Bowling for bands not excessive

It seems counterintuitive to question the impulse that has erected billion-dollar properties in this city, that has put roller coasters on rooftops and waterfalls in nightclubs.

Excess.

It’s what’s paved our streets, right?

Too much is never enough in Vegas, with the lone possible exception being the stuff that comes from the deep-fryer at Mermaids.

But with another new music club opening here next spring, Brooklyn Bowl at The Linq, it makes you wonder if the city is beginning to approach a critical mass in terms of the number of concert venues.

In recent years, we’ve seen the debut of Hard Rock Live, Vinyl at the Hard Rock, multiple venues at The Cosmopolitan, Backstage Bar & Billiards and the Fremont Country Club downtown as well as continuing efforts to re-open the Huntridge Theater.

The quality of these rooms isn’t the question, it’s whether this market can support all of them.

“I don’t think you can ever have enough places that are promoting live music,” says Danny Zelisko, who books The Pearl at the Palms. “You can have 100 clubs that are vying for the same five or 10 acts that are worthwhile every month, and sooner or later, it just kind of naturally finds its own level after the bands and agents and managers experience the different rooms. The question really becomes are there enough good bands to sustain a bunch of different rooms.”

On the subject of good bands, Brooklyn Bowl will need plenty of them as they are looking to put on a full schedule of shows, sometimes two a night.

The plan is to open early in the morning and cater to the family crowd with food and bowling during the day, hold a concert at 8 or 9 p.m. and then do a late show around midnight, with the emphasis on New Orleans-style jazz, funk and soul with residencies from bands such as the Funky Meters and Galactic, who perform frequently at the original Brooklyn Bowl.

“We’re going to do that a lot in Vegas,” Brooklyn Bowl co-owner Peter Shapiro says of the venue’s expected brass band presence.

Of course, Vegas has become a destination city for high-end nightlife, with big name DJs packing voluminous clubs every week. But there’s not much aimed at older revelers who want to go out, but not wait in line for three hours to sip $12 Heinekens as Tiesto goes all Nicko McBrain on their eardrums.

It’s this crowd that Brooklyn Bowl is aiming to serve with live music late at night, along with the younger rock scene at concerts earlier in the evening.

As such, Shapiro doesn’t see Brooklyn Bowl as being in competition with the other music venues in town.

“It’s complementary to the other places,” he says, eyes on the pins, hoping for a strike.

Contact reporter Jason Bracelin at jbracelin@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0476.