Why did you start Punks In Vegas?
Punks in Vegas started from a desire to show the world all the rad punk-related stuff going on in Las Vegas. I wanted to show touring bands that we have a real, vibrant music scene that is worth playing in, I wanted to promote shows that I was excited about to increase attendance and I wanted to promote great local Vegas bands. PIV began as a show guide I made for a grad school project and evolved into what we have now – photos, interviews, contests, reviews and more.
Can you book a show for my band in Vegas?
One of the main reasons I started Punks In Vegas was so that out-of-state bands could see that we do have a vibrant local scene that’s worth visiting. While I don’t book shows myself, I would be more than happy to direct you to the right person to get your band a show in Las Vegas. Shoot me a message via the contact page with your info and I’ll see what I can do. Likely my reply is going to direct you to one of the following:
I also recommend getting in touch directly with local bands out here, which is the best resource if you’re a smaller band looking to play Vegas.
My band is playing a show in Vegas, why is it not on the “shows” page?
I try my best to include every local punk and punk-related show in the listing. A big reason I started the site is because I was tired of hearing people say they missed a great show because they simply didn’t know it was happening. A central hub for genre-specific show listings seemed like a great way to rectify that. However, I work 40+ hours a week at my day job and simply do not have the resources to scour every possible Facebook invite, Twitter post, etc. needed to know about every show. If your band’s show isn’t listed, simply contact me and I will be happy to add it to the calendar!
Can you review my band’s album/ep/demo?
If you have music you’d like us to review, please send us a link via the contact page. Just keep in mind that we get tons of submissions every week and the reviewers are all working on this in their spare time between work, school, etc. so we might not get to yours right away (or at all). It’s nothing personal if it doesn’t get reviewed or if it’s reviewed at a much later date.
How often is the site updated?
Punks in Vegas is updated daily, Monday – Friday (excluding holidays).
What kind of camera do you use?
When I started Punks in Vegas I was using a simple point and shoot. As I started getting more serious about the photography aspect of the site, I upgraded to a Nikon d3100 and later a d600. Each photographer on the site uses something different, though.
I’m a band/label/etc. and I’d like to use your photographs, can I?
The individual photographers all have high-resolution versions of every photograph featured on this site and trust us, we’d rather work something out than see the photos cropped and weird edits made. If you need one for any purpose, contact me we will talk.
How do I become a writer/photographer/etc. for Punks In Vegas?
We’re always looking for new talent and new voices so that we can better and more fully represent the punk rock community in Las Vegas. The first thing to keep in mind when contacting me is that no one, not even myself, makes any money from the site (in fact, I pay far more into it than I’ve ever made). None of us do this to make money. We do it because we love it. If you’re still interested, the next thing I look for, even more than talent, is reliability and persistence.
All of the photographers that are currently shooting for us are people who came to me with examples of their work and started contributing by paying for their own ticket to local shows, covering them and sending me their completed work. That kind of dedication is eventually going to lead to getting on some bigger shows and becoming an official part of the team.
For writers, start sending reviews! You don’t need anything from us to get started. Grab your favorite record from the past few months that we haven’t reviewed yet, write about it and send it over. We can’t guarantee every submission will be published, but we will get back to you with feedback. The more you write, the better you’ll get and if we like your stuff you’ll be brought in to start reviewing newer and not-yet-released albums, as well as shows.
What other websites should I check out?
We’ve made a lot of awesome friends through doing this site, and if you like what we’re doing you’re going to want to check them out as well:
Doom Toof (graphic design)
Brock Frabbiele (graphic design)