All eyes will be on Las Vegas this weekend for the Super Bowl, and whether you find yourself there now, have plans to go for the first time or return soon, it helps to know that Sin City is much more than losing money and illicit, well, everything.
When it comes to rock and roll or simply music in general, there’s never a night where a major artist isn’t performing in Vegas while on tour or as part of a residency. The most talked about right now is U2 at Sphere, the immersive visual and technological wonder where Dublin’s favorite sons have set up shop since September.
Unfortunately, U2 ends their lengthy and already extended stretch in early March. Next up is four nights with Phish in April and 24 shows from Dead & Company from May through July. If the tripped-out jam band aesthetic doesn’t exactly sound appealing, you’re not alone. Luckily, if you look off the beaten path – in this case the Las Vegas Strip – there’s lots of legal fun to experience.
THE PUNK ROCK MUSEUM
Founded by Fat Mike, bassist and singer for NOFX, The Punk Rock Museum opened in spring of 2023 and quickly built up a reputation as the place to visit if you’re a music fan, historian or just a crusty old punk who wants to relive the glory days.
The museum boasts the world’s most expansive, inclusive and intimate display of artifacts, flyers, photos, clothing, instruments, handwritten lyrics, artwork, and just about everything else donated by the people and bands who were there.
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In some ways it feels like a traditional museum with artifacts behind glass cases, framed delicacies like the handwritten lyrics to the goth anthem “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” by Bauhaus, guided tours from punk notables and temporary exhibits. But there’s also a bar – the Triple Down – a tattoo parlor and, perhaps the most Vegas thing of all – a wedding chapel.
There’s a guitar room where patrons can play the actual guitars and basses through the amps the artists played them through. The Punk Rock Museum contains guitars and amps from Rise Against, Sick of it All and Joan Jett to name a few. It even houses the practice space of Pennywise, rebuilt faithfully with all the original instruments, posters and full pieces of wall. Some days, a band may even stop by to perform there for guests passing through.
Like any gallery of substance, especially one which is still growing, there is quite a bit to see. Whether it’s the wall of hundreds of gig flyers, a shattered bass from Jerry Only of the Misfits, the Grammy awarded to Pat Smear when he was in Nirvana or the iconic black and white photos from the heyday of punk, you’ll need some time to visit. One hour or two hours won’t be enough, so plan accordingly.
Go to thepunkrockmuseum.com for more information.
THE NEON MUSEUM
At the opposite end of the spectrum – and of town – sits a “boneyard” of signage most would identify with old Las Vegas. The days of Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack. When nothing happened in town without mobsters knowing about or being a part of it. The Neon Museum keeps the memories of a bygone time alive with neon landmarks from long gone restaurants, hotels, business and venues.
Founded in 1996, The Neon Museum has some 800 sign pieces in the outdoor two-acre collection from around 200 Las Vegas properties, though some of the pieces would create one full sign if put back together, while others there are only portions or parts of the whole sign. But it’s not some metal, aluminum and glass junkyard. Currently there are 19 signs that light up with 17 of them restored in the Boneyard.
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So many of the signs are breathtaking to view during the day and even more so in the evening when fully illuminated against the night sky. Among them is the 82 foot tall Hard Rock Café sign which cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to restore. The Chief Hotel is the oldest functional sign, estimated to be from the 1940s.
Iconic sights are at every turn, with signs from the Stardust, Riviera and the 24 hour ‘60s hangout for the city’s movers and shakers, The Flame steakhouse.
The North Gallery sits adjacent to the main area of the Neon Museum and showcases additional unrestored signs from the collection. Even the entryway, dubbed the Visitor’s Center, has history. The distinctive shell-shaped building was once the La Concha Motel lobby and is a striking example of mid-century modern design characterized by atomic and space age shapes and motifs. Originally constructed in 1961, it was saved from demolition in 2005 and moved to the Neon Museum location the following year.
Head to neonmuseum.org for more information.
BIG ELVIS
There are thousands of Elvis impersonators around the world and probably a few hundred in Las Vegas, so it takes someone special to stand out from the rest. At one point though, there was no other imitator of the King who was physically bigger than Pete Vallee, who tipped the scales at nearly 1000 pounds 20 years ago. But he was far from a visual curiosity who dressed up like Elvis Presley – the man could truly sing.
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Born in 1965, Vallee claims to be an actual biological son of Presley, born out of wedlock of course, but Graceland doesn’t do DNA tests, so we’ll never really know. Instead, under the moniker Big Elvis, he remains one of the longest running performers at Harrah’s Las Vegas Piano Bar. He’s since dropped more than half his weight and is on a much better diet and fitness regime so hopefully he’ll be around for a long time.
Entry to the shows is free and they run every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 2:00pm, 3:30pm and 5:00pm. Big Elvis does a different set every show, singing classics like “Suspicious Minds” and “Love Me Tender” while mixing in requests and rarities like “True Love Travels on a Gravel Road” and deep gospel cuts.
A version of this article appears in this week’s print and online editions of my syndicated Rock Music Menu column under the title “Much more to see than casinos and the Super Bowl in Sin City.“
The Chronicles of Michael Christopher 
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