Count's Vamp’d: Where Legends Play and Ghosts Roam
This is my third place.
If you don't know the term, your “third place” is where you spend most of your time outside work and home.
Count’s Vamp’d (aka Vamp’d for short) has been a staple in Vegas for 15 years, and I've been going there since it opened.
[caption id="attachment_59915" align="alignnone" width="481"]
Some of the incredible artwork on the walls of Count's Vamp'd—the Scorpion's Blackout cover.[/caption]
Danny Koker, known from Count's Kustoms and Counting Cars, owns and opened Vamp’d. Unlike many flashe-in-the-pan venues that celebrities sell their name rights to, Danny’s spot is legit. Vamp’d focuses on the music, right down to the name.
Vamp’d manager Donny DeCecco states, “Vamped is a musical term meaning like a vamped solo... And, you know, Danny's a big fan of Dracula. So, it's more of like a vampire. Vamp’d.”
Before Danny was "the Count," he was a musician and a good one at that. I've seen his band Count’s 77 play numerous times, and they rock.
He brought that love of music to Vamp’d. “We have incredible sound. This room was built for sound, from soundproof(ing) on the ceiling to the back wall that's, very dense velvet that absorbs sound, to the lighting rigs.” Donny beams. “We have a production person come in and manipulate those lights, to move with the sound, that is full immersion.”
And I can attest to that.
Surrounding this magnificent sound and light setup is a landscape of memorabilia, such as guitars, clothing, and drum sets. The walls are painted with notable musicians such as Ozzy, and classic rock album covers like Blackout by the Scorpions.
[caption id="attachment_59908" align="alignnone" width="640"]
Rock memorabilia found at Count's Vamp'd.[/caption]
In Vegas, we don’t mess around when it comes to entertainment. And it's hard for a local bar to compete with the Strip. Here's where Danny’s star power really shows.
“The reason why we get these, incredible acts…is because Danny is rubbing elbows with all these guys. Danny is first and foremost a musician.” Donny continues. “Vinnie Paul used to come in here and sit right at that table, table 13, and watch bands.”
For those unfamiliar with Vinnie Paul, he was the drummer of the metal group Pantera. I had the pleasure of meeting Vinnie multiple times, twice at Vamp’d, including the last time he was there before he passed. I’ll always treasure that moment and how cool he was. Vinnie sadly passed away in 2018.
Danny’s star power draws rock legends like Lita Ford, John 5, Geoff Tate, Sebastian Bach, Marty Friedman, and bands like Powerman 5000 and Robby Krieger of The Doors. There's some hometown power, too, including two of our biggest bands hailing from Vegas: Otherwise and Adelita’s Way.
If you love music, it's an amazing feeling being five feet from the stage of a rock god.
[caption id="attachment_59910" align="alignnone" width="640"]
One of the Count's Kustoms' motorcycles, Purple Haze, adorns the top of the bar at Count's Vamp'd.[/caption]
Vamp’d supports local bands, and that's part of what endears me to this place.
Many bars in Vegas will let you play for “free” or, worse, “pay to play.” However, Vamp’d shines as one of the few bars that will pay local musicians for their talents.
The venue’s calendar is often packed with original bands, as well as massively successful tribute bands such as the Iron Maidens, Damage Inc out of So Cal, and local Las Vegas favorite Thigh Voltage.
Musicians love playing at this venue, and Vamp’d has an amazing reputation amongst performers who visit regularly even when they are not playing.
Included in this is a kick-ass menu, with custom-made chicken wing sauces that Donny makes himself. “I make my own wing sauces; I really poured my heart into the kitchen because it's just something that I love.” Donny states. He was a cook in a former life.
[caption id="attachment_59916" align="alignnone" width="481"]
Vamp'd's famous phone booth coffin. TCB stands for "Taking care of business"[/caption]
What could be more fitting for a rock bar than to have a freakin’ ghost?
“You see things move…lights turn on that aren't on,” Donny explains as he shows me a video on his phone of a trash can moving by itself.
The most stand-out attraction in Vamp’d is the phone booth coffin. The phone is not attached to anything and has no dial tone. “It does ring from time to time, but there's nothing attached, so there's no dial tone. A couple of occasions, I went to go pick it up, and it was just nothing,” Donny tells me as we peer into the coffin.
“I don't think it's a nefarious spirit. I think it’s definitely a music lover. You'd have to be.”
If there is an afterlife, I don’t think Vamp’d would be a bad place to spend it.
When you go, whether a local or tourist, make sure to say hi to my bartender Brittany and tip her well!
Vamp’d is located at 6750 W Sahara in Las Vegas. To get in contact with Vamp’d visit their website at https://www.vampdvegas.com/ or call 702-220-8849.
[caption id="attachment_59917" align="alignleft" width="481"]
"It does ring from time to time"[/caption]
If you don't know the term, your “third place” is where you spend most of your time outside work and home.
