I can usually tell summer is around the corner when I start having a hard time figuring out what to write. It's not because of a lack of options, but too many. I normally like to focus on one or two things, but this week is all about quantity (without skipping on the quality).
The highlight came Sunday from MGM's Studio 54 for its Open Forum, a night like no other. It's a themed monthly party featuring some of the most original entertainment you're likely to see in a Vegas club, with members of the local show community performing avant-garde dance routines and acrobatics. There was music from DJ Javier Alba and a free-flowing vibe that has to be felt to be understood. It was like a psychedelic circus crossed with cabaret.
The greatest thing of the night was the tribal drumming from Überschall, comprised of members of the beyond-talented Blue Man Group and none other than Primus' very own Tim "Herb" Alexander. It was a performance of the highest order, and man did it rock! Keith Moon and John Bonham would be so very proud.
That's not all. Be sure to stop by Tabú for DJ Frankie's Slide. It's an evening celebrating old skool hip-hop culture. And when I say old skool, I mean old skool. NWA is not old skool. Tupac is not old skool. I'm talking Run DMC, Sugar Hill Gang, and so on. It's about break-dancing with Mr. Freeze and the Rocksteady Crew. It's about my Adidas. And it's each and every Sunday. Don't miss it.
CURVALICIOUS
There's some new fun going down at the Aladdin's Curve. On Wednesdays, it's Jazz Club, brought to you with Oasis, 107.5 FM. How cool is this, a jazz night on the Strip? Going out can't be always about loud, thumping bass kicks. There's no reason one can't slip back a few cocktails to some smooth live sounds. That's right, it's live, from 7-9 p.m., and there's no cover. Go check it out, all you kats and chicks. Also new on Fridays is the return of Pimp 'N' Ho impresario John Huntington's One Night Stand. You might remember this party from last year when it made its home at the Palm's Ghostbar. In a larger yet cozier venue like Curve, expect a bigger impact.
FAB FOUNDATION
I normally don't hit Mandalay Bay's Foundation Room, with the exception of Mondays for Michael Fuller's excellent Godspeed. But I recently got an e-mail from a San Francisco fan (the whole world reads me, ya know) raving about a trip there on her last visit. That got me thinking about a non-Monday trip of my own: a friend's birthday last Saturday. I heard something there that blew my mind … The Beatles.
As DJ Justin Hoffman closed out his set, he played the coolest remix I've heard since God-knows-when. It was "A Day in the Life," slightly sped up and mixed with a hip-hop beat. There also was a subtle hint of "I am the Walrus." The result was gorgeous and completely ass-kicking. Way to go, Justin!
Antonio Llapur walks softly and carries a big club. E-mail him at [email protected].