receommended gigs

Friday Dec 1 - The Supersuckers, the Bell Rays, the Bombpops and the Rhyolite Sound at Backstage Bar and Billiards

Saturday Dec 2 - The Swamp Gospel and the Psyatics at the Huntridge Tavern

Sunday Dec 3 - Johnny Zig and the Highlights with the Burly-Q Revue at the Double Down

Wednesday Dec 6 - Franks'n'Deans Weenie Roast at the Double Down

Friday Dec 8 - The Riflemen, Box Cutters, the Reckless, Lambs to Lions, Infested, Analog Law at the Dive Bar
Friday Dec 8 - Will and the Hi Rollers, Elvis Cantu at the Artifice

Saturday Dec 9 - Barnyard Stompers, Franks'n'Deans, Whiskey Breath, Sector 7-G, False Cause, the Negative Nancys at the Dive Bar

Sunday Dec 10 - the Rhyolite Sound with the Barnyard Stompers at Hogs and Heifers
Sunday Dec 10 - The Creepshow, Shanda and the Howlers at Eliphino Dive and Dine
Sunday Dec 10 - Pluralses, Queens of Noise, The People's Whiskey, the Scoundrels at the Dive Bar

Monday Dec 11 - Time Crashers, MC Chris, Mega Ran, Late for Dinner at the Beauty Bar

Thursday Dec 14 - TV Party at the Double Down showing The Green Room with live music by Jerk!

Saturday Dec 16 - The Swamp Gospel at the Double Down

Saturday Jan 13 - the Delta Bombers with Will and the Hi Rollers at the Bunkhouse
Saturday Jan 13 - the Unwieldies at the Dillinger

Wednesday Jan 17 - Dead Country Gentlemen and Kid You're No Fighter at the Griffin

Wednesday Jan 24 - the Psyatics, the Pine Hill Haints, Slow Motion Cowboys at the Double Down

Saturday Jan 27 - the New Waves at the Double Down

Thursday Feb 1 - Rev Horton Heat, Voodoo Glow Skulls, Shanda and the Howlers at Backstage Bar and Billiards

Friday Feb 16 - HaHa Tonka, the Unwieldies, Paige Overton at the Beauty Bar

Thursday April 19 - the Terrorsaurs, Psyatics, Swank Bastards at the Double Down

What have I forgotten? Lemme know

Basstravaganza featuring the Swank Bastards at the Double Down Saloon, Wednesday Nov 22, 2017

A terrific Las Vegas holiday tradition, Basstravaganza takes place every year on the night before Thanksgiving. Starting out of necessity (a bass player couldn't make it one year), this has grown to include a bass player for every year of the Double Down's anniversary - 25 this year! Bastard guitarist Jesse Del Quadro gathers up bass players (and wanna-be bass players) from all over Vegas to learn a few surf instro songs and then the night culminates in a free-for-all version of Spinal Tap's "Big Bottom", with everyone playing at once! Chaotic and tons of fun! Always a good time and a way to show the solidarity of the Vegas punk and rock'n'roll scene. Be sure to make it to the Double Down this weekend for lots more celebratory shows!

recommended gigs

Wednesday Nov 22 - Basstravaganza with Thee Swank Bastards at the Double Down

Friday Nov 24 - The Heiz, the Psyatics, Negative Nancys, New Waves, Rocket to Russia at the Double Down

Saturday Nov 25 - Double Down 25th anniversary show with the Dickies, the Dwarves, Throw Rag, the Heiz, Kings of the Wild Frontier, Dirk Vermin and the Hostile Talent, the Swank Bastards and Franks'n'Deans - starts at 5:00 pm

Sunday Nov 26 - Goldtop Bob, Uberschall at the Double Down

Tues Nov 28 - the Reeves Bros at the Sand Dollar

Wednesday Nov 29 - The Rhyolite Sound at Evel Pie for their one year anniversary party

Friday Dec 1 - The Supersuckers, the Bell Rays and the Bombpops at Backstage Bar and Billiards

Saturday Dec 2 - The Swamp Gospel and the Psyatics at the Huntridge Tavern

Saturday Dec 9 - Barnyard Stompers, Franks'n'Deans, Whiskey Breath at the Dive Bar

Sunday Dec 10 - the Rhyolite Sound with the Barnyard Stompers at Hogs and Heifers

Saturday Dec 16 - The Swamp Gospel at the Double Down

Wednesday Jan 17 - Dead Country Gentlemen and Kid You're No Fighter at the Griffin

Wednesday Jan 24 - the Psyatics, the Pine Hill Haints, Slow Motion Cowboys at the Double Down

Saturday Jan 27 - the New Waves at the Double Down

Thursday Feb 1 - Rev Horton Heat, Voodoo Glow Skulls, Shanda and the Howlers at Backstage Bar and Billiards

Friday Feb 16 - HaHa Tonka, the Unwieldies, Paige Overton at the Beauty Bar

Thursday April 19 - the Terrorsaurs, Psyatics, Swank Bastards at the Double Down

What have I forgotten? Lemme know

RIP David Cassidy

David Cassidy, '70s teen heartthrob, dies at age 67 
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Although, even at my young age, I thought the show was a bit goofy and totally corny, I still watched it because I watched every TV show that had anything whatsoever to do with music. And hey, there were some good tunes there too. RIP yet another bit of my youth.

