enculturating las vegas into the next millennium... art, dance, film, music, poetry, theater, history, nature and everything else that enriches the lives of those who live and visit southern nevada... Since 2003...

Sunday, July 31, 2011

Downtown Las Vegas Photo Competition...

For all you shutterbugs, photogs, aficionados, professionals and amateurs alike, here is your chance to show off your talent as seen through the lens of a camera. The Downtown Las Vegas Alliance is having a photo competition for the best image that captures the essence of the city core. The competition is open to everyone 21 years of age and older. So if you think you have the perfect image then this is just the competition for you. The deadline in August 15.

For more information about Capture Downtown photo competition just follow this link - http://downtownlasvegasalliance.com/about/artsculturecivic/capturedowntowndlva/


Brian Paco Alvarez enculturating Las Vegas into the millennium...

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Saturday, July 30, 2011

Better late than never...

A place in Paradise...
Exhibition at the Boulevard
Okay I will admit I have been so busy installing my latest exhibition that I have been a late in posting. So I apologize for that. Besides my exhibition at the Boulevard Mall is amazing! But more on that later...

Anyway if you are out and about in this Radiant City we call home make sure to hit up Poets and Painters on the Patio at the Arts Factory happening now and Chad Stolarick's Hacienda featuring the Las Vegas' one and only Robert Oleysyck at Vanguard Lounge on Fremont east beginning at 10am.

The night is out there so make sure to seize it otherwise you run the risk of being called lazy! Las Vegas is a crazy and fun place so make the best of it and have fun... Be safe.

Brian Paco Alvarez enculturating Las Vegas into the millennium...

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Friday, July 29, 2011

Fremont East celebrates Vintage Vegas w/ Street Food Throwdown...

Downtown is having a food throwdown and Mayor Carolyn Goodman will be on hand to judge who has the best food from several local food trucks... This event should make for a fun and crazy night! Downtown is back and Fremont East will be rockin' as always!

Get Downtown where the locals party! this Friday no excuses!!!

For more information about Vintage Vegas and the Street Food Throwdown please visit this site - http://www.streetfoodthrowdown.com/


Nevada Public Radio
For more information on the Cultural Arts in Las Vegas please visit Nevada Public Radio. NPR has detailed listings of many cultural and civic events hosted by area non-profits click on this linkhttp://www.knpr.org/common/psa/listNEW.cfm and if you are planning an event in the next few months, be sure to get your free listing in Nevada Public Radio's Desert Companion magazine by submitting the information here at http://www.knpr.org/culture/eventaddnew.cfm
Have You donated to KNPR? Pledge Now at http://www.knpr.org/index.cfm

Brian Paco Alvarez enculturating Las Vegas into the millennium...

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Thursday, July 28, 2011

New arts organization set to launch at the Bellagio TONIGHT!

It was just a few weeks ago that I was contacted by Dinh Chau-Kieckhafer, Executive Director and Founder of Think and Wonder; a new non-profit organization whose mission is to promote art, culture, education, and improving communities through effective actions and hands-on programs. From looking at their website and small video you can tell this organization is set to make a positive impact in Las Vegas' ever growing cultural arts scene.

This evening Think and Wonder will be having a gathering at Caramel Bar and Lounge at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino. This great mixer will bring out all those who like to create and or support those who creative. If you have not been to Caramel it is a nice place to have a cocktail and socialize with like minded people.

The event begins at 6pm and is free to the public. Must be 21 years old to attend.

About Think and Wonder please visit their site at - http://www.thinknwonder.org


Nevada Public Radio
For more information on the Cultural Arts in Las Vegas please visit Nevada Public Radio. NPR has detailed listings of many cultural and civic events hosted by area non-profits click on this linkhttp://www.knpr.org/common/psa/listNEW.cfm and if you are planning an event in the next few months, be sure to get your free listing in Nevada Public Radio's Desert Companion magazine by submitting the information here at http://www.knpr.org/culture/eventaddnew.cfm
Have You donated to KNPR? Pledge Now at http://www.knpr.org/index.cfm

Brian Paco Alvarez enculturating Las Vegas into the millennium...

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Monday, July 25, 2011

The Smith Center is revving up... Tickets on sale now!

