Thrilling darkwave music at a downtown venue, Cuban chicken from a new Miami-originated eatery, and a ‘70s-themed party for Vegas nightlife tastemakers—these are the highlights of my latest “mixtape.” See you in the streets…
Track #1: Cold Cave @Fremont Country Club
Judging by the packed Cold Cave show at downtown’s Fremont Country Club on a recent Saturday night, there’s a strong “darkwave” musical community in Las Vegas. The audience response to the Los Angeles co-ed duo’s upbeat and infectiously gloomy set was thunderous.
As with their sonic heroes Depeche Mode, whom they’ve supported on tour, Cold Cave builds their sound on pulsing synths with guitar embellishments. Their current and third album, “Passion Depression,” is possibly their best.
At Fremont, the band achieved instant liftoff with the disc’s “She Reigns Down,” letting everyone know that it’s women who are ultimately in charge of the universe: “Her name is Allah/Her name is Jesus/Her name is Budda/She reigns forever.”
In an age when women’s rights have been curtailed, these words resonate.
Driven by ghostly vocalist Wesley Eisold, dressed, of course, in a long dark coat and shrouded in dry ice fog, and multi-instrumentalist/partner-in-life Amy Lee, Cold Cave first released their debut album in 2009.
A show highlight was “Underworld USA,” an anthemic song from 2011 about modern alienation: “They said the meek shall inherit the earth/Oh god that seems like so much work/I want to sing and dream and drink and cry/And let this night pass me by.” To-hell-with-it lyrics like this articulate what a lot of people are feeling right now.
Track #2: Havana 1957 @Flamingo Las Vegas
Until now, my favorite chicken entrée has been the “Oaxacan Rotisserie Chicken” at Chica inside the Venetian where Chef Lorena Garcia has put her distinctive stamp on modern Mexican cuisine.
Chica now has stiff competition, thanks to “Pollo Havana 1957.” It’s one of the signature dishes at the Miami import Havana 1957–the Cuban restaurant and bar that opened this past December at the Flamingo and conjures the glamour of ‘50s Havana.
Their roasted chicken, large enough for two to share, is a marvel—seductively tender and juicy, distinguished by the “marinated in-house Cuban gravy with citrus and Caribbean-spiced notes.” It’s served with white rice, black beans, roasted potatoes, and sweet plantains.
I paired this entrée with a classic coconut-accented mojito—an unbeatable dinner-cocktail combination that guarantees my return. But I’ll likely be back on a weekday…when there’s no live entertainment.
As red hot as the Cuban music was on the Saturday night when I was there with a 6:30pm reservation, the band’s volume was overpowering for the room and made dinner hard to fully enjoy.
Track #3: Rise of Disco @Groove Manor
The Vegas hospitality community is a strong one. Someone who’s helping to further unify this group is Steve Papageorge, a relatively new Vegas resident and former New Yorker. He’s the CEO of Genuine Overkill, the company behind Rise of Disco.
It recently held its first event—a beverages-and-disco bash at a massive vintage party house in Vegas, dubbed “Groove Manor”. A DJ supplied the disco sounds, and various folks came dressed in ‘70s attire, including one mesmerizing roller skater.
On hand were such influential names as James Trees (Esther’s Kitchen), Kim Owens (Main St. Provisions), and Frank Sidoris (Hard Hat Lounge).
“With our first event, bartenders showcased their craft with cocktails featuring our spirit sponsors, while brand reps, mixologists, managers, and owners came together in a setting designed for genuine connection,” says Papageorge. “At its core, ‘Rise of Disco’ is about strengthening the fabric of nightlife by bringing the right people together—and this was just the beginning.”
The evening’s networking vibe was friendly and meaningful. It was no doubt enhanced by the array of spirits, not to mention the pizzas overflowing from the outdoor ovens. Me, I arrived to Groove Manor at 7pm and had a hangover there by 9pm. Blame it on the bourbon.
Watch a clip of the party here: Rise Of Disco Event One.
Track #4: Thus Love at The Wall inside @AREA15
Thus Love is a new band to love and covet. At The Wall, an intimate venue adjacent to The Portal inside AREA15, the Vermont co-ed foursome cast a spell with their crisp post-punk sound and deep rhythmic groove that are cut from similar cloth as Joy Division, Gang of Four, and The Rapture.
Songs from their new and second album “All Pleasure” are sonically angular and lyrically heady. Lead singer and guitarist Echo Mars unfurled self-questioning observations like “Take time to figure out/All these things to unlearn about” (“On The Floor”) and “It′s not what I’m afraid of/‘Cause I can′t feel a thing” (“Get Stable”), bringing to mind a young David Byrne of Talking Heads.
If you want to know what the younger generation is thinking, you can start right here.
Thus Love keep building their buzz in the UK and America (including earning a full-on Rolling Stone feature—rare for a new rock band these days). At The Wall, they played their set with both skill and abandon.
Make no mistake, the future of rock & roll is alive and well in the hands of this compelling young band.
Track #5: Around Town Medley
One of the best museums in Las Vegas is the eye-popping Las Vegas Showgirl Museum, housed in a private two-story mansion on the east side of town. A perfect film to see before or after a private tour of this priceless palace stuffed with sequins, rhinestones, and feathers is “The Last Showgirl,” which I recently saw at The Beverly Theater.
While the museum celebrates showgirl history, the shot-in-Vegas movie unflinchingly examines the life of an aging showgirl—movingly portrayed by Pamela Anderson—who must confront the reality of her faded glory. She’s starring in a long-running classic Vegas show (like the old “Jubilee” or “Lido de Paris) that’s closing as it loses ground to modern shows that favor bump-and-grind choreography over burlesque pageantry.
In the film’s classic audition scene, Anderson’s character rails against the director of a new show in town, who coldly shuts her down because of her age. She’s angry and bitter but defiantly proud, too. You can’t help but cheer her on.
Meanwhile, you may have heard it’s the Year of the Snake (Chinese Lunar Year). The creative minds at Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Garden have reliably gone all out by constructing a dazzling exhibit with intricate floral design and elaborate sculptures. This feast for the eyes can be viewed through March 1.
If you go, be sure to have brunch at the adjacent restaurant Sadelle’s. This opulent, old-school-leaning establishment is known for its “Sadelle’s Tower.”
Imagine the standard lox and bagel sandwich deconstructed and presented in a grand three-tiered stand along with cucumber, tomato, and capers. Order this to instantly feel like royalty, especially if you score a window view of Bellagio’s grand pool.
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