Fri, May 9, 2014, Las Vegas Weekly Magazine

Hip-hop turnouts in Vegas are about as predictable as a spin of the roulette wheel. I’ve seen great artists like Blackalicious perform to 30 die-hards and Coolio sell out a room. And as it turns out, a late performance time on a school night didn’t quelch the town’s excitement for LA underground duo People Under the Stairs, who packed Beauty Bar’s back alley Thursday night.

I arrived as local favorites Rhyme N Rhythm were finishing up their opening set. People Under the Stairs’ Thes One and Double K were manning their merch booth, signing LPs and posing for pictures . And then, just before midnight, PUTS took the stage, and the venue hit capacity.

Thes One and Double K were tight, frequently rapping in unison like one MC sharing two bodies. They put on a soul-infused hip-hop display, sampling everything from AC/DC to vintage jazz, peppered with old-school chants like “Throw your hands in the air.”

Double K split duties at the mic, scratching tables and beatboxing, while Thes One took turns tapping the drum machine. Their set and their rhymes were both practiced and impromptu, touching on events from the night and running jokes while offering frequent love for Vegas (“Love this being out under the stars. You got something great here. We play a lot of cities and this is f*cking dope”).

People Under the Stairs’ 90-minute set featured singles off recently released ninth studio album 12 Step Program, along with fan favorites like “Acid Raindrops,” keeping the energy high till the end. “You feeling this house party feel?” Thes One asked us an hour into the performance. Absolutely. I wish every hip-hop show could be like this.

Full Article: http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/ae/music/2014/may/09/concert-report-people-under-stairs-may8-beauty-bar/

April 17, Brooklyn Bowl, Las Vegas Weekly Magazine

1. The stage is a fluid concept to opener Waka Flocka Flame, who spent the majority of his performance moving throughout the crowd and inviting fans up front to join him. Wherever he was, he brought a floor-shaking dance party with him.

2. Waka and Chance the Rapper’s styles could not be more different. Chance performs an R&B-based, almost smooth jazz-backed rap versus Waka’s DJ with gunshot effects and crazy spontaneity.

3. Chance was celebrating his 21st birthday with his Vegas performance between Coachella weekends, still making him older than most of his crowd. Shorter beer lines just don’t make up for how old you feel after multiple visits to UrbanDictionary.com.

4. Live, Chance’s voice is much stronger than on his 10 Day and Acid Rap mixtapes, where he can sound overly nasal. He also performs with a live band, which is always my preference. One surprise for me: how positive of a tone his performance created. He was less about the party and more about gratitude and appreciation for his rising star status … and the party.

5. Chance and Waka performed to one of the best Vegas crowds I’ve seen. There was rarely a moment without movement, and the genuine excitement within the room made it a fun experience. Here’s hoping they both come back soon.

Web Link: http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/ae/music/2014/apr/21/five-thoughts-chance-rapper-april-17-brooklyn-bowl/

April 12, Beauty Bar

1. Recorded music has never been able to do The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion justice in capturing the raw power and pure rock ’n’ roll they exude on stage. They’re still best enjoyed live and an opportunity that should never be missed.

2. “We’re here for one reason tonight, to get down,” Spencer preaches to his audience of disciples before erupting into another jam. Believe me, it’s impossible not to when the band is continuously serving up high-speed vintage blues-riffs that command you to move your feet.

3. Though the trio does not perform with a bassist, using instead two low-tuned and heavily-fuzz-distorted guitars, Spencer adds sonic layers by rocking a double theremin.

4. JSBX is not the kind of blues you nurse a drink to or use to repair a broken heart. No, it’s more like a soundtrack for smashing windows and robbing liquor stores. The group even goes so far as to request similar actions of their audience on fan favorite “F*ck Sh*t Up”.

5. The New York City-based band does not have a vast musical range onstage and critics could easily consider them a one-trick pony, but when you’re better than almost anyone at that one trick, do you really need another?

APRIL 11, AT HARD ROCK LIVE

In what has become an annual tradition, those of us unable to make it to Coachella eagerly await announcements from Vegas venues as to which of the giant music festival’s scraps they’ll throw at us like dogs in a medieval dining hall. One of this year’s sweetest spillovers has to be Scottish post-rock outfit Mogwai.

The veteran quintet kicked off their North American tour in Las Vegas Friday night to a spirited Hard Rock Live audience. The mostly instrumental band has always succeeded at spanning genres, from progressive to electronic to jam and straight-forward rock, and once onstage, Mogwai’s performance had a weighted feeling of significance that bordered on theatrical. No detail was too small to affect the overall experience. In fact, the musicians interacted with their tech so frequently, he might as well have been the band’s sixth member. The sound was crisp and clear, at times both noisy and pure.

Mogwai rarely deploys sudden sonic shifts, instead escalating songs to a gradual climax. Their music poured off the stage so fluidly, some swayed, some banged their head, others danced along. I closed my eyes and let their music wash over me, allowing it to take a lot of the sting out of missing the Coachella festivities.