The opening of The Smith Center for the Performing Arts is the single most important event in Las Vegas's cultural arts history since the Mesquite Club planted its first tree 100 years ago. The multi-million dollar project will hearken a new era of the arts in a community yearning for more than cheap buffets and lounge acts. The days of Las Vegas being considered a cultural backwater are coming to an end and it is without any doubt that the Smith Center will be at the helm of that change. The change will be so monumental that the cultural landscape of not just Las Vegas, but the region will be positively affected. Despite the huge strides of the arts in Las Vegas over the last 30 years, it will be the Smith Center that will add the final spark that will ignite a cultural revolution whose impact will be felt far beyond our lifetimes.

I make absolutely no apologies that I am a major fan of the Smith Center. Recently taking a tour of the preview center located at the Holsum Design Center only reinforced what I already believed; that only once in a generation do we get a chance to celebrate the beginning of such an important legacy. With the Smith Center preparing for its first curtain call they have already announced the sale of season tickets to it stellar line-up of Broadway shows.

On Tuesday, July 26th tickets will go one sale. With season tickets starting off at $99 dollars everyone in Las Vegas will be able to participate in what will easily be the social event of the year.

For more information about the The Smith Center please visit their site - http://www.thesmithcenter.com/ or better yet head down to the Holsum Design Center for a preview tour.  Tell them Paco sent you...


Brian Paco Alvarez enculturating Las Vegas into the millennium...

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The Kaiser Report... Musical happenings for the week of July 28...

Here is Laraine Kaisers musical report for the week... Have a fabulous week everyone!

Sunday July 31, 2:00pm
Piano Violin and Cello : Eclectic Trio! Naoko Taniguchi, Violin Elena Kapustina, Cello Tamara Kezerov, Piano
Haydn Gypsy Trio in G, Rachmaninov Elegiac Trio in g minor, Mendelssohn Trio in C minor

Winchester Community Center
3130 Mcleod Dr.
Las Vegas NV 89121
$10 at door $7 in advance
more info: 702-455-7340

The Eclectic Trio of Naoko Taniguchi, violin; Tamara Kezerov, piano; and Elena Kapustina, cello; will perform Felix Mendelssohn’s Trio in C minor; Rachmaninov’s Elegiac Trio in G minor; and Haydn’s The Gypsy Trio in G major at Winchester Cultural Center at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, July 31. Tickets are $7 in advance, $10 on concert day. Violinist Taniguchi is a member of the Neckochan Quartet and both the Las Vegas Philharmonic and the Henderson Symphony, where she has been featured. Cellist Kapustina is also a member of the Philharmonic. She graduated from Belarus State Conservatory in 1989 and is a former member of the Opera-Philharmonic Society Orchestra of Plovdiv, Bulgaria. She performed with the Plovdiv National opera Theater Orchestra for 10 years, touring Europe, Asia, and the United States. She has performed many times at Winchester Cultural Center. Pianist Kezerov was born in Uruguay and raised in Argentina, where she grew into a critically acclaimed soloist. She has played with the Russian Federal Orchestra, featured in such works as Chopin Piano Concerto No2 in F Minor. She often performs with her husband, the celebrated violinist Israel Chorberg. Following an appearance at a private party, this will be the Eclectic Trio’s first public performance. 

Tickets may be purchased at Winchester Cultural Center, 3130 S. McLeod Drive, or online at www.ClarkCountyNV.gov/parks

For additional information, call the center at (702) 455-7340. Clark County Parks and Recreation also can be found on social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook.

Nevada Public Radio
For more information on the Cultural Arts in Las Vegas please visit Nevada Public Radio. NPR has detailed listings of many cultural and civic events hosted by area non-profits click on this linkhttp://www.knpr.org/common/psa/listNEW.cfm and if you are planning an event in the next few months, be sure to get your free listing in Nevada Public Radio's Desert Companion magazine by submitting the information here at http://www.knpr.org/culture/eventaddnew.cfm
Have You donated to KNPR? Pledge Now at http://www.knpr.org/index.cfm
Brian Paco Alvarez enculturating Las Vegas into the millennium...

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Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Putting on the Ritz @ The Cosmopolitan...

