Noize Complaint, The Far Worst, and Headliner Gavin Evick Band – A Triple Threat of Rock and Roll at Vamp’d!

Gavin Evick Band played Count’s Vamp’d on Friday, July 19, 2024, with support acts The Far Worst and Noise Complaint.

Leave to the good people at Count’s Vamp’d to bring rock and roll to the masses. Danny “The Count” and Korie Koker continue to book the best bands in the land, be them local, national, and international alike. This evening of music was supposed to feature Ratchet Dolls, but due to national flight outages and the like, they were replaced at the last minute by local favorites The Far Worst. That made for three superb bands taking the stage, but I’m still hoping to catch Ratchet Dolls the next time they make it out to Sin City!

Noize Complaint

Kicking off the festivities on this Friday Night was Noize Complaint. This was only my second time seeing the group following them playing a support set at Crashing Wayward’s comic book release party a few weeks back. I definitely admire bands that can combine old and new rock and metal sounds, and Noize Complaint proves time and time again they’re one of Sin City’s finest in this regard. Jake Bruen has quickly become one of my favorite rock frontmen on the Vegas music scene, and definitely owns the stage every time he’s up there. The set featured a combination of originals by the group and some excellent cover songs as well, including a blistering rendition of Ozzy Osbourne’s 1983 favorite “Bark at the Moon.” We also got a cameo appearance from his lover/collaborator/fellow Vegas singer, Bree Elizabeth, prior to her band’s set; these two always have a great chemistry together. The group even closed the set in fine epic form with one of their originals, “The Monster” (which I’m streaming on Spotify as I write this review!) I’m definitely forward to seeing Noize Complaint guys rock the stage again, and to see what new material they have in store for all the headbangers out there!

The Far Worst

Due to the cancellation of Ratchet Dolls, The Far Worst took their slot on the Vamp’d stage. Coming fresh from a Battle of the Bands victory a few nights ago, I was especially looking forward to seeing this set. Although I’ve seen Bree Elizabeth take the stage before (usually at Jake’s side for various gigs and appearances at Vamp’d) this was actually my first time seeing The Far Worst do a proper set. And I must say, I was certainly overdue, and am currently in the process of kicking myself for not checking them out sooner. More women on the rock and roll stage is always a good thing, and in addition to frontwoman Bree, this group’s even got a Presley, a female bass player who holds her own! While Bree definitely owns any stage she’s on with her looks and voice, one of the surprise standouts in this band for me was guitarist Noah, who completely took me by surprise with his shedding and stage presence. The setlist was an interesting combination of covers that ranged from more rock-centric fare to even Lady Gaga, beautifully demonstrating how this group continues to reinvent songs and make them their own. Jake even returned to the stage to team up with Bree once more for some more fine moments. Another superb set from some rising Vegas talent that’s worth keeping your eye on.

Gavin Evick

Headlining for the night was Gavin Evick, who I admittedly only had minor familiarity with prior to the evening of rock and roll. Gavin is the son of Pete Evick, who plays guitar in the solo band of Poison vocalist Bret Michaels, and Evick the Younger has certainly proven himself to be a chip off the old block in recent months, making a name for himself and even putting out a few singles. After having heard a tune from his band on Eddie Trunk’s show a few weeks back, I knew I wanted more. Getting to see this young man and his group in a live setting in Sin City wasn’t something I was going to miss. I was also pleasantly surprised to see that the man playing bass for the evening was none other than Ryan Daversa, bassist for another one of my favorite up-and-coming bands, Adam and the Metal Hawks!

I always love seeing young up-and-coming talent taking the stage at Vamp’d, and despite the venue not being overly busy, from their introduction to the final note of the evening, these guys were loaded for bear, performing like they were playing to a packed stadium. Energy and charisma of this level are frustratingly uncommon in the modern music world, but Mr. Evick and company proved that they know what they’re doing and then some. The setlist consisted mostly of covers, including unsurprisingly a pair of Poison songs bookending the performance. Jake Bruen and Bree Elizabeth returned to the stage for a rendition of Ratt’s 1984 classic “Round and Round,” which was a definite highlight. While the set was admittedly a bit heavy on covers including some that are a bit overplayed by bands covering 80s music, I rarely see them performed with this much vigor and enthusiasm. Fortunately, the band did make time for some originals, including “Young, Wild, and Free,” which is an instant classic. These guys won me over, and I truly hope it won’t be the last time they rock the stage at Vamp’d.

Another epic night at Vamp’d, with a trio of bands who knew how to deliver and then some. Vegas fans will want to keep their eyes on Noize Complaint and The Far Worst, who continue to rock the stages out here regularly. But not to be overlooked is Gavin Evick’s rising star; I can’t wait to see what this guy and his band send our way next! Don’t overlook an opportunity to catch any of these acts live.

Live photos by Taylor Carlson for ZrockR Magazine 2024 – All Rights Reserved.