BOOMER'S, Las Vegas, Nevada

SATURDAY AUGUST 1, 2009
(ROLLER CON WEEKEND)

Okay, so, last night or this morning for that matter, we passed out in Ruckus' living room. Originally, I had picked a prime spot on a couch but when I woke up around 10am I was on the floor under a coffee table with a dog teabaggin' me. HAHAHAHA... I kid, there was no coffee table.

Anyway, DON, XL and I wake up and head over to some diner to get some breakfast. Afterwards we head over to the indoor Swap Meet across the street just to work the food down. Brian calls me that he and his lovely girlfriend want to hang out but we just too tired. We opt to get back to Ruckus' house and get some more sleep because it's just too damn hot outside but before we do let's head over to BOOMER'S and check out the scene. Don and I play a couple of rounds of pool and we throw back a few beers before heading back to this weekend's DLP HQ. Immediately upon entering the Palace I'm on the floor sleepin' while XL and Don do God know's what... I think XL read a few books while drinkin' beer and smokin' cigs all day and Don probably slept. I woke up to bong hits and to Ruckus saying he was buyin lunch! We ordered up some burgers and then it was time to shower up and prepare for tonight's show. We're all ready by 8pm but hang out with Brian and his girlfriend before heading over to Boomer's.

As we pull up to the club we see a bunch of people hangin' outside but not our crowd. I notice that there's a "private" Hip-Hop show in the room next to the bar, which I thought was where we were going to play. Not so. No matter the bar is good for some punk rock tonight.

TONY LEPRE (All You Can Eat Music and singer/guitarist for SLOKA) meets us outside as does NICK RAZOR (of G.F.I.) who are in the middle of a deep conversation so of course I put my two pesos in to calm the waters. We all decided on the line-up for tonight's show and the show starts a little behind schedule but not too bad...

FROM HERE ON OUT IS HOW THE EVENT WAS SEEN THROUGH THE EYES OF PHOTOGRAPHER, BOB MANDOKI of Big Wheel Magazine. For the whole article goto: http://www.bigwheelmagazine.com/

The first band to play was a group from California called Close To Broke. I thought it was hot outside but when this group hit the stage with Kelly the lead vocalist wearing a mini skirt and fishnets, along with her female counter part Brenda on guitar, WOW!! my temperature surely rose to the occasion. Not to take away from the rest of the band, They smoked as well, they smashed their way through a plethora of hard core Punk/rock tunes. Not one minute wasted. They totally kicked ass !! a very tight set. Nice Job. I surely was not disappointed.

GFI was next on the bill. The lead singer looked like a Vato from the Barrio of East Los Angeles. Except that they are from San Diego. But once he picked up the microphone holy S#*T all hell broke loose, these guys tore through their set like a bull in a china shop, they Destroyed!!! The bass man was incredible, as was the lead guitarist. The drummer put a beating on his drum kit. I haven’t seen this much energy since a CAT. 5 tornado. I can’t say enough about these guys, they were just pure hard core. Definitely don’t miss these guys when they play in your area. The highlight for me was when they did a cover of "I LOVE LIVIN IN THE CITY" by FEAR. Friggin incredible…. I really enjoyed their set.

Next up on this all star line up was a Band called "Sloka" From Long Beach Calif. This 3 piece group of guys really kicked it up a notch. I wish they had played longer i really liked their music. Hardcore to the bone. they are like a cross between just about every type of Rock And Roll, which became evident when they were ending one of their songs and they went into the entire ending of "FREEBIRD" I thought Lynyrd Skynyrd was re-incarnated at Boomers. Incredible guitar playing!!! Another highlight was when Kelly from "CLOSE TO BROKE" came up and belted out a couple of tunes with this hard hitting trio. During their set the Mosh pit started up, and it was pretty wild. AHH "PUNK ROCK RULES O.K." That is a quote from Leonard Phillips Lead singer of The Dickies. And how true it is.

Next up was the Local Boys from Las Vegas "GUILTY BY ASSOCIATION". These boys really know how to get the party started. Not that it wasn’t already Smoking Hot, The lead singer really got the crowd riled up. he was slamming himself into the crowd. These guys always seem to put on an awesome set!! Especially since they played earlier at an all ages gig out in the Desert. With the Las Vegas heat I don’t know how they kept up their high energy. Lots of RED BULL I Suspect. However they manage to keep up the intensity. My hat goes off to them for putting on such a high energy set. As many times as i’ve seen them I always enjoy their performances. You Guys totally kick ASS.

Next up was another import from Los Angeles called "DEAD LAZLO’S PLACE" with a logo on the back of Gizz Lazlo’s jacket that said "L.A. King Of Beer" I knew I was in for an awesome set. It had been a few hours and everybody was hammered. Gizz was no exception. He kept pounding down the brews and belting out song after song. These guys were definitely hardcore punk rockers. This is another band I really enjoyed. Dynamic, Funny, and a tight musical band. The entire band was incredible!!! Another highly recommended band to see. Put these guys on your list. They Rock !!!!!

Last but not least another band from Las Vegas, they call themselves "BATTLE BORN" By this time it was around 2:30 a.m. Thank Goodness for the 24 hour town we call Las Vegas. The place where the words "LAST CALL" don’t exist. This 4 piece ensemble were pure PUNK!!!! they shreded Boomers with a 40 minute set of pure adrenalin Punk. I don’t know what else to say about these guys but go see them. They are extremely talented and know how to tear a party up. Support the local Vegas music scene, by going to clubs Like Boomers and many others around town. Thanks to Roxie for putting together some great line-ups.

