Dr. Love, The Bones…. And a Costume Contest? Good Times at the Tuscany Copa Room!

Dr. Love and the Bones played the Copa Room at the Tuscany Hotel and Casino on Friday, October 30, 2026.

Halloween weekend is always a crazy time in Las Vegas, and the festivities at the Tuscany Copa Room the night before the 31st certainly proved no exception to the rule! As was the case last year, the venue hosted a costume contest in addition to a rock and roll set featuring two bands. Thanks as always to the Copa Room staff for keeping rock and roll alive in Vegas, including Mike, Mitch, Grayson, and Brian.

Even before “doors open” time, I saw plenty of people in costume ready to go in and live it up. From Alice Cooper to Hugh Hefner, from the Rubbles from THE FLINTSTONES to Raven and Beast Boy from TEEN TITANS, where were a hell of a lot of diverse dress-up choices! This was almost as entertaining as the music itself.

The Bones took the stage first. I’ve been seeing these guys do their thing for years… and I’ve probably photographed and written them up more than any other band. Is that going to stop me from doing so again? Absolutely not, because I love these guys. The Bones do a combination of cover tunes and original songs, but their covers strip down and reinvent songs in a raw and punky style. I’d best describe these guys as a “power pop” band it’s hard to put a label on them and their brand of entertainment.

As usual, this was another fantastic blend of covers and originals, with frontman Patrick Vitagliano laying them down in fine form (contrary to all his on-stage claims of the band not being good). And of course, when you’ve got Stoney Curtis on guitar, you know the riffs will be the best quality. From an opening one-two punch of tunes from THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW, “Science Fiction Double Feature” and “Sweet Transvestite,” to fare from artists like INXS, Modern English, and even Lady Gaga, this was one hell of a way to kick things off. I’ll never get tired of these guys.

Following the between-band intermission, KISS tribute Dr. Love took the stage. Las Vegas has had many KISS tributes over the years, including Sin City KISS, Lust of KISS, Wicked Luster, Generation KISS, and probably countless others I can’t think of right now. But it seems like, even over all these years and all these bands, many of the groups end up having overlapping members. So, when you go out in this town and see a KISS tribute, odds are you’ll see musicians you’ve seen with a KISS tribute in the past. The band’s legacy is so widespread and influential that there’s a lot of cross-over appeal across the generations with musicians and fans alike. Steve Mitchell (AKA ChippenPaul for his ripped physique) has long been the Las Vegas Paul Stanley/Starchild, and is one of this city’s most recognizable rock performers. Fellow KISS fans and Vegas rockers, including Keith Robert War as Ace Frehley/Spaceman, round out the lineup.

The nice thing about Dr. Love is that they make production just as much of a priority as the music, with costumes and attire that look liked they could’ve been ripped from one of the band’s classic 1970s performances. I’m always impressed not only by how well these guys are dressed as far as KISS attire goes, but how they can move around in those huge elaborate boots without falling over on stage (I’ve tried replica boots on before, so I can say from personal experience that this is no easy task!) Obviously, a smaller stage can’t fully recreate the experience of a classic 70s KISS show which would have elaborate lights and pyrotechnics, but these guys make every inch of stage space their own. You won’t take your eyes off a Dr. Love performance!

KISS has a huge discography, but this night was all about the band’s classic 1970s era, when the band consisted of Gene Simmons/The Demon, Paul Stanley/The Starchild, Ace Frehley/The Spaceman, and Peter Criss/The Catman. These guys have a true respect for those they’re paying tribute to, and it certainly showed in the performances of classic hits like “Strutter,” “Love Gun,” “Hotter Than Hell,” and countless others from the band’s golden age. The packed dance floor, which again included several costumed patrons, was filled with enthusiastic fans banging their heads to these hard rock classics.

This was a great double header of rock at the Tuscany Copa Room, with plenty of exciting moments and interesting costumes throughout the venue. The Bones and Dr. Love alike always deliver when it comes to the rock and roll world here in Sin City, and everyone in attendance had a great time on this evening. Both bands are well worth your time if you want quality rock and roll in Las Vegas.

PHOTO CREDIT: Live photos of The Bones by Dave Childers and Dr. Love by Taylor Carlson for ZRockR Magazine – @2026 – All Rights Reserved.