It's getting cold out there, families are coming in and out of town, and Christmas gifts are ripping our wallets and bank accounts to shreds. Classic end of the year stuff here! With 2024 coming to a close, I thought it would be worthwhile to quickly look back at some of the things I was able to accomplish and experience (video version at bottom of article). Starting with...
MESA MUSIC FESTIVAL
I was honored to have my application to perform at The Mesa Music Festival accepted this year! I was able to bring grab my girlfriend and make the 5ish hour drive up to downtown Mesa. A nice little stretch of shops and eateries, the festival had stage after stage and shop after shop hosting artists from around the country (although mostly from Arizona.) I performed a set at the Nile Coffee Shop, which is a wonderful little coffee spot! Delicious drinks and a riled up crowd made for a great night! I also had the pleasure of sharing the bill with Bobby Bankz, Chief Bone, and Kolide (all Arizona based acts.) Other than some technical difficulties, I did my damn thing and had a great time! As a bonus, I ran into Lights Off Media (covering the event) and got to see Pure Sport rip it up at the Nile Theatre.
PUNK ROCK IS BEAUTIFUL
My company, Mad Rabbit Media LLC, put on a HELL of a punk rock show at The Space in September! Almost all of the credit goes to my business partner and the front man of punk band Twist Off!. His fellow band members also did a great job supporting him in organizing the event. Of course, The Space was gracious enough to allow us to host the event! All proceeds were donated to the Las Vegas Pet Rescue Project as well and the turnout was incredible!! It really gave some hardcore/punk bands that are used to throwing down at venues in some rougher areas and with no personal space backstage, a chance to experience something a little different! I got to open the festivities due to the fact, well, we put that thing on! I had an incredible time and I had some support from Kaesen on drums as well as local legends, The Dollheads, on my last track.
![Nicholas Lacy, the bassist of Twist Off!, on stage at Punk Rock is Beautiful (photo by me [Mad Rabbit Media]](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/980e2b_740025ecab344a54a8230ce0fef236e6~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_1470,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/980e2b_740025ecab344a54a8230ce0fef236e6~mv2.jpg)
ROOFTOP RAPS
I did not perform as much as I would have liked this year. Lots of factors go into this and it is a mission of mine to do it more in 2025. Still, I performed at two incredible festivals and was also given the opportunity to play a set on the rooftop of Taverna Costera. A venue I have spent a lot of time seeing some incredible musical performances, filming music videos, and photographing events. at. Until October 2024, I was unable to perform up on the rooftop! Kevin Bessey is a local hip-hop act who does work for Taverna's events and music. We've been connected for over a year now and have crossed paths at open mics he hosts downstairs at Taverna. He is woven into part of the hip-hop scene here in LV (a scene in which I still struggle to break into.) So, when he was putting together a bill for a hip-hop show on the roof, he did the favor of getting me on there!
VEGAS, BABY! and I LOVE MY CITY
Another year and another couple of Pathogen projects! I released my fourth full LP, Vegas, Baby! and an EP (on the same day), I Love My City. The double release was a long time in the making. I started working on songs and gathering features for it back in Summer of 2023. I released the LP, Return To Halloween Town in October 2023 and I actually wrote and recorded over half of that album after I had about four to five songs written for Vegas, Baby!. My initial goal was to get more vocal features and I wanted to start building that aspect of my music up with local acts. Not all worked out as I intended to have all but a couple of tracks have a feature, but I really love how the album ended up progressing and what it evolved into.
It became a sequel to my second LP, Welcome To My Multi-Verse. In other words, an album dedicated to genre blending. It became that partly due to the fact that most of the features I initially had in mind were of the rock, punk, and pop varieties so I needed to have material for them. Most of the non-rap acts actually were the ones that didn't end up on the album, but it still gave me a chance to try some new structures and things. The EP was a late addition to the process. When I thought I was going to be able to secure some of those features, I was intending on having some out-of-state acts that I'm connected with hop on remixes and I would have alternate vocals as well. That didn't turn out, but I did end up writing one of my favorite songs ever, What's Up. Plus, I was able to secure one of my all-time favorite bands, ¡MAYDAY!, on the, I Do No (Remix) for the EP.
I know I just typed the long story, but the long story short is that: The music I released in 2024 was a long time coming (Twist Off! reference) and there were some trials in putting it together, but it turned out to be an incredible project!
FINAL THOUGHTS
There are always ups and downs, but looking back, 2024 was an incredible year. Personally, professionally, and musically. I reached some incredible statistical heights on Spotify and what not, I performed out of state or the first time (twice, actually), and had a great time connecting with a lot of great people! There is only room to go up in 2025 and I've got big plans. So let's get this bread, people!
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