Ceremony marking 77 years of the war against Japanese ...
How Metal Band Slaughter Hit The Jackpot By Playing Casinos
Mark Slaughter, the lead singer of the hair metal band Slaughter, grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada where some of the music industry's most iconic acts, such as Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley, elevated their stardom by contributing to a budding casino entertainment industry.
As a Vegas local, Slaughter saw a different side of the city that was rapidly changing, but never really saw himself performing at casinos in his hometown and beyond.
"It was green acres of lights when I was a kid, and it certainly has exploded into the big city Las Vegas is now," Slaughter said in a recent phone interview. "When I grew up there, everybody knew everybody, and it was a small little town. I never would have imagined that we would be able to play casinos. We've played several places out there, including the Golden Nugget, which is the Sinatra room, and it's kind of cool because that's where he used to do his show every night. You realize the size of the showroom and what people were seeing, and you get a chance to sit in the dressing room and see how they did it up for him. It's just a really cool experience coming from there."
Slaughter is on tour with several casino stops nationwide, including Yaamava' Resort & Casino in Highland on Saturday, Nov. 11. The band will perform as part of a Veterans Day charity event with proceeds from ticket sales benefitting U.S. Vets, a national organization that provides critical services for veterans. There will also be drawing for an autographed guitar signed by the band.
"The Indian casinos have been doing a fantastic job across the nation," Slaughter said. "It's funny because just a few years back, I became friends with Tony Orlando, and he told me we were going to be playing the casinos before we knew it. I was like, 'Huh, that's funny. He thinks we're going to play in casinos.' I always had a feeling that it just wasn't my place, and now here we are doing it. So, Orlando was right. This type of music is the new music for casinos."
In his formative years, Slaughter knew he wanted to be a performer. He taught guitar lessons and had a soprano voice that fit just about any choir. He credits the development and mastery of his voice to his late high school choir teacher, Ken Tuttle, who also worked with singer-songwriter Gwen Stefani.
"There are educators who really make such a difference in a kid's life, and I'm sure if you talk to Gwen, she'd say the same thing," he said of Tuttle. "These are the people that really gave you those affirmations like you're doing a great job, and that's what we're losing in our schools now, and it's so sad."
Slaughter caught the ear of the band's current bassist and co-founder of Slaughter, Dana Strum. They both joined the band Vinnie Vincent Invasion, but after several issues, the project disbanded, leaving Strum and Slaughter to form their own band with the help of drummer Blas Elias and the late lead guitarist Tim Kelly, who died in a car accident in 1998.
The rise of Slaughter was unique for a multitude of reasons. For one, they were a hair metal band out of Las Vegas while most of the scene was bursting out of Los Angeles in the '80s. Strum told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that also during that time few rock bands were being booked at casinos.
The band also released their first record, "Stick It to Ya," during the turn of the decade when grudge and alternative music were taking over the airwaves and most of the timeslots on MTV. Despite the odds, the band proved their success in the early '90s by opening their first show for rock giants Kiss and having their first album go gold after a single live performance.
When asked about any grudge and metal rivalries, Slaughter said though there were contrasts in style and presentation, he acknowledges and respects their musical contributions.
"(During) the grunge era, there was some depressing stuff in there, and our music is a light and love and of a different mindset," he said. "I don't slag any of the alternative bands that came forward because they have their place and sound, and quite honestly, I enjoy them just like the next person. But, I think that life should be celebrated, which is the key point with the span of Slaughter. We're all about the celebration, more than getting caught up with what's wrong with the world."
Slaughter credits the band's longevity and resilience with being able to celebrate in moderation and their ability to stay away from substances that would veer them off course from their love of performing. They can more easily remember the big moments and while there have been many with fans throughout the years, a strange and random gig at a local Taco Bell stands out.
"At the time, I made the comment that we bought houses in Las Vegas and said we know it's going to be a great area because there's a Taco Bell there, and the CEO thought it was the funniest thing," Slaughter recalled. "So we said we would do it as a charity event, and we did a tie-in where every ten cents on every drink would be donated to the Miami Drug Abuse Coalition, and we raised thousands of dollars just by doing the show."
For Slaughter, the spirit of giving back is something that genuinely stays on his mind, and it was a big reason he wanted to perform the Veterans Day charity event at Yaamava'. His father was also a veteran who served after World War II. He said there are many challenging aspects of life that veterans deal with mentally and physically after they serve that many people may not always see or understand.
"What we really love to do is entertain and to have a good time," he said. "For this show, we're going to go out and entertain for the vets. We're going to make some great memories. So come on out and have some fun with us, and in the meantime, shake somebody's hand or hug those who have sacrificed for our country."
SlaughterWhen: 9 p.M. Saturday, Nov. 11
Where: Rock & Brews at Yaamava' Resort & Casino, 777 San Manuel Blvd., Highland
Tickets: $40 at yaamava.Com. This show is for those 21-and-older only.