Count’s Vamp’d (aka Vamp’d for short) has been a staple in Vegas for 15 years, and I've been going there since it opened.
[caption id="attachment_59915" align="alignnone" width="481"]
Some of the incredible artwork on the walls of Count's Vamp'd—the Scorpion's Blackout cover.[/caption]Counting Cars
Danny Koker, known from Count's Kustoms and Counting Cars, owns and opened Vamp’d. Unlike many flashe-in-the-pan venues that celebrities sell their name rights to, Danny’s spot is legit. Vamp’d focuses on the music, right down to the name.
Vamp’d manager Donny DeCecco states, “Vamped is a musical term meaning like a vamped solo... And, you know, Danny's a big fan of Dracula. So, it's more of like a vampire. Vamp’d.”
Before Danny was "the Count," he was a musician and a good one at that. I've seen his band Count’s 77 play numerous times, and they rock.
He brought that love of music to Vamp’d. “We have incredible sound. This room was built for sound, from soundproof(ing) on the ceiling to the back wall that's, very dense velvet that absorbs sound, to the lighting rigs.” Donny beams. “We have a production person come in and manipulate those lights, to move with the sound, that is full immersion.”
And I can attest to that.
Surrounding this magnificent sound and light setup is a landscape of memorabilia, such as guitars, clothing, and drum sets. The walls are painted with notable musicians such as Ozzy, and classic rock album covers like Blackout by the Scorpions.
[caption id="attachment_59908" align="alignnone" width="640"]
Rock memorabilia found at Count's Vamp'd.[/caption]Celebrity Acts
In Vegas, we don’t mess around when it comes to entertainment. And it's hard for a local bar to compete with the Strip. Here's where Danny’s star power really shows.
“The reason why we get these, incredible acts…is because Danny is rubbing elbows with all these guys. Danny is first and foremost a musician.” Donny continues. “Vinnie Paul used to come in here and sit right at that table, table 13, and watch bands.”
For those unfamiliar with Vinnie Paul, he was the drummer of the metal group Pantera. I had the pleasure of meeting Vinnie multiple times, twice at Vamp’d, including the last time he was there before he passed. I’ll always treasure that moment and how cool he was. Vinnie sadly passed away in 2018.
Danny’s star power draws rock legends like Lita Ford, John 5, Geoff Tate, Sebastian Bach, Marty Friedman, and bands like Powerman 5000 and Robby Krieger of The Doors. There's some hometown power, too, including two of our biggest bands hailing from Vegas: Otherwise and Adelita’s Way.
If you love music, it's an amazing feeling being five feet from the stage of a rock god.
[caption id="attachment_59910" align="alignnone" width="640"]
One of the Count's Kustoms' motorcycles, Purple Haze, adorns the top of the bar at Count's Vamp'd.[/caption]Vamp’d has love for the locals
Vamp’d supports local bands, and that's part of what endears me to this place.
Many bars in Vegas will let you play for “free” or, worse, “pay to play.” However, Vamp’d shines as one of the few bars that will pay local musicians for their talents.
The venue’s calendar is often packed with original bands, as well as massively successful tribute bands such as the Iron Maidens, Damage Inc out of So Cal, and local Las Vegas favorite Thigh Voltage.
Musicians love playing at this venue, and Vamp’d has an amazing reputation amongst performers who visit regularly even when they are not playing.
Included in this is a kick-ass menu, with custom-made chicken wing sauces that Donny makes himself. “I make my own wing sauces; I really poured my heart into the kitchen because it's just something that I love.” Donny states. He was a cook in a former life.
[caption id="attachment_59916" align="alignnone" width="481"]
Vamp'd's famous phone booth coffin. TCB stands for "Taking care of business"[/caption]Vamp’d has a ghost and a coffin
What could be more fitting for a rock bar than to have a freakin’ ghost?
“You see things move…lights turn on that aren't on,” Donny explains as he shows me a video on his phone of a trash can moving by itself.
The most stand-out attraction in Vamp’d is the phone booth coffin. The phone is not attached to anything and has no dial tone. “It does ring from time to time, but there's nothing attached, so there's no dial tone. A couple of occasions, I went to go pick it up, and it was just nothing,” Donny tells me as we peer into the coffin.
“I don't think it's a nefarious spirit. I think it’s definitely a music lover. You'd have to be.”
If there is an afterlife, I don’t think Vamp’d would be a bad place to spend it.
When you go, whether a local or tourist, make sure to say hi to my bartender Brittany and tip her well!
Vamp’d is located at 6750 W Sahara in Las Vegas. To get in contact with Vamp’d visit their website at https://www.vampdvegas.com/ or call 702-220-8849.
[caption id="attachment_59917" align="alignleft" width="481"]
"It does ring from time to time"[/caption]