Review Category : Images

Images: Raein, Caravels, Bird Brain, Lester Freamon, Alaska January 18, 2013 at the Caq Shack

Italian screamo band Raein made it out to Vegas earlier this month for a house show at the Caq Shack (aka the Caravels house). I hadn't listened to Raein yet but I knew if Caravels was backing them, it would be a good show. But as it turns out, "good" ended up being an understatement. ...

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Images: We Are The Union, The Sheds, Save the Swim Team, Tuesday After School, Merakai December 8, 2012 at East Side Joe’s

I found my way back to Eastside Joe's just one day after the Turnover/Major League show for a fun night of ska and pop punk headlined by We Are The Union, The Sheds and Save the Swim Team and featuring a bevy of Vegas' own local talent. ...

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Images: Turnover, Major League, Maker (acoustic), Narrowed December 7, 2012 at East Side Joe’s

In my opinion, punk rock shines in a live atmosphere more than any other genre. Try as people might, nothing sounds better than the way riffs leap out of giant speakers. That shine is only enhanced when the setting is as intimate as East Side Joe's. There’s no parking garage to maneuver through, no long lines, no metal detectors, just punk rock an arm's length away. On December 7, ESJ's was host to some of the best pop-punk bands around, both locally and nationally. ...

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Images: Off With Their Heads, French Exit, Holding Onto Sound, TheCore. December 1, 2012 at The Bunkhouse Saloon

It had been a while since Off With Their Heads last played Vegas, so the people who packed the Bunkhouse Saloon on December 1st were eager to sing along with Ryan Young and company’s bevy of poppily depressive anthems. The band had to cancel a few tour dates due to Young falling ill but if he was still feeling it, he didn't show it. Although I’m not sure how you’d tell through his awesome signature rasp. The band gave us a hint of what to expect from their upcoming full-length with a new song but mostly kept to fan favorites like “Drive” and “Die Today,” with everyone in attendance pushed up close to sing along. ...

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Images: Last Call, Caravels, Heart to Heart, Stickup Kid, Alaska, The Letter You, Dreamcatchers January 5, 2013 at The Knight Hall

January 5th marked the release show for Last Call’s debut full-length Dog Years, and it was definitely one to remember. The Knight Hall’s DIY atmosphere really leant itself to an intimate, shadowy, enthralling night of punk rock. Not only did the show have a solid lineup with some bands from California visiting, but the Christmas lights lining the amps and drum kit, and the closeness of the crowd made for a hell of a show. ...

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Images: Minus the Bear, Cursive, Girl in a Coma November 7, 2012 at the Hard Rock Cafe on The Strip

I discovered Minus the Bear and Cursive right around the same time in the early 2000s, and they both sounded really refreshing at the time, being so markedly different from the skate and pop punk I was used to. They were gateway bands for me, and as such, hold some special significance, even after all these years. ...

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