Music: The Universal Language That Speaks To Us All

Music isn’t just background noise—it’s the emotional engine that powers people through their days & nights. Ask most folks what lifts their spirits, and they’ll point straight to music. Musicians will tell you that writing a new song or stepping onstage can flip a rough day into a great one. Fans say hearing their favorite bands is like hitting a reset button for their souls! Me Included!

For me, the magic runs even deeper. Listening to my friends perform, capturing their stories, writing about their shows, and shining a spotlight on the sound of my city through my blog fills me with a sense of purpose. Sharing the heartbeat of the local scene—those late‑night sets, those gritty rehearsal rooms, those moments when a crowd becomes a community—gives me a kind of fulfillment nothing else touches! Even my poker addiction!

So, what gives music this rare power? It connects us. It reminds us that we’re human. It turns feelings into something we can hear, share, and carry with us. Whether you’re creating it, performing it, or simply letting it wash all over you as a fan, music has a way of making life feel bigger, brighter, and more meaningful.

{My Take}

Music is the one language the world never had to translate. It slips across borders, cultures, and generations, speaking directly to whatever moment you’re living, joy, heartbreak, celebration, reflection. It fills the gaps words can’t reach and says the things we don’t always know how to express. No matter where you’re from or what you believe, music finds you, understands you, and answers back. So, the real question becomes: how does music work on you?

 Does it lift you, steady you, or remind you who you are?

Music makes me feel alive!

Gary England

Counting Cars - Count’s 77 - LV/DC - Rain Dogs - And Rob Garrett Set To Dominate The Vegas Music Scene This Coming Saturday Night May 23rd!

 For the fans who contacted me via Facebook Messenger, text, and email about three huge events this coming Saturday, May 23rd. Here's the scoop! 

Las Vegas is about to roar this Saturday night!  Three powerhouse events, one city, and a whole lot of rock‑and‑roll electricity a' going on!

Las Vegas doesn’t do “quiet weekends,” and this Saturday night proves it!

 From the Rio to the Tuscany to Santa Fe Station, the city is stacked with high‑octane concerts, meet‑and‑greets, and tribute performances that hit every corner of the rock spectrum. Whether you want classic‑rock horsepower, AC/DC‑level voltage, or the velvet‑smooth nostalgia of Neil Diamond, the valley has a stage lit just for you!

 Rio Hotel — Event Links - Counting Cars Meet & Greet (6 PM–9 PM) plus Count's 77 Free Concert (9 PM)

The Rio becomes a gear‑grinding, guitar‑screaming playground as Motormouth Promotions brings the Counting Cars TV crew to life.

From 6 PM to 9 PM, fans can roll into Count’s Tattoo Company for a special Counting Cars Meet & Greet — your chance to shake hands, snap photos, and hang with the personalities who turned horsepower into primetime TV.

Then at 9 PM, the night detonates. Danny “Count” Koker & Count’s 77 hit the Masquerade Village Stage for a free dose of classic rock ’n’ roll delivered the only way this crew of Vegas‑bred rock stars knows how — loud, tight, and full of attitude!

The moment Danny “Count” Koker hits the stage, the energy shifts. Count’s 77 delivers a powerhouse set loaded with classic‑rock attitude, polished musicianship, and the unmistakable edge that defines their Vegas legacy!

This FREE concert is designed for rock‑and‑roll diehards who want volume, attitude, and zero compromise. Count's 77 Brings It!

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Tuscany Suites & Casino — LV/DC + Opening Heater: The Rain Dogs - Event Link

(Doors 8 PM / Show 9 PM)

Inside the legendary Copa Room, the walls are about to shake!

If you crave the voltage of Bon Scott and Brian Johnson, LV/DC delivers it with zero compromise. The wild man himself, Keith Robert War, tears across the stage with the kind of guitar chaos that would make Angus Young proud! Expect duckwalks, sweat, and riffs that hit like a freight train running full Bore!

Sharing the bill (Opening Heater) are The Rain Dogs, bringing a soulful, roots‑driven rock vibe led by the powerhouse vocals of Patrick Vitagliano. It’s a perfect one‑two punch: A high‑voltage night of rock n' roll thunder!

Better bring your helmet and Flak Jacket for this event, cause LV/DC & The Rain Dogs just might not leave the walls standing!

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Santa Fe Station — Rob Garrett: Tribute to Neil Diamond (8 PM) - Event Link

For a completely different kind of magic, the Chrome Showroom hosts one of the most respected tribute performers in the country: Rob Garrett, the “King of Diamonds.”

Rob Garrett channels Neil Diamond with uncanny precision! The voice, the warmth, the storytelling, the emotional punch! From “Sweet Caroline” to “Cracklin’ Rosie,” this show is a masterclass in tribute performance and a fan favorite across Las Vegas and the USA! Doors: 7 PM - Showtime: 8 PM

 Three Shows. One Night. Vegas Wins Again!

