The Darts with Crimson Riot at Evel Pie, Friday July 12, 2019

Unfortunately and ultimately, I think that outside venues in Las Vegas is generally a bad idea - we get rain quite often (for a desert), in the wintertime it gets icy cold, in the summertime it is brutally hot and so we have a few weeks a year when it is truly nice to hang outside at night. Be that as it may, Evel Pie is a hip little establishment with truly good pizza, a full bar and they do bring in some great live music to their tiny back patio area.

I know that the Darts have been a bit disappointed with the turn out at their last couple of Vegas gigs, so I was happy to hear that they were taking a chance and coming back to town. It's been almost 2 years since they last appeared (with Thee Fourgiven and the Jackets) and I had yet to see them with their new guitarist, the Tele-terror, Meliza.

Opening the night was local punk-poppers, Crimson Riot. A three piece with a female lead vox/guitar, a highly animated (male) bassist/vocalist and a solid drummer. Lots of harmonies and poppy melodies within their simple, tight punk rock songs. An appropriate opener for the night.

It was pretty sweltering by the time the Darts got on stage and the patio was pretty darn packed for them right from the start with fans who really knew their stuff and were singin'n'dancin' along with them throughout the night, despite the heat. With a set packed with tunes from their latest, I Like You But Not Like That, as well as plenty from their other fine releases, all super-charged with their high-energy live show. Nicole knows how to incorporate the crowd into the show, from pinning a set list on a woman up front (becoming the "chest list") to handing her mic, to wearing my hat, to asking for help in moving from one side of the stage to the other and lots more. Rikki continues to be a powerhouse on the drums, Christina's fuzz bass is the brontosaurus driving the band and Meliza's power chords and lead lines flow in'n'out of the melodies. Of course, Nicole is a master on the keys, wrestling it to the ground and conquering it, straddlin' it and never missin' a note while she dances, grooves, performs'n'sings.

These ladies are all stellar musicians, they have some great songs, they look amazing and they put on one of the best live shows I've seen in recent times. They are becoming huge worldwide, so see them when you can or you will reproach yourself in later years!

I am sorry to report that the heat overcame us and we could not stay for the Dollyrots, but thank you Evel Pie ans Suckerpunch for an incredible show!