Las Vegas Weekly

March 16, 2009 · 4:26 PM

Death by Japanther: Neon Reverb closes with endorphins raging

By Aaron Thompson

Photo: Aaron Thompson

Six completely out-of-context and potentially misinterpreted topics that New York dirt rockers Japanther addressed during their festival-closing set at Beauty Bar:

1. Las Vegas – “You guys live in a city founded by a bunch of sick gangsters, that’s hardcore.”

2. The Apocalypse – “This is 2009 and we’re alive … but when 2012 comes around, who knows … the end may be (here.)

3. Hip Hop – “Everyone knows hip hop is dead.”

4. Hip hop … again - “I feel comfortable saying that I like popular hip hop. We also met Afrika Bambaataa once …” (The story then turned into how Afrika lectured them about aliens or something.)

5. The Internet – “We don’t give a fuck what you write on the Internet. We’re also addicted to the Internet, so being on tour, we don’t get to get on it much. It’s nice.”

6. Atomic Testing – ”You guys may live in a place where they tested atomic bombs, but that doesn’t mean you all don’t know how to get down.”

Oh yeah, and Japanther’s endorphin bathing, grungy pop punk set was the perfect palate cleanser to help digest four days of music in downtown. Japanther’s songs like “Bumpin’ Rap Tapes” and “Um, Like, Your Smile Is Totally Ruining Me” were the perfect ending for what could have been the most ambitious music festival to hit downtown - or Las Vegas – well, ever. I think I can speak for the rest of the Weekly staff in saying we hope it happens again and sooner rather than later. As for now, we’ll be getting some f-ing sleep … we need it.

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