Whether you’re chasing roaring guitars, classic‑rock nostalgia, or a night of pure musical craftsmanship, this Saturday night is stacked with can’t‑miss performances all across the valley.

Vegas doesn’t just host concerts; it turns them into huge events! Pick your stage, grab your crew, and let the Saturday night music fever take over!

Gary England

#LasVegasReviewJournal #LasVegasWeekly #USAT #NationalNewsMedia

“Two Giants One Spotlight: UFC And MVP MMA Clash For Combat Sports Supremacy: Who Wins?

 Saturday May 16th, 2026

MVP MMA 1 exploded onto the combat‑sports landscape last Saturday night with a card built entirely on spectacle, star power, and heavyweight paychecks. Ronda Rousey set the tone for the entire MVP MMA 1 card, submitting Gina Carano in just 17 seconds and walking away with a staggering $2.2 million, while Carano earned $1.05 million in her return. Nate Diaz and Mike Perry delivered the blood‑and‑beer‑energy brawl everyone expected, ending in a doctor stoppage TKO in the 2nd round. Diaz took home a $500,000 purse, with Perry taking home $400,000 and the win! Francis Ngannou closed his match with a thunderous knockout of Philipe Lins, adding another viral clip to his legacy and pocketing $1.5 million for the night. It was a statement event—loud, lucrative, and impossible to ignore.

The question now is whether MVP MMA can coexist with the UFC, and the answer—for the moment—is yes. MVP isn’t trying to replace the UFC’s weekly grind; it’s positioning itself as the “Super Bowl” of MMA, a place where megastars fight for mega money in fewer, flashier events. The UFC, meanwhile, remains the sport’s backbone, with the deepest roster, the most consistent matchmaking, and a global infrastructure no one else can touch. UFC’s biggest weakness continues to be fighter pay, especially when MVP is handing out seven‑figure checks like candy. MVP’s weakness is sustainability—giant purses require giant audiences, and that model only works as long as the star power holds.

For more than two decades, every major promotion that tried to challenge the UFC eventually fell short. Pride Fighting Championships was once the most electric MMA show on the planet, but financial scandal and UFC expansion crushed it. Strikeforce came closest to being a true rival, boasting stars like Rousey, Cormier, and Diaz, yet it was ultimately bought and absorbed by the UFC. EliteXC burned bright and fast, collapsing after its TV deal imploded. Affliction Entertainment tried the “super‑event” model with massive fighter paydays, but the money dried up after just two shows. World Extreme Cagefighting produced legends but was folded into the UFC as part of its consolidation strategy. Even Bellator MMA, the longest‑running challenger was eventually sold to the PFL after years of trying to compete with the UFC’s global machine. All of them swung at the giant—and all of them eventually fell.

So, what does this mean for MVP MMA? It means they’re stepping into a fight history says they shouldn’t win, but they’re doing it with bigger stars, bigger checks, and bigger cultural momentum than any challenger before them. And if Saturday night proved anything, it’s that MVP MMA isn’t afraid of the moment. They’re giving the UFC the best fight it’s had in years—and the fans are winning because of it!

Who else is winning?

After Saturday night, I now have a new inspiration in my life. Gina Carano! After almost a 17-year hiatus away from the sport. And losing 100 lbs. for the match. She stepped back in the ring Saturday night against one of the most dangerous fighters in the entire world, Rowdy Ronda Rousey! 

That takes something really special!

Gary England

When Las Vegas Had a Pulse: The City We Lost And The Machine That Replaced It!

One of the major media publishers in the country texted me this morning with a simple question that cuts right to the bone of this city: What’s a good catchphrase for Old Vegas versus what New Vegas has become? 

I sat with it for a minute because you can’t answer that without feeling the shift in your gut. 

Old Vegas was real people running the scene — raw, loud, messy, and alive — a place where sex, drugs, and rock ’n’ roll weren’t marketing slogans; they were the operating system. Locals and visitors got whatever they wanted, and anyone who walked into a casino could walk in as a nobody and walk out a somebody. 

Today’s Vegas is corporate‑polished and profit‑driven, built for shareholders and the bottom line. Locals and tourists are treated the same, handed the same limited menu of “experiences,” and most folks walk out with lighter pockets and nothing to show for it. Money runs the show now, and the house doesn’t pretend otherwise!

My Catchphrase for the old and new Vegas?

“Old Vegas made dreams; New Vegas makes margins.”

Gary England

The Free Facebook Upgrade That Every Musician And Entertainer Should Turn On Today!

