In any business it is always nice when a client shows appreciation. The entertainment business is no different except that musicians have a tendency to be, hmmm how do I say……..fussy (for lack of a better word). You are only as good as the next gig you get them and the money is never enough. It is just the way that it is.

Therefore, I was so very touched when I received this video testimonial from the Voodoo Cowboys this morning. They say there is no crying in the music business….ha ha. Much blood, sweat, and plenty of tears have been shed this year. However this time it was sweet touching tears of appreciation and pride.

Thank you Voodoo Cowboys for being a pleasure to work with, work for, the pleasure of your entertainment, and for being such a class act~!!!!

I am a firm believer that bands, DJ, and anyone who is booked to perform at a venue should do everything they can do promote their event using all means necessary. I also believe that every member of a band should do their part as well (which rarely happens). Be that at it may….and this may not be a popular stance I am taking, but here is my thought and my open letter to venues in hopes of their responsibility.

If your venue is a restaurant, then it is a restaurant first and foremost. Make sure that it is a restaurant that people would want to patronize regardless of the entertainment performing. This includes the food and the service. I have never experienced service so bad as in these venues. Take some pride in your place and people may actually come in.

You are responsible to promote your restaurant. The evenings that you have entertainment should be a bonus of the additional crowd that the entertainers can pull in through their marketing efforts.

It is infuriating to walk into one of these establishments at dinner time and there is not one person. The venue management gives you that look or even has the gall to say, “I sure hope you are a big draw tonight because it is dead in here tonight”.

Venue management is responsible to promote their business. If you do not, then you have no right to talk to me or any entertainer about this.

If your establishment does not have a Facebook page with at least a thousand locals, then you might as well close your doors now. A Facebook page is FREE. It is the minimum that you can do to promote your restaurant/bar, etc. You do not need to be a computer genius to set it up. Any thirteen year old can do it. Set it up and work it every day as part of your job.

Don’t say that you do not have time to manage a Facebook page. Bottom line, if there is no one in the place, you have the time.

A very successful entertainment director once said, “It is my job to get the people in here, it is your job as the entertainment to keep them in here and having a good time”.

Thanks for listening to me vent. I welcome your comments.

The VIPette

She is a Vocalist (4 octaves) and Trumpeter, has toured as Music Director with Blues Hall of Fame Inductee, Albert King, performing in concerts with legends such as; B.B. King, Etta James, Muddy Waters, Bobby “Blue” Bland, Koko Taylor, Taj Mahal and others. She has performed on the Las Vegas strip, with Bill Pickney’s Original Drifters, in showrooms, headlining in clubs, and Blues & Jazz Festivals across the U.S.

She is the recipient of the “Best Blues Performer” (2009) award by the Black Music Association (BMA) of Las Vegas. Lady J was featured in the Season 3 All Star cast finale of NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” airing worldwide to over 25 million viewers.

Her band, Lady “J” Huston & The Fireballs provides a show that is highly energetic – combining Classic Soul, Jazz and Blues with her own perfected dance arrangements.

Lady “J” Huston as a solo, duo, trio as Lady “J” Huston and The Fireballs may be booked by contacting VIPette Events at 702.556.3558 or via email at VIPette@cox.net

Now more than ever it is imperative that all Las Vegas locals and musicians support venues who book live music and local musicians work together to improve the quality of live Vegas entertainment.

Monday Night sign up as early as 8:30pm – music starting at 9pm

Las Vegas Country Saloon
425 Fremont Street at Las Vegas Blvd
(Above Hennessey’s)

For additional information, contact VIPette Events (702) 556-3558 or email VIPette@cox.net

Last week a band found a drummer who came to the jam night.

Bring plenty of business cards, your guitar, bass, keyboard, sticks, or any instrument you play.
The drums and amps are already there and ready for you to rock ‘em.
Come early to sign up as we are expecting a large crowd of very talented Blues, Rock, and Country musicians~!!!!

Monday Night sign up as early as 8:30pm – music starting at 9pm

Las Vegas Country Saloon
425 Fremont Street at Las Vegas Blvd
(Above Hennessey’s)
For additional information, contact VIPette Events (702) 556-3558 or email VIPette@cox.net

“The shooting park has been a long time coming,” said Commissioner Tom Collins, in whose district the park is located. “I am excited that sports enthusiasts and shooters will finally have a safe place to practice.”
The shooting park will operate for the next three weeks on weekends only and transition over to full-time hours when the park officially opens in mid-January. Collins will fire the opening shots at 8 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 19 at the Shotgun Firing Range, Field 1. Temporary hours of operation will be as follows:

Dec. 19 and 20, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Dec. 26 and 27, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Jan. 2 and 3, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The park is located at 11357 N. Decatur Blvd., about five miles north of the 215 Beltway. Rifle rentals and ammunition are not yet available and it is recommended that park users bring their own firearms, ammunition and hearing and eye protection before coming.

The facility features the following venues:

Combination trap and skeet fields;
An archery range;
A public rifle and pistol center where targets will be sold; and
A shotgun center with 80 recreational vehicles spaces for shooter.

The opening Saturday represents the first phase of the 178-acre, $61 million public shooting facility, paid for by money made available by the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act. The site is located
on 2,900 acres of land. When fully built out, the park is expected to draw competitive shooters from around the world and provide training facilities to law enforcement officials.

