July 30, 2009 · 9:19 PM
Opera training, metal sensibility
Local metal band Bipolar has one suggestion for people coming to their shows: "Bring earplugs."
Photo: Kelsey Correa
With a background in baroque opera, Charlie now growls and screams as the frontwoman for the metal band Bipolar. Yes, frontwoman, and yes, her name is Charlie (don’t ask for her real name—she’ll only cringe).
A choir major who graduated from the Las Vegas Academy, Charlie and drummer Brian Hanks left Vegas for California and formed Bipolar in 2003. After making a name for themselves in Sacramento—even garnering a Sacramento Area Music Award as the best hard rock/metal band in the area—they returned to Vegas last year in hopes of conquering our local music scene as well.
Audio Clips
.bipolar.
- Adobe Flash Player Required to listenPigs
- Adobe Flash Player Required to listenRose Valley
- Adobe Flash Player Required to listenThroatpunch
- Adobe Flash Player Required to listenWalter Payton
“Guys in other bands see us as ‘Oh, they’ve got that chick singer,” says Charlie. “Before they hear us, they think that I’m a gimmick. But when they see us live, usually they’re completely proven wrong.”
In Sacramento, Bipolar not only won the aforementioned Sammie award (after which the Sacramento News & Review incorrectly reported that they had broken up), but also released four CDs, earned a strong fan base and played shows to their heart’s content. Yet, after eight years in the scene (Hanks and Charlie were in another group before Bipolar), they decided to pack up and head back to Vegas. “It just got stagnant,” Charlie says. “It got to the point where there weren’t any clubs we hadn’t played or any bands we hadn’t played with.”
Calendar
- Bipolar
- Aug. 1, 8:30 p.m., $10.
- The Rock Room at The Playground
- 3525 W Russell Rd.
- Band Guide
- Bipolar
Originally, the entire band was going to relocate to Vegas. “Our guitar player and bass player wussed out,” jokes Hanks. When it finally came time to leave Cali, it was ultimately he and Charlie that moved.
Thanks to Craigslist, Hanks and Charlie regrouped with new bassist Chris Kmit and Dave Soto on guitar.
“It’s weird, because in Sacramento, we never really had to book our own shows,” says Charlie. “The bookers [in Vegas] are used to their little group of bands that they deal with, so breaking into that has been really hard. To them, you’re a new band, so you don’t really have a draw.” Charlie adds, “It’s like I’m 20 years old again and having to start over. But now they know that we’re serious, so we’re starting to get offers for more gigs.”
Currently, Bipolar’s goal is to play enough shows to earn money for recording time for the new songs they’ve written since Kmit and Soto joined the group. “We already have our stuff up on iTunes,” says Charlie. “It’s just a matter of getting more stuff up there and selling more CDs.”
Still, Bipolar understands the hurdles they must overcome, especially as a female-fronted metal band. “I had to learn over the years to take criticism,” Charlie says. “Not everybody’s going to like us or our kind of music.”
“Not everyone likes a woman screaming in their face!” jokes Hanks. “My friend Mike said, ‘Dude, I can handle the mellower stuff, but when she starts screaming, I only hear: Take out the garbage. Wash the dishes!’”
“People expect me to be some big abrasive loudmouth lady, and I’m not!” says Charlie.
The relatively quiet, unassuming blonde and the rest of Bipolar are prepared to melt everyone’s faces off this weekend with the same sweet voice that was once dedicated to choir.
“One thing about training for opera, arias and operettas is you have to learn how to control your diaphragm and control your breathing,” explains Charlie. “Screaming is the same way.”
And as for their Saturday night gig at the Playground’s Rock Room? Charlie has one suggestion: “Bring earplugs.”
-
Saturday
2013-05-25
The Orleans
-
Saturday
2013-05-25
The Strip
-
Saturday
2013-05-25
The Strip
- More ›
-
Tuesday
2013-05-28
Concert
-
Tuesday
2013-05-28
Paris
-
Tuesday
2013-05-28
Drink Specials
- More ›
-
Wednesday
2013-05-29
Museum (ongoing)
-
Wednesday
2013-05-29
The Strip
-
Wednesday
2013-05-29
UNLV
- More ›
-
Friday
2013-05-31
Venetian
-
Friday
2013-05-31
Activities-Pool Parties
-
Friday
2013-05-31
The Orleans
- More ›
Most Popular
- Most Read
- E-mailed
- 1. ‘Michael Jackson One’ is Cirque du Soleil’s best — and includes snow at Mandalay Bay
- 2. Meet five additions to Las Vegas nightlife and entertainment
- 3. Superstar DJ Memorial Day Weekend kicks off battle of Las Vegas nightclubs
- 4. Celebrity preview: Garth Brooks, ‘Pawn Stars,’ Charlie Sheen, Chris Brown, Diddy and Claire Sinclair
- 5. Weekend best bets: Tuff-N-Uff, Light and Daylight openings and Fleetwood Mac
- 6. Photos: Kendrick Lamar drinks Boulevard Pool at The Cosmopolitan
- 7. Star Surveillance: Jenny McCarthy, Ice-T & Coco, Frank Marino, Human Nature and 'Hangover'
- 8. D time is now for The Scintas to take hold in Downtown Las Vegas
- 9. An only-in-Vegas duck tour at Hakkasan
- 10. Goodman returns from N.Y. tour in time to be Oscar
Facebook Activity
Featured Cocktail
May 15, 2013
by
Sabrina Chapman
The Golden Pillar: An architectural cocktail built for XS
This Sunday, XS nightclub celebrates the grand reopening of its after-dark pool party, Night Swim. Along with the bash comes a new offering of signature cocktails served by the pitcher, ...
Read more...








Discussion:
In an effort to increase the dialogue on our blogs, we will be requiring Facebook accounts to leave comments on lasvegasweekly.com blogs. We believe that Weekly readers are likely to have Facebook accounts already and more apt to comment on this site with that account rather than have to create an account with us. If, however, you do not have a Facebook account, click here to sign up for one. If you have questions, comments or concerns about this new commenting policy, please let us know.
For any other questions related to commenting on Weekly stories, please read our full policy.