When the arts community joins forces with the LGBT community for a good cause, boy can they throw a party. I have been involved with The LGBT Center of Southern Nevada's annual art show for many years and I have never seen anything like this. From a small art gathering at the organizations Commercial Center location, to a major event at Las Vegas's newest and hottest resort The Cosmopolitan, this years event is expected to be the social and artistic event of the year. Not just is it an art show, but there will be performance and live art, a fashion show, amazing music, body painting, Dj's and even the Sin Sity Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence will be on hand to add a little spice to the event. I will be blogging live from the event so stay tuned for my updates and when you come down make sure to say hello!

For more information about the event please visit this site http://www.thecenterlv.com/

Artrageous Vegas
Saturday, July 23 2011
Cosmopolitan Hotel and Casino
http://www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com/



Nevada Public Radio
For more information on the Cultural Arts in Las Vegas please visit Nevada Public Radio. NPR has detailed listings of many cultural and civic events hosted by area non-profits click on this linkhttp://www.knpr.org/common/psa/listNEW.cfm and if you are planning an event in the next few months, be sure to get your free listing in Nevada Public Radio's Desert Companion magazine by submitting the information here at http://www.knpr.org/culture/eventaddnew.cfm
Have You donated to KNPR? Pledge Now at http://www.knpr.org/index.cfm

Brian Paco Alvarez enculturating Las Vegas into the millennium...

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Monday, July 18, 2011

First Friday is NOT CANCELLED!!! But let me tell you why...

Last night while I was at home getting ready for bed I happened to come across a news report by Channel 8 News Anchor Chris Saldana, that First Friday the monthly Downtown arts festival was going on hiatus. Now I have been hearing rumors about First Friday going on "hiatus" for months from people in the arts district. The big argument was the fact that the police were demanding more and more officers to walk the streets during the event, a costly fence needed to be put around the festival, not to mention the street closures that would have to take place to make it all happen. In the end Whirlygig, the organization that puts on First Friday, just could not afford to do all that was demanded of them. Ergo the announcement that was made yesterday in the news. In addition there was the official announcement on the First Friday website that the festival would be going on hiatus for two months. 

Facebook and other social media outlets have been all abuzz about what has been reported. Many people are angry that such an announcement would be made without any thought to the damage they were about to unleash. Just reading the comments on my post of last nights news story on Facebook has been interesting, with all kinds of people chiming in as what to do next. Gallerists and small business owners have been doing all types of damage control and informing the public that First Friday will indeed happen. Artists are getting online and sending emails, text messages and the like to tell their collectors, patrons and friends to come Downtown and participate this coming First Friday (August 5). Even news stations have been called to inform them that First Friday is going to happen.

Granted, I can completely understand the need for Whirlygig to regroup, especially in-lieu of these tough economic times. What I do not understand is how they feel they have an obligation "not to encourage" people to attend First Friday anyway, siting safety as the biggest issue. This was stated by Naomi Arin, a representative of Whirlygig, in a story by Kristen Petersen in the Las Vegas Weekly today. How can anyone think that thousands of people who have been coming to First Friday for years are all of a sudden not going to show up because someone says so? There is no organization, let alone a non-profit one, that can dictate to an individual or a small business owner that they cannot congregate or be open. The comment by Naomi was highly misinformed and quite honestly offensive to many of us who have dedicated ourselves and our livelihoods to making Downtown a success.

Lets be honest, First Friday is no longer an arts district only event and it has grown far beyond what an organization can say or do with it. First Friday will always happen because there are thousands of dedicated artists, gallerists, small business owners and residents that will not let it just go into hiatus. First Friday is not just a celebration of arts and culture, but of Downtown itself. It was built by dedicated individuals who worked hard to make it into what it is today and to think that it can be stopped is pure fantasy.

If the streets cannot be closed, or the tents and stages be erected, the community will adjust to this new reality. The food trucks will still come down, albeit turn their windows to the sidewalks, the street artists will still perform and the masses will still descend because there is plenty to do. First Friday will happen and there is nothing that can stop the momentum that was started 9 years ago.

Downtown WILL BE OPEN for First Friday. So please come down as you normally do and enjoy a Hot August Night, full of art, culture and sizzling hot adventure. 

Stay tuned for my First Friday post that will be chock-full of events to entice the creative side in all of us.

Brian Paco Alvarez enculturating Las Vegas into the millennium...

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Onnoleigh does “EDC” Electric Daisy Carnival...