Charlie Manson dead

Hippie cult leader Charles Manson dead at 83 
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I do not want this man to rest in peace, but he was more of a boogy-man and a symbol of the end of the 60's love era than anything else. His kill quota is puny by today's standards, but he put fear into the hearts of wealthy white folks, so he was reviled.

RIP Hawkwind's Michael Davies

FORMER HAWKWIND SYNTH PIONEER MICHAEL ‘DIKMIK’ DAVIES HAS DIED
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RIP Malcolm Young

Malcolm Young, AC/DC Guitarist and Co-Founder, Dead at 64
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I'm getting really tired of all of these rock'n'rollers not far from my age passing on. Not unexpected in this case, but super sad anyway.

Boris, Torche and Endon at the Bunkhouse, Thursday Nov 16, 2017

I've been a fan of Boris for close to ten years now (doesn't seem that it's been that long) thanks to my rockin' pal Dan Epstein, but never had a chance to see them and didn't think that I would - especially in a small club. So, of course, when I found out they were going to play in Las Vegas at the Bunkhouse, of course, I had to be there!

It would have been impossible not to notice the huge amount of Orange amps and assorted other equipment decorating the stage when you first walk in. Boris is known for their affiliation with Orange. so that didn't come as a surprise, but the sheer wall of amplification was pretty startling and gave us an indication of the volume we were in for over the course of the evening!

First up was another Japanese band named Endon, with two keyboardists/noise manipulators, guitar, drums and singer. The instrumentalists took the stage first and spent a good five minutes or so blasting'n'blaring a single chord at top volume which seemed at first to not change in any way, but then you noticed minuscule changes in dynamics, then some major stop-on-a-dime kinetics and then, with the introduction of the singer (fairly unstylish in baggy t-shirt and long shorts), a song emerged. They were supremely heavy, Loud and Intense (with a capital "L" and "I"!) and the vocalist simply screamed'n'shrieked and sometimes whimpered through each number. There was a lot of a-rhythmic noize from the keys/synth/whatevers - one had what looked like a metallic satchel that he strummed, pounded and bent for various effects - along with some cool guitar lines and powerfully crazed drumming. I don't know if it would be something that I would listen to at home - I will have to give it a try - but they were an amazing live act!

For me, Torche was slightly out of place in that they were a more traditional 2 guitar/bass/drums line up that played a more standard, modern hard rock/heavy metal, albeit with a fair amount of effects. They were all down-tuned to the point of wobbly strings (down to "C", maybe?) and the songs weer simple'n'monotonous but with drivin' beats. Not bad, but not particularly interesting, either.

As a three piece band, Boris relies on a large number of effects to create the mix of heavy metal, punk and ambient sounds that they are known for. Unfortunately, on this night, that caused countless problems as they had innumerable issues with everything from one of their microphones (I couldn't understand this, unless it was gong through some effects, as well) to their pedals to an amp needing to be replaced. Their set started a good 1/2 hour later than was scheduled and issues continued into the set, with them letting backing tracks of white noise run while problems were resolved. Once they got going, they began with a huge introduction, including fog machines, laser lights and more, with their super-dramatic, make-up wearin' drummer providing lots of visuals. Regrettably, they playaed almost none of their heavier, more rockin' numbers in favor of big, sustained, drawn-out chords, slow beats and lots'n'lots of gong! Very psychedelic, reminding me of early Pink Floyd at times - certainly a band to see while stoned! The female guitarist played some great, piercing leads, while the other instrumentalist - he played a double-necked bass/guitar - filled out the sound with full chords and bass runs - all through an incomprehensible number of pedals! An accordion was brought out at one point for a keyboard-like sound (definitely no polkas here!) and the droning tones continued throughout the set - you could see some hippie-dancin' in the crowd. Between the technical issues and the lack of more upbeat numbers mixed into the set, the crowd thinned out as the set went on and even we were worn out (it was a work night) and took off before the conclusion. It was great to see them in an intimate setting (from their stage show, we assume that they normally play bigger venues), but we wish they varied the set a bit and, of course, didn't have the problems that they did. That said, I would certainly check them out again if given a chance!