Archive for the ‘Concert Reviews’ Category

Concert Review: Yeah Yeah Yeahs at The Boulevard Pool at Cosmopolitan 4/13/13

Posted: April 14, 2013 in Concert Reviews, Festivals
Tags: , , , , , ,
0

A great big Thank You from Las Vegas to Coachella for expanding to cover two weekends  Cosmopolitan, House of Blues, The Joint, and the Hard Rock Cafe should be commended for taking advantage of so many great bands stuck in the area for the week by combining to host 10 straight days of No-Chella shows featuring these bands.  Just like being at a music festival, fans in Vegas are forced to make some difficult decisions between bands playing in the same time slot.  Last night that decision was between Foals and The Neighbourhood at House of Blues vs. Yeah Yeah Yeahs at the Boulevard Pool at Cosmopolitan.  Despite my current obsession with Foals and their new album Holy Fire, I opted for Yeah Yeah Yeahs after watching the somewhat boring Foals performance at Coachella streamed live on YouTube.  I was not disappointed with that decision.  The nearly packed house was treated to an energetic set that included all of their hit songs as well as new cuts off of their upcoming fourth album, Mosquito, due out 4/16/2013.  A sign of a great performance is when even the side stage ultra-VIP area is shaking from all of the dancing and bouncing and singing along.  One thing I definitely learned is that lead singer Karen O is crazy.  I mean that in the most complimentary eccentric rock star lead singer way possible.  From her bright red, bedazzled, tassled outfit to her various scarves, head coverings and miner’s headband spotlight to her yoga-like twisting and bending ending up on the floor dance moves topped off with her mic jammed into her cleavage before being deep throated to get the most out of her guttaral screams (deep breath taken).  If that over the top run-on sentence description isn’t enough to make you fall in love then you are not a true rock n roll fan.  A random stranger asked on the way into the show if I was a big Yeah Yeah Yeahs fan.  My response was that I liked them and knew some songs but wouldn’t consider myself a “big fan”.  I would like to retract that answer and now say that I am a Huge fan and am already anxiously awaiting their next Vegas appearance which I hope Karen O will once again proclaim “Best. Vegas. Show. Ever!”

IMG_4248 IMG_4256 IMG_4257 IMG_4259 IMG_4260

The first single off the upcoming Yeah Yeah Yeahs album Mosquito

Concert Review: Street Drum Corps at Vinyl in the Hard Rock 1/26/13

Posted: January 28, 2013 in Concert Reviews, New Music, Production Show
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
0

Drums, war paint, strippers, power tools, Tommy Lee and a theremin.  Just another typical night in Vegas.  All were found inside Vinyl at The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino last night during Street Drum Corps presentation of their production show “Lost Vegas”.  Arriving at the filled to capacity yet comfortably spacious venue I was shocked at the transformation from a bare bones small music spot to a full stage production with an expanded stage, 7 large screens, smoke, lasers and of course…a stripper pole (Where else would the strippers dance during the show?)  I later learned from the band that all of the stage production along with various odd characters assisting with the performance were borrowed from their friends in Motley Crue.  The three core members Frank Zummo, Bobby Alt and Adam Alt arrived on stage a little after 11pm covered in “Street Drum Corps” hoodies and masks playing a straight percussion instrumental piece on normal drums. The masks were then removed to reveal their tribal face paint and the real fun began as they embarked on a one hour set of songs with new age punk vocals alternating with heavy instrumental pieces and even a drum circle in the middle of the audience.  The instruments ranged from drum sets to trash cans to a power saw grinding on a washing machine shooting sparks 20 ft. into the air to what I think was an early 19th century electronic device called a theremin which produces an eerie, acid trip sound without any physical contact by sensing the hand movements of the thereminist (what did you think a theremin player would be called?)  There was even the obligatory rock n roll concert drum solo by Zummo that, true to the eclectic nature of the show, was twisted with a backing dub step beat that morphed into the Chemical Brothers’ “Block Rockin’ Beats” (I see what they did there.)  The cell phones and cameras came out in full force with the appearances of special guests Tommy Lee of Motley Crue, Adrian Young of No Doubt, and Stephen Perkins of Jane’s Addiction who all seemed to enjoy the craziness that was unfolding around them. I left fulfilled knowing that I had seen a concert that was unlike any of the hundreds I have ever been to.  Let’s hope the Hard Rock or any of the other music executives in the crowd felt the same way and figure out a way to book Street Drum Corps to a full time Vegas residency.  If the “World Famous Popovich Comedy Pet Theater” can survive in Vegas then “Lost Vegas” can definitely succeed.

In crowd drum circle

Not my video but I somehow forgot to take video of a full song performance. Thankfully Greywolf598 on YouTube had it covered