Onnoleigh Sweetman
Once a Raver always a raver as they say... As a graduate of the 1990's Rave scene myself I have gone to every party imaginable; from glow-stick lighted warehouses, to clubs with the best Trance, House and Goa. To be a witness of one of the greatest music movements in history was by far the best gifts I could have ever given myself. I look back at those days in awe and say quite confidently that if it was not for the Rave Scene, its amazing music and even more amazing community of friends that I acquired I probably would not be doing many of the creative things that I do today. It was an fabulous time and it is good to know that today that fledgling scene has finally grown up into something beyond imagination.

Over the last few weeks my good friend Onnoleigh Sweetman has been composing an amazing account of the Electric Daisy Carnival music festival that took place in Las Vegas at the end of June. Here is first hand account of an evening that was a watershed moment in Las Vegas history that few are going to forget.

Onnoleigh does “EDC” Electric Daisy Carnival...

The Hype about EDC had been building for months. Numerous posts on facebook were circulating in regards to the countless DJ’s, the fun, the glitz and the glamour, and last but not least, the drugs. Excitement in the Las Vegas area was growing but not without scrutiny of course. EDC in its 15th year had left its home base in California and was headed to the bright lights of the adulterous city of Las Vegas. Hype about the drug use, the heat and potential deaths made its way to virtually every news bureau across the city. If everyone had judged EDC solely on the fear that was distilled from the beginning, the festival was headed for complete doom and devastation with countless causalities which could’ve been comparable to World War 2.

But as we know, no one can keep a good raver down. EDC was going to happen, with or without the support of the media. And it didn’t hurt to have the backing of good ole Mayor Oscar Goodman who makes no excuses for his beloved city of decadence and debauchery. A city, which over the years takes great pride in being the biggest party town in the country… EDC was full Steam Ahead!

The weekend of EDC was upon us and I had zero plans of attending. It’s just a rave I thought, and I’ve done my fair share of raving as a former club diva of the late 90’s and early millennium. What could I possibly do or see that I haven’t seen or done before? So I shrugged it off, firmly believing that there was no way that I would ever get bitten by the rave bug. That was, until, the friends arrived.

It was Friday afternoon and I was just waking from a long night out downtown with Tim and Jen who flew in specifically for the event. EDC was a wedding present gifted to them by their friend whom I only know as Asian Station. I was dropping them off at their hotel, donning an alien mask, with Tim in a silver jacket to greet their friends whom they were spending the weekend with. “Might as well get in the spirit” I thought, even if I wasn’t going. The first thing we see driving up in the hotel parking lot is a large hummer with “EDC” spray painted on the back and “House Gangstas” painted on the side. Damnit! I couldn’t help but feel the excitement building in the air. It was all around me, there was no escaping it. Once a raver always a raver and this raver wanted in on what looked like the beginning of an epic weekend. And so we enter the room. It was like a house heads dream. Numerous lollipops, Gatorade and water bottles lined the tables. Sparkle bra tops, furry fluffers, and two cute girls in the guest bedroom resting their bodies so they could dance the weekend away. As an almost ten year veteran of Burning Man, momma raver kicked in and I explained the dangers of the heat and dehydration in this weather. I could only laugh when Asian Station said “open the fridge” and I did as he instructed to see it fully stocked with enough water and Gatorade to last a week on the playa. “No one is dying in this room” he said. And there it was. The how the heck did I think I would escape the excitement of EDC? With prior obligations set forth for Friday and Saturday that left me with one night only. The finale, of Sunday. And so the universe heard my desires to dance, at the very least, one night away amongst a sea of people with glow sticks, angel wings, daisies, fur, and most importantly, electronic music.

With a three day pass to EDC and an exit time of 3pm on Sunday, Tim and Jen gifted me two tickets to a raver’s carnival of dreams. And with those tickets I headed straight to the costume bin to construct the ultimate pink kitty cat outfit also known to countless burners on the playa as “Super Pussy”.

As a poi spinner for nearly a decade, I knew there was one person that I wanted with me on this adventure and that was “Pounce”. A veteran of the dance scene, Pounce and I met in 2006 and spent countless nights spinning glow poi, manipulating fire and dancing in clubs. And so it began.

