We spent last week in good ol’ SIN CITY.. taking over the Fremont District, and celebrating the tenth anniversary of #HAPPENS Rock and Alternative Radio Convention, presented by MEDIABASE… where label and streaming executives, culture-tastemakers, radio stations, brands, and recording artists old and new come together to create the ultimate curated new music experience.. inspiring new ideas in the ever-evolving music community. We spent the week networking and standing shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the biggest names in radio, label reps, promoters, rockstars, and a host of other DIRTBAGS. Rock n' roll was had by all.

Wednesday night brought us all together once again at Backstage Bar & Billiards for our welcome party, featuring musical performances by Skratch n Sniff DJ Mike Czech, Cairo Knife Fight, Little Image, and Des Rocs. We also had some celebrity cameos from Chris Daughtry, Tommy Vext, and Dana White— a known Des Rocs stan ;)… DIRTBAG furnished all of the greenrooms for the week with fresh snacks, drinks, and PBJs.. as well as stickers, buttons, lanyards, and some free SCORPION PERCUSSION sample pairs.
 

We reconvened early Thursday morning for some brunch n’ convention. We hung out with, and heard some awesome new tracks from Nita Strauss, Spinefarm Records, Culture Wars, Letdown., Chad Tepper, and Better Noise Music. Then, we watched the radio folks conduct a panel on the many ways stations are reaching audiences who aren’t listening to the radio. 

The Thursday night party took over Backstage Bar & Billiards with performances from Letdown., The Kaleidoscope Kid, Starcrawler, and Weathers… AND ALSO took over Fremont Country Club with performances from Black Heart Saints, Saliva, Pistols at Dawn, and DAUGHTRY. The folks at BBB and FCC know how to put on a great event. Venues far and wide could stand to learn a thing or two from them.

At the speed of snails, we rose once again Friday morning for one more brunch n’ convention. We had our socks rocked off bright and early with acoustic sets from CROBOT and Stone Horses.. then we kicked it with, and heard new music from GXTP (Guns and Toilet Paper), Revivalists, Weathers, Stone Horses, White Reaper, and Jason Hook (5 Finger Death Punch).

The last party of the week was once again at BBB, and featured Felly, The Moss, and our old friend, Jared James Nichols..

If you’re not familiar with Jared, look him up. These days, it is nearly impossible to find a well-known artist as humble, warm, and charismatic as Jared James Nichols. When I first entered the room during his soundcheck, he was knelt down at the front of the stage, talking and laughing with the five or so people watching him soundcheck. When I approached the stage, he looked me directly in the eye, and said, “Hey there! Welcome! My name is Jared, what’s yours? It’s great to meet you.” He then proceeded to do the easiest soundcheck I’ve ever witnessed. This guy plugs his guitar in, and is ready to play a show.. Bands everywhere need to see a video of JJN soundchecking and take notes.

Last week, we had the honor and pleasure of attending the 2022 MEDIABASE #HAPPENS Radio Convention in Las Vegas, NV.

#HAPPENS is a rock and alternative curated new music experience. The event once again will bring together the best radio programmers, label and streaming executives, culture-tastemakers, artists and brands, inspiring new ideas in the ever-evolving music community. 

This was our eighth year in attendance, and one of their best events yet.. We spent the week networking and standing shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the biggest names in radio, label reps, promoters, rockstars, master distillers, and several other DIRTBAGS. Rock n' roll was had by all.

Opening night brought us all together again for a welcome party at the Backstage Bar & Billiards / Fremont Country Club. It was so good to see all of those familiar faces in the same room again, after 2 years of no rock n' roll. We picked up right where we left off in #HAPPENS 2020.. our last hoorah before COVID, and our first hoorah after it. The showcase was opened by Giovannie & the Hired Guns, and went on to feature Spirit of the Bear, Billy Howerdel (A Perfect Circle), and Our Lady Peace. Then some folks went straight to bed, and others overdid it on the first night like we always do :)... 

Breakfast was served at 10AM sharp, and the crowd sluggishly filled the seats of the convention hall. We got a sneak peak at new music videos from MESSER and Capital Theatre, and then listened to an engaging panel from Raine Maida (Our Lady Peace) and Elliott Wood (94.5 The Buzz) about NFTs and their emergence in the music industry. The next panel, headed by Alissa Pollack (iHeartMedia) discussed DATA, and the ever-changing, ever-confusing metrics that go along with radio and streaming. We then boarded the tour bus and rolled over to Rockstar Bar for a Metallica whiskey tasting party. The band couldn't make it, but we got to meet and chat with master distiller, Rob Dietrich, while drinking unlimited amounts of his delicious whiskey. We were then blessed in our earholes with live showcase performances by Kaleidoscope Kid, Almost Monday, Whole Damn Mess, and Dorothy. We boarded up the tour bus again and headed over to House of Blues at Mandalay Bay for a VIP lounge party, with performances by The Warning, Mammoth (Wolfgang Van Halen), and Dirty Honey. Again-- bed for some, and bad decisions for others.

The next day, 10AM came way too quickly for most. Breakfast saved our lives again, while we enjoyed video previews and premieres from Deepfall, The Black Moods, Concord Music Group (Korn, Ghost, The Offspring, The Pretty Reckless), Fame on Fire, Epitaph Records (Falling in Reverse, Parkway Drive, The Interrupters), Yelawolf, Sumerian Records (Black Veil Brides, Nita Strauss), and Shinedown. Then The Black Moods played us a few acoustic jams while we all woke/sobered up. Jason Flom (Wrongful Conviction Podcast) led a panel on justice for wrongfully convicted people, and Danny Wimmer (Danny Wimmer Presents) led a panel on live performances, radio and revenue, and getting back face-to-face again for concerts and festivals. To close out the week, the tour bus brought us over to The Barbershop Cocktails and Cuts for a special event sponsored by Edgeout Records with performances by ASHBA, Bluphoria, and STRATEJACKET.

As usual, it was a hell of a week in Las Vegas, and we can't wait to go back. The best parts about this #HAPPENS event are seeing new bands break, chatting with all of the faces, and seeing the intersection of art and business clash in the most beautiful of ways. Vegas, we love you.

Nationally Syndicated rock radio host Shawn Sixx dropped by and interviewed Nick Huffman for The Liquid Conversations podcast -- the official podcast of Dirtbag Clothing.

They talked about what Nick/The Looney Bin do for the industry, supporting live music, the ornament thing, the mayor and the current vibe in Bradley, IL and also discussed who Nick's dream act to book would be.

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We had the always pleasure of attending the #HAPPENS Rock Radio Convention in Las Vegas last week. The newly added tracks below consist of new artist friends who performed at the convention, and the #DIRTBAGS who were there to represent our movement. Enjoy!

New Tracks Include:

VOXX: Close My Eyes

NOCION: Bridges Collide

SIN MG: Light

BRAVO DELTA: The One

THE JACKS: Just a Little Bit

A DEAD DESIRE: Rage

ROYAL BLISS: Feeling Whitney

ARRESTED YOUTH: Dig

GARRETT: The Island

BETWEEN KINGS: Antidote

CASTER VOLOR: Party Rock Anthem

LIMBERLOST: Setting Sun

Shawn Sixx sits down with Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple, Black Sabbath)