Las Vegas Weekly

September 10, 2010 · 8:26 AM

Photos: Recycled Percussion brings junk rock to Studio 54 at MGM Grand

By Don Chareunsy

Ryan Vezina and Justin Spencer perform during Recycled Percussion's VIP Night at Studio 54 at MGM Grand on Sept. 7, 2010.

Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

By Don Chareunsy, Vegas DeLuxe editor

America’s Got Talent alumni Recycled Percussion celebrated its official grand opening and VIP night, as founder and drummer Justin Spencer, drummer Ryan Vezina, guitarist Jimmy Magoon and DJ Todd Griffin (aka DJ Pharaoh) took over Studio 54 at MGM Grand on Tuesday night.

Recycled Percussion walked the red carpet before the group’s performance, and the quartet was joined by Peepshow and Holly’s World stars Holly Madison and Josh Strickland, Holly’s World star Laura Croft, Luxor headliner comedian Carrot Top, cast members of Crazy Horse Paris at MGM Grand, Lorena Peril and the Fantasy Girls from the Luxor, Las Vegas pop artist Michael Godard and illusionist Dan Sperry.

The celebrities chatted with fans, and a number of them grabbed drumsticks to re-create Recycled Percussion’s show. Sperry also wowed the crowd with his Lifesaver and dental floss illusion, which can be seen below via YouTube. Inside Studio 54, the audience watched and participated as Recycled Percussion performed its unique, interactive and high-energy 70-minute show.

Highlights included audience members being a part of the performance by using drumsticks to bang on objects including pots, pans and cowbells; an audience competition that saw Senior Editor John Katsilometes defeat, among others, Carrot Top, KLAS Channel 8 anchor Dayna Roselli and Bill Cody (see video below); and the show-closing number featuring a fun trip down music memory lane (Hanson, anyone?). Plus, Spencer, aka the world’s fastest drummer, Magoon and Vezina all have similarly awesome dark hair.

Vezina was an audience favorite, with one woman yelling “take off your shirt!” while he performed his percussion solo using his body -- his face cheeks, ripped chest, flat stomach and quadriceps. “I love you, Ryan!” also was heard repeatedly throughout the evening. Mr. Vegas DeLuxe Robin Leach described the show via Twitter as “Stomp on steroids.”

Recycled Percussion, the founder of junk rock, a mix of gritty assaults on recycled power tools, buckets and other noise-related objects, formed 16 years ago during a high school talent show in New Hampshire and placed third out of more than 100,000 contestants on the NBC talent show, becoming the first non-singing act in the series’ history to place in the Top Three.

Thanks to Christopher Rauschnot @24kMedia on Twitter and loyal Vegas DeLuxe reader Richard Corey for their videos posted on YouTube.

FIVE QUESTIONS W/RECYCLED PERCUSSION

Vegas DeLuxe wanted to learn a little more about the engaging and talented men, so here are five questions with Recycled Percussion:

Don Chareunsy: What recycled object haven’t you used yet in the show that you’d like to use in the near future?

JS: Wood chipper.

JM: We’ve played on so many things that it’s hard to come up with any one thing that we haven’t played on.

RV: Prosthetic limbs.

TG: We’ve played on almost everything, so it’s hard to say. Maybe the structure of a building, the framing and such.

Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Holly Madison attends Recycled Percussion's VIP Night at Studio 54 at MGM Grand on Sept. 7, 2010.

DC: How much time do you spend on your hair before a show because three of you have fantastic hair onstage? DJ Pharaoh: Your onstage fedora rocks.

JS: One-tenth of the time it takes Ryan to do his hair.

JM: Two minutes.

RV: I usually start doing my hair the day before, so approximately 22 hours and 15 minutes.

TG: Less than 2 minutes.

DC: Besides performing in the show, what is a talent of yours that fans would be surprised to learn?

JS: The ability to drive fast cars fast -- and well.

JM: I’m an amazing pool player.

RV: I’m a great video producer; I produce all of our videos.

TG: Independent producer work.

DC: What is your favorite part of or thing to do in Las Vegas so far?

JS: Riding ATVs in the desert.

JM: Going out to Red Rock.

RV: Having a late-night breakfast at the Peppermill.

TG: I love all the music options. There’s a great music and club scene.

Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Carrot Top attends Recycled Percussion's VIP Night at Studio 54 at MGM Grand on Sept. 7, 2010.

DC: With all the entertainment options in Las Vegas, why should people see Recycled Percussion at Studio 54?

JS: The show offers a high level of interaction that other shows don’t have.

JM: The show is very high energy, and everybody gets to perform with us.

RV: You get a free drum lesson.

TG: It’s a unique, totally interactive show, and it’s the most fun for the crowd itself. When people come to the show, they forget about everything else for 70 minutes.

Bang along (and a gong) with Recycled Percussion nightly at 8 except Sundays.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.

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