We headed out to the festival around 9:00 pm. The roads to the Las Vegas speedway were packed and countless cars could be heard bumping all sorts of electronic music. We pulled as instructed into our parking space and headed to the gates. Pink fluffers, daises and back packs in hand we were ready to dance the night away….Now this is where I started to feel a little old. Everyone looked about 18 years old. Young girls donned booty shorts, glitter stomachs, and glow sticks. Young men with boyish grins walked around shirtless..And that is when it hit me. I entered the rave scene when most these kids were babies. Most of us that found the rave scene didn’t find it through the internet or mass media. We found it because we were guided by spirit to an underground culture that had been beckoning us our entire lives. In the 90’s it was fresh, it was new, and it was the dawn of a new day. We created P.L.U.R –peace, love, unity and respect. What did these kids know about respect and true house beats? That question stayed with me the entire evening up until the yo-yo ride….

It was a quick and easy access through the gates. My excitement started to grow as I heard thumping beats on what could be named the most amazing sound systems I have heard in my entire electronic career. We walked over the bleachers through the cosmic meadow and began our venture. The lights, the carnival rides, the music, the countless kids high on ecstasy. This was already making for an interesting evening. First up of course was the fire art installation by The Flaming Lotus Girls. I recognized the piece from Burning Man 2008 and couldn’t help but smile that BM pieces are continuing to make its way off the playa and into our everyday lives. The art piece was interactive. You could press and move buttons that in turn would move parts of the installation and shoot fire. The crew was great and handed us stickers while encouraging onlookers to participate.

From there we decided to hit the Heineken Dome. Beer, plus, DJ’s, plus air conditioning, equals a big win in my book. We headed to the DJ booth where a DJ that didn’t look over 21 was spinning Dub Step. Dub Step and I do not see eye to eye and never will. That’s an entire article all on its own. But with the spirit of EDC and glow balls in hand I danced and spun my poi anyways, flashing my super saucy smile to the young, boyish eye candy in pink running the visuals. If I was to dance to dub step I could at least do it while flirting and enjoying the view. From the Heineken Dome we headed over to listen to an old time favorite Paul Oakenfold. The best part of this experience was the young girl that approached me with complete innocence and asked “Are you rolling”? “ No honey, this is sober. “We are old school” I replied. After shaking our asses for quite some time, we decided it was time to unleash the inner child and hit as many carnival rides as possible. We rode on everything that we could, tilta-whirl, the fun house, slides, the merry go round over and over, all the while screaming and giggling like children at Disneyland for the first time. In the midst of giggles, I couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like to be dosed on a conspicuous amount of pure mdma while riding these rides. With the electronic music, the lights, and the adrenaline, I knew it would not only make for an interesting mix but a high unlike any other that you could experience. And I knew countless ravers were experiencing just that, all around me.

And so it was over to cosmic meadow to see the one and only Infected Mushroom. This is where I felt the full on throttle of bodies pulsating to the music- arms thrown in the air, screams from thousands covering the meadow in a sea of fur and glow toys. My first experience of what a “massive” truly was all about was discovered in that meadow of carnival overload, headed up by a boisterous and mind blowing performance by Infected Mushroom.. And for those that would like to argue that DJ’s aren’t real musicians- take a close look at Infected Mushroom. Dj's are live musicians, live drums, live guitars... The general public can also tend to think “it's just techno” but psychedelic trance goes way deeper than that and actually gets it roots in tribal times. Infected mushroom is a prime example of live musicians and DJ’s intertwined with psychedelic beats to create a spiritual journey to truly raise vibrations and awareness. And on that spiritual level, one could only consider these “musicians” as such to be musical shamans. Spreading their intent through music where its audience can find the truth in and between the healing beats…

With much more to see in the final night of EDC and so little time, a mission was conjured upon us, and with that mission, it was with great fortitude that we headed back to my favorite spot of the entire evening. The Heineken Dome. More my speed, the Heineken dome was an intimate setting for all that dwells versus the large mass crowds. My perfect spot. Pre Donald Glaude was a show of cheerleaders flying through the air kicking, tossing and jumping held up by only strong men with rippling muscles. A crowd pleaser at the very least and a thumbs up to the booking agents. EDC didn’t skip a beat when it came to casting its acts for the weekend.