ALL PHOTOS & BAND REVIEWS by:

Bob Mandoki: Big Wheel Music Scene Reporter

BEAUTY BAR, Las Vegas, Nevada

FRIDAY JULY 31, 2009
(ROLLER CON WEEKEND)

Today was a long ass day. It started at noon when I got dropped off at our studio and began the task of getting our gear downstairs so that DON and I could pack up the van and head out. Don was in charge of picking up our rental van and I was in charge of getting the gear downstairs. Around 3:30pm Don finally arrived at the studio and we loaded everything up and make our way to Montrose to pick up XL from work.

Our new guitarist, TODD "GOOZ" GUZMAN and XPLOSTEVO left before noon with their girlfriends so that they could go sightseeing and rest up at their hotels. Us "three amigos" decided it would be fun to head out there all Huck Finn / Apocolypse Now-style to show up before show time. Not so. We arrived at XL's work at exactly 4:30pm to what we were told we'd be leaving immediately... I'd told Don as we're pulling up that I'd bet him $20 that XL was going to pull a fast one and work until 5pm. That he had no intention of getting off work early. Don took the bet. To make a long story short. I'm up $20! Vegas is lookin' better and better by the minute!!

Gizz Lazlo rockin' the mic

Anyway, 5pm comes and XL limps his way to the van and finally jumps in around 5:05pm. We head out in search of wine, women and song in the City of Sin at 60 mph until we get ot Pasadena, which is about 15 miles away. At this point we're pretty much bumper to bumper going 30 mph in the Diamond Lane. XL keeps texting "fag" to my phone (from the back of the van), Xplo and The Gooz keep texting me for updates as to where we are and Don is patiently driving us in the summer heat into the miserable desert along side the 15 freeway, which isn't so free at the moment.

XploStevo & XL dueling gitros


Around 8pm we finally arrive in Baker to gas up the tank and ourselves. Well, me and XL tank up! We get some food, water and of course some beer for the remainder of the trip. Keeping in constant contact with the boys already in Vegas we see the Vegas lights around 9:45pm. I'm stressing out because SOUL TRASH is to hit the stage at 10pm and I don't want to miss them since I got them show and I think that would be rude of me to be there to show my support. With no time to spare we pull up behind the BEAUTY BAR to find the show hasn't even started yet. I got thru the front entrance to get security to open the back gate so we can haul in our gear but I'm instantly re-directed as I bump into a bunch of old Vegas friends, The boys and Trashy Girls of Soul Trash, and my DLP boys already enjoying some ice cold brews.

The Soul Trash Trashy Girls, um... yeah.


10:45pm hits and ST slams into their 30 minute set with tiresome aggression. It seems like the bassist and drummer are kinda lost going into the set but get back on track by the second song. They remind me of Danzig-era Misfits and Social D. for some reason. Maybe because their singer, Dave Diamond is short (just kidding Double D). They have the dirty Hollywood rock 'n' roll thing happening but I have to admit there's something missing and I don't know what it is. When I figure it out, I'll let them know by kicking out members and replacing them with me and a bassist to be named later! HAHAHAHAHA...

"Dirty" Don rockin' Vegas

As soon as Soul Trash finishes their set, we get our shit onstage so we can rock at 11:30pm. Okay, think about it... it's almost midnight and it's about 90-95 degrees... OUTSIDE!!! I'm sweatin' my ball off before I even walk onstage. I've already downed a few beers at this point so I'm feelin' fine. We launch into our 45 minute 30 minute set to a crowd of old friends cheering us on! By mid set the heat is starting to take it's toll on me so I ask for a beer and sit down somewhere by the bar as the bartender (an African-American transexual) offers me a free beer. Never one to pass up a free beer, I take it and a kiss on the cheek. No it didn't feel weird... yet! Why, because I didn't know she used to be a he. Okay, I did! HAHAHAHAHA... This is The Gooz's third show with us and he is really coming into his own. My old high school friend and now Vegas Videographer, BRIAN WHITE is in attendence and is really stoked on the new line-up so I know we'll be fine from this point on. By the set's end we're all sweating and all have huge smiles as we know we've finally nailed it. Oh, yeah, I almost killed myself trying to jump on a chair but that's a totally different story.

Ranny, the bartender

Brian White (LV Access Video)

REVENGE CLUB was up next. I believe they're from the OC somewhere. They have a girl singer/guitarist and drummer who can hit the skins. They had a pretty good sound but not too punk rock. A little light for this show but they did hold their own. Very nice people as we spoke with them after the show for a little bit.

The Gooz's third show with DLP

ONE BIG LIE from Los Angeles was up as the headliner of the night. By 1am when they hit the stage there was no on really there. Remember this is ROLLER CON WEEKEND and there's 5 punk after-party shows going on tonight so people are bar hoppin' try to catch their favorite bands. OBL remind me of a lot of Fat/Epitaph bands. Nothing original but very tight and energetic. I really dug them. Brian and I sat and watched the last two band from our VIP table while we smoked up a storm and broke chairs. Personally, I think the heat had something to do with it!!

The Soul Trash Train (l to r): XL, Ned, Gizz, James, Dave D.


All in all it was a great night. We got to hang out with some old friends and we made a lot of new ones. By 2am, me and they boys were ready to head to our friend, RUCKUS house who was kind enough to offer us a place to crash. We stopped at 7-11 across the street from the old Huntridge to buy chips, food and beer. We make it to The Rev's house to open arms! Brian, Ruckus, XL, Don and I drink til 6am and then finally pass out in the nice A/C cooled living room of The Rev's palace. Good night everyone!!! Kisses... hic.... ZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Two Reverends; Rob Ruckus (The Vermim) with Gizz

photos by: Kriistii Crown and Sal Cochino