Web Link: http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/ae/music/2014/apr/14/mogwai-hard-rock-live-takes-some-sting-out-missing/

Wed, Nov 21, 2012, Las Vegas Weekly

Friday night’s Imagine Benefit concert was a passion project for the staff of the Hard Rock Cafe on the Strip. Not only did the team organize the event to raise money for the Red Cross Hurricane Relief fund and donate its time—everyone from bouncers to bartenders worked pro bono—but each band on the bill featured a member of the staff.

“We wanted to rally behind the victims of Hurricane Sandy and do our part to show solidarity,” said Jason Lent, the Cafe’s operations manager and half of melodic rock duo Sweetest Morphine.

On top of accepting donations at the door, staff members set up a bake sale table with homemade cookies, brownies and Rice Krispies treats, available in exchange for a donation of any amount. I grabbed a drink and sat down to watch Tarah Grace & The Magnetics. Grace often gets compared to Janis Joplin stylistically, but when she really belts it out she sounds more like Stevie Nicks with balls.

Next, fans kicked off their shoes for Love Vendetta’s danceable rock tunes. The band, formed by local-scene mainstays the Earland brothers, combines a synthy sound reminiscent of The Bravery with a post-punk attitude. Friday night’s show was also Love Vendetta’s first performance with new bassist KC Wells, formerly of longtime Vegas trio The Day After. Wells fit nicely, adding some heavier tones to Vendetta’s pop-friendly grooves.

Rounding out the bill was always-enjoyable punk quartet The People’s Whiskey, whose alcohol-infused punk provided the perfect nightcap.

Overall, the Imagine Benefit raised more than $1,600 for the Red Cross, along with awareness for the hurricane victims, and gave locals good reason to rock out. If you missed the show you can still pitch in at Redcross.org.

Web Link: http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/news/2012/nov/21/hard-rock-cafes-musical-staff-gets-onstage-hurrica/

Fri, Oct 26, 2012, Las Vegas Weekly

1. It’s midnight before the Melvins go on Tuesday night. Are they going out of their way to make me feel old? Despite the late start, LVCS is packed with die-hards waiting to see the band perform its 49th show in 49 days en route to a record-breaking 51—every state plus Washington, D.C.—in 51 days tour.

2. The Melvins never rush. They methodically grind, allowing every sonic wave to steadily crest until finally rupturing into a heavy rhythmic flare of energy. So much for “sludge-rock.”

3. “Las Vegas is the greatest city in the world!” exclaims mushroom-headed, wizard-cloak-wearing frontman Buzz Osborne. Oh, Buzzo, I bet you say that to all the towns on your 51 states in 51 days tour.

4. Stand-up bassist Trevor Dunn, aka the “Lite” in Melvins Lite, is a fine addition to the Melvins sound and has adapted their old material to fit his style. But Dunn really shines when the trio performs tracks off Freak Puke, the only album Dunn has recorded with the band, which features an upright bass.

5. The Melvins’ memorable Tuesday night performance is one of those shows you leave with your ears ringing, your head pulsing and your heart pounding. And in desperate need of sleep.

Web Link: http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/news/2012/oct/26/melvins-lvcs-5-thoughts/

Mon, Oct 22, 2012, Las Vegas Weekly, Entertainment

1. The Hard Rock Cafe on the Srip was buzzing Friday night in anticipation of the sold-out BET Music Matters tour of emerging artists, including headliner Kendrick Lamar, billed by the network as the “newly crowned prince of West Coast hip-hop.” Fans lined up well in advance to pack the intimate venue to capacity. By the time I made it in, there was hardly an inch of space.

2. DJ Bandcamp uses every variation of the classic call and repeat: “I say (blank), you say (blank)!” imaginable, to keep energy high between acts. I bet he’s a wiz at Mad Libs.

3. Kendrick performs alone—well, almost alone. He’s frequently accompanied by his invigorated crowd, which doubles almost every lyric. Kendrick needs only offer a word or two to his swarm, which proudly finishes his thoughts in unison.

4. Kendrick has a raw style, lyrically and in his performance. His music bridges gangsta and party rap featuring simple lyrics, many with alcohol and drug themes. He also lets his words speak for themselves, rarely using backing vocal tracks to increase impact. In fact, he frequently drops the music altogether and spits a cappella, giving his stripped style a concussive effect.

5. There’s a lot of buzz surrounding Lamar in anticipation of the release of debut album Good Kid, m.A.A.d. City—due out Tuesday—and if the response to Friday night’s show is any indication, K-Dot appears to be well on his way to superstardom.

Web Link: http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/news/2012/oct/22/kendrick-lamar-hard-rock-cafe-5-thoughts/

Fri, Oct 26, 2012, Las Vegas Weekly, Entertainment

1. It’s midnight before the Melvins go on Tuesday night. Are they going out of their way to make me feel old? Despite the late start, LVCS is packed with die-hards waiting to see the band perform its 49th show in 49 days en route to a record-breaking 51—every state plus Washington, D.C.—in 51 days tour.

