Local promoter loves unpredictability of Vegas music scene

Vegas Voices is a weekly question-and-answer series featuring notable Las Vegans.

Ruben Rodriguez, a Las Vegas native, grew up going to shows at places such as the Huntridge, Balcony Lights and the Roadhouse, which later inspired him to get involved in the local music scene.

After reaching out online to bands early on, he moved on to booking shows at Beauty Bar downtown, where he spent five years. These days, he's helping put on shows for bands such as Failure, Chelsea Wolfe, Album Leaf and Together Pangea at places such as Fremont Country Club, Backstage Bar & Billiards, the Bunkhouse and the Griffin. (Rodriguez's next slate of shows includes La Luz on March 23, Breakbot on May 25 and Islands on June 11, all at the Bunkhouse.)

We recently caught up with Rodriguez and asked him what he loves about living here, where he likes to hang out and what misconceptions people have about Las Vegas.

Review-Journal: What do you love most about living in Las Vegas?

Rodriguez: There's never a dull moment, and this city is its own bubble, compared to other places. I dig that.

RJ: How did you first get involved in the music scene here?

Rodriguez: It's safe to say, the same way most do, by being an angry, angsty teenager attending shows at places like the Huntridge, Balcony Lights and the Roadhouse. I actually had some failed attempts at playing music and starting bands with others — my deep dark secret — but I always have had a big interest in up-and-coming bands. I remember I used to message bands on MySpace ... to play here and even helped put together shows by asking friends in bands that this would be a cool band to play a show with. So I guess, in a way, that's how I unintentionally started this whole band-booking/concert-promoting thing.

RJ: What are some the best shows that you've seen here?

Rodriguez: Hate to sound cliche and do the typical "Oh, there's been so many" or "Where do I begin?" but, for real, there's been so many that I couldn't possibly count or keep track of, being around as long as I have. I guess if I were to name a few, I'd definitely say Deftones, the Aquabats, Curl Up and Die, Napalm Death and the Flaming Lips were five of the best shows that stand out to me the most.

RJ: What are your favorite shows that you've been a part of presenting?

Rodriguez: Chuck Ragan was definitely big for me, considering that the main band he is in, Hot Water Music, I was a fan of in my younger days. Same with Cold Cave. At the time, members of AFI, the Blood Brothers and Samhain were in the band, along with frontman Wes (Eisold) from Give Up the Ghost/American Nightmare, which was a band that me and all my friends listened to in my adolescence. Fuzz was super cool, too. I mean Ty Segall is huge now, so to have his new project play and it be a hit with a crowd, that was an interesting night indeed. Once I put together a private party for Green Day, as well; I'll admit that I am not a die-hard fan or anything like that, but it was pretty rad to have them and see some of the rock stars they had along hanging out. I remember Tre Cool sprayed someone in the bathroom with a cologne he snagged from the bathroom attendant and yelled, "It's Sex Panther!" and ran out.

RJ: What do you love most about the Las Vegas music scene?

Rodriguez: The unpredictability. You honestly never know how it's going to go, so it feels that much more gratifying putting in all the work, time and going through all the stress in booking a good show, when the turnout is crazy packed and you did not expect to kill so good, to the point where you got the venue over capacity.

RJ: Where are you favorite places to hang out in the city? Specifically, if you had some friends in from out of town, where would you take them?

Rodriguez: Kinda depends, I'd say. I have lots of friends, and they all differ from each other. All are into different things, and all are part of different scenes ... . But as of late, I've been diggin' spots like the Huntridge Tavern and Oddfellows.

RJ: What are your favorite restaurants or places to eat?

Rodriguez: Aloha Kitchen, Paymon's, Tacos El Gordo, Le Thai, and probably the most frequently visited, the Peppermill. I have definitely had lots of "last stop of the night" visits at the Peppermill over the years.

RJ: Do you think people have misconceptions about Las Vegas? If so, what do you think they are?

Rodriguez: Of course everyone sees this place as Party Central. I kind of accept and also take offense to that. ... Most people don't think that normal people live here. ... Another thing I have noticed, from younger people especially, is that there is this big misconception that Vegas is the worst place in the world and that you need to move somewhere else — because nothing bad ever happens anywhere else, right? I feel that most people spend 99 percent of the time hating on this city for one reason or another.

RJ: What are some things about Las Vegas that people don't know, that either aren't common knowledge or get completely overlooked?

Rodriguez: That you can get the same desired effect eating at a locally known restaurant versus a chain or spot on the Strip. I mean, you don't have to go to a fancy place to eat good sushi. Yama Sushi is a great sushi spot that won't put a huge dent into your wallet. Chinatown alone has tons of great places to get choice cuisine, without having to go to a five-star bistro or something. I think people feel the need to "go big" too often here.

RJ: What's your best "Las Vegas" story?

Rodriguez: I walked home from Frankie's Tiki Room once.

— Read more from Dave Herrera at reviewjournal.com. Contact him at dherrera@reviewjournal.com or follow @rjmusicdh on Twitter.