Too cool club events

On Friday, April 25, Bikini's Beach & Dance Club at the Rio is hosting the "Official Beastie Boys After-party" with original BB member DJ Hurricane. Guests who present their "Jam Master J Tribute" concert ticket receive free admission before 12:30 a.m. Cover is then $20 for men, $10 for men with local Las Vegas I.D. and free for ladies. There's also live performance in the main room by DJ Hurricane. For more information, call 702-777-6582.

On Saturday, April 26, there's the "Return of the Rooftop Pool Party" at Hush, the lounge and rooftop pool dreamscape atop Polo Towers. Last year's rooftop party was reportedly the Saturday night see-and-be-seen. The two-story nightspot encompasses the top floor of Polo Towers, with floor-to-ceiling views of the Strip, in addition to the swank atmosphere of the rooftop swimming pool area, complete with private cabanas, all-white bed couches and cabana furniture, and a three-story video wall. DJs David Christian and Sebastian will perform. Doors open at 10 p.m. There's a discounted cover for all locals. For more information, call 702-798-7000.

--Jarret Keene

keene@lvpress.com

The Passenger

From the mangled remains of fallen groups such as Blue Line, Fall In Line and Sideview rises a new musical force in the Las Vegas Valley, and its members are just along for the ride. Passenger, which got its performing feet wet at the Rock in early March, will have its balls-to-the-wall "coming out" party at the Whiskey Bar inside the Green Valley Ranch Station May 1 at 9 p.m. Rap-rock favorites the Joyntchiefs will immediately follow.

With influences ranging from Barry White to Billy Joel to Alice in Chains, these white trash debutantes come across as part Sevendust, part Tool. Vince Williams (vocals), Mike Booth (guitar), Mason Cathey (bass), Bruce Jordan (guitar) and Jamie Fautt (percussion) are currently working with engineer Michael "Elvis" Baskette (Incubus, Limp Bizkit, STP) on a second demo CD. The new album will include the three songs on their first demo as well as two new ones. The old demo will be available for free at the Whiskey show.

"The demos will be free, the drinks will be free, the sex, the love ... everything free," Williams declared. So feel free to send your bar and/or sex bills for the evening to him.

--Megan Capehart

meganc@lvpress.com

Aloha!

The Hard Rock's pool area was transformed into wicky-wicky wacky Waikiki April 19 for "Mondo Tiki," an all-day celebration of kitschy culture. The Thurston Howlies sported the Bing-Crosby-Rancho-Santa-Fe-style as they stormed the stage with ukuleles and bongos to completely capture the exotic appeal of Martin Denny and Les Baxter. Over-the-top vocalist Cherry Capri dazzled the crowd with her delightfully outrageous costumes. (Heck, Rob Ruckus even expressed interest in donning hula-hoop fashions for the upcoming Showgirls gig at the Double Down Saloon May 16.) The band's set included lounge and surf classics along with TV tunes, and Gorilla to the Stars frolicked on the sandy beach during the "Monkees Theme." The troupe of backup singers, nattily attired in white sailor hats and red polo shirts (a la the incompetent Gilligan), doled out kazoos and shimmied with poolside partiers casually sipping tropical cocktails.

After the sun dipped low on the horizon, Charles Phoenix debuted "God Bless Americana: The Retro Slideshow Tour of Hawaii" culled from his vast collection of vintage slides that he has procured from thrift shops and flea markets. Shots of old Vegas mingled with the allure of the islands as we embarked on the hunt for Tiki, and the only thing that could've made it any better would have been wacked-out musical accompaniment by the Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players. For the finale, the band Ape backed Crazy Al as he hacked a log into a fantastic hand crafted Tiki live on stage. Let's hope this rollicking clambake comes back to town next year.

--Poizen Ivy

poizenivy@sincitysounds.com

Punk-rock saviors?

Jonny Christ, who performs straightforward punk while wearing a priest collar, says he has a "bad taste in my mouth for religion," and The Holy Moleys allow him to express his twisted opinions on the subject. The band's old-school influences include The Circle Jerks, The Ramones and Killdozer and are evident in "Mom Is A Serial Killer," a tongue-in-cheek rant reminiscent of Suicidal Tendencies' "Institutionalized." The Moleys' songs touch on simple subjects like beer, drugs and rampant consumerism, because it's "fun to make fun of the everyday stuff that makes people crazy."

The light-hearted quartet, rounded out by FFI and Amber Halo musicians Brother E (aka Eric Metzger) on drums, guitarist Saint Matthew (Matt Torrey) and bassist Saint Mattwo (Matt Salveson), play their first out-of-town gig in Phoenix with So. Cal thrash punks Edison on Friday, April 25. The band recently learned that due to youthful indiscretions and recent changes to customs laws, British Columbia's The Hoosegow are unable to set foot on U.S. soil.

The Holy Moleys and Edison will be appearing at the Double Down Saloon on Saturday, April 26 (along with a late night, post-Vegas Invasion performance by The Black Jetts), and Big Lizard Records will be putting out their debut 15-track album, The Holy Moleys Greatest Hits Volume 2, this summer. The official CD release party will coincide with the Fourth Annual Big Lizard Records Birthday Bash July 3 at The Rock.

--P.I.

Pipin' hot

The difference between a decent band and a fucking incredible band that inspires you to bludgeon your friends over their heads with said band's music is often the quality of the songs and the band's live show. It can also be measured in how much blood, sweat and tears the band puts into making it all happen. Though not even two-years-old, Las Vegas' own The Loud Pipes have already experienced major growing pains but continue to astonish all-ages audiences with their diamond-hard, raw power. After catching the quintet's show April 20 (at what may be Sasha's last night of live music), I've determined few bands in town can match the Pipes' live fury.

When last I saw the Pipes at the now-defunct Tremorz, their sonic identity was much more metallic, with a tough-guy attitude courtesy of then-singer Dan. Eventually husking themselves of all but lead guitarist Jesse and bassist Roxie, the Pipes have returned meaner than Lemmy stuck in Utah, and with an even more explosive live show. Filling out the new ranks are Gilbert on drums, Pit on guitar and the frenetic Keil on vocals.

The hipsters at Sasha's were treated to a manic nine-song set with swaggering riffage, furious drumming and Keil throwing his body into the frightened audience in between throat-rending screams of pure catharsis. The highlight for me was Pit molesting the crowd with his guitar, physically and aurally, the kids fearing for their hairdos. The highlight for the bartenders at the trendy gay bar was probably Jesse stripping to his boxers due to the sweltering climate in the club, bereft of any air- conditioning and packed to the gills.

"There's so much more power with the new lineup that we feed off each other's energy now, and having Gilbert has made it so sturdy," Jesse explained after the steamy set. "I think it's more rock now, not so hardcore, but still with a bigger sound."

The band, having self-released singles so far, is currently at work on a full-length that will surely cause the valley's lesser bands to piss themselves. "The new song we played at the end tonight is indicative of where we're going, with guitar harmonies and more open chords. There's even going to be an acoustic song that is total Guns N' Roses."

Pound for pound, The Loud Pipes have my vote as the most powerful live band to catch in the city. Cast off thine emo purses, Spock haircuts and Dash-bored Crapfessionalism and thrill to the sounds of a band loud enough to turn milk into cheese.

--Aaron Archer

renimani@nme.com





Got questions or feedback? Contact Jarret Keene at 702-871-6780 ext. 347 or keene@lvpress.com.