2. The Melvins never rush. They methodically grind, allowing every sonic wave to steadily crest until finally rupturing into a heavy rhythmic flare of energy. So much for “sludge-rock.”

3. “Las Vegas is the greatest city in the world!” exclaims mushroom-headed, wizard-cloak-wearing frontman Buzz Osborne. Oh, Buzzo, I bet you say that to all the towns on your 51 states in 51 days tour.

4. Stand-up bassist Trevor Dunn, aka the “Lite” in Melvins Lite, is a fine addition to the Melvins sound and has adapted their old material to fit his style. But Dunn really shines when the trio performs tracks off Freak Puke, the only album Dunn has recorded with the band, which features an upright bass.

5. The Melvins’ memorable Tuesday night performance is one of those shows you leave with your ears ringing, your head pulsing and your heart pounding. And in desperate need of sleep.

Web Link: http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/news/2012/oct/26/melvins-lvcs-5-thoughts/

Fri, Oct 12, 2012, Las Vegas Weekly, Entertainment

The Morningwood singer has borrowed a few James Brown moves for her Vegas show.

Things are heating up inside Vinyl, and some of the credit has to go to the new Hard Rock Hotel music room’s first resident act, Chantal Claret. The 30-year-old singer is partway through her two-month commitment, with free shows scheduled the next four Thursdays—October 18 and 25 and November 1 and 8—before she wraps up with three weekend performances toward the end of November (16, 24 and 30).

For her visit, Claret has exchanged a portion of the indie-rock edge associated with her previous act, New York City band Morningwood, for a solid brass section topped with choreographed soul-sisters carrying the harmonies. The night I attended, the all-ages crowd’s footwear ranged from sneakers to stilettos, with a slew of high-school attendees front and center. Tables sat mostly vacant on either side of the stage, but elbow room on the dancefloor was a hot commodity.

Claret’s husband, Jimmy Urine (frontman for Mindless Self Indulgence), played the role of hype man, stopping the set mid-stride to reintroduce his wife, James-Brown-style. The band’s upbeat rhythm, blaring horns and grooving bass, combined with Claret’s feisty demeanor, make for a good time, while her songs reaffirm timeless themes of soul music: backstabbing, breaking chains of love, time as money, etc. It’s an entertaining night on the town, especially if you come ready to dance.

The show really hit its stride when Chantal returned to her empowered-punk vixen wheelhouse with a cover of Thee Headcoatees’ “Davy Crockett.” Claret excels at the loose, intentionally imperfect delivery originally conceived for the song by lead Headcoatee Holly Golightly, and Claret bantered with the crowd and encouraged sing-alongs despite the presence of one particularly rowdy fan. “I’m a very nice lady if you’re not a piece of sh*t,” she said. “So let me continue.”

Web Link: http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/news/2012/oct/12/chantal-claret-adapts-her-role-vinyl-resident/

Mon, Oct 1, 2012, Las Vegas Weekly, Entertainment

I arrived at the Hard Rock Cafe on the Strip on Friday night for Moksha and the Greyboy Allstars directly from another, more formal event wearing a shirt and tie. Saying I looked out of place amid the sea of dreadlocks and organic hemp clothing would have been a gross understatement. In fact, I was waiting for the crowd to turn around and chant “Narc!” at me, but no one seemed to really care. There were much more interesting things happening on stage.

Friday night’s show was a tour-closing and homecoming performance for opener Moksha, which spent the last month on the road throughout the West coast including a stint at the Burning Man festival. Moksha commanded the crowd for an hour and 15 minute opening set that included fan favorites “(Everybody Wanna Get Rich) Rite Away” and “Blind to the Time,” a tight performance and a perfect fit to open for Greyboy Allstars. Moksha combines the free flowing jam sounds of guitarist Jeremy Parks with key-burning organist Brian Triola over driving bass and drums that you can easily dance along with or just chill out and enjoy.

At 10:45, Greyboy Allstars took the stage and the floor immediately filled up without even a nudge from the band to come closer. The Allstars, though sans DJ Greyboy for almost two decades now, cut their teeth in the mid-90s on the festival circuit touring continuously for years. I wondered how their sound would translate to the intimate setting of the Hard Rock Cafe on the Strip. Greyboy Allstars’ eclectic style has been called everything from soul to boogaloo and acid-jazz revival, but their live sound would be better described as “can’t help but dance” jams. They had no problem condensing their sound to fit their settings. About one in every five songs featured singing from saxophonist Karl Denson, making the show a mostly instrumental affair. But Greyboy’s set spanned every color of jam in their 2 hour plus performance that included back to back slamming instrumental interpretations of Michael Jackson’s “The Way You Make Me Feel” and “Rock With You,” bringing a show fit for the festival circuit to the Las Vegas Strip.

Web Link: http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/news/2012/oct/01/moksha-and-greyboy-allstars-bring-festival-strip/