Las Vegas Mixtape v22: Pizza Paradise, ‘80s Music Mania, and Mickey Hart’s Rhythmic Pulse

Track #5: Around Town Medley: Eddie Trunk 60th birthday party @Copa Room and Scotch 80 @Palms Casino Resort

The ever-growing Vegas rock musician community turned out in force for the 60th birthday celebration of SiriusXM personality Eddie Trunk at the Copa Room inside Bootlegger Italian Bistro. His “Trunk Nation” show on the Volume channel is essential for rock fans who tune in for his interviews and honest critiques. Trunk, who divides his time between Vegas and New Jersey, sometimes tapes shows at the newly opened Sirius XM studio inside the Wynn Hotel.

Toasting Trunk at Bootlegger were Criss Angel, Bruce (KISS) Kulick, Les (The Cult) Warner, Phil (Ozzy Osbourne) Soussan, Micki Free, Todd Kerns (Slash), Franky Perez, and many more. One musical highlight on a night filled with many was Perez fronting an all-star line-up for an inspired rendition of Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs.” Its sadly timeless lyrics were written by Sabbath’s Geezer Butler, who recently left Encino, CA for his new home in Vegas.

On Mondays-Thursdays, Scotch 80–the high-end, beautifully designed steakhouse inside the Palms Casino Resort—offers a wallet-friendly “Social Hour” with “almost two dozen dishes and beverages at 50% off.” The special menu runs in two shifts: 5 to 6:30 pm and 8:30 to 10 pm (perfect for late arrivals like me).

We thoroughly enjoyed the Japanese-accented Miso Glazed Chilean Seabass, plated with shiitake, truffle dashi, tobiko, and bok choy.  It was deliciously priced at $27–half off the usual $54 price tag. Equally impressive was the New Zealand King Salmon with Parisian melted leeks and caviar butter blanc, a lovingly prepared $52 dish marked down to $26. And the complimentary Japanese milk bread was divine.