Good times guide to Las Vegas
Review by Hektor D. Esparza

Just a decade ago, it was perfectly reasonable to complain that Las Vegas was a lopsided city. If you were not into gambling, drinking or golfing, there was little to do. Where other cities of comparable size had thriving music and arts scenes, the cultural landscape in Las Vegas was vapid. The city catered almost exclusively to tourists, wealthy senior citizens, and high rollers. People said the scene was dead, that Vegas sucked and it was going to suck no matter what. Fostering culture in this city was an uphill battle.
But things have changed. Today Las Vegas is a city on par with any major metropolis in the country. It is well rounded. There are good bands and cool places to eat, drink or just hang out in. There’s stuff to do. Having reached this point, it is only fitting that a book like The Underground Guide to Las Vegas (Manic D Press) would be written.
The Guide is a great tool for both tourists and locals. And while it is not quite comprehensive (where are the maps to the skate parks?) it is an invaluable book to anyone who wants to experience more of what Las Vegas has to offer. Especially to those who are interested in music (you won’t find info like this on pollstar.com). The guide lists nearly twenty music venues and several local music websites. It profiles some of Vegas’ best bands like The Silverstate, The Loud Pipes, The Black Jetts and Big Friendly Corporation. It also includes the names and addresses of the city’s best music stores, recording studios, and record labels.
For those of you old enough to drink, the dive bar listings alone make this book worth buying. For those of you that aren’t, the “Kid-friendly stuff” and “Cheap Eats” will have to do.
In a section called “What Culture? Vegas Art Attack,” the point is comically made by way of “the metrosexual mafia,” that Vegas has a soul beyond the glitz and glam. Yes, by gosh, there are writers, poets and painters who actually live in Las Vegas: there’s even an Arts District!
People who have lived in Vegas long enough to put down some roots know there is more to Vegas than what you see on TV, but even they will benefit from the underground perspective of this book.

To any visitor who wants to venture off the beaten path, the book will serve as a totally accessible insider’s guide to the city.

To the experienced local, the book should serve as a reminder of how far the city has come.
And to those artists, musicians, promoters, writers, bartenders, DJs, sound techs, street teams, etc… ad infinitum, who transformed Las Vegas, it is a well deserved pat on the back. After all, it was they who painstakingly added, bit by bit, another more subtle layer of cosmopolitan life; real, organic and un-manufactured. Somehow a critical mass was reached and people are getting up, going out and having a good time.

So here’s some advice to those of you out there who still complain that this city sucks: Get off your mom’s couch, get a clue, and grab a copy of The Underground Guide to Las Vegas.

The Underground Guide To Las Vegas is available at Balcony Lights, Barns & Noble, Urban Outfitters or at www.manicdpress.com. Hektor D. Esparza is a local freelance writer and can be contacted at hektoresparza@yahoo.com