Concerts
Concerts
Youngblood Hawke
The Joint, Dec. 6
December 13th, 2012
The L.A. indie-pop band rocked a standing-room crowd of spirited kids for X107.5 FM’s Holiday Havoc show. Opening for the Shins, Passion Pit and AWOLNATION, Youngblood had the distinction of being the newest band on the bill. The musicians stood out with their up-tempo pop/rock fusion of sound and instrumentation. Read more »
Concerts
Aerosmith
MGM Grand Garden Arena, Dec. 1
December 6th, 2012
When four well-dressed elderly ladies rolled into the arena—and I mean literally rolled in, on Rascals, not braking until they reached their floor seats five minutes before opening act Cheap Trick hit the stage—my first thought was: “Aww, how sweet. They heard Steven Tyler was performing and think this is going to be like American Idol!” My second thought, after scanning the arena and spotting many more sexagenarians: “Oh, shit—is this going to be like American Idol?” Read more »
Concerts
Classical Mystery Tour
The Smith Center, Nov. 30
December 6th, 2012
As strings gently played “Let It Be,” four musicians took the stage in trademark Beatles black suits and mop tops. They could have been the real thing if your eyesight was poor—as was likely the case for the majority senior-citizen audience. The guys had clearly studied every nuance, particularly John Brosnan, who channeled George Harrison (it was a disappointment that Tony Kishman didn’t play his bass left-handed). Read more »
Concerts
Alice Cooper
The Pearl, Nov. 30
December 6th, 2012
Even the architect of shock rock himself could sustain a career for only so long if it were based solely on outrageous stage theatrics and gimmickry. Ultimately, it’s a catalog containing some of the greatest teenage anthems of all time that has kept Cooper entertaining audiences for more than 40 years. Read more »
Concerts
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy’s Swingin’ Holiday party
Orleans Showroom, Nov. 30
December 6th, 2012
In the hands of someone else, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy front man Scotty Morris’ aping of the conventions of the Swing era—not only the sounds and styles, but the showmanship, too—could come off like a ball of Brie dipped in Velveeta with shredded mozzarella on top. But Morris has such a palpable affection for his influences, it’s hard to read the nine-piece band’s style as anything but charming. Read more »
Concerts
Rush
MGM Grand Garden Arena, Nov. 23
November 29th, 2012
At a time when it’s in vogue for veteran rockers to revisit past glories and play their most popular albums in their entirety, Rush continues to cut against the grain. Read more »
Concerts
Double Down Saloon 20th Anniversary party with the Vermin et Al.
Double Down Saloon, Nov. 24
November 29th, 2012
“Twenty motherfucking years, and we’re still here!” announced the Vermin’s guitarist Dirk Vermin from the tiny corner stage—the same corner where scores of punk and garage bands, from the Demolition Doll Rods to Man Or Astro-man?, have played without a cover charge since November 1992. And this being a Double Down show, someone—I think it was drummer Gerry “Turbo” Proctor—immediately dismissed the milestone: “Yeah? Check back next week.” Read more »
Concerts
Asia
Ovation at Green Valley Ranch, Nov. 10
November 15th, 2012
Thirty years after the release of its chart-topping debut album, the prog-rock “supergroup” no longer can fill arenas, but instead is playing clubs and theaters this tour. Read more »
Concerts
Cursive
Hard Rock Café on the Strip, Nov. 7
November 15th, 2012
Either indie-rock band Cursive took a wrong turn on the way to play Vegas and ended up in Elmore City, Okla., or dancing suddenly became outlawed here—much to Kevin Bacon’s imagined dismay. Read more »
Concerts
Musiq Soulchild
Texas Station, Nov. 9
November 15th, 2012
Love was the evening’s theme for R&B veteran Musiq Soulchild, who was in town to make up for a canceled spring show. The crowning moment was when the singer invited a woman onstage to be serenaded to “sobeautiful.” Read more »
