My 2018 Playlist

2018 has been one hell of a year, hasn't it? Antho and I packed our vehicles up and drove from the bottom Southwest corner of the state of Nevada all the way up to the northern corner of Washington state, a trek that took us the better part of three days and covered over 1,200 miles! There was that stop in Merril, Oregon, where I thought my transmission finally clunked out on me only to discover she was just dehydrated... Before that, there was that bright, cold morning in Reno, Nevada, where we awoke to find wild horses grazing not far from our temporary campsite. We took a side trek out to Mesquite, also in Nevada, during the spring so I could draw a graduating class of high school seniors, and then the extended journey out to St George...  We saw goats, and Gila monsters, lions and tigers and dolphins! There were photoshoots at Valley of Fire, Mount Charleston, and at home! We went to the China Lights Festival and the Intergalactic Art Car show, among many other things! Like I said, it's been one hell of a year.

There were some real ups and downs along the way too, but that's the nature of life. So it goes. One thing that remains consistent is the need for music, to help power us through. You can't spend three full days driving without something to listen to, right?! While I'm generally more than happy to listen to endless hours of the Mysterious Universe podcast, to get my fix of paranormal stories and Aussie sass, I have to admit that it was a great gift when Antho upgraded us to the Spotify Premium family plan. This is NOT a sponsored post- I just really appreciate how much Spotify has helped open up my listening experience. I'm definitely one of those people who can fall into a hard rut with music, listening to the same 5 songs for weeks until I burn myself out so utterly and completely that I force myself to forget the song exists until I end up stumbling upon it sometime later in a playlist, like the handy one Spotify compiled for me of my top 100 songs of 2018. I used to gather all my favorite songs via music video into a playlist on Youtube, which I'd let play in a background window, but that's growing to be more challenging as Youtube pushes their pay-to-play services more and more. It's a lot of fun to look back and see (or rather, hear) what songs dominated my year. A lot of K-pop is present as I'm still nursing the comedown from living in South Korea and being immersed in it daily... also, K-pop (and J-pop) is definitely a guilty pleasure of mine. If I'm having a tough day, it's safe to say that a peppy girl group (or smooth boy band) will perk me right back up. A lot of these songs helped get me through long, slow nights working in the jewelry shop at Harrah's and withstanding profuse rejections from potential customers. Retail sales is a tough gig to be in for me, and it was the job I held throughout the vast majority of the year... I mean, I'm not a hideous specimen of a human, and I can be some measure of charming when I wish to be, but I have a hard time trying to pressure people into buying things that I know they don't really need at prices I personally wouldn't want to pay... I've made comics about this before, man!

But now, here in Seattle, I've found a gig that suits me a lot more on a philosophic and personal level. I'm not going to delve into too many details about it, but suffice it to say I've found a company and form of work that aligns much more closely with my personal values. They're eco-friendly, have pet chickens (and kittens) at the company office, provide acupuncture and yoga classes for their staff, and are flexible enough to allow me time off for a caricature gig when it arises while also paying a living wage. Pretty fricking legit, right? I know I can't complain!

So, here's to 2019!

I'm excited to see what new opportunities and challenges come our way in this new year. While we still have a few weeks yet to wrap up this year, I've been preparing for 2019 for a few weeks already...

💘

XOXO,

NAU 

Vegas: Ceedro's open mic night

There are few things so universally despised and feared as public speaking or performance, which makes it an especially daring and reckless endeavor for those who seek out things like open mic nights to expose themselves and their preferred form of expression to the world, whether it be through music, comedy, or daredevil acrobatics. Our good friend Ceedro eagerly pursues these opportunities to get out there and perform with an enthusiasm that might borderline on questionable if it weren't for his sheer, infectious love of music and humor. At the last open mic night we attended with the good fellow, he won top billing and was invited to be the headline performer for the next weeks, much to no surprise of ours (because, duh, Ceedro is awesome)! It's not easy to get up on a stage in front of a bunch of strange people and perform, making yourself and the things you care about vulnerable to arm-chair critics. I can't say that I have the courage, as I've never gotten up in front of an open mic night myself, but Antho has and we both absolutely respect the sheer cajones it takes to do such. It's with this appreciation and the desire to always support our friends that Antho strove out, camera in hand, hoping to capture the endeavor for posterity's sake. Last time we attended this open mic, located at the Center for Science and Wonder in the world infamous city of sin, fabulous Lost Wages (aka Las Vegas), we got photos of the venue and random performers, hoping to maybe share them along the line, somehow, some way. It was evident upon secondary visitation, however, that the cast of performers was rotating pretty regularly as it was a fairly newly established open mic night. By the time of this post going live it may have become more solidified and predictable, but perhaps not. Art is not the sort of arena where you can really get particular about things, not when it comes to locking down performers or artists. As an artist myself I've got to admit that us artsy types aren't exactly renowned for our reliability, but I digress. 

