Viva Las Vegas

A couple of weeks ago, we were in Vegas for the National Finals Rodeo.

The NFR is rodeo’s biggest 10 days of the year and brings tens of thousands of people from around the country to Vegas each year.

This was my fourth time to visit Vegas for the NFR, and it’s always a good time.

Here’s a really neat time-lapse of an NFR performance that really gives you the feel of what it’s like to be there in person. It’s loads of fun.

Since the NFR gives Vegas a nice economy boost during what is normally a down time in early December, the casinos, restaurants and businesses all cater to the cowboy crowd. It is humorous (and annoying) to me, however, to observe the “cowboy” stereotype come to life amidst the casinos. Bartenders were sporting poorly shaped, cheap cowboy hats and plaid shirts as if that will make all visitors there for the rodeo feel at home…not so much.

It’s almost as if everyone assumes that all visitors in Vegas during the NFR are either 1) from Texas, 2) ignorant, 3) a fan of mainstream country music, or 4) all of the above. Some ill-advised casino managers had instructed their staffs to play crappy country music throughout the casinos, because I’m sure they all assumed every rodeo loving, cowboy hat wearing, slow talking visitor loves Rascal Flatts.

Yikes. Not so.

In addition to the NFR performances, we also took in a Pistol Annies concert at Mandalay Bay. It was actually the group’s first performance together that was not on an awards show. The all girl group headed up by Miranda Lambert is a refreshing break from modern country music that does nothing more than sing inaccurate anthems about country living…in poorly written songs.

Well, now that I’m off my soap box, how about a fun stereotype of Vegas – Elvis. I wish this song would play 24/7 while you’re in Vegas. It would really add to the experience.