And now for Donald Glaude. For anyone that hasn’t seen Donald Glaude over the past decade, one word and one word only could describe him. ENERGY. The one DJ in the history of house music that can truly hear you make some fucking noise! Dreads flying, arms rising, Glaude had a one on one intimate approach with his audience that couldn’t have been done on a main stage. It seemed as though the Heineken Dome was a hidden treasure for those that enjoy a connection with its DJ and I was enjoying it to its fullest. And of course let’s not forget everyone that I know from Las Vegas that I saw inside the dome. It was like burning man at its best. Running into familiar faces in unfamiliar places which only made it that much more special.

Amidst the booty shaking, a tall and handsome man walked by and stood by the DJ booth of Glaude. This must be the next DJ I thought. Little did I know that this one DJ would define my EDC experience and basically knock my socks off all the while giving me hope that true house music will never die. That there will always be a DJ that will rebel against the top 40 bullshit of Las Vegas and prove once again that “real” house music triumphs all. That DJ was Vegas transplant Chris Garcia.

Now we are going to get pretty literal here. Some people are connoisseurs of wine, I consider myself a connoisseur of electronic music and very picky to say the least. The very second Garcia layed down his first track, both Pounce and I looked at each other and said “holy shit“ followed by “what the heck is this”?

This was it. Ahh the reason I love house music. His beats were sharp and just down right “sick”. No foreplay just straight to the orgasm with no apologies. That’s when I scurried to the EDC program to find out who the heck this DJ was. And the name was familiar and I knew he DJ’d in Vegas. And that begs the question, where the hell have I been? Such a great DJ in my own backyard. Surely I had happened upon him in the late night after hours of the Vegas Clubs (post research of Garcia would confirm his residency at Drais). A quick hello to Donald Glaude with a see ya at Burning Man and it was back to drooling and booty shaking to Chris Garcia. By far, Garcia, in my book, was the most impressive set of the night at EDC and one can clearly see why he is expanding his career so diligently in a short six year time span in Las Vegas.

With the wee hours of morning upon us we headed out of the dome to experience what I had been eyeing all night. The yo-yo. We ventured out hearing the sounds of ATB with familiar tunes from the millennium beckoning blissfully in the air. These sounds evoked the emotions of what it felt like when I first became a club kid so many years ago. And that’s exactly the moment when all my hopes came crashing down upon me. On the other side of this bliss was its grandeur counter part of darkness. Whoever the DJ was next to that yo-yo ride dropped a Snoop Dog track. I’m not talking a great mash-up where you hear music in a whole new light which in turn gives you more respect for its artist. I’m talking straight rap. A full five plus minute’s worth. The kids around me went nuts. Throwing their hands in the air, screaming at the top of their lungs like the Kardashian sisters had just gave them a personal high five and booty shake. That’s when, in complete disarray, I yelled at the top of my lungs “I didn’t come to EDC to hear RAP”. That’s when it fully dawned on me. I’m from a completely different era. Most these kids were driven by consumerism, they were told what to like, what to do, and what to wear (that was apparent by the hundreds of kids donning the same pair of glasses at every turn). This was more about a trend to them then it was about the peace, the love, the unity, the respect. With trash around the track growing in leaps and bounds by the minute, I couldn't help but wonder “where is the respect”? I expressed my concerns with Pounce. “It’s a massive”! She exclaimed. “You can’t compare it to Burning Man, (a leave no trace event) they are two different elements”. With that being said, I almost wondered if I sounded like a hippy of the 60’s, unwilling to let go and embrace change. Then I realized, I am a hippy, a hippy of the millennium and proud to hold onto the ideals of the earlier years. Holding ever so fervently to the scene in the 2000 flick “Groove” where one of the characters asks the promoter why he does what he does and replies “The Nod”. Though there may be fewer of us these days, we still hold onto our “truth” where the music guides the soul and aids us in the ultimate connection with our inner being and “true” selves. As evident with a local Las Vegas break dancer, who told me he cried during the Dash Berlin set that night. The crowd singing together, his experience of unity, it was the old days and it was those old days that have defined this culture and brought the music to what it is. Accepted….

But beyond the lights, beyond the beats, there is one important factor that must be looked at with EDC.
The impact on Las Vegas as a whole. Brian Paco Alvarez, a powerhouse and imperative support of the local music and arts scene can be quoted as saying the following “EDC was the largest and most important music festival in Las Vegas ‘history”… And that is true. No other festival that I know has brought such a huge and over the top production to the desert and produced such a positive outcome with a largely negative connotation attached to its name. Job well done EDC, job well done.

