Sin City may call itself the entertainment capital of the world, but could you ever really place a city on a high pedestal of truth that was built on the false promises of flashy lights and a fake Eiffel Tower?
Nope, Las Vegas doesn’t quite sit on the same level as the American music cities in New York, Nashville, Austin or San Francisco to name but a few. The ‘entertainment’ might primarily come in the form of casinos and other X rated things, but that doesn’t mean Vegas is entirely devoid of good music or at least places to run to when you’re sick of the sickly Strip.
After all we do have to thank Vegas for giving us The Killers and their alternative rock hits, which infected the world in the early 2000s. Panic At The Disco have also had their time in the popular culture sun after numerous changes in style and band members.
Both The Cab and Imagine Dragons have also had successful upward trajectories in the last few years.
Then of course there’s the numerous residences that have made the stars even richer. While the residences of Celine Dion, Mötley Crüe, Boyz II Men, Rod Steward and Shania Twain may not be the A-class you were expecting, there have been some great shows booked in the past at some of Vegas’ most lavish casinos. Take Elton John’s residency in 2013 as a prime example.
While most of those acts undoubtedly appeal to an older audience for younger people Vegas has long been about depravity and inflicting pain on your own bank account. There are countless pop songs that only encourage this sentiment, but there are plenty musical attractions that they could check out after they tire of the draining nature of the Strip.
We’ve included ten below, including one cheeky suggestion that should satisfy the inner tourist in every visitor.
Elvis may have greatly contributed to the city’s fame and will forever live on as an artefact of pop culture that represents the city, but that doesn’t mean you have to be a ‘Hound Dog’ your entire time in the desert metropolis. There’s some music treats here worth inspecting.
See Quality Acts at Las Vegas’ Newest Festival Life Is Beautiful
While this festival may have only started in 2013 it had got its fair share of attention with its entry into the entertainment scene. Headlined by The Killers, Kings Of Leon, Beck, Imagine Dragons, Passion Pit and Jurassic 5 the huge selection of incredible food stalls was enough to cement its position as more than just another big festival. That’s not to mention its Cirque du Soleil performances, which would be a surprising addition in any other city, but it’s typically Vegas.
Pick Up Some Goods At Zia Record Exchange
4225 S. Eastern Ave & 4503 W. Sahara Avenue
As if having one big store wasn’t enough Zia also trades on Sahara Avenue, although we recommend a visit to the store on Eastern Avenue. There are plenty of CDs, DVDs, posters and a few listening stations too. The vinyl section though is located up the back and out of the way. This store is one of the few that gets in new releases in Las Vegas area along with limited and lesser-known releases. You’ll mostly be impressed by the store’s vast and varied collection though.
See Live Music at the Hard Rock Hotel’s Iconic Space, The Joint
4455 Paradise Road
Photo by Erik Kabik / Erik Kabik Photography
The city’s most iconic rock venue has seen everything from The Rolling Stones play acoustic, to Neil Young, Metallica and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. In recent years it moved its room to a new 4,500 capacity space with its opening weekend featuring the likes of local heroes The Killers, Paul McCartney, Pixies and Weezer. The Joint has been voted by numerous American publications as one of the country’s best venues much in thanks to its state of the art sound system and the big name acts that have played there.
Head down to The Las Vegas Arts District for Free Live Music
4455 Paradise Road
Located downtown and bounded by Commerce Street, Hoover Avenue, Fourth Street, Las Vegas Boulevard and Colorado Avenue this area is seen as the hub of the arts scene in Las Vegas. On the first Friday each month they celebrate with a festival, which draws up to 20,000 people. It’s free entrty with complimentary live music while quality food and drink stalls, visual performances and artists also feature throughout the hub.
Getaway From The Strip and Recover with Live Music at Beauty Bar
517 Fremont St.
The Strip at Las Vegas may be dazzling but it blinds quickly and any chance to get away from the place is a respite much needed. Fremont Street is downtown Las Vegas’ entertainment district and this venue is most certainly the music venue that you have to check out on this street. With a stage inside and one outside on the back patio The Hold Steady, The Walkmen and Brian Jonestown Massacre have played. It’s also cheap, which for Las Vegas is a great bonus.
Drink Coffee, Eat Food and Shop For Vinyl at The Beat
520 Fremont St.
There are a few coffee shop and vinyl hangouts around the world and they’re becoming an increasingly popular destination for music lovers. The Beat doesn’t have a huge collection or varied selection for that matter. There’s plenty of classic rock, 80s goods and even some music books too. Money and food is probably your main game here though and there are also some novely post cards if that’s your thing too.
Experience The World’s Biggest Electronic Music Festival in Electric Daisy Carnival
Taking the title of the world’s largest electronic music festival this event drew 320,000 people over three days in 2013. It has comparatively smaller counterparts in four other American cities as well as festivals in London and Mexico City. The 2013 event featured the likes of A-Trak, Above & Beyond, Afrojack, Armin van Buuren, Avicii, Benny Benassi, Calvin Harris, Empire Of The Sun and Major Lazer amongst others. When you think of Electric Daisy, think big and then double it and you might come close to imagining the mammoth scale of this event.
Party At XS, The City’s Best Nightclub
Wynn Las Vegas and Encore, 3131 Las Vegas Boulevard South
In one of the most electronic music crazed metropolises in the world there’s always one or two clubs that stand out among the plethora of others trying to accommodate the surge of DJs vying for attention. XS at Encore has the biggest DJs in the business perform here. By the time you reach the top of the grand staircase to actually get in the venue and explore this room which has its own pool deck, you’ll probably have wasted half your night, that is if you haven’t lost yourself in one of Vegas’ biggest parties first.
Hunt For Classics at Las Vegas’ Oldest Vinyl Store, Record City
300 E. Sahara Ave and 3757 6th Ave
Only a ten-minute walk away from The Beat, which we wrote about above, is this battered and bruised record store that has the title of being the city’s oldest. It’s been around for twenty years and is home to a well-organised selection that includes just about every genre of music in the form of used CDs and vinyl. There is also some cheap DVDs on offer too.
Bring Out Your Inner Atypical Tourist at the Fountains of Bellagio
You can’t go to Las Vegas without doing something tacky and if we’d suggest something of the sort than it’s this. The fountains and conservatory and botanical gardens at Bellagio isn’t such a bad way to experience the atypical tourist version of Last Vegas. The Fountains of Bellagio has a free show every 15 minutes or every half hour where the water is synced to pop and classical music. If anything it’ll make a good Instagram #nofilter post
