The Whitney Peak Hotel’s Grand Opening Saturday is highlighted by a hard-rocking band with unique instrumentation.
The Los Angeles trio Crash Kings feature visceral guitar sounds from a rare 1970’s model Hohner Clavinet, which has 60 guitar strings attached to a whammy bar. It was designed to emulate a harpsichord, but Tony Beliveau plays heavy metal rock.
“It allows me to have a big sound onstage without having so many people,” he said in an interview with Reno/Tahoe Onstage. “We’re having fun doing what we do. It’s fun doing something different.”
Attached to the “Biggest Little City in the World” sign which arches over Virginia Street, the Whitney Peak Hotel is a breath of fresh air in downtown Reno. It doesn’t allow smoking or gambling. The Cargo will feature bands popular with University of Nevada, Reno students. The majority of the shows be for concertgoers 18 and older and require an inexpensive entry fee. The cover for the Crash Kings is $5.
Major shows will be booked in the fall, after the summer festival season has ended, said Devildog Production’s Brent Harding, who also brings shows to the Crystal Bay Casino and Squaw Valley.
“(The first shows) have been doing great,” Harding said. “We are already getting a rep for the best sound in Reno. Once we get into fall when the bigger acts tour, the place will take off.”
The 1,100 capacity Cargo has a nearly $500,000 sound system, including a Midas Pro 9 digital console, which is set inside an enclosed engineering area adjacent to a long bar.
“ I’m consistently hearing comments from patrons about how phenomenal the sound is, and how much they dig the overall vibe,” said Nicole Gross, the project manager of the 159-room hotel. “There is a lot of positive energy, which I feel is a testament of the bands and our staff. Because we’re treating the bands like kings, they have a much better time on stage, and when they’re happy, the staff is happy.”
The concept of this website, Tahoe Onstage, and the companion site, Reno Onstage, is to support and promote live music. Spurred by the music venue in the Crystal Bay Casino, we have reported on the emergence of local bands Dead Winter Carpenters and Jelly Bread onto the national scene. More Reno and Tahoe bands could take it to the next level using Cargo and Devildog as a springboard. Reno’s Moondog Matinee, Mojo Green and CRVSH have already performed in Cargo.
“We want to support local artists in a high-production space,” Gross said. “Here they have the same production value as a big show, one of the best in the country.”
Crash Kings
Preview article: http://renoonstage.com/crash-kings-rock-like-band/
When: 9 p.m. Saturday, June 7
Where: Cargo @ Whitney Peak Hotel
Cover: $5
For: Ages 18 and older
Tickets: http://cargoreno.com/events/
Upcoming shows
Sat., June 13 Jelly Bread, 9 p.m. $7 tickets
Sun., June 14 Brownout Presents Brown Sabbath, 9 p.m., $10 tickets
Friday, June 20 Buck Ford, $5 tickets
Sat., June 21 The Stone Foxes, 9 p.m., $5 tickets
Sat., June 27 Hollow Woow, 9 p.m.. $5 tickets
Sat., June 28 Comedian Brian Posehn, 9 p.m., $18 tickets
Sat., July 5 MarchFourth Marching Band and special guest Diego’s Umbrella, 8 p.m., $18 tickets
Sat., July 12 Delhi 2 Dublin, 9 p.m., 10-$15 tickets
Friday, July 25 Caught A Ghost, $5 tickets
Aug. 1-2 School of Rock, $10 tickets
Sun., Aug 3 Jonny Lang, 8 p.m., $28-$56 tickets
Sat., Aug. 16 Down North, $5 tickets
Sat., Aug. 30 The Dan Band, 10 p.m., 20 tickets
