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The Vegoose festival in Las Vegas is kicking off this weekend but I’m not going. That is unless someone wants to buy me a ticket. And airfare and a hotel room, preferably the Venetian with a nice view, throw in some gambling money and cash for booze and so on. Yeah- don’t really have the dough right now to fork out for that, and because I don’t see any spontaneous acts of charity coming my way in the next 48 hours, all I can do is theorize what I would do if I was going. I looked up the lineup and boiled it all down for ya. Here is the second post in a series of two, one for each day.

After waking up, or eventually stopping what would become a downward spiral of drunken gambling or whore mongering either by self control, which I usually lack, or by drained bank account- I would wander back to the festival hopefully with enough money to buy the food and medicines needed. I would find my way back to the celebration where people would still be buzzing about the spectacle the night before. I’m sure there would be a lot of “It was better when I saw [insert band] at [insert location] on [insert date]” and “This is what it’s all about” and “That was the best show I’ve ever seen!!! No! You don’t understand, man!!!” They never will.

I’m not really the guy you will find at the ALO show. Not my style. You’d probably find me chilling out listening to Pharaoh Monche while my head stopped swelling. Really, until about 4:45 or so I wouldn’t be as concerned because I’d be saving my energy and focus for the upcoming acts that night.

I’d probably head on over to Ghostland Observatory after Pharaoh and check them out, I’d be curious to see what they’d be up to. My friend Emily said that she saw Ghostland on TV the other day playing live on either Conan or Letterman or one of those guys, and loved it. Go see a show of them in their native state of Texas and you’ll understand. Look at the kids in this audience at their show in Dallas at the House Of Blues- talk about freaking out. One chick jumps onstage and kisses one of ‘em. If the audience is that into their set on Satuday, I can guarantee that it’ll be a kickass time.

Ghostland Observatory – Sad Sad City

Ghostland Observatory – Ghetto Magnet

Ghostland Observatory – Silver City

Ghostland Observatory Youtube Video

Then it’s Infected Mushroom, the Israeli psy-trance demigods set to wreck shop. Part of me hates trance, but these guys are timelessAfter getting through the last day of Coachella this year, too tired to listen to Rage Against the Machine, I wandered over to the dance tent and watched these guys play. It was pretty awesome standing on the sidelines and being a spectator of such an energy filled tent. It was so loud that I had to literally hold my ears shut for minutes at a time. I’ve never seen Cali raver kids going so mental. Colors everywhere. Everyone was on cloud nine, it was a throwback to the nineties rave explosion that completely took over.

I posted a video of the experience below, it’s one of their more popular tracks right as it’s getting set off. It’d totally be a different experience seeing them during the daytime, but I’d be there for sure. Just give Elation Station a listen, it’s soo good.

Infected Mushroom – Elation Station

Infected Mushroom – B.P.Empire

Infected Mushroom – Converting Vegetarians

Infected Mushroom Youtube Video

Then a wicked change of pace, I’d be shuffled into the Umphrey’s McGee show. These guys are bonafied masters of their instruments, and shouldn’t be disregarded as some sort of “jam band crap” that many reading this site on a regular basis might be inclined to label them. Their drummer drops breaks harder than most dj’s I’ve heard. They work together seamlessly, flawlessly mesmerizing audiences as they build and drop. Plus their out of Chicago, gotta give some love, right? Really cool stuff.

Umphreys McGee – All In Time (Live@Bonaroo)

I’d have to catch a little Muse on the way over to Unkle. What a performance they are capable of. Talk about the whole package; everything they touch takes off. The last I saw these guys it was before Avenge Sevenfold went onstage at a small festival in Tucson. You’ve got to be kidding me right? How on earth could they open for such a crappy band? Go see it for yourself. I tossed in a few hot remixes that aren’t necessarily what you will see there, but they are worth listening to anyways.

Muse – Starlight

Muse – Muscle Museum (Soulwax Remix)

Muse – Map Of The Problematique (Does It Offend You, Yeah? Remix)

Muse – Hysteria, Live in Budapest Sport Arena- Video

Next on the list is Unkle, the second most anticipated act next to Daft Punk. I’ve never been blessed enough to see them play a show live, but I’m well aware that since 1994 they’ve been one of the leading forces in production, once including the acclaimed DJ Shadow. I couldn’t tell you what to expect, all I can say is that you should show up for this one. I can give you a short preview from one of their other shows, that should assist in making such decisions.

It’s pretty safe to say, especially after the last few weeks, that anyone that takes the stage with Thom Yorke knows what they are doing. Whether fans of any genre, the real music fans are psyched about this appearance. It will be one that is hard to forget.

Unkle – Rabbit In Your Headlights (Feat. Thom Yorke)

Unkle – Panik Attack

Unkle – Restless

Unkle – Lonely Soul (Live)- Video

And for the grand finale we have Rage Against the Machine (note that there is no Myspace page for them. I’m guessing it might have something to do with Rupert Murdoch and his evil machine..) Now more than ever we need voices like Zack De La Rocha, or maybe we should have listened to him when we had the chance. I sometimes think about what it would be like to go back in time and show guys like him a window into the world that we live in now. Maybe he wouldn’t have been so pissed off. Maybe he’d be more pissed off, who knows.

Rage is headlining their second festival in the Southwestern United States this year and being so close to their native California, you can expect a ton of people to show up ready to rumble. I’d steer clear of the center front if you are not looking to be body checked by everyone within an earshot of hearing you scream.

You all know who they are. There’ll be people flying across the world to see the show, Rage is that popular worldwide- I guess being pissed at the American establishment isn’t limited to Americans. Who would have guessed?

RATM – Killing In The Name Of

RATM – Bulls On Parade

RATM – Killing In The Name Of (SebastiAn Remix)

RATM – Killing In The Name Of, Pinkpop, Holland 1996- Video