Armin van Buuren

Well, maybe not a rave. That term went out as soon as multimillion-dollar promoters latched onto the emerging electronic music underground and began throwing events at sports arenas. Nonetheless, a rave-like techno dance party called “Fabulous” has been scheduled Nov. 1 at the Orleans Arena. The venue has held dance parties before; DJ Tiesto rang in 2006 there to a surprisingly huge audience. However, this is the first major (and legit) e-music festival for Las Vegas.

Scheduled to perform are Armin Van Buuren (currently ranked the No. 1 on DJ magazine’s Top 100 list), Bad Boy Bill (who also plays Aug. 31 at Jet), Deadmau5 (also playing Sept. 1 at MGM Grand’s Wet Republic), Robbie Rivera, MSTRKRFT and guests, Felix Cartal and live sets by Crystal Castles and Hearts Revolution. Furthermore, Ed Banger — the French electro-house label — will throw a party-within-the-party and feature Sebastian, Busy P, DJ Medhi, So Me and Mr. Flash. Not a bad line-up — especially for Las Vegas. (”Fabulous” takes place 10 p.m. Nov. 1 at Orleans Arena. Tickets for the 18-and-over event are $66-$150. Info: www.orleansarena.com.)

Family Stone Project's Jerry Martini and Cynthia Robinson

A family affair
It’s not often a fan boy gets invited to join a ground-breaking band, but that dream came true this year for Petroglyph Games audio director Frank Klepacki. After years of begging to sit in on drums, his friendship with Sly & The Family Stone founding member Jerry Martini finally paid off when he was offered a gig with The Family Stone Project. The Project features two original members — sax player Martini and trumpeter Cynthia Robinson — teamed up with a rhythm section full of pedigreed Las Vegans: Nate Wingfield (who played with Stevie Wonder and handles guitar duties), vocalist Trina Johnson, vocalist/keyboardist Robert Brookins (a former music director for Earth Wind & Fire), and Blaise Sison, who serves as bass player and music director.

Through the years, instrumental prog-core project The Bitters replaced Klepacki’s former band, Home Cookin’, but in keeping with everyone from Miles Davis to Red Hot Chili Peppers, he sought inspiration in the Family Stone’s melting pot of positive messages, shared vocal arrangements and unheard of at the time funk-soul-rock fusion. “The songs still hold true today, they stand the test of time,” he explains. “It’s really a historic band — the first to integrate; male, female and interracially — and nothing comes close to the songwriting. It’s the real soul of the music and you just don’t see that anymore.” Klepacki’s other dream may be reality soon as well: Sly Stone himself is supposed to appear at an upcoming Canadian show.

School starts up again Aug. 25 and it’s not often you get a chance to hear Rock & Roll Hall of Famers for free, so why not spend this final weekend of freedom with your family and the Family Stone Project? The show starts at 7 p.m. Aug. 23 at the Clark County Government Amphitheater (500 S. Grand Central Parkway). Blankets, low-back chairs and picnic baskets are allowed; alcohol is not. Hot fun in the summertime, indeed.

Bonnie Springs Ranch, minus ghouls

Ghastly ghost town
This is the best idea for Halloween fun that I’ve ever heard. “Bonnie Screams” is a haunted ghost town attraction set on the 115-acre grounds of idyllic Bonnie Springs Ranch in Red Rock Canyon. Beginning Oct. 10 a 30-minute drive will transport you to haunted attractions, a two-day music festival, a film fest, a Halloween costume ball and a Dia de los Muertos celebration. Eight bands will be selected to perform Oct. 24-25; submit your act or vote for your favorite at www.hysteriacity.com.

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Sailor Jerry invades the Double Down Saloon at 9 p.m. August 26 for another rum-soaked, trade show bash. This edition features Sub Pop signee No Age and Alabama’s Thomas Function. A limited amount of free wristbands for admission will be available at Cash 4 Chaos (4110 S. Maryland Parkway) on Aug. 25. …

Baby announcements aren’t normally our thing, but here goes: Gibson Felix was born Aug. 12 to former Loud Pipes lovebirds Roxie and Jesse Amoroso. We definitely see a guitar sponsorship in his future. …

Score free tickets for concerts at Terrible’s Star of the Desert Arena in Primm through the end of the year; upcoming performers include Brian Wilson, Al Green and Dwight Yoakam. All you have to do is ask for them, and pay a small processing fee. Full details are at www.primmconcerts.com; supplies are limited. …

A slew of local performers grabbed top honors at the 2008 Las Vegas Black Music Awards including: double hitters Paris Red (Entertainer of the Year, Best Female Jazz Vocalist) and Jin Jin Reeves (Best Tribute, Best Image), and LyNe’ (Best Hip-Hop Vocalist) and TSP (Best Rap). Get all the info at www.americanblackmusicawards.com. …

Visiting DJs are naturally hard to find the weekend before Labor Day, but coming anyway is Miss Nine (Aug. 24, MGM’s Wet Republic) and Max Graham and DJ Reza (Aug. 27; Hard Rock’s Body English).