Todd Kerns and Friends Return to the Bootlegger Copa!

Todd Kerns played the Copa at the Bootlegger Restaurant on Friday, July 31, 2026.

From his humble beginnings in Canada to becoming one of Sin City’s favorite sons, Todd Kerns is a man who keeps busy. From his days in Age of Electric to rocking Vegas stages right up to becoming the bass player in Slash’s band, he doesn’t see a lot of down time. In more recent years, he’s played bass with Hanoi Rocks frontman Michael Monroe, and even served as part of the Triumph reunion tour! I miss the days where I could catch this guy live every week on Vegas stages, but am also damn glad to see him rocking venues around the world. He’s one of the greats.

Every few months, Todd will do a “Todd Kerns and Friends” gig where he plays with some fellow talents around Las Vegas. These previously took place at Count’s Vamp’d, but following that venue’s closure, Vamp’d owners Danny and Korie Koker have been booking shows in other spots, the main one of which being the Bootlegger on South Las Vegas Blvd., in their Copa Room venue (this is not to be confused with the concert venue at the Tuscany Hotel that books rock concerts that I frequent, also called the Copa Room).

The Bootlegger has been a part of Las Vegas for decades and has become quite the popular concert venue and hangout. The Copa Room is regularly used for an assortment of non-rock artists, like horn players and pianists, but does occasionally attract a rock show. Ron Mancuso, whose family has own the venue over the years, had previously served as the guitar player in the band Beggars and Thieves, as well as in Jake E. Lee’s Red Dragon Cartel band, so the guy is no stranger to the rock world!

Once again, Mr. Kerns assembled a great group of musicians for this night of rock and roll. These included his regular cohorts Jimmie Romero, Doc Ellis, and Zach Throne. Some of the special guests for this evening included Ron Mancuso himself, former KISS/Grand Funk guitarist Bruce Kulick, former Slaughter drummer Blas Elias, and former LA Guns/Crashing Wayward guitarist Stacey Blades! Todd always gets together fantastic artists for his gigs, and this night was certainly no exception.

The Todd Kerns and Friends gigs usually feature a VIP event prior to the “main” show, and this was no exception, with Mr. Kerns and his bandmates jamming out a few (presumably unrehearsed) tracks before the actual gig, entertaining those who showed up early, and then posing with fans for photo ops. Todd’s wife Monique was celebrating her birthday at this gig, making the night all the more special for all assembled. Guests in this audience for this show included famed rock/metal media personality Eddie Trunk, and Metal Blade Records founder/CEO Brian Slagel!

After what felt like a very long time between the VIP event and the main show, Todd and company hit the stage, giving the crowd what they wanted, with an amazing array of rotating musicians. I love how this guy is always able to always demonstrate top-notch musicianship, but is able to take the stage with a great sense of humor. Todd’s shows always make me bang my head, but they make me laugh equally hard. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a musician on a stage this guy DIDN’T have chemistry with. A great assortment of tunes from Todd’s past were played, along with the usual array of covers spanning multiple artists and genres.

The only real issue I had with the evening had to do with the layout of the room and how it’s not the best for large rock show crowds. The Bootlegger’s Copa Room has an unusual setup where the venue slopes upwards instead of downwards toward the stage; this is the opposite of most concert venues. This is perfectly fine if you’re going to watch a horn section, piano player, or lounge singer, but at a rock show where people like to stand, it can make it tough to see the action on stage. I’m also somewhat puzzled by the decision of putting tables on the “floor” area immediately in front of the stage; this space should always be left open for the fans who want to live out the concert up close and personal. Leaving the stage floor area free of the clutter of tables could’ve reduced several of the crowding issues elsewhere in the venue, particularly on the center “ramp.” And believe me, I would’ve been front and center if those tables hadn’t been there.

I love rocking out with Todd Kerns. I’ll do so every chance I get. That’s never going to change. He assembled an amazing crew of musicians who gave a night that rocked hard but never steered clear of humor either. Again, I do wish there hadn’t been tables set up on the floor near the stage (Vamp’d always kept its “near the stage” area clear of tables and was all the better for it), but that doesn’t change the fact that Mr. Kerns gave me and the other rock fans in this community of evening of what they needed. Let’s hope we get another Todd Kerns and Friends gig before 2026 draws to a close!