If you’ve spent any considerable time inside Russell Gardner’s punk rock tiki bar Red Dwarf, then you know it’s a source of pride. People plan their nights around this place, and in two years’ time, it’s become a dive bar jewel.
Now Gardner has ambitiously chosen to branch out with Fat Cat, a new jazz, booze and blues joint at Downtown Grand that’s looking to advance the scene.
“Most people, when you say jazz, they think ... Chet Baker with a tiny trio in the corner playing background music really quietly. That’s not what we’re going for,” says Gardner, who opened Fat Cat mid-September. “Vegas doesn’t have a true jazz and blues venue for original musicians.”
There’s some truth to that, even if it’s not immediately apparent. Top 40 covers and old Rat Pack standards keep the lights on for many musicians working the Strip. But if you’ve been to Chicago or New Orleans, as Gardner points out, then you know original jazz clubs aren’t just a thing in other cities, they’re a staple.
“I think there’s enough musicians in town that want to do more, but they simply don’t because there’s not a place for them to play,” Gardner says. “There’s a lot of younger people that are into jazz, into fusion and getting into funk and rhythm and blues.
“Early rock ’n’ roll is blues. It can be slower, it can be faster, it can be funky. It can be super gritty. Jazz can also border over into blues, rock ’n’ roll and psychedelic rock. You’ve got this big swing of genres that most people don’t think of.”
Fat Cat aims to showcase those subgenres with original musicians, both local and touring. Upcoming shows include Deviations on Cool on October 19, an all-vinyl jazz and blues set from DJ Kid Charlemagne on October 23, and eight-piece jazz funk band Cityboyz on October 26. With other styles ranging from hot jazz and up-tempo jump blues to swing and everything in between, there’s a real chance to expose listeners to a deeper catalog of music.
Fat Cat turns on the charm from the moment you walk in, cozy, classy and spacious with great sightlines to the raised stage. Seating is ample and the cabinetry behind the bar, lined with liquor, LPs and antiquated record equipment, was custom-built by Gardner. He worked from a vision of old tiki-inspired Trader Sam’s bars and New Orleans apothecary shops to create the full effect.
“In my mind, it’s a balance of glitz and glam,” he says, “but also grit and glam because you want to have that comfortability where you’re in a space and you don’t feel like you have to dress up to go out there.”
The aesthetic couldn’t be more appropriate for all the showy cocktails Fat Cat has at its disposal. The vibrant, raspberry-imbued Jazz Hands ($16) serves as a refreshing sip, and others like the Burning Bush ($16) and the Chubby Kitty ($16) offer a smoky campfire finish, elevated by cool visuals of rosemary and almond wood being torched in front of you. Fat Cat’s charcuterie plates and tasty, addictive house-baked focaccia bread (made at Red Dwarf) pair well with those drinks and a lengthy beer list.
With a bar team consisting of top mixologists from places like Velveteen Rabbit and Downtown Cocktail Room, Fat Cat shouldn’t have any trouble standing out. “It’s one of those things where you give it a little bit of time, and as more things come out, it’s gonna be like, Oh, you want a good cocktail? Fat Cat is the place to go,” Gardner says.
FAT CAT Downtown Grand, 702-850-5620, fatcatlv.com. Thursday-Monday, 5 p.m.-1 a.m.
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