FASTER PUSSYCAT ROCKS LAUGHLIN!

What is it that makes a road trip to see a band so much more fun than seeing them in the venues in town? Not sure but Faster Pussycat’s 4 day residency run was AMAZING!…Or was it 5 days? I don’t know it was all a blur LOL. I texted my pal drummer extraordinaire Chad Stewart and asked him to put me on the list and he said: “Bring your camera!” So off to Laughlin I went! I have seen Faster in Hollywood, Oklahoma, many venues here in Vegas over the years but the show at the Riverside in Laughlin rang true as the best! It was inside Don Laughlin’s Celebrity Theatre so maybe because it was a showroom it was set up differently with inside soundmen. Whatever the reason this performance was top notch and the best sounding and the best visually I have ever seen them!On day 1, the first thing I noticed was Danny Nordahl aka “Slim Tender” was not on bass. I said to my friend Anna, “Is that Johnny Martin from L.A. Guns? !?” What’s going on here? It turns out it was indeed Johnny who fit in like a glove with performance and sound. But he didn’t seem like a fill-in. He looked like he had been playing with them forever with amazing chemistry especially with rockin’ rhythm guitarist Kieran Robertson. (Kieran is so sweet and such a doll!) Johnny told me later Danny fell on the bus steps and fractured his arm and broke his thumb. Lead guitarist Sam Bam Koltun called Johnny at 10pm in the evening and asked: “How fast can you learn a Faster Pussycat set?” Johnny was in rehearsal the next morning at 9am ready to go! I wish Johnny could clone himself and be in both L.A. Guns and Faster Pussycat because he adds such energy, charisma and musical talent that is top notch. But on another note: Get well Danny! And speaking Sam “Bam” Koltun, he is hard to photograph because he is in constant motion jumping and shaking that beautiful head of hair of his around. Sam is such an amazing player who is headed for the stars in the music industry. I asked him how old he was and he just smiled and asked: “Why?” “Because you look like you are 18 onstage.” I replied. Sam said he shaves off his peach fuzz to keep looking young. It is working Sam! I hope Sam likes me so when he is rich and famous so he will at least say hello to me LOL.Taime Downe is such an icon with a unique style and voice. Not only does he have such charisma onstage but he is authentic. He never tried to fit a mold with his voice or as a rock star. He was born a rock star with that voice naturally. His raspy voice fits the style of the Hollywood Sleaze King’s sound with perfection. He said onstage that he felt like he was the “Wayne Newton of Laughlin”. Sounds good to me Taime! King Tamie in Laughlin! Chad Stewart has been with FP for years. His powerful beat keeps the band’s groove rockin’ and his powerful back-up vocals wail along with the rest of the guys who all sing. Chad is so cool and I have known him a long time. My favorite photo of Chad is from “Rocklahoma” around 2007 when he came off stage and collapsed on the pavement backstage from the heat and I handed him my phone because Randy Dieter kept calling me to ask Chad for another Backstage Pass so I handed Chad my phone and took a photo of him laying on the ground. Chad is one cool dude! On what I thought was the last night of their residency, Chad asked me if I was coming the next night. “You’re playing tomorrow night?!?” I jokingly told Chad, “Well if you can comp me a room – I’m in!” To which Chad said “Well as a matter fact….”Turns out Chad had an extra room from someone who didn’t show up so it was back to Vegas to pick up Paul Casey and head back for one more night of Killer debauchery rock and roll for their last night! Thanks so much for the hook up Chad! Chad also has some killer necklaces for sale at the merch booth after each show. Anna Ambrousa bought me one! Thanks Anna! They are really cool so pick one up!It was such a great time with the guys. They were awesome and so was the music.Come back to Sin City or Laughlin soon guys!