The Star of the Desert

This weekend I went to another concert. This time it was Joan Jett. I have a couple of songs downloaded by her, but I don’t own any albums. Not sure why, but perhaps it was because I got tired of hearing I love Rock and Roll throughout the 80’s. I’m sure she has to get tired of singing it. Anyway, I hear there is a Greatest Hits CD out there and I will probably go look for it.

That being said, she was awesome. Once again, I love it when performers sound just as great live as they do on the radio. I like knowing that what I hear on the radio isn’t processed like Velveeta. She sang all the songs I knew and a couple of covers that I didn’t even know she did. She also looked fantastic. She is just a tiny thing but she had a lot of energy and she seemed to be having a lot of fun with the band. I wouldn’t know a Blackheart if I tripped over one, so I don’t know if these were the same guys or the latest line up. In any case, they all sounded great together.

The venue for this gig was out at the California state line in a little speck on the map called Primm. The atmosphere here is pretty rough looking. This is truly like a little oasis in the desert and there always seems to be a lively crowd. (Think biker bar with a liberal sprinkling of rednecks and Hispanics for flavor.) The RV section of the parking lot really tells the tale on the clientele. Personally, I think the big draw here is the prices at the bar. It is incredibly affordable for being so close to Vegas. No $14 cocktail here, no sir! Steve and I had a couple of drinks before the show and each round was under $6.

Another interesting difference with this place is the fact that you can buy food inside the venue. I was starving when we got there, and ended up eating a hotdog before the show started. It was a little weird, but a girl has to eat. I have seen a couple of shows out there and each time I have seen people loaded up with nachos and hotdogs like they were headed to a baseball game. Say it with me people: Classy!!

There was no opening band, so the show was over a little after 9. Steve and I decided to head to the Strip. I know that since he works there that it probably wasn’t very high on his list of places to go, but he was a good sport about it. We went to the Bellagio and watched the fountain. I love doing that and he said he had never done it. Apparently, there are a few hotels on the Strip that he has never set foot in. I guess it is another example of people that live here that don’t see the local sites. So we went inside and I was navigating us through the hotel like a pro.

We had a couple of drinks and listened to some chick singing 80’s songs. Steve pointed out the “working girls” strolling through the hotel. Honestly, there is no end to the entertainment around here.