I pay attention to the music around me in Vegas. Most of it I enjoy, some of it grates on my nerves. Tastes in music are subjective; however, I would argue that pumped in music should usually be eclectic and at least draw on jazz and blues as well as the old Rat Pack type lounge music singers that we associate with Vegas.
What happens too often is some radio station, playing the same modern music :nasal whines of indecipherable lyrics shouted over loud percussion and peppered with shouted advertisements that encourage us to just stop into Walmarts and say such and such and we'll get a free hot dog or some app for our phone, and all of it so loud it is overwhelms and sense of peace over a meal or a swim. Binions pool music is a perfect example. I asked if it was always the same and the attendant said yes. I was unable to keep my own thoughts while swimming there and left earlier than I needed to leave.
In the past I've been unable to talk to dinner guests at Hash a Go Go or the KGB restaurants. Luckily this trip I had no guests at Todai Seafood buffet. There the mall music from Planet Hollywood was pumped in loud and particularly annoying because it clashed with and decomposed the Asian theme.
I registered complaint.
"Is there no Asian music of value to add ambiance to the theme and cuisine?"
Perhaps my complaint would be passed on.
I would not bring guests there. There could not be conversation over the din.
Because it was a holiday at the Stratosphere pool, the music was mixed by a professional DJ. Still he mixed in some older songs I remember. Most of it was rap with a few older rock songs thrown in. It would not be my pick, but then I was one of two white haired old guys in the mix, and the professional mixing and equipment made a huge difference. I remember hearing a percussion instrument for the first time in a song I have heard often over the years. It is amazing to hear parts of songs that are very familiar, but missed on the radio versions.
And some of the music was unique.
Take "It’s Time for the Perculator." In this song these words are the only lyrics and when the perculation does begin to play, it is like listening to a good percussion piece played on some city corner on plastic buckets.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVTvzqIHiNk
And Musto and Bones, Dangerous on the Dance floor was pretty sexy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfqTrMhWOFY
I talked to the DJ, and he said that sometimes he does mix in jazz and blues, but he did not take the hint that he could give himself permission to do it that day. He worked with a computer and a turntable and he was quite skillful.
He ended with a totally different sort of song that I'd like to own. It was called "Closing time"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGytDsqkQY8
and followed with a Muppets ending song.
I think Closing Time is one of the best discoveries I have made this year; it is soft rock sound that layers meanings rather than uses simple repetition. It is a sad song. It tries not to be, but it is very sad.
It is not overly nasal.
So with such expert handling of sound, and at least some eclectic mix, the music was not too loud and not annoying even for this old guy, but perhaps all the bikinis distracted me from listening. Had I brought my earplugs for swimming, I could have protected myself from water in the ear as well as turned the volume down.
At the Gold Spike during the times I used the pool there was no music and the only sound was the soothing sounds of the water falls.
I liked that best.
I could just breast stoke for an hour or so and let my mind wander.
It is meditative.
All the pool needs is one Buddha.
The Harrah's shuttle pumped in a radio station, but one with an older set of sounds. I think it was 105 something. The music was mixed. Barry White's, "Can't get enough of your love baby," played and assorted others I knew. Ironically, the lounge at Bally's had a great group called Indigo and they played that same Barry White as well. I also heard something repeating, "Come and open up your crazy life."
One night the sound of a harmonica drew me into Hennessy's when I was drunk. I had a hamburger and an order of onion rings that would have been enough to feed four people.
The food was fine at Hennesy's as were the old Irish faces in tavern poses on the wall and the old fashioned cane like chairs and supersized bottles of Cholula on the table. No damn Tabasco monopoly here.
The young band never played harmonica again. The woman in the band was cute and personal with a fine clear voice and TANK GIRL on her tee shirt.
She did whistle into some of the tunes.
That was cool.
It was 90's music and clearly nostalgic to this young crowd. Too much drum here and not enough use of the guitars in unique rifts.
" Don't go chasing wild cards."
http://www.metrolyrics.com/waterfalls-lyrics-tlc.html
The girl in the lead mentioned Empire Music and I thought that was their name, but it turns out to be a cult film from 1995 that was silly fun to watch. Someone I missed it first time around. Plenty of well known actors in it.
The 90's as the good ole days! Man, am I old!!
Excessive repetition does seem to be the disease of much of rock. In the jazzy big band sounds of the 30's and 40's the music moved the bits about and different instruments could each take a different approach to the melody. I like a trumpet and the saxophone and a good piano. Usually now it is all guitar and drums with the latter drowning out the entire piece. There is hardly room for a voice. Thus screaming is necessary.
At the D upstairs was a nice mix of older music, some from early 60's mixed with some Sinatra, Elvis, Dylan. These are the sounds of my youth. I liked playing video poker to the sounds, but the deuces wild machine was right next to the sports book and so the music had to compete with sports commentators. Back at the Vue bar it was more of a clean listen. If you want an oldies VP bar experience, this is it. You have to content yourself with Heineken or Corona. Otherwise only rust stripping well drinks.
Downstairs at the D was fast dance music run through a clear sound system with plenty of sexy women dancing on platforms.
I enjoyed watching for a while.
Now the word is they are hiring more dancing dealers.
Loud fast music seems a perfect match for a dancing mood and I liked it here and in the Carnaval Court. None of it was the modern radio whine music that I dislike while playing video poker or swimming. I don't suppose that sort of sound is good for dancing either.
But music that is great for dancing is not great for eating or swimming.