When it comes to our friends, we strive to be consistent in supporting their hopes and dreams. I think that's important. Antho snagged these photos, and I'm sharing them. We hope you enjoy!

Vegas: Huntridge Tavern show

Oddity and the city of Las Vegas are awkwardly close friends, the kind you might half expect to find sloppily making out as a drunken mess in an alleyway or find together in a bathroom stall halfway through the evening's festivities, before encountering them again pounding more shots and taking turns holding each other's hair back during the ensuing vomit parade.  Weird and Vegas go together like peanut butter and jelly, Catholicism and pedophiles, strippers and glitter...  Between the excessive heat that blisters and peels most reasonable soft people into bitter withered husks, the constant flow of starry-eyed tourists looking to get riggity-riggity-wrecked and perpetual creation of shiny new entertainments, the weirdness permeates and sinks in deep like the tobacco smoke stench in old hotel rooms wallpaper. Vegas and weird, you know, they're real tight besties. For that, we should all be incredibly thankful. 

Without this deep-seated weirdness Vegas might not be half as fun or half as interesting, and likely would have followed the countless other ghost towns nearby and shriveled into a brittle husk eon ago, forgotten amongst the sands of the desert that surrounds it. Luckily for us, the city continues it's undulating growth, sending paroxysmal tendrils out into new corners of the valley and sending a healthy flow of humans to fill the new appendages. More humans mingling and cohabiting means more weirdos crawling out of the woodworks, more eccentrics and worst of all, artists. The most insidious of weirdos, artists, and musicians seem drawn to the city like moths to an oh-so-beautiful light. Maybe it's all that neon blinking it's beacon out into the night, like a Bat-signal for the abnormal among us. All this means is that it should come as no surprise to you fine folks reading this blog here that we happen to know, and sometimes even rub elbows with, some musicians and their ilk from time to time. As creative types ourselves, we try to support our fellow makers when given the chance. After all, we're pretty weird, too...

So, if you find yourself out walking around Vegas, especially near the Arts District or Downtown (or, in this special case the Huntridge Tavern off Charleston) and hear some odd, eclectic mix of sounds that may or may not be a nightmarish hellscape, and a man in a dress covered in (fake?) blood tumbles out, don't be afraid. It's probably just Aaron. He's cool, albeit a little weird...but, hey, who you are you to judge?

Photos in this post were not provided by this handsome dude above, but he is a friend and long-time badass. Photos were taken by Antho. Enjoy!

10 things to do in Vegas this summer (part two)

There's no shortage of ways to stay entertained in fabulous Las Vegas, but if you need some inspiration for things to do this summer this list offers the second half of five out of ten (previous five can be viewed here) of my picks for things to do in Las Vegas during the summer season of 2018! 

6. Take in the view from the High Roller at the Linq promenade

If you're one for spectacular views from above, then this is one opportunity you won't want to miss out on! You can go during the day or night, or try to plan it out to catch the spectacular sunset views. The Linq promenade is easily accessible from most of the Strip as it's right in the heart of it all. The Linq promenade itself has plenty of restaurants, bars, shops and other entertainments to keep you busy for hours, if not days, if you stay nearby.  It's attached to both Harrah's and the Flamingo/ 

7. Jump off of the tallest tower in the city 

If simply gazing out at the lights and admiring their beauty isn't thrilling enough for you, you can try jumping off of the Stratosphere tower after taking in the view from the 108th floor. It's not hard to spot the Stratosphere and it's used as a landmark for orienting oneself by locals for a reason, and it's a hop-skip-and-a-jump away from Downtown and Fremont districts, so if you're still riding that adrenaline high you can also...

