New Adventures in Sin-City

2013 was the year of a major life change -- relocating from Los Angeles back to my hometown of Las Vegas. When I lived here last, what was considered the “end of town” is now the middle, the mountains seemed untouchably far away and Downtown was a seedy street littered with empty booze bottles and dismantled dreams. That’s all changed now.  

We now live at the current “end of town” in a beautiful community nestled just below the mountains. What seemed as “so far away” a few years ago is now the breathtaking backdrop from our window. Freeways have been built to quickly take us into town where excitement and energy are mere moments away. In twenty minutes (for LA folks that’s nothing) we can be in my new, favorite nightlife area -- Downtown.

Elvis lives at The El Cortez

Downtown has come a long way over the last decade. It’s undergone (and still going through) a major revamp and is becoming a place for locals and visitors to merge and blend with a variety of attractions both old and new. The casinos are undergoing facelifts, yet still seem to retain remnants of vintage Vegas charm -- a charm that is increasingly harder to find as the mega-casinos dominate the Strip. Bars and nightclubs have opened with a “local” feeling while the Arts District is blossoming with refreshed culture. Downtown Las Vegas is no longer a place to avoid, but rather a place to celebrate. Where else can you see a spot-on Elvis impersonator belting out classics and then stroll a few feet to a bar dedicated to vintage video games? Or enjoy a visit to 1920s style cocktail lounge devoted to the mobsters of Vegas’ past and then take a short walk to see ferocious looking sharks circling a hotel pool? Only in Vegas, my friends.  Only in Downtown.

Vegas has and always will be my home and I’ve been visiting family and friends here regularly over the years, but living here is another story altogether. It’s a story I’m looking forward to telling as I rediscover this exciting city of mine and all of the retro glamour and kitschy culture it has to offer.

Modern Day Crooner - Irby Gascon

Retro girls love to swoon, swing and sway to classics such as Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra and rockabilly king, Johnny Cash. Sadly, these greats are no longer with us, but the musical imprint they have left behind has opened the door to modern day rockers who can capture a bit of their essence. One person who conjures up the sounds of the past is singer, Irby Gascon. He can croon, he can rock and retro girls are sure to swoon when he belts out ballads from the 40s and 50s.

You can sometimes find Irby dressed as young Elvis cruising around Hollywood in a pink Cadillac giving tours of L.A.’s hotspots to visitors through Tribute Productions, the celebrity impersonator company that he shares with his lovely wife, Bella of MrsBellasDolls.com. Or maybe you’ll see him (you most definitely should see him) performing at the glamorous, 1920s style Cicada Club with his swing band, Zoot Suit Revue. He also performs parties, corporate events and red carpet affairs.  Irby is amazing. I hope one day he’ll record his beautiful voice to share with you here, but for now you’ll have to track him down at one of the local L.A. events. Lucky for you, he’s playing this weekend!

For more info on the event visit the EPNS Event Website

This Saturday, June 2nd from 5:00 - 9:00 p.m., Irby will be singing Blue Hawaii style in the San Fernando Valley at the Tarzana Cultural Center. Come out and enjoy a Rock-A-Hula Luau with us (yours truly will be there too!). Have drinks at the Tiki Bar, play games, participate in raffles and best of all Irby will be singing all evening. He’s performing as a huge favor to me, so take this chance to experience one of today’s best retro crooners and have some fun too!

To book Irby, contact him through www.TributeProductions.com
View Irby as Young Elvis on Facebook
Visit Bella at www.MrsBellasDolls.com
To see Irby this weekend, visit the EPNS Luau Event webpage