Skip to main content

Search the Special Collections and Archives Portal

Search Results

Display    Results Per Page
Displaying results 5321 - 5330 of 14845

Photographs of Don't Tell Mama signs, Las Vegas (Nev.), June 28, 2017

Date

2017-06-28
2017-08-14

Description

Photos show the signs for Don't Tell Mama at 517 Fremont Street Suite 110 in Downtown Las Vegas. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survey Sheet.
Site address: 517 Fremont St
Sign owner: Assessor's page stated T-Breo II LLC (possibly owner of the property, but no owner of the bar/business was found.
Sign details: Don't Tell Mama originally opened in 2008/9 as a New York style piano bar. The name is inspired by the 1966 song "Don't Tell Mama" in the Broadway show "Cabaret". They are known for their bartenders that double as entertainers as well as having open mic every night.
Sign condition: 3- The sign does show some aging and some of the neon piano keys currently do not work
Sign form: Hanging sign and entrance sign
Sign-specific description: The hanging sign is a rectangle sign is outlined in red neon with lower case letters "don't tell mama" is spelt out in a painted white font, but at night the letters are in red cursive skeletal neon. Below the font there is a piano key design. On the building right above the entrance the sign is an image of a closed grand piano neon sign. The body of the piano during the day has blue tubes and illuminates blue at night. Some of the keys are blue and others are red. Both signs are also plastic back lit so people can see the black and white piano keys with the neon on top of it.
Sign - type of display: Neon and backlit plastic
Sign - media: Steel and plastic
Sign - non-neon treatments: Plastic backlit sign
Sign animation: There may have been animation with the neon piano keys lighting up to look like the piano was being played but since many of these keys are not working it can not be confirmed.
Sign environment: Located in the East Fremont District in between Las Vegas blvd and 6th St. This bar has the Beauty Bar to the west of it and Le Thai restaurant to the east. Across the street is Therapy and the Emergency Arts center.
Sign manufacturer: Valley Signs and Lighting
Sign - date of installation: Sign has been up since at least 2014
Sign - thematic influences: The sign portrays the New York piano bar vibe they are going for, and since Neon is and was prominent New York it plays along with their theme as well.
Sign - artistic significance: Piano bars were prominent in the 1950's.
Survey - research locations: Don't Tell Mama website http://www.donttellmama.com/Dont_Tell_Mama/About.html, Asessor's page
Survey - research notes: There is a Don't Tell Mama in New York, but did not find an affiliation or a real connection.
Surveyor: Emily Fellmer
Survey - date completed: 2017-08-14
Sign keywords: Neon; Steel; Plastic; Backlit; Hanging; Building-front design; Fascia; Cantilever construction

Mixed Content

Ashley Vargas interview, October 30, 2018: transcript

Date

2018-10-30

Description

Interviewed by Laurents Banuelos. Elsa Lopez and Claytee White also participate in the questioning. Ashley Vargas, also know by her stage name Ms. Aye Vee is a Las Vegas native born and raised. She has received notoriety in the Las Vegas valley for her raw story telling and poetry. Vargas identifies as an Afro-Latina Puerto Rican. She spent her childhood growing up on the Eastside. She vividly remembers having to navigate several spaces in order to survive the rough neighbors she was in. Today, Vargas uses her poetry to communicate her experiences and set ups workshops to help cultivate young up and coming writers. Please note the following disclaimer: This interview contains language that some may find offensive.

Text