Las Vegas Weekly

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When the blue trash bags come out, everyone knows it means trouble. It’s beginning to rain and lightly snow on the back patio at Beauty Bar. The sound guy, worried about his equipment, orders Red Abbey to cut its set short after only a half-dozen songs.

As she packs up her instrument, violinist Thein-nga shakes her head in frustration. “Of all nights for this … It’s our CD-release party, and we’re shut down because it’s snowing! This is Vegas. That is not supposed to happen here.”

It’s a strange turn of events for the relative newcomers, who moved here from New York City in June after a one-off show at Freakin’ Frog somehow convinced them moving to Vegas would be good for their musical careers.

Trey Ordaz, Red Abbey’s other half, knows the move might seem strange, but assures that the duo/couple thought it out. You know, the big-fish-in-a-little-pond thing. “New York has so many good bands,” Thein-nga says. “Here you can make a better name for yourself.”

So far, the bluesy rock duo, which performs with a full band, has done okay for itself here. Red Abbey is a finalist in a Hard Rock battle of the bands that could eventually score a spot opening for Bon Jovi. Despite the weather, the CD-release show brings out a decent crowd, including the parents of children the classically trained duo teaches on the side. Still …

“We’ll just throw another CD release show,” Thein-nga decides. “We won’t let this slow us down any.”