Las Vegas manager and producer Seth Yudof: When fake weird becomes real weird
A one-time onstage magician, manager and producer Seth Yudof and his UD Factory here in Las Vegas have guided the careers of Louis Prima Jr. and The Witnesses, the beautiful girls of Bella Electric Strings and rockers Plain White T’s and Blues Traveler. With shows here, in Atlantic City and as far afield as Europe, Seth really knows his music. His life is all about music.
However, he asks a very important question: What does the future hold for a new/reborn music town in an era in which record labels are all but obsolete except for major artists? He has provocative observations about the Las Vegas music scene and lives in the hope of a revival of live music here in our casinos that would produce future music stars and resident headliners:
Somewhere along the way, the Zappos-manufactured Downtown of Las Vegas suddenly started to feel real. It doesn’t really seem to have much to do with the trendy hipster venues themselves, but rather with the culture that is created by an inner city with walking-distance bars and tourist-free entertainment.
The development of Las Vegas has long been led by Downtown. Downtown is the home of Fremont Street, which was the city’s first paved roadway, and The Boulder Club (currently a small portion of what is now Binion’s), which was the first casino to feature a neon sign. So, it is exciting to see advancements again happening Downtown.
Restaurants and bars are popping up in the middle of otherwise depressing urban blocks that are frighteningly reminiscent of post-war Beirut. Street corners previously reserved for drug dealers and wayward souls are now popular meeting places where locals congregate before deciding which off-beat bar to go to for a craft cocktail.
While I like a coffee shop in a former furniture warehouse as much as the next guy, the best part of this downtown renaissance is that you hear live music coming from many bar entrances, as if you were on Bourbon Street in New Orleans or 6th Street in Austin. Over the last five years, there has been a noticeable shift toward more original music in Las Vegas, and I like it.
It makes sense. Las Vegas entertainment started with original artists generally performing their own music. It was home to Frank Sinatra, Liberace and Bobby Darin when they were at the peak of their careers. But, starting in the ’80s, there was a slow shift away from original music, firmly cementing Las Vegas as the place that has-beens went to continue being for as long as possible.
The shows may not have kept Las Vegas on the map as a home of popular new music, but there was a huge influx of dancers, musicians and singers that grew into a community of artists. Las Vegas may be a small city, but, because of all of the shows on the Strip, it has a density of performers like surfers on Hawaii’s North Shore.
Over time, the city seemed to vilipend musicians, as shows generally cut live music, and casinos closed live lounges. The musicians’ playpen got smaller and smaller, and it was only a matter of time before original music started being created again away from casinos. Last year, Billboard recognized Las Vegas’ financial contribution to touring artists, and this year The Wall Street Journal recognized Sin City as a “major music destination,” including a nod to the local music scene and major artists who have recently risen from the neon shards.
What does the future hold for a new/reborn music town in an era in which record labels are all but obsolete, except for major artists? Las Vegas used to be a hotbed of new artists and music, and it can get there again. The casinos are uniquely poised to capitalize on the recording industry’s demise. They will be able not only to launch music artists into stardom, but also profit greatly by controlling where these artists appear. The only real place to see this new crop of celebrity performers would be right here in Las Vegas.
If they find the next Taylor Swift or Ed Sheeran, the casinos can finally expiate some of the low-rent entertainment they have allowed third parties to bring into this entertainment capital. If only next-Taylor or next-Ed would bring back the formerly ubiquitous showgirls, then Las Vegas’ return to greatness would be complete!
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Be sure to also read the bucket list dreams that Las Vegas country singer Sierra Black is slowly crossing off one at a time. We also have news of Amy Purdy’s Paralympics opening dance at the Paralympics in Brazil and confirmation of a second Rolling Stones show this fall that I predicted.
