DGAF in Vegas

So besides going to weird French parties, what else have we been up to since lagging?



Here's a few things we learned in Vegas:

1. We hate Clarence Carter. But we think we hate our friend Brian Lee Jones even more for making that video and introducing us to that song and making it the theme song of the weekend.

2. The TI Hotel and Casino, or the Hotel and Casino Formerly Known as Treasure Island, has a pretty good buffet. I mean, I'd never seen phở at a buffet before, let alone decent phở. Their Sirens of TI show, however, is downright unacceptable. I mean, we were raised here in Southern California on a steady diet of crappy entertainment and cheesy shows at Disneyland, and we thought that show was particularly bad. It was the most awfully written and executed live soft porn we'd ever seen. It is a free show, but come on. Only watch it if you want a good laugh while completely wasting your time.

3. Now Paris Las Vegas is pretty classy. I mean, nowhere with a fake Eiffel Tower can really be that classy, but by Vegas standards, I'd say it is. Well, kind of. It would have been classier if I'd found out that they didn't allow drinks up there after buying a plastic Eiffel Tower full of frozen Piña Colada. Chugging that thing before going up the Tower is either the best or worst idea, depending on your perspective. It kind of explains why they only sell stuff like pistachio flavored soft serve ice cream at the real one in the real Paris.


5. Now last but definitely not least... I've only got 2 words for you: PURPLE REIGN. Yes, it IS a Prince tribute show, and a surprisingly LEGIT one at that. If you love Prince, there is no excuse not to see this. Trust me, it will NOT be a waste of your time or money. Honestly, can any Prince fan turn down a Prince tribute show in Vegas? I don't think I'd pay to see a tribute show anywhere else... and I'm not sure if I'll see a better tribute show anywhere else.

Ok, so the Hooters Casino and its Mad Onion restaurant are mediocre at best. In fact, thanks to the Mad Onion (and my own drunkenness) I gave up eating fried food after ordering a platter with 4 different types of fried onions. But that's another story.

I was already kind of blown away as soon as the show started. Purple Reign was pretty much flawless in its execution from the get go, even down to the little details such as costumes and stage banter. They of course played most of Prince's crowd-pleasing hits. They didn't perform "I Would Die 4 U" or "Cream", but they did make up for it by playing "Pop Life", "Erotic City", and "Gett Off", which were all very pleasant surprises.

I definitely would not have been bored if it was all Prince the whole way through, but the Morris Day segments changed the pace up a bit and certainly didn't make the show any less entertaining. It was high energy all the way. Everyone was a genuine, natural performer and/or musician who knew how to keep the crowd going. I mean to be able to pull off a Prince tribute show that effectively, you HAVE to have talent and skills. Jason Tenner, who somehow bears a pretty striking resemblance to Prince, was nothing short of mind-blowing in his ability to capture his spirit.

This is the closest I'll ever get to seeing Prince live, and definitely in that small of a venue, that close to the stage, and in that price range. I can't complain. I may be a little biased here, but you'll probably enjoy this even if you're not a Prince fan.

We even went to the shady nightclub/bar afterward and managed to meet the bass player, the guy who played Morris Day, the the guy who played Jerome, and Jason Tenner. They were all super nice and down to earth. In fact, when amy told Jason that he was "wonderful", he replied with "I'm not Prince." WOW. Probably one of the most DGAF statements ever, from one of the most DGAF people ever in the most DGAF tribute band ever. HAHAHAHA!!!

Ok, so who wants another DGAF weekend in Vegas???

PURPLE REIGN

Sorry this is a little late... but we here at DGAF spent our Memorial Day Sunday remembering how DGAF Prince was at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery... WAIT. HOLD ON. Before you start any vicious online rumors or frantically googling Prince to find out if he's part of one of the many celebrity casualties of 2010... as far as we know, Prince has NOT passed away. But he already has a legacy which is also alive and well... and what better way to celebrate that with a screening of Purple Rain!

If you've never seen Purple Rain, or if you've only seen it on a TV screen... in my opinion, there is only one way to see it, and that is a screening. It doesn't matter if it's at an independent theater (how we first saw it) or at an outdoor event like this; a big screen is the only way to capture its decadent glory. The vibe that a legion of Prince fans brings to it isn't too shabby either.

But what made this screening even better was the legit sound system!!! The performances alone make this movie, and hearing the classic songs blasting from big, professional speakers was nothing short of epic (and it made the cheesy dialogue funnier too!). I mean, this was the closest a lot of us will ever come to a Prince concert... and is the only consolation for those of us who had to miss his shows back in his heyday.

But make sure you show up super early to a Cinespia Hollywood Forever screening... it takes a bit to find street parking (which is free and well worth it) and also, Santa Monica Blvd. gets packed. We ended up waiting in line for about an hour as well, so we had to end up sitting at the back, which would have been ok if there weren't so many damn people standing up or walking around and blocking our view. Come on, people, didn't you come here to WATCH Purple Rain?

But how could this screening have been even MORE badass than it already was? An appearance by Dam Funk and Peanut Butter Wolf, of course!!! They were spinning all kinds of obscure and old skool Prince tracks before and after the movie. They really know their shit! We even joined in a little post-Purple Rain dance party.













Can any other movie screening be this DGAF? I don't know... you can't really top Purple Rain AND Stones Throw DJs.

prince rakeem nelson

It's Mixin' Monday, so get on top... cream shaboogie bop? This ain't no purple rain, peeps! Who would have thought, straight outta somewhere between Paisley Park and the Shaolin Slums... we present Cream vs C.R.E.A.M. (CMYK BUKKAKE MIX) on our Facebook page or download it here. From Minneapolis to Staten Island, killa bees unite!