Rock Music Beyond the Venues

One of the more unwelcome trends of recent years has been how many of the world’s most celebrated rock venues have closed their doors for the last time. From the infamous CBGBs in New York, to the uncertain future of punk-rock mecca, The Smell in Los Angeles, it seems that rock music is having to adapt to changing entertainment trends in evermore inventive ways.

Whilst Woodstock paved the way for the modern festival experience, it’s clear that things have become a little more advanced from such mud-spattered origins. With the likes of Coachella offering a pristine polo field to watch the bands from with no beer allowed, it’s led many people to speculate that these boutique festivals have become too sanitised and mainstream.

Of course, there will always be a healthy underground scene that keeps things rough and ready. But it seems that many of our rock stars are starting to be a bit more open-minded in where they perform their music. Whilst the likes of Las Vegas have traditionally served as a burial ground for musical dinosaurs, we’ve seen the likes of Guns N’ Roses making the new range of venues like the T-Mobile Arena on the Strip a central part of their touring schedule.

Check out a brief history of Woodstock

This has been critical for the casinos of Las Vegas as they’ve had to diversify their entertainment offerings as mobile casinos like LadyLucks have offered an easier way to play roulette, and so getting in massive rock bands like Guns N’ Roses provides a new source of revenues.

Some forward-thinking rock bands have even started doing away with the traditional concept of the rock show altogether. Whilst the concept of the streamed concert may be some way off becoming a reality, it’s surely only a matter of time before we strap on our virtual reality headsets and get to watch our favourite band without having to stand in line.

Above all, this shows that music has an undeniable ability to use the latest technologies and opportunities to find its audience. Whilst the concept of music being streamed into supermarkets may have once seemed fairly space-age, it’s now commonplace. And although our casinos may have built their fortunes from the roulette table, it looks like they could offer a future home for some of our more beloved rock bands.

Check out Guns N’ Roses in Las Vegas