It was like that during the disco era. Few people really wanted to enjoy a meal to disco, but on the dance floor it was just great.
Well, those are my few reflections on background music encountered in Vegas this trip.
What happens too often is some radio station, playing the same modern music :nasal whines of indecipherable lyrics shouted over loud percussion and peppered with shouted advertisements that encourage us to just stop into Walmarts and say such and such and we'll get a free hot dog or some app for our phone, and all of it so loud it is overwhelms and sense of peace over a meal or a swim. Binions pool music is a perfect example. I asked if it was always the same and the attendant said yes. I was unable to keep my own thoughts while swimming there and left earlier than I needed to leave.
In the past I've been unable to talk to dinner guests at Hash a Go Go or the KGB restaurants. Luckily this trip I had no guests at Todai Seafood buffet. There the mall music from Planet Hollywood was pumped in loud and particularly annoying because it clashed with and decomposed the Asian theme.
I registered complaint.
"Is there no Asian music of value to add ambiance to the theme and cuisine?"
Perhaps my complaint would be passed on.
I would not bring guests there. There could not be conversation over the din.
Because it was a holiday at the Stratosphere pool, the music was mixed by a professional DJ. Still he mixed in some older songs I remember. Most of it was rap with a few older rock songs thrown in. It would not be my pick, but then I was one of two white haired old guys in the mix, and the professional mixing and equipment made a huge difference. I remember hearing a percussion instrument for the first time in a song I have heard often over the years. It is amazing to hear parts of songs that are very familiar, but missed on the radio versions.
And some of the music was unique.
Take "It’s Time for the Perculator." In this song these words are the only lyrics and when the perculation does begin to play, it is like listening to a good percussion piece played on some city corner on plastic buckets.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVTvzqIHiNk
And Musto and Bones, Dangerous on the Dance floor was pretty sexy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfqTrMhWOFY
I talked to the DJ, and he said that sometimes he does mix in jazz and blues, but he did not take the hint that he could give himself permission to do it that day. He worked with a computer and a turntable and he was quite skillful.
He ended with a totally different sort of song that I'd like to own. It was called "Closing time"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGytDsqkQY8
and followed with a Muppets ending song.
I think Closing Time is one of the best discoveries I have made this year; it is soft rock sound that layers meanings rather than uses simple repetition. It is a sad song. It tries not to be, but it is very sad.
It is not overly nasal.
So with such expert handling of sound, and at least some eclectic mix, the music was not too loud and not annoying even for this old guy, but perhaps all the bikinis distracted me from listening. Had I brought my earplugs for swimming, I could have protected myself from water in the ear as well as turned the volume down.
At the Gold Spike during the times I used the pool there was no music and the only sound was the soothing sounds of the water falls.
I liked that best.
I could just breast stoke for an hour or so and let my mind wander.
It is meditative.
All the pool needs is one Buddha.
The Harrah's shuttle pumped in a radio station, but one with an older set of sounds. I think it was 105 something. The music was mixed. Barry White's, "Can't get enough of your love baby," played and assorted others I knew. Ironically, the lounge at Bally's had a great group called Indigo and they played that same Barry White as well. I also heard something repeating, "Come and open up your crazy life."
One night the sound of a harmonica drew me into Hennessy's when I was drunk. I had a hamburger and an order of onion rings that would have been enough to feed four people.
The food was fine at Hennesy's as were the old Irish faces in tavern poses on the wall and the old fashioned cane like chairs and supersized bottles of Cholula on the table. No damn Tabasco monopoly here.
The young band never played harmonica again. The woman in the band was cute and personal with a fine clear voice and TANK GIRL on her tee shirt.
She did whistle into some of the tunes.
That was cool.
It was 90's music and clearly nostalgic to this young crowd. Too much drum here and not enough use of the guitars in unique rifts.
" Don't go chasing wild cards."
http://www.metrolyrics.com/waterfalls-lyrics-tlc.html
The girl in the lead mentioned Empire Music and I thought that was their name, but it turns out to be a cult film from 1995 that was silly fun to watch. Someone I missed it first time around. Plenty of well known actors in it.
The 90's as the good ole days! Man, am I old!!
Excessive repetition does seem to be the disease of much of rock. In the jazzy big band sounds of the 30's and 40's the music moved the bits about and different instruments could each take a different approach to the melody. I like a trumpet and the saxophone and a good piano. Usually now it is all guitar and drums with the latter drowning out the entire piece. There is hardly room for a voice. Thus screaming is necessary.
At the D upstairs was a nice mix of older music, some from early 60's mixed with some Sinatra, Elvis, Dylan. These are the sounds of my youth. I liked playing video poker to the sounds, but the deuces wild machine was right next to the sports book and so the music had to compete with sports commentators. Back at the Vue bar it was more of a clean listen. If you want an oldies VP bar experience, this is it. You have to content yourself with Heineken or Corona. Otherwise only rust stripping well drinks.
Downstairs at the D was fast dance music run through a clear sound system with plenty of sexy women dancing on platforms.
I enjoyed watching for a while.
Now the word is they are hiring more dancing dealers.
Loud fast music seems a perfect match for a dancing mood and I liked it here and in the Carnaval Court. None of it was the modern radio whine music that I dislike while playing video poker or swimming. I don't suppose that sort of sound is good for dancing either.
But music that is great for dancing is not great for eating or swimming.
It was like that during the disco era. Few people really wanted to enjoy a meal to disco, but on the dance floor it was just great.
Well, those are my few reflections on background music encountered in Vegas this trip.
No comments:
Post a Comment