All the music for me to be thankful for this year
This is the time of year when we all reflect upon and catalog that which we’re truly grateful for in life and, of course, this column ranks right above the birth of one’s first child on most lists.
But you know what?
There’s stuff I’m thankful for, too.
Namely, the following:
— The return of Neon Reverb. When the multiday, downtown-based music fest debuted in 2008, it wasn’t just a breath of fresh air, it was more like a lung-filling gust, a DIY labor of love that featured a consistently well-curated lineup of dozens of mostly independent national and local bands. The fest became an annual institution before going on hiatus in 2013. Returning in March with perhaps its best lineup yet, Neon Reverb came back strong. How strong? Strong as the scent of Brian Fantana’s cologne. These days, the downtown music scene is more happening than ever, and Neon Reverb played a crucial role in catalyzing as much. It’s only right that the fest return and benefit from the community it helped create.
■ All those years of killer gigs from Spun in Darkness. The Vegas doom-death battering ram was one of the Vegas metal scene’s best acts for more than a decade before calling it a day early this year. They’ll be missed.
■ That Big Friendly Corporation has a new record coming out. Finally! The indie pop greats have been teasing it for awhile now, and they did release a preview EP, “Mad Scientist,” in the spring, but it looks like the full-length is coming soon. It’s kind of a Big deal.
■ That Kevin Kilfeather remains so insanely prolific. The Strange Mistress frontman dropped three solo albums in a five-month span, filled with 50-second punk kiss-offs; guitar hero riff rock; far-out, cosmic blues; and all manners of psychedelia. Keep it comin’, dude.
■ The many great Vegas music releases of 2016. There were a lot of ‘em, here are my favorites:
1. Fredward, “You’re Only Here Because You Have to Be.” Urgent. Anthemic. Invigorating. Intense. This is punk rock as both provocation and beacon of hope.
2. The Reeves Brothers, “Home Sweet Honky-Tonk.” Damn near perfect old school country never to be experienced without a drink in hand.
3. Rusty Maples, “Detach.” These indie rockers aimed big on their full-length debut and captured a sound that was bigger still.
4. The Bitters, “Yes is IV.” As fun as instrumental prog gets.
5. Avenger of Blood, “On Slaying Grounds.” Drummer/band founder Shannon Frye survived a debilitating shoulder injury stemming from a serious car accident to deliver this underground thrash classic.
6. Narrowed, “On To Something Else.” Raw-throated, emotive punk completely convincing in its earnestness.
7. God’s America, “Merge with the Infinite.” Total power-violence supremacy. Nothing will make your neighbors hate you more than blasting this one.
8. Late for Dinner, “Leaving Las Vegas.” Indie hip-hoppers continue to keep it real: Real weird. Real good.
9. The CG’s, “The Great Split.” These reggae-punk ragers are one of Vegas’ most awesomely raucous live acts, and this split with Denver’s The Rotten Blue Menace totally captures the spirit of their overheated gigs.
10. Casket Raider, “II.” Yeah, it technically came out on Dec. 31, but this bunch got the new year started off right with this blackened thrash rager.
■ All the great musicians we lost in 2016. A remembrance of but a few:
1. Leonard Cohen. For a decade-and-a-half, Leonard Cohen topped my bucket list of artists I hoped to see live one day. And I never thought I would, as Cohen didn’t tour for 15 years before returning to the road in 2008. And so to be able to see Cohen at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in 2009 (and again in 2010) was a moment almost as indelible as the words of the man himself. Few artists explored the shadows of the human spirit as bravely and poetically as Leonard Cohen.
2. Prince. Another all-time great show I was fortunate to attend was Prince setting the Empire Ballroom ablaze in 2006. A woman next to me was dancing so hard, her wig fell off. From his residency at the Rio, which began later that year, to the last time I saw him at The Joint in 2013, Prince was hands down among the greatest performers I ever witnessed, his guitar akin to a magician’s wand when it was in his hands.
3. David Bowie. Never got to see David Bowie live, unfortunately, but am grateful to have experienced Phish’s fantastic tribute to him by performing “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars” in its entirety on Halloween at the MGM Grand. Sat by a lady who saw Bowie tour that album in 1972. Special moment.
4. Phife Dawg. Got to interview Phife Dawg in 2006 as A Tribe Called Quest toured for the first time in nearly a decade. He was as bubbly and over-caffeinated as a gallon drum of Mountain Dew. He’s gone, but not his voice — never that. See: “We Got It From Here … Thank You 4 Your Service,” Tribe’s new one, which ranks among the best records of the year.
5. Merle Haggard. Was stoked to be able to speak with Haggard in 2009 and then see him a few weeks later when he played the Aliante showroom. He likened himself to a rapper (seriously) and was remarkable in his wisdom and grace. “As long as I breathe and sing, I’m going to try and come up with something that makes you turn your head,” he said, living up to his words ‘til the very end.
Read more from Jason Bracelin at reviewjournal.com. Contact him at jbracelin@reviewjournal.com.