Words by: John Mischief  || Pictures by: Laine Mischief

What do you think of when you hear the words “New Years Eve in Vegas”?

A. Strippers

B.  300,000 people on the strip

C.  All you can drink parties at the World’s Best Clubs

D.  A Rock SuperGroup Cover band

E.  All of the above

The correct answer?  E.  All of the above.

That can’t be correct can it? There was a rock-n-roll Super Group in town? How much were tickets? Where did they play? Why didn’t I know about this.

Slow down kids. Yes, this is correct. Yes, there was. Free. Dead Man’s Hand and lastly, because you didn’t read my blog or my examiner.com column a couple weeks ago. Loser.

If you weren’t there (and there’s a good chance that MANY of you weren’t) you missed what will go down in my annals as THE GREATEST NEW YEAR’S SHOW IN VEGAS… EVER.

Okay, so technically I didn’t get there ‘til 1 am but what a show I had when I got there. I came in the back door and had to make my way between the 35-some-odd people between myself and the stage, holding on to Laine Mischief for dear life ‘lest she get lost in the throng.

In addition to these 35 lucky souls there were about a hundred (that’s being generous) more people crowded near and around the stage and the club’s VIP area.

Despite having opened almost two months beforehand, it was my first foray into Dead Man’s Hand. I was lured with the promises of a free KILLER show and cheap drinks. After I ordered our first and only round (drinks were $10 apiece), I concluded “1 out of 2, aint’ bad.”

So, I know I’ve got you salivating, aching to know, just WHO was onstage. You won’t believe me. What? You won’t. How do I know? Because, if someone told me what I’m about to tell you, I’d say they were full of crap and no way is that possible. Well my friend, I have the pictures to prove it.

As I made my way to the stage there in front of me, was Scott Ian, guitarist for Anthrax and part owner of DMH and Jerry Cantrell, guitarist for Alice in Chains and another part owner of DMH trading off lead guitar duties while Corey “Number 8” Taylor, leadsinger of Slipknot and Stone Sour sang.

The show was off the hook, surreal at times. My brain was on sensory overload and I was 90% sober. I didn’t know how to process this information. I can’t speak for the couple hours or so of music before I got there, but the 70’s, 80’s & 90’s cover songs they were blasting made me wish I hadn’t missed those hours.

The fact of the matter is that we almost didn’t make it. We were torn between multiple parties and familial obligations (the normal Vegas tug-of-war that happens in this city NIGHTLY!)

But once we entered the club we knew there was nowhere else we were supposed to be. The bright lights and the fireworks of the strip faded to dull while we were in that tiny little club on Russell off the 15. The strippers on the other side of the plexiglass window where miles away as we bopped our heads and danced to the music of Corey and the boys.

I turned to my wife and exclaimed, “Only in Vegas!” as I beamed like a child opening gifts on Christmas. And that’s what this was: a gift. A New Year’s present for me and the rest of the audience and a Birthday gift for Scott Ian.

That’s right. Scott Ian’s birthday is 12/31 and as a gift he asked his friend Corey Taylor to bring his coverband Junk Beer Kidnap to play his tiny Vegas club… on his birthday. And he did. The rest, as they say, is history.

The highlight (amongst highlights) was when Vinnie Paul, brother of the late Dimebag Darrell and drummer for Pantera and Hellyeah!, jumped on the skins to join the rest in a cover of KISS’s Rock & Roll Allnight. That was the shiznit right there. It does not get any better than this.

Then for a final song comedian Brian Posehn joined the boys for the Beastie Boys’ Fight for Your Right (to Party). And that’s just what we did. All night long. Like the songs. Happy New Year! And in the immortal words of Corey Taylor “…and what a weird New Year it’s been.”

Only in Vegas, SINNERs, only in Vegas.