Riders of The Thunderdome - Free Vegas Motorsports Show!

... After dinner at Triple Seven, we headed to the west end of Fremont Street where it crosses Main (just look for the Plaza Hotel and Casino - Las Vegas ) and got there just in time to jockey for position for the 9:15 showing of Riders of the Thunderdome. It attracts quite a crowd each time it runs (check the schedule here: usually 9:15 and 11:15 pm - Thurs - Sun) Right between Vegas Club Hotel & Casino and the Golden Gate Hotel and Casino .

Not familiar with Riders of the Thunderdome? Basically, you take 3 pretty sick individuals - give them motorcycles, stick them in a metal ball about the size of your average bedroom and see what happens. It's impressive! I think I saw the same outfit preform at Barnum & Baily's - setting a world record with 7 (yup, seven) guys in a metal ball on motorcyles! There's a chance it was a bigger ball - that I am not sure of.

I also took a short video - in an attempt to to make up for the lousy photo ... then proceeded to upload it sideways to YouTube. Don't worry - there are plenty of other videos posted of the Riders of the Thunderdome, so you can see it right side up.

Can Sin City Be Saved?

So, the nickname "Sin City" attracts a lot of different people for a lot of reasons. The vast majority of Las Vegas vacationers (downtown or otherwise) are more in for the "What happens in Vegas..." type experience; And some people can't leave that alone.

Any given night on Fremont Street you'll find (at least) 2 types of religious crusaders - usually located where Fremont crosses Casino Center - right smack in the middle of the goings on.

The first type (spotted on the East side this intersection right between the Fremont Casino and Four Queens) is not so subtle. In your face, bullhorn in hand, telling you what a "Sinner, Fornicator, Liar, and/or Thief you are" (actually I was too busy giggling at the word "Fornicator" to catch anything else as I strolled by. I have spend a good amount of time Downtown, and have yet to see anyone be engaged enough to even attempt a conversation with anyone blaring this type of circus-act-used-car-salesman-style sales pitch ...

On the other hand, upon crossing casino center, I was however intrigued by the man with a poster asking "What is the name of the raised print deaf people use?" and 5 other questions - and marked as Intelligence Test. I'm thinking - "No sweat, I got this one" and strolled over there like some guy on the street was gonna hand me a pile of cash or a prize for answering these questions...

Enter Doug. King of the soft sell. After engaging me with the intelligence test asked me lots of questions about my beliefs and such and we actually had a 10 or so minute conversation. I must admit, at first I really felt I had failed the intelligence test, if you know what I mean. Hey, Doug was a nice guy - and for whatever reason I felt he really, truly wanted to help. I have no problem with that... but thankfully at about the 10 minute mark my gf's 2 year old son got cranky and I had to split.

... but I still wonder if good old Doug and the megaphone guy were working together - sort of a good missionary/bad missionary type deal.

Although I didn't get a prize, I still think my new pal D. was trying to give me something valuable. Thanks man.

Another Friday Night on Fremont St.

Let's see - the parking lot was full at Fitzgerald Hotel, but no worries - there was plenty of parking a block down. Above the (I think it's called) the Fremont Street Mall is a good sized lot, and parking on the roof provided a great view (poor photo, left) of the east end of Fremont Street, just where the massive Viva Vision screen ends. (That's it at the top of the photo) The elevator drops you off between Walgreens and Hennessey's Tavern (that giant pint glass).

Tonight, we are looking for the free entertainment, nestled between the shiny hotels and casinos.

First stop, the stage between the Fitz and the Four Queens Hotel and Casino to see the 80's band The Whip Its. Upon arrival, as fate would have it, they were, as if on cue, jamming out "Whip It" by Devo ... complete with the flower pots on their heads! If you like the 80's music these guys (and a gal) are a lot of fun. Fun crowd, fun band.

(SIDENOTE: Is it just me or is 80's music much more fun now than it was in the actual 80's?)

80's not your thing? No problemo. Just a block or so down Fremont St. between Binion's Gambling Hall and Hotel & Vegas Club Hotel & Casino on the other big stage Wonder Boogie was shaking things up a massive crowd shaking it groovey 70's tunes.

We got there just in time to see 'em get the crowd involved in a train - fitting to "Come on Ride the Train" or whatever that song is. Legend has it, they have had the dance train reach 217, um, dancers. Sounds like bull (because who counted?) but the crowd was really into these guys so I tend to believe it. Who doesn't love a giant afro. (sorry I couldn't get even a halfway decent picture)

I would be remiss if I neglected to mention that these guys are really funny. Between songs the banter with the audience is quite a hoot - leaning toward adult humor, but clever enough to sail over the heads of any childeren who may be present. Easy to see why they were voted "Best of Las Vegas" the last 2 years running by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

So, that's it for the free bands on Fremont St on this Friday night. Oh, but there is sooooo much more ...