I had a couple of days off, but for the most part, I was there to work. I was working for HAS productions setting up speakers, lights, and backline for different gigs around Las Vegas. These are all things I've done before, so I was certain that this job would be a piece of cake.
I was wrong.
I've never done anything on this scale before. They were using equipment I'd never heard of, speaking lingo I'd never been exposed to, and soon enough I was completely lost. Over the course of the two weeks I was there, I learned more about the audio industry than I have in any other venture. The work was hard, and the hours were long, but the job was satisfying. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The people: Larry Hall, my second cousin on my mother's side, is the owner and founder of HAS Productions. He was gracious enough to allow me to stay in his home, eat his food and watch his movies during my time in Vegas. His wife, Lisa, was the best hostess, and a darn good cook as well. They gave me a place to crash and a car to drive, and Lisa fixed dinner almost every night. Their house was awesome. Pool, theater, studio, 3 car garage, guest house... yeah, I could see myself living in a place like that one day.
The City: Come on, y'all, its Vegas. Of course it was awesome. I worked 11 days at the National Finals Rodeo at the Thomas and Mack center right off of Tropicana Drive, so I was on the strip every night. Let me tell you, it's nothing like they say it is. Yeah, the lights are crazy, and the booze is cheap, but the city itself feels more like an amusement park than anything. There's so much to do that it would take weeks to do it all. I officially love the Vegas strip.
All in all, great experience, and I will be going back.