 After 58-plus years in the media trenches, music, entertainment, sports, journalism, ghostwriting- the whole beautiful circus- there’s a side of me most folks have never really seen. My ghost persona. The part that’s picked up the real tricks of the trade, the backstage shortcuts, the survival skills, and the little industry hacks that keep you sharp, safe, and one step ahead. 

And every now and then, I like to pull back the curtain and hand one of those tricks to the next generation. To the people in the biz, that works their butt's off upping their media game! (social media, music platforms, etc.)

So, here’s one: no big secret that everyone in the music and entertainment world should know about and use. It’s powerful, it’s practical, and best of all… It’s free!

Using your Facebook correctly!

Signing up for or switching your regular Facebook account is simple and easy: 

Starting with a standard Facebook profile, go to your profile menu and switch your standard account to Professional Mode; this unlocks creator‑level tools without charging you a dime. Once activated, you get access to analytics, audience insights, post-performance data, monetization eligibility tracking, and a more polished public-facing profile. For people in the music and entertainment business, this is a quiet superpower! It turns your Facebook presence into a mini‑marketing machine. You can track which posts drive the most engagement, see what cities your fans are in, promote shows more effectively, build a professional brand image, and position yourself like a working artist instead of just another personal profile. In a city like Las Vegas, where visibility equals opportunity, a professional account helps musicians look legit, stay organized, and grow their audience with real data rather than guesswork.

Here is a Rock Star example of how this works. I call it my "What's Hot and What's Not" Information!

Click On Pic For Larger View

What's hot on my social media (Facebook) this past week is Mr. Danny "The Count" Koker!

Here's what my Pro-Account on Facebook told me:

In a little over a week. Danny is a very popular person (Rock Star) around Las Vegas, and on my Facebook Page! With over 20,600 views. So, what does this info tell me? When I get the chance, shoot more pictures of Danny and his band :-)

And by the way, you might want to check this out!

Event Page On Facebook

{My Take}

A Facebook Professional Account quietly hands you the kind of leverage most artists spend years chasing. It gives you real‑time audience insights, lets you study what content actually moves people, sharpens your branding, boosts your visibility, and opens the door to monetization tools as your following grows. It turns every post, photo, reel, and show announcement into data you can use — not guesses you hope land. For anyone in the music and entertainment world, that’s gold. It means smarter promotion, stronger fan engagement, and a cleaner, more credible public presence that works for you 24/7. And the best part is still the headline: it’s free, and every serious creative should be using it.

Gary England

Rob Hussey Leads A Full Scale Neon‑Fueled Rock Riot With Cyanide’s New Hit And Music Vid "Get Up And Dance"

 It's good to be home! And I'm back just in time for a hot one!

Las Vegas just got slapped with a full‑throttle sonic uppercut, courtesy of Rob Hussey, Vegas rock machine who writes it, shreds it, produces it, films it, and performs it like he’s got nitro in his veins. His band Cyanide just dropped their newest burner, “Get Up and Dance,” and both the track and the video are already detonating across the scene like a stack of amps pushed past their redline!

The music video hit YouTube Thursday night at 9 PM Pacific, and the second it went live, it felt like someone flipped the switch on a Vegas power surge. I spun the track on Spotify, cranked up the volume, and watched the video twice back‑to‑back — this vid is straight up Vegas Hot, no filter, no brakes!

“Get Up and Dance” is a high‑octane hard‑rock rager, built on monster riffs, skyscraper‑sized hooks, and that classic arena‑rock DNA that makes you want to stomp, shout, and throw horns until sunrise. It’s the kind of track that doesn’t ask you to move — it orders you to.

Cyanide On Spotify

Get Up And Dance On Spotify

And the video?

It's a pure chaos nuclear cinema explosion!

Fire blasting, lights strobing, bodies flying, the whole thing dripping with that wild‑child, Sin City swagger. It’s a love letter to the golden age of hard rock, but shot through a modern, adrenaline‑soaked lens only Rob Hussey could pull off. This is rock ’n’ roll with gasoline poured on top!

"Official Music Video"

Cyanide didn’t just release a song — they launched a party grenade into the Vegas music scene. And judging by the early buzz, the blast radius is global!

To Rob and the boys: thanks for keeping the Vegas rock heartbeat pounding loud enough for the world to feel it.

Cyanide just lit the fuse! “Get Up and Dance” proves real rock still hits like a desert thunderbolt. Turn it up, watch the vid, feel the burn, and ride the chaos that Rob Hussey & Cyanide bring to the local LV Music Scene!

Gary England

cyaniderocks.com

Cyanide YouTube Channel 

Cyanide Facebook

Rob Hussey Facebook

LaHi Cassiano - Guitar

Greg Percuoco - Guitar

Greg Montoya - Bass

Ryan Gillan - Drums

Keith Robert War - Featured Artist

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