It’s only Monday and I’m really excited about the music week ahead in Las Vegas. One of my favorite bands of all time, The Black Crowes, is returning to Las Vegas on Friday evening to play The Joint. I’ve seen the fellas more than a handful of times live and this one is going to be bittersweet as it’s also part of their farewell tour. More than anything I’m thrilled about going to a real rock and roll concert filled with two sets of damn good music. This is also a show that I know I’ll be getting there for the opening act as Truth & Salvage Co. will be gracing the stage and they are definitely a band you want to be listening to.
While The Black Crowes are my top music priority for the week in Las Vegas, Passion Pit plays the House of Blues, Temper Trap invades the Hard Rock Café on The Strip and Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds return to Planet Hollywood for two nights of acoustic euphoria. The only damper on the insane week of live music is scheduling and knowing shows overlap and I won’t get to all of them.
Here’s one of my favorite Crowes songs. Going to miss seeing these guys live.
So last night I went to see Reel Big Fish and Goldfinger. Yes that is not a typo, a group of us decided to relive our youth. And you know what, it was worth the $31 (we all got a good laugh remembering how it use to cost like $8 to see these guys).
Goldfinger put on one heck of a performance and even had Branden Steineckert from Rancid sitting in on drums. Really though I was excited for Reel Big Fish and the first song out of the shoot, “Sellout.” I thought how awesome that the band plays the song their probably most recognized for first! That definitely set the tone for their performance and as the show went on I started to remember a whole bunch of the songs that I have not heard in easily a decade. Closing with “Beer” was pretty much a given and definitely had the crowd still rip-roaring ready to rock out and leave on a high note. Overall it was a far better show than I was expecting and beat spending a Sunday night on the couch.
In honor of Chromeo playing the House of Blues in Las Vegas tonight, here’s the recent collaboration with Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend titled, “I Could Be Wrong.” Enjoy!
LCD Soundsystem rocked the house last night in Las Vegas. It was a high energy 90 minute show at the Pearl at Palms with fans getting down and for a Tuesday night you would have thought it was Friday and the last concert on earth.
For me, hearing “Daft Punk is Playing at My House” live was the highlight of the evening. Here are a couple photos from the show.
I am seriously becoming a huge fan of Brandon Flowers the solo artist and keep being amazed at what he’s doing. His latest music video, “Only the Young” is sensational and was filmed in the theatre and with the cast of Le Reve, the show at Wynn. I think by now everyone knows Flowers’ affection with his hometown(s) of Las Vegas/Henderson but this is just tremendous and a beautiful video. Take four minutes and watch for yourself.
If you don’t have it already, make sure to pick up his solo effort, Flamingo.
Great piece in the New York Times today by Jon Caramanica about Bruno Mars, his rise to fame and new album Doo-Wops & Hooligans. Check it out here.
Las Vegas to San Francisco here we go as this Saturday, October 2, DJ Ikon, resident DJ at Haze, JET and Rehab at the Hard Rock will be performing at the San Francisco Giants game with the HardNox. The HardNox who’s single “Fist Pump” was featured on MTV’s Jersey Shore, has become an anthem for the Giants this season where they even introduced a First Pump Cam to catch fans going fist pump crazy. If you’re in SF this weekend, make your way over to the ballpark and get your fist pumping in rocking out to DJ Ikon and the HardNox.
If you can’t make it, follow their Twitter feeds for live updates DJ Ikon HardNox
Furthur - The Joint - Hard Rock Hotel - Las Vegas
Last night I had the opportunity to catch Furthur at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas and what a show it was. Sure the guys are showing their age (and not just by using teleprompters) but they can still jam and put on one heck of a performance. Opening with “Feel Like A Stranger” and hearing “Brown Eyed Women” were my highlights of the first set while the second set was just amazing. Hard to pick just a couple favorites but “St. Stephen” and a cover of Pink Floyd’s “Time” rise to the top for me.
Gone are the days of bands making an evening out of a concert and performing two sets so every time it happens I relish those shows and wish it was a staple of every show.
Set 1
Feel Like a Stranger
After Midnight
Brown-Eyed Women
Colors of the Rain
Deal
I Need a Miracle
Black-Throated Wind
Loose Lucy
Set 2
Jack Straw
Bertha
Shakedown
Wharf Rat
Time
Dark Star 1
St. Stephen
Wheel
Standing Down the Moon
Going Down the Road
Encore:
Midnite Hour
It was a packed house and a great evening for jamming mixed in with a Bill Walton sighting and man how much John Kadlecik sounds like Jerry.
Do You Hear The Music? 