Las Vegas Weekly

Walk, rock and burn

The Clydesdale withstand the heat for a good cause.

Photo: Laura Davis

It's 10:30 a.m., and it's hot. This particular Sunday feels like one of the warmest of the year thus far — so of course, it's also the day of the annual two-mile AIDS walk spanning the streets of Downtown.

Photo: Laura Davis

Nice shorts, Dude City.

One of the local bands chosen to play along the route, The Big Friendly Corporation, has opted to drop shop on a shade-covered sidewalk instead of in its assigned spot. "They wanted us to set up in the middle of the street," explains guitarist Tim Styles. "Technically, it's loitering [to be on the sidewalk]." But hey, when you're already playing for a good cause, relief from the heat comes before rules and regulations, right?

The seasoned indie-pop quintet was one of 15 acts booked to entertain walkers — from SpongeBob SquarePants to acoustic duo Julian & Jon (who combined forces purely for the purpose of playing the walk) to a drag-queen comedian. "That's how I got her to come out," confesses walker Jenn Hyla, gesturing toward a friend while taking a break to catch a few songs by another local band. "I was like, 'The Clydesdale are playing!'"

By the end of the walk, those who forgot to lather on sunscreen are feeling the burn. But the worst tan lines of the day go to local rock outfit Dude City, found jamming midway along East Bonneville in the shortest of short shorts. Fundraisers can't always be fashionable.