Track #1 (of 5): Human League, Soft Cell, and Alison Moyet @Fontainebleau
Philip Oakey of the Human League begs the audience: “Don’t you want me, baby”? (Image: Vegas 411)
For me, 2026 has been a joyous ‘80s resurrection having seen the B-52’s at the Venetian, Missing Persons at the STRAT and, most recently the Human League, Soft Cell, and Alison Moyet (Yaz) at the Fontainebleau. Dubbed the “Generations Tour,” the British-centric synth pop bill is an early contender for “tour of the year.”
Each act was strong-voiced and sharply dressed, recalling a thrilling time in pop music when forward-fashion (and modern art) were important elements of the New Wave movement. In the end of course, it all comes down to the quality of the songs, and all three artists tonight brought along tunes that were original, assertive, and moody, not to mention supremely catchy and rhythmically percolating. I’m thinking that ‘80s synth pop sounds like ‘70s glam rock, ’60s and ‘70s soul, and disco all got together and had the coolest and smartest baby ever.
Tour headliners the Human League—with original members Philip Oakey, Susan Ann Sulley, and Joanne Catherall—delivered every sleek hit that the packed crowd wanted to hear including “Don’t You Want Me,” “Love Action,” and “Human” as well as lesser-known but absolutely vital songs like the chilling “Seconds” about the John F. Kennedy assassination and “The Lebanon,” which railed against the horrors of the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990).Oakey is a commanding frontman, with Bowie-style vocal flair and an outstanding fashion sense. (As someone who believes that style matters, I cheered on his ever-changing wardrobe choices throughout the set.) Ultimately the tour underlines how important the sometimes underrated Human League is to rock history (listen up).
Head-to-toe black works well for many including Soft Cell’s Marc Almond. (Image: Vegas 411)
Soft Cell frontman Marc Almond was also convincing, his deep voice illuminating the romantic torture of the smash “Tainted Love/Where Did Our Love Go?” medley and the “I collect, I reject” cynicism of “Memorabilia,” which was briefly mashed up with Madonna’s “Holiday.” The show was a tribute to Almond’s original collaborator, synthesizer wizard Dave Ball who passed away last year. His presence was movingly felt via the tight synth work of Phil Larsen (Ball’s co-producer) who’s been part of the Soft Cell family for a while. Oddly, Almond left out the group’s sexual underworld classic “Sex Dwarf,” with its memorable line, “Luring disco dollies to a life of vice.”
Alison Moyet led a spirited “Love Resurrection.” (Image: Vegas 411)
Alison Moyet possesses one of the most wondrous voices in pop music. It’s husky and rich, providing a brilliant, soulful counterpoint to the electronic soundscapes. She captivated the audience with her instrument on hits by the criminally short-lived Yaz like "Only You,” “Don’t Go,” and “Situation.” Thanks to the sheer power of her voice, she made the latter song’s head-scratching, romantically angry lyrics—“Now he's in control, he's my lover/Nations stand against him, he's your brother”—make some kind of sense. Moyet dazzled as well on her post-Yaz solo song “Love Resurrection” but puzzlingly omitted the romantically aching treasure “Invisible.”
Track #2 (of 5): Swaad Indian Cuisine @Chinatown
This colorful restaurant isn’t easy to find, which is part of the fun of going here for the first time. (Image: Vegas 411)
I love exploring the streets of Chinatown. Driving down the kind-of-hidden Schiff Drive (south of Spring Mountain Rd), I discovered the relatively new Swaad Indian Cuisine that's adjacent to a giant pagoda-style structure and located near the Szechuan hotspot Chengdu Taste and LullaBar Thai Fusion and Izakaya.
Here’s a brightly colored and airy Indian restaurant that immediately goes to the top of the list for satisfyingly delivering what it describes as “SWAAD Fusion…a celebration of authentic Indian spices, comforting Thakali dishes [from Nepal], bold Indo-Chinese favorites, and vibrant Thai inspirations.”
Turns out that Indian and Chinese flavors make wonderful bedfellows. (Image: Vegas 411)
My family and I went all-in for the familiar Indian dishes—vegetable samosas, garlic naan, chicken tikka, bhindi masala (okra), and aloo gobi (potatoes, cauliflower)—and took it up a notch with the show-stopping chicken chol momo: soft chicken dumplings in a momo broth with an array of seductive Indian spices. We also couldn’t pass up the chicken chow mein that was lit up with Indian flavors. I can't wait to go back here and dig deeper into their menu and see more lively Bollywood videos on the large screen there.
Track #3 (of 5): MEGA-SCOPES @Swan Dive, Arts District
The Band Who Fell To Earth. (Image by Fred Morledge)
It’s 9:30 on a Saturday night on Main St in the Arts District, and there’s a line in front of the new incarnation of Swan Dive. The ticket price is $15, everyone’s here to see MEGA-SCOPES (the caps are theirs), and the place is packed. This is a vote of confidence, I immediately thought, for the local music scene here.
MEGA-SCOPES are an accomplished mostly instrumental trio (synth-bass-drum) with a big muscular sound, merging jam band vibes with soundscapes encompassing electronic, rock, funk, prog, and touches of jazz. They incorporate electronically treated vocals and mysterious spoken word audio recordings, performing alongside film projections.
MEGA-SCOPES “set the controls for the heart of the sun,” to borrow the title of an old Pink Floyd song. (Image by Fred Morledge)
Each member is masked and wears a jumpsuit onstage. Their bio says, “Most believe they were created in Area 51 by a secret government program in collaboration with entities from another world.” If you look them up on Spotify, you’ll see an EP from 2023 and various singles including this year’s intriguingly titled “Divide & Bloom.”