8. Zipline over the crowds under the Fremont Street Experience

Keep that adrenaline rush roaring by hopping a quick ride (bus, Lyft, Uber or even a rental bike) down to Fremont Street, at the North end of the Las Vegas boulevard strip. Here you'll find some insane people watching coupled with ample booze and mayhem to keep you entertained for hours. Within a short amount of time walking under the television screen-topped street, you'll likely encounter screaming butts flying overhead. Those would be the zipliners, who grabbed tickets to Slotzilla before you. You can join their ranks and zip over the street in a seated or superman style pose. 

9. Dance to some Reggae in the Desert 

Get funky with Las Vegas's largest reggae festival! General admission is $24.99 per person, making it one of the more affordable all-day music festivals. 

10. Dive-in movies at Wet'n'Wild! 

Same idea as the Dive-in movies at the Cosmo, except this time it's at Wet'n'Wild! Wet'n'Wild is a chain with several locations, so it's a little less limited to -just- Vegas, but there's definitely a lot of fun to be had between swim and screen time with the family! This will be especially appealing to those of you who don't want to be in a casino environment and the movies are much more family-friendly overall, with fun features like Moana, Despicable Me and even the Lion King (because who doesn't want to sob hysterically at the water park?)... 

Hope this provides you with some entertainment this summer!

Thanks for stopping by!

💕

XOXO,

NAU

Vegas: We are the Music Makers Open Mic Night

Every Monday night We are the Music Makers open mic night that takes over The Beat coffeeshop in Downtown Las Vegas.  Hosted by our good friend Diego, you're guaranteed a wide cross section of the many music talents inhabiting our city. From tie-dye clad Hamlet rapping newbies to seasoned pros belting out covers of classic bluesy tunes there's something for everyone, and all are welcome. 

It's pretty groovy. The coffee and grub aren't half bad, either. If you're of a particularly stoney mindset, give the Slap & Tickle sandwich a try; peanut butter & homemade jam with smoked bacon and pickled jalapeños on simple white bread. It's an unholy medley of sweet, smokey, savoury and your forever tainted childhood. 

Antho and I rolled out with our light show, 710 Visuals, illuminating the event's proceedings. We had a lot of fun and the music was ever-so-delightfully coffee house chic, which means I felt like whipping out a sketchbook and doodling most of the evening. Next time, sketchy, next time.

We're definitely going to be doing more of these in coming weeks!

I'm looking forward to it. ^_^

Have you ever been to an Open mic night?

Did you perform?

I don't think I'd ever be brave enough ^^;;

Drawing is kind of a quiet, solitary thing, compared to music, isn't it?

But then again, Bob Ross made a career on his happy little trees, so there is potential there.

Anyway...if you're local, you should certainly give it a shot!

Everyone's very friendly and accepting, so don't be shy. 

Hope you have a happy little day!

Thanks for stopping by! 

XOXO Nau

Candy Warpop & 710 Visuals performance 11/2015

Candy Warpop recently put on a righteous show at 11th Street Records in Downtown Vegas and invited us to throw light at them. We happily obliged, and here's some of the results!

Josh, their guitarist, was a bit under the weather but still managed to do an excellent job of it. He even threw in a pretty rad solo later on!

"Exterminating Angel"

Vegas: 710 Visuals @ Halloween House Party

 This year we were asked to provide visuals for a private Halloween house party orchestrated by Germ of Ossum Possum, and we obliged. Live music, free beer, festive costumes and scary movies are generally a winning combination. 

Naturally, Ossum Possum performed, as did Sojourner, and I've got plenty of videos after the cut for you! 

Las Vegas: Electric Coronation w/710 Visuals @ the Womb Room 2015-10-03

And to the headlining band, Electric Coronation!

This highly talented group was celebrating the release of their album, so naturally 710 Visuals had to bring the lights for this momentous occasion.

Electric Coronation is comprised of: Joshua Chévere Cohen & Brian Gathy - Guitars, Assorted Trickery Ethan Gathy - Synth Torture Ramy Almerie - Percussive Time/Space Manipulation

Vegas: 710 Visuals performance at the Womb Room

One of the most gratifying aspects of life is when things come full circle. Good writers often include examples of this karmic turn around in their media be it through visual gags, narrative, or character development. 

It was with special pleasure, then, that 710 Visuals accepted an offer to perform at the Womb Room, the same venue where we'd originally witnessed liquid light art in action and been inspired to invest our time and energy into the medium ourselves.

Photos and video below!