Lina LecaroSee also: Five Annoying Things About 'The Club'
With Spring Break in full swing, ragers will be looking to get outta town for some debauchery the next couple weeks, and the obvious options will come to mind: Miami, Mexico and Vegas. Last week, we did a little pre-vacay pop-in to Sin City to check out the casino club scene before the frat brats descended. Even for a seasoned clubber, it was an over-the-top experience.
Spring Breakers don't go to Vegas for fancy cocktails or pretty views. Sightseeing, glitzy stage shows and gambling? That's what your mom does. No, if you're 30-ish and under, Vegas is about “the club” and the antics that go down inside: dressing up, shit-faced drunkenness, hooking up, dancing a fool, falling-down drunkeness, and hooking up.
Ladies at LAVO.; Credit: Lina Lecaro
No surprise all of this and more was seen at Party Rock, the newish night from the bigger haired half of chart-topping duo LMFAO. Red Foo spins the last Monday of the month at Marquee at the Cosmopolitan, Vegas' hippest new hotel (you've surely seen their arty commercials). Wilder, crazier and pretty much bigger in every way than anything going down in L.A. right now (raves, concerts and so called “mega-clubs” here), catching Foo and his party rock crew in Vegas was like swinging with monkeys in the jungle or pouncing with lions (in heat) in the Sahara. Untamed, giddy, vicious and meta.
When Foo — a Los Angeles native — boldly declared Vegas, “The best place to party in the whole world … even better than L.A.,” right before we followed him into the club, we were doubtful and even a little put off. But after rocking for a few hours amid his Technicolor-ed followers, we think he might be right. Say what you will about LMFAO's wacky image, simplistic lyrics and repetitive rhythms, the duo capture the essence of electronic music for the pop masses and clubbing's universal allure: escapism, sex, and communal audaciousness … a promotion in Vegas is a no-brainer.
Disclaimer: One person's “off the hook!” is another's “doucheville!” If you hate loud, thumping dance music, clusterfuck crowds, slutty girls, drunk dudes and cartoony atmosphere, we get it. Just stop reading now.
If you don't, here are six reasons Vegas is the best place to party in the world for Spring Break or anytime of year, with inimitable input from the current face (and hair) of mindlessly fun dance music, Mr. Foo, himself.
1.Hoochies
It's almost mandatory to rock a skin-tight spandex, Snookie/J-Woww-type dress with your butt hanging out inside Vegas nightclubs, no matter what size you are. And most, ahem, “ladies” who live or visit L.V. tend to have equally skimpy inhibitions. “Girls come here to get crazy,” says Foo, who reveals tidbits about his smartphone freak list. “I got numbers on my phone from girls all over the world, but in Vegas, I got the most!” he says waving his phone. “One Swedish bootie there, a couple Spanish booties there, but here, it's lots and lots o' booties and boobies!”
Party Rock Girls; Credit: Lina Lecaro
2.Freer Flows
Bottle service may be the guy-with-no-game's only chance to bat with babes in L.A., and it's true in Vegas, too. But more big posses from out of town tend to chip in for special occasions, so the group-grooving at tables is more varied. Sharing is more common, especially when everyone's sloshed. Sitting is a little more difficult. Foo's crew seemed to triple as he made his way inside, which meant the table where he invited us to hang was never accessible and our table behind him was a wall of asses the whole night. See first pic.
Just your average Monday in Vegas.; Credit: Lina Lecaro
3. Liberace-garishness is alive and well
Swag at Party Rock Mondays included foam fingers, light sabers, stuffed animals, studded dayglo glasses and giant plastic necklaces with LMFAO mottos, like “I'm sexy and I know it.” With Foo-alikes (who needs Halloween?) and '80s hipster girl looks everywhere, the club vibe was almost sporting event-like at times, with a rave-y twist. “The fans here really do rock the hardest,” said Foo. Though the duo is known to substitute the name of the city they're while performing the hit, “I'm in [blank], Bitch, ” Foo says Vegas is the only place he actually feels like yelling it.
I'm tacky and I know it.; Credit: Lina Lecaro
4. Exce$$
A DJ behind a laptop is not enough in Vegas. Elaborately dressed go-go dancers doing almost showgirl choreography are common, not to mention lazers, mega-lights, fog machines and confetti blasts (going off several times). Basically, it has the production value of an actual concert or stage musical, and it goes all night long. “I love LA. I'm from there, but it stops at 2 a.m., man,” says Foo. “Here in Vegas, you go 'til the morning!”
Not Sorry For Party Rockin.; Credit: Lina Lecaro
5. DJs
Every major DJ in dance music makes his/her way through Vegas, many from right here in L.A. Check out XS, Tao, Tryst, Surrender, Lavo at the Palazzo and the sister space to SBE'sHyde in the Bellagio (the latter two were our faves more for their food and atmospheres) to see who's where and when before you go.
Only time will tell if the biggies at the above clubs will follow Foo's lead and travel light, thanks to his new app Beat Rock, which allows you to DJ on your phone! RF did just that last week, rocking the entire night's set — which included Madonna (whom the duo worked with recently), Skrillex and plenty of LMFAO — from his celly, and it sounded just as good any Serato set we've heard. Phoning it in took on a whole meaning…
See also: World's Douchiest DJs: The Top Five (Foo's not on the list!)
Dialed in.; Credit: Lina Lecaro
6. What happens here … ya know.
Vegas, baby.; Credit: Lina Lecaro
Party Rock returns to Marquee on Monday, April 23. The riotous Kascade will be there on April 29th. The Cosmopolitan Hotel's concert series for April includes The Shins, Justice, Florence & the Machine, and more. Info here.
Follow us on Twitter @LAWeeklyMusic, and like us at LAWeeklyMusic.
Follow Lina Lecaro at @L_in_A and look for a special “Lina in L.V.” slideshow featuring Marquee, Cosmopolitan, Hyde and LAVO up soon.
Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.