And so with my first massive under my belt, my final review of EDC is now upon us.

Overall EDC was entertaining, a glow light wonderland of excitement, rides, adrenaline and most importantly electronic music. And with a zero tolerance policy or not, the leaders of Insomniac Productions know exactly what they are doing. Designing the ultimate experience of rave culture and banking on the trends of electronic music. A carnival like none other, EDC, with all its scrutiny has proven itself once again as unstoppable, and will be back with a vengeance, cause as every raver knows “this shit aint over till the last record spins”.

-Onnoleigh Sweetman
Artistic Director
Nytronix Entertainment &
The Sin City Fire Dolls
www.nytronix.com

Brian Paco Alvarez enculturating Las Vegas into the millennium...

posted by Brian Paco Alvarez, Curator and Chronicler of Culture at | 0 Comments

The Kaiser Report... Musical happenings for the week of July 18...

Here is Laraine Kaiser's musical happening for the week...

Have a great week everyone!

Monday July 18th, 9:00pm-12:00am
Jazz performance and Jam session, to follow after first set
with Julian Tanaka, Reggie Johnson, Austin Pooley and Jeff Davis
The Arts Factory
107 East Charleston Boulevard
Las Vegas, NV 89104
Free and Open to the Public
more info: 702-383-3133

Thursday July 21th, 5:00-9:00pm
Art Festival family friendly, music, art, food, art galleries all open their doors
Water Street Art District (Water and Basic Road)
Henderson NV
Free and Open to the Public
more info: 702-267-1516
Sunday July 24th, 2:00pm
Musical Comedy/Novelty Song Revue "Kooky Tunes" Presented by the Nevada Performing Arts Society featuring cast members from Mamma Mia and the Lion King
written and directed by Keith Thompson of the Jersey Boys
Presented by the Performing Arts Society of Nevada
Clark County Library Theater
1401 East Flamingo
Las Vegas NV
tickets $15
more info: 702-658-6741 email PASN@aol.com


Nevada Public Radio
For more information on the Cultural Arts in Las Vegas please visit Nevada Public Radio. NPR has detailed listings of many cultural and civic events hosted by area non-profits click on this linkhttp://www.knpr.org/common/psa/listNEW.cfm and if you are planning an event in the next few months, be sure to get your free listing in Nevada Public Radio's Desert Companion magazine by submitting the information here at http://www.knpr.org/culture/eventaddnew.cfm
Have You donated to KNPR? Pledge Now at http://www.knpr.org/index.cfm

Brian Paco Alvarez enculturating Las Vegas into the millennium...

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Friday, July 15, 2011

Urbis Octaptych... The work of Lincoln Maynard @ the Barrick Museum...

If there is an artist in this community that can and should be seen by arts aficionados around the world it is Lincoln Maynard. Inspired by his desert urban environment, Lincoln creates works that are not just visually stunning but his use of media permits him to also create surfaces that emulate the textures of the desert. He works diligently adding layers upon layers of media to his amazing home-made canvases, thus transforming them into windows of the very environment he lives in. Lincoln works with scale, so when added to a space his work speaks volumes, that is why I cannot encourage the public enough to see this treasure of an artist that lives in our midst.

This evening Lincoln will be having an opening reception for his solo show at the Barrick Museum on the Campus of UNLV. The reception begins at 6pm and is free to the public.

Urbis Octaptych @ the Barrik Museum
Located on the Campus of UNLV
Next to the Lied Library off of Harmon and Swenson
702-895-3381http://barrickmuseum.unlv.edu/

Seven Magazine very own Jarret Keene wrote a wonderful article on Lincoln and his work in this weeks edition http://weeklyseven.com/ae/2011/07/14/neon-son



Nevada Public Radio
For more information on the Cultural Arts in Las Vegas please visit Nevada Public Radio. NPR has detailed listings of many cultural and civic events hosted by area non-profits click on this linkhttp://www.knpr.org/common/psa/listNEW.cfm and if you are planning an event in the next few months, be sure to get your free listing in Nevada Public Radio's Desert Companion magazine by submitting the information here at http://www.knpr.org/culture/eventaddnew.cfm
Have You donated to KNPR? Pledge Now at http://www.knpr.org/index.cfm

Brian Paco Alvarez enculturating Las Vegas into the millennium...