There’s a window for MEGA-SCOPES to break out on the festival circuit where audiences are open-minded. During their two hour-plus performance, I wrote down the names of some bands with whom they share some stylistic similarities, like STS9 and LCD Soundsystem. Notably, the audience was with them the whole way, and the sound at Swan Dive was truly stellar.
Track #4 (of 5): Mother Wolf @Fontainebleau
An elegantly designed sanctuary awaits you here. (Image: Vegas 411)
It’s important to give acclaimed restaurants a second chance when your first visit is a disappointment. So I’m delighted to say that my second experience at the ultra-posh Mother Wolf—the Italian eatery inside Fontainebleau that's helmed by Chef Evan Funke—more than lived up to what Los Angelenos have been raving about. That was hardly the case when I dined there a few months after it had opened, with lackluster dishes (including a surprisingly burnt pizza that I sent back) and a waitstaff whose attitude felt overly elitist.
I arrived for my 5pm reservation, immediately noticing a line of eager diners—impressive for an establishment that opened back in December 2023. Fortunately, the warmth emanating from the waitstaff and a true blooded Italian sommelier set the tone for a first-rate dining experience in a captivating dining room with multiple arches and a soaring ceiling.
The world‘s a much better place when squash blossoms are in season. (Image: Vegas 411)
The panzanella (traditional Tuscan Italian bread salad) arrived as a true work of art, with its mix of burrata pugliese, cherry tomatoes, market vegetables, basil, and fried bread, all achieving a perfect symmetry on the plate. Our appetizer—lightly fried seasonal squash blossoms—was equally heavenly, filled with ricotta romana and parmigiano reggiano.
The “Pappardelle Ragu” is worthy of your applause—and an encore. (Image: Vegas 411)
Mother Wolf has built its reputation on its pastas, and the two dishes we ordered were instantly striking. I can’t recommend the luxurious “Pappardelle Ragu” enough. The wide pasta noodle is prepared with a slow-cooked meat sauce (made without tomatoes) and combined with earthy fennel and parmigiano reggiano. The taste was subtle and distinctive—this is food that you worship at the altar of. The other pasta was also top-shelf all the way—the “Rigatoni all’Amatriciana,” made with a spicy tomato sauce, pork and the salty cheese known as Pecorino Romano. There was no time for dessert, as I was headed to the see the mentalist show “Mind2Mind” at the hotel’s Azul Lounge, but I know I’ll return soon enough.
Track #5 (of 5): Around Town Medley: Franky Perez and The All Nighters, The Bones, “People Need People” Mixer
Hands in the air for Franky Perez and The All Nighters. (Image: Vegas 411)
Born and raised in Vegas, baby, as they say. Franky Perez and The All Nighters ignited the audience at the launch of his new weekly show, “Return of The Showman,” taking place every Thursday at 7 PM at the theater inside Treasure Island. Perez is backed by nine musicians, a backing female vocalist, and four showgirl dancers. It’s a big sound drawing on rock, pop, soul, and Latin, matched with a sizzling production that’s made to order for this large theater. One highlight was watching Perez dig his heels all the way into the Latin-fueled title track of his new album “Damelo” via the Virgin Music Group. Guitarist Christian Brady also stunned the crowd with his nails-it-every-time virtuosity. Bonus point: tickets are priced all-in at $25 each and there’s free hotel parking.
Patrick Vitagliano of the Bones “Woke Up Dead”—and we’re all better for it. (Image: Christina Vitagliano)
Ever been betrayed by someone and feel like you woke up dead? Thanks to The Bones for capturing that feeling in their new single “Woke Up Dead”—played early in the Vegas-based band’s recent show at the Copa Room inside Tuscany Suites. It was hard not to sing along to this original by Patrick Vitagliano who infectiously snarls lines like “Crashed-out, thinkin’ bout the things you said, I woke up dead, I woke up dead" and "Freight train, runaway inside my head, I woke up dead, I woke up dead.” The Bones have released four full-length original albums filled with their hard rock/punk tunes (think Social Distortion) including “Circle” in 2024. Look for a new album out sometime soon that’s being recorded in Vegas at The Tone Factory.
The future is female. L-R: Fine artist Kat Anderson, Sally “Vegas Rocks!” Steele, and Ava Berman, co-owner of Fremont Country Club & Backstage Bar & Billiards. (Image: Joe Schaeffer)
Tuscany Suites provided the rocking location of PUB 365 for the “People Need People” mixer—the 14th one I’ve hosted since debuting it five years ago. Nearly 60 people turned out on a Wednesday afternoon to enjoy a magnificent buffet overflowing with cheeseburger sliders, chicken taquitos, carne asada & chicken tacos, chicken wings, and those addictive potato skins. It’s always wonderful to see so many people—representing the many different facets of Vegas life—connecting at these mixers where new friendships and business relationships are formed. There was an especially strong showing of musical performers lighting up the room including Alex Grossi (Quiet Riot), Bruce Kulick (KISS/Grand Funk Railroad), Carl Raether (Crashing Wayward), Heather Lomax, Izzy Presley, Jason Ebs and Janea Ebs (Swaggermouth), Mike Campion (Paper Cowboy), Patrick Vitagliano (The Bones/Paper Cowboy), and legendary bassist, singer, and songwriter Phil Soussan (Ozzy Osbourne, Last In Line) who has a new EP out soon.