Casino Reports $100M In Jackpots So Far In 2023
BRISTOL, Va. — The Bristol Casino, future home of Hard Rock, has paid out over $100 million in jackpot awards to guests thus far in 2023.
Virginia's first casino has reported over $120 million in adjusted gross revenues — wagers minus winnings through the first nine months of 2023, according to the Virginia Lottery which oversees gaming in Virginia.
"We are so excited to celebrate this amazing milestone," said Allie Evangelista, president, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol. "I want to thank all of our loyal guests for their support and the many visits since our opening in July of 2022. We take pride in providing our guests a great place of entertainment and it always feels great to celebrate winning with them.
"My sincere appreciation for our team members who helped process all these jackpots as we reached $100 million in hand pays to 38,391 guests. We're looking forward to celebrating many more wins for years to come," Evangelista said.
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The Bristol Casino is the temporary facility that opened last year but is scheduled to be replaced next summer by the massive hotel and casino facility taking shape on the majority of the former Bristol Mall site on Gate City Highway.
Work crews have erected several floors of the hotel and the space behind it which will include the casino, restaurants, bars and other amenities. It is expected to open in July 2024.
This week the Virginia Lottery Board received an update on construction progress and amenities of the project including 303 rooms planned in the luxury hotel, along with a spa and indoor/outdoor pool. It will feature world class smoking and non-smoking gaming areas with 1,500 slot machines and 75 table games along with Hard Rock sports book, according to the report.
Dining options will include a Council Oak Steakhouse, Hard Rock Café, YouYu Noodle Bar and large food hall.
The state of the art entertainment venue will feature 2,000 seats for Hard Rock Live, in addition to retail, the Rock Shop and Unity venue and Player's Club.
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No Bonus Casino Review: Features, Games, And Bonuses For 2023
NO BONUS CASINO launched in the UK in 2013 and has been making waves in the market ever since. The casino doesn't offer complicated one-off bonuses but instead gives players access to an ongoing 10% cashback offer.
It has a huge selection of games, including over 1,500 slots, Slingo, scratchcards, bingo, plus a range of table and live dealer games. The casino operates legally and is licenced by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC).
As well as looking at its offers, we'll take you through how to register at No Bonus Casino, its payment methods, selection of games and more.
🎁 No Bonus Casino top 3 offers for 2023No Bonus Casino moves away from bonuses with lots of restrictions and conditions and gives players a straightforward cashback offer. It was also running a 'Wild West Tournament' at the time of writing. Let's take a closer look at each one.
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🎰 Other slot tournamentsAt the time of this review, No Bonus Casino had details of recently finished tournaments still available, so we could see that this is the kind of promotion the site runs on a regular basis. Every slot tournament has a theme, from rock music through to fishing, so we're certain players will see plenty more promos like this going forward.
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No Bonus Casino offers. 18+ BeGambleAware.Org Please play responsibly. 🕵️ Closer look at No Bonus Casino - Full reviewWe've taken the time to really get to know this casino and looked at its good points and some things that could be improved. Here's what we found.
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Signing up at No Bonus Casino is a simple process and only takes a few minutes. Take a look at our step-by-step guide to see how straightforward it is.
Before signing up for a casino, reading and understanding the terms and conditions is crucial. No Bonus Casino, for example, states that all players must be 18 or over to join the casino and must also be resident in the UK. Verification documents will be requested to confirm both age and residency.
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🎰 No Bonus Casino slotsFans of slots are well-catered for at this casino. It has over 1,500 slots from a wide range of the best software providers. Players will find popular slots like Starburst, Rainbow Riches, and Fishin' Frenzy.
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The casino works with over 20 software providers, including Booming Games, Hacksaw Gaming, and NetEnt. Players can use the search bar to find specific games, or they can search by provider.
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💰 No Bonus Casino jackpotThere are plenty of jackpot games at this casino. There are progressive jackpots like Eye of Horus Jackpot King, and fixed jackpot games such as Wolf Gold.
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It can vary depending on the method used, but the minimum deposit is generally £25, and the maximum is £5,000. Charges can apply to deposits, but this will be displayed on the cashier's page when making the deposit.
🏧 No Bonus Casino withdrawal options in the UKThe payment methods above can also be used for withdrawals, but players need to check which methods are available to them in the 'My Account' section of the site. The casino requests that the same method be used for deposits and withdrawals. Verification is required when the total requested withdrawals amount to £1,400 or when total deposits exceed £1,400.
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More UK casinos we have reviewed on the SunIf you want to read more in-depth reviews of top UK online casinos, take a look at our list right here:
About the author
Wayne Goodchild
Wayne has been writing betting content for several years, with an emphasis on finding the best casino bonuses and testing the latest slot games. He's originally from the UK but has lived all over the world, with Slovenia as his current base.
Remember to gamble responsiblyA responsible gambler is someone who:
Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.
For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.Gamstop.Co.Uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.
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