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Thursday, July 14, 2011

Dayvid Figler's "The Tell" returns to the Historic El Cortez...

Can it get any better when Las Vegas's most amazing poet Dayvid Figler decides to start telling stories. No, honestly it cant, and tomorrow night will be magical as Dayvid descends upon the El Cortez with his gaggle of amazing story tellers for round 3 of The Tell. Besides, for a free event, with 3 buck cocktails, located at one of Downtown's most historic hotels heck why not!

So get yourself Downtown and make sure to check out The Tell. The event starts at 7pm... 

The El Cortez
600 E Fremont Street
Las Vegas, NV 89101-5693
702-385-5200
http://www.elcortezhotelcasino.com/

Vegas Seven 
http://weeklyseven.com/

Downtown Cocktail Room
http://thedowntownlv.com/



Nevada Public Radio
For more information on the Cultural Arts in Las Vegas please visit Nevada Public Radio. NPR has detailed listings of many cultural and civic events hosted by area non-profits click on this linkhttp://www.knpr.org/common/psa/listNEW.cfm and if you are planning an event in the next few months, be sure to get your free listing in Nevada Public Radio's Desert Companion magazine by submitting the information here at http://www.knpr.org/culture/eventaddnew.cfm
Have You donated to KNPR? Pledge Now at http://www.knpr.org/index.cfm

Brian Paco Alvarez enculturating Las Vegas into the millennium...

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Farmers Market descends Downtown...

Well after a small hiatus a new and exciting Farmers Market is coming back to Downtown. The Farmers Market will take place TODAY from 10am to 1 pm at Azul on the corner of 7th and Ogden behind the El Cortez. This should be a nice event with lots of locals taking advantage of fresh produce and the like.

See you Downtown!



Nevada Public Radio
For more information on the Cultural Arts in Las Vegas please visit Nevada Public Radio. NPR has detailed listings of many cultural and civic events hosted by area non-profits click on this linkhttp://www.knpr.org/common/psa/listNEW.cfm and if you are planning an event in the next few months, be sure to get your free listing in Nevada Public Radio's Desert Companion magazine by submitting the information here at http://www.knpr.org/culture/eventaddnew.cfm
Have You donated to KNPR? Pledge Now at http://www.knpr.org/index.cfm

Brian Paco Alvarez enculturating Las Vegas into the millennium...

posted by Brian Paco Alvarez, Curator and Chronicler of Culture at | 0 Comments

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Happy Anniversary to the Las Vegas Natural History Museum!

I just wanted to send a shout out to Marilyn Gillespie and her amazing team at the Las Vegas Natural History Museum on 20 Fabulous years serving our community.

The Natural History Museum will be celebrating this special occasion with lots of great activities. Check out their website for more information or just take a drive down to the Cultural Corridor to see them for yourself!

Las Vegas Natural History Museum
900 Las Vegas Blvd N.
Las Vegas, NV 89101
702-384-3466http://www.lvnhm.org/

Brian Paco Alvarez enculturating Las Vegas into the millennium...

posted by Brian Paco Alvarez, Curator and Chronicler of Culture at | 0 Comments

Monday, July 11, 2011

Vegas Artists Guild meets this evening...

One of Las Vegas's great arts organizations for artists and creative types will be having their monthly meeting tonight. The meeting will take place at Dinosaurs & Roses, one of Las Vegas's newest thrift stores, that also serves as a place for galleries and artist studios. So if you are an artist or are curious about the Artists Guild make sure to go to the meeting this evening. All are welcome and its Free!

The meeting will take place at 6:30pm
Dinosaurs & Roses 
6029 W. Charleston Blvd. 
702-277-3752


Nevada Public Radio
For more information on the Cultural Arts in Las Vegas please visit Nevada Public Radio. NPR has detailed listings of many cultural and civic events hosted by area non-profits click on this linkhttp://www.knpr.org/common/psa/listNEW.cfm and if you are planning an event in the next few months, be sure to get your free listing in Nevada Public Radio's Desert Companion magazine by submitting the information here at http://www.knpr.org/culture/eventaddnew.cfm
Have You donated to KNPR? Pledge Now at http://www.knpr.org/index.cfm

Brian Paco Alvarez enculturating Las Vegas into the millennium...

posted by Brian Paco Alvarez, Curator and Chronicler of Culture at | 0 Comments