About The Book:
Rock Vegas chronicles the contemporary history of concert bands, venues, promoters, and marketers, as seen through the eyes of one of the live-music industry’s most prominent participants. As the director of Thomas and Mack Center and president of Las Vegas Events, author Pat Christenson has been an integral part of more than 500 live-music events over 35 years. In these pages, Christenson shines a spotlight on the live music industry and circumstances that made this revolution possible, with an emphasis on the behind-the-scenes innovation that let Vegas rock and opened the door for the greatest live-music explosion in American-entertainment history. “It was my goal to not just write a book about how the Las Vegas’ live music scene evolved, but to provide a vehicle to educate event management professionals on how all these apply to every market”, said Christenson.
What People Are Saying:
“Pat Christenson’s experience in the venue and music industries qualifies him to offer a unique and intriguing view of the historic aspects of live music and the challenges Las Vegas presented to the music touring industry. Pat’s new book, Rock Vegas: Live Music Explodes in the Neon Desert, provides personal and heartfelt insight into the people, politics, and venues, with stories of the music icons who disrupted the Entertainment Capital’s business model to make way for Las Vegas to catch up to what other communities were already experiencing in North America.”
-Brad Mayne-President, IAVM-International Association of Venue Managers’
“Pat Christenson has used his unique experience and perspective to provide readers of his new book, Rock Vegas: Live Music Explodes in the Neon Desert, with an ‘All-Access’ pass behind the scenes of live music, as it developed through fits and starts, challenges and opportunities, that weren’t visible to visitors to the Entertainment Capital of the World. The book’s stories and personalities could easily be developed into a television series.
“Specific to our own niche of the industry, the living history lessons behind the evolution of music festivals are – all at the same time – fascinating, frightening, inspirational, and transferable to all professionals in our field.”
-Steve Schmader-President, IFEA, International Festival and Event Association
Rock Vegas: Live Music Explodes in the Neon Desert is available for purchase at Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
Rock Vegas 