining up to play drums. His forceful style is simple but tasteful and has taken AM’s songs to an improved level. Favorites like “Don’t Lose Touch,” “I Was a Teenage Anarchist,” “Sink, Florida, Sink” and “New Wave” have never sounded so good.
The festival’s closer was NOFX, no stranger to the Punk Rock Bowling main stage. Frontman/bassist Fat Mike has performed all 16 years, and the Fat Wreck Chords team has twice been the overall champion of the PRB bowling tourney. The band is still hilarious onstage, with Fat Mike’s antics paired with El Hefe’s one-liners. “Bob,” “Linoleum” and “Don’t Call Me White” can still get a pit frenzied, and NOFX also debuted a Punk Rock Bowling theme song, “Who’s Gonna Be the First to OD at PRB.” Fat Mike also provided a moment of seriousness in tribute to fallen friend Tony Sly, covering “Shortest Pier” with the preface, “It’s not a Punk Rock Bowling without Tony.” The same could be said for NOFX.
With another amazing, exhausting experience in the books, it’s clear Punk Rock Bowling is ready to take it’s next evolutionary step forward. The Stern brothers have grown the event wisely and carefully—from its bowling-alley roots to its big move Downtown—and I can’t wait for whatever comes next.
I arrived at Punk Rock Bowling’s festival grounds Sunday just in time for the first drums of Masked Intruders to slam. The emerging Madison, Wisconsin-based band is a ton of fun, with members wearing different “intruder” colors and snow masks, speaking in thick Chicago accents and singing tongue-in-cheek pop songs about armed robbery, burglary and assault. That shtick, combined with catchy ’50s-style melodies, sped up and backed by distorted guitars, has been a winning combination for Masked Intruders, who recently rereleased their eponymous debut on Fat Wreck Chords. The follow-up comes out Tuesday.
Next on the main stage was legendary Canadian skate-punk outfit SNFU, with frontman Mr. Chi Pig looking as if the band pulled a toothless bum off Fremont Street and asked him to rant into a mic for 40 minutes. In a rare live appearance, the band performed metal-infused speed-punk sprints like “Better than Eddie Vedder” and “Painful Reminder” and thanked PRB’s organizing Stern brothers for inviting them to play, as the sun inched behind the Downtown Grand.
Perennial attendees The Dwarves followed, bringing their famously offensive anthems to the stage. The now-Bay Area-based veterans leave nothing to the imagination, with guitarist He Who Shall Not Be Named performing practically nude. Often overshadowed by The Dwarves’ seemingly juvenile and crass antics are some truly brilliant pop songs, like “Everybody’s Girl”, “How It’s Done” and “There Better Be Women.” During fan favorite “I Will Deny,” singer Blag Dahlia gave an audience member at shot at lead vocals.
The only Brits booked on the main stage Sunday were glam-punk pioneers The Adicts, who always produce a spectacle, complete with costumes, makeup, glitter and gnarly guitar solos. Plus, you can play a great drinking game with all the stuff thrown into the crowd during an Adicts’ performance: an umbrella filled with confetti, a stuffed monkey, a giant blow-up rose, disco beach balls, enough streamers to black-out the Fremont Street Experience …
Next up: 1990s favorites Face to Face, who have come back full force after a multiyear hiatus, releasing two albums, an EP and a split (with Rise Against) since 2011. Their speedy, hook-loaded melodies helped inspire the pop-punk craze of the late ’90s and early 2000s, and they appropriately closed their set with “Disconnected,” a cut deserving of inclusion on any greatest punk hits compilation.
There’s no logo in punk as duplicated, reimagined or highly visible as the Descendents’ cartoon Milo. Versions of the caricatured frontman were everywhere—on patches, T-shirts, skateboards, tattoos and tote bags—as excitement for the infrequently performing headliners ran high as the headliners. And the proponents of perpetual adolescence delivered, opening with “Everything Sux” and then rattling off other classics like “When I Get Old,” “Nothing With You,” and “Suburban Home,” all examples of their reluctance to develop. Frontman Milo Aukerman’s voice strained as he shouted “I’m the One” and “Coffee Mug” to a hysterical crowd that soaking up every moment.
Heading to club shows, I first stopped at Beauty Bar to see local ruffians The People’s Whiskey. I noticed we were joined in the crowd by Blag Dahlia, there to see his Dwarves bandmate Chris Fields perform with The John Cougar Concentration Camp. Unfortunately, J.C.C.C. made it only most of the way through its opening song before a disagreement onstage led to a smashed drum set and an early conclusion. I caught a few songs from Denver-based Reno Divorce—Southern-infused rockabilly jams, like a sped up Social Distortion—before heading to Backstage Bar & Billiards for a show with unannounced special guests.
At Triple B, elbow room and breathing space were at a premium as the stagehand cut the ties and revealed … Cock Sparrer’s banner. Saturday’s main-stage headliners were now performing to a tiny audience, a rare opportunity to see the band in an intimate setting. “Last night we played the festival stage, and that was great, but this is what Cock Sparrer is all about,” frontman Colin McFaull announced. “This is all we ever wanted.” The set was mostly a re-shuffling of the previous night’s song order, but it was a great way to end another PRB leg nonetheless.
Web Link: http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/ae/music/2014/may/26/punk-rock-bowling-adicts-descendents-surprise/#/0
Chris Bitonti 