The land for the shooting park was transferred to the county from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management in November 2002. Since that time, more than 265,000 new firearms have been registered in Clark County, according to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. The growth in firearms underscores the need for residents to have a safe, affordable place to shoot.

“This project comes at the request of a lot of citizens who wanted a safer place for shooters,” Commission Chairman Rory Reid said. “This public facility will do a lot to end indiscriminate desert shooting and give tourists a new reason to come to this valley and bolster the local economy.”

Senators Harry Reid and John Ensign, along with Congresswoman Shelley Berkley and Governor Jim Gibbons, then a Congressional representative, sponsored the act that provided the land.

Congresswoman Dina Titus, who was elected last year, lent her support to the shooting park saying, “The opening of the Clark County Shooting Park represents the tireless efforts of many in our community over a number of years. As the only public shooting park in Southern Nevada and a source of great pride, it will offer ample space for training and recreational activities for gun owners and enthusiasts from beginners to sportsmen and everyone in between.”

The county hired Don Turner, then manager of Arizona’s successful Ben Avery Shooting Facility, in 2003 to start the planning process for the park. Turner is now the county’s Shooting Park manager. More information about the park is available on its Web pages at www.accessclarkcounty.com/parks.

Bring plenty of business cards, your guitar, bass, keyboard, sticks, or any instrument you play. The drums and amps are already there and ready for you to rock ‘em.
Come early to sign up as we are expecting a large crowd of very talented Blues, Rock, and Country musicians~!!!!

Monday Night sign up as early as 8:30pm – music starting at 9pm
Las Vegas Country Saloon
425 Fremont Street at Las Vegas Blvd
(Above Hennessey’s)

SPECIAL JAM MONTH TO FEED THE HUNGRY~!!!!
The Voodoo Cowboys, VIPette Events, The Las Vegas Country Saloon along with The Monday Night Jam Network is proud to be sponsoring a month long event of great music and collecting food donations to benefit the Salvation Army and those who are less fortunate this Holiday Season.
Musicians are asked to bring canned goods. It can be a .59 cent can of green beans or a case of green beans.

After all, the more you bring, the longer your stage time at the jam nights. So come and bring lots of cans to feed the hungry during the season of giving.

For additional information, contact VIPette Events (702) 556-3558 or email VIPette@cox.net

Be in the loop with free text notifications of where the gigs are:
http://www.broadtexter.com/VoodooCowboys

Cynthia Weber
VIPette Events
702.556.3558
www.vipette.com & www.vipette.info

Bring plenty of business cards, your guitar, bass, keyboard, sticks, or any instrument you play. The drums and amps are already there and ready for you to rock ‘em.
Come early to sign up~!!!! Sign ups start at 8:30

Monday Night starting at 9pm
Las Vegas Country Saloon
425 Fremont Street at Las Vegas Blvd
(Above Hennessey’s)

SPECIAL JAM MONTH TO FEED THE HUNGRY~!!!!
The Voodoo Cowboys, VIPette Events, The Las Vegas Country Saloon along with The Monday Night Jam Network is proud to be sponsoring a month long event of great music and collecting food donations to benefit the Salvation Army and those who are less fortunate this Holiday Season.
Musicians are asked to bring canned goods. It can be a .59 cent can of green beans or a case of green beans.

After all, the more you bring, the longer your stage time at the jam nights. So come and bring lots of cans to feed the hungry during the season of giving.

For additional information, contact VIPette Events (702) 556-3558 or email VIPette@cox.net

Looking for a sub, a sub job, a gig? This is the place to be.
Bring plenty of business cards, your guitar, bass, keyboard, sticks, or any instrument you play.
Come early to sign up~!!!!

Just a note that you never know who you will meet at this evening of jamming and networking.
Last weekend an entertainment director was in attendance looking for bands to book.
From what I understand this week, two working bands are looking for replacement musicians~!!!

Monday Night starting at 9pm
Las Vegas Country Saloon
425 Fremont Street at Las Vegas Blvd
(Above Hennesseys)

For additional information, contact VIPette Events (702) 556-3558 or email VIPette@cox.net

Meanwhile about 20 of our friends were outside waiting to come in and drink all night long. We tried explaining that to her along with the fact that the other bands we are members of have played there many times and made a lot of money for them. She made it clear that if we did not pay the equivalent of the cost of 30 tickets ($300) we would have to break down our stuff and leave.

PAY TO PLAY? At the Cheyenne Saloon? You’ve got to be kidding me. They think we don’t know a squeeze play when we see it? Better yet, does the management at the Cheyenne Saloon know that Vegas Star Bookings turned away 20 paying customers because we wouldn‘t pay to play? That’s real good business sense.

When will these hack promoters learn: This is Vegas, not L.A. Do they even know how many punk shows they were competing against that night? Probably not since the word “punk” isn’t even mentioned on they’re web page. They should do us all a favor and leave the punk shows to the punk promoters.

Vegas Star Bookings is a parasite feeding on our scene and their greed has burned the bridge to any possibility of future shows with Lord Stymies Horde, Battle Born or Guilty by Association.

ATTENTION LAS VEGAS PUNK AND HARDCORE BANDS: If your band has experienced something similar with Vegas Star Bookings, we would LOVE to hear all about it. Please leave us a comment and repost this message to as many local bands as you can and most of all BOYCOTT VEGAS STAR BOOKINGS. GET “PAY TO PLAY” PROMOTERS OUT OF LAS VEGAS.

Lord Stymies Horde