“This is probably the best thing the city of Las Vegas can do to draw young crowds Downtown,” assessed veteran LA musician-turned-manager Ronnie Gibbs Wednesday evening. Tell that to Vegas indie-poppers Camden, who performed on Night 1 of Amplify!! to a nonexistent crowd at the Brass Lounge. With the venue running behind schedule, the chat-happy patrons hightailing it to the outside patio and the only stage lighting to speak of emanating from the bar itself, the foursome played its rules-mandated three-song set and quietly packed it in.
Divided By Eli didn’t fare much better a block down at Beauty Bar, where a dozen badge-holders milled about the back patio’s weathered sectional and Rockstar Energy mini-bar. Maybe the frenetic alt-power-pop was lost on an impassive, heavily tattooed collective for whom the earnest, Dane Cook-fronting-a-rock-band vibe did not compute.
Or, despite Gibbs’ claims to the contrary, it might have been that four of the five Amplify!! venues were 21-and-over. That left just Jillian’s to pack in the all-agers and give industry types the opportunity to witness musicians giving their all for more than a smattering of suits hiding in the back shadows. Summery, dancey Green Valley representatives Red Hot Radio took full advantage with a tight (they even gulped from their water bottles in tandem), impeccably harmonized, startlingly professional set comprising “Sell Everything I Know,” “Millions Upon Millions” and “3 a.m.” A great discovery overall, compounded more so by the distribution of free CDs and—great shades of Gilmore Girls!—a female member (drummer Emily Sully) whose formidable stage presence emphasized musical ferocity above all else.
Following immediately on Red Hot’s heels, One Pin Short preceded their message-heavy, Latin-tinged ska-reggae with a clap-along and quick rub of frontman Shawn Garnett’s stubbly mohawk-in-the-making. Upping crowd response with banter and plenty of call-and-answer, the seven even inspired a train of flailing dancers to wind through the growing throng. Already on board for September 8’s International Ska Circus, they’d secured another promising spot by the end of the evening, a nod to play Friday’s competition finals.