THE saying might be a little different in Las Vegas, but what happens in Hawaii doesn't always have to stay in paradise.

Local ska band Pimpbot proved that earlier this month when they took part in the Neon Reverb Music Festival on March 14. I was in Sin City for a few days of vacation at the same time, so I made the trip to a sketchy low-rise hotel between the Las Vegas Strip and downtown to check out their performance.

Of course, lead singer Fernando Pacheco didn't disappoint, turning in a high-energy set that illustrated exactly why the band called this trip the “;Muy Caliente Tour 2009.”; It wasn't packed inside the Aruba Hotel, but the set served as a good warm up for Pimpbot's performances at the annual South by Southwest Music Festival later in the month.

I was also surprised at the Hawaii connection to one of the opening bands that night. Shawn Garnett is the lead singer of Las Vegas-based One Pin Short, but the 2000 Hanalani graduate still represents the 808 state when he's on stage. Rocking a puka shell necklace and performing barefoot with a green bottle in hand, Garnett made sure to shout out his new friends from back home while also impressing them with his vocal abilities.

One Pin Short has a new album coming out soon; visit www.myspace.com/onepinshort to check out their sound and encourage them to book a few shows in Honolulu ...

CONCERT NEWS: BAMP Project announced three more shows since I've been on vacation, starting with Jenny Lewis and Rise Against at Pipeline Cafe on April 10 (separate tickets are needed for each concert). Tickets are also on sale for Flogging Molly at Pipeline on April 18 ... Tom Moffatt is also ramping things up for the spring, following up on this week's Journey dates with Sheryl Crow on April 25 at the Waikiki Shell. Tickets for the nine-time Grammy Award winner are $35 to $65, available at all Ticketmaster outlets ... Platinum-selling rapper Juvenile arrives in Honolulu this week to celebrate his birthday and headline a spring break bash at Fashion45 on Saturday. Doors open at 10 p.m., with opening sets by The Hammer Brothers, Gottho's and Ryde or Die Movement. Call 699-1862 for details ...

NEW PARTIES: Kapolei residents don't have to leave the neighborhood to party on a Friday night, thanks to DJ James Coles. He launched “;Flashback Fridays”; at House of Fortune on March 13, spinning a mix of hits from the '80s, '90s and now. Doors open at 9:30 p.m. for those 21-and-over, and all drinks are just $3 before midnight ... After kicking off “;Dream Lounge”; at Tsukiji last Friday, promoters HI-Def 808, V3 Promotions and SceneFifty return with a special appearance by Francine Dee. She'll be joined by local go-go dancers Sheleen Dee, Angie Babie, Kay Lee and Tina Dee from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. ... Following stints at E&O Trading Co. and Chai's Island Bistro, photographer Russell Tanoue has announced the return of “;Beautiful”; to Pearl Ultra Lounge. He's signed on to host on the last Saturday of every month; April 25 will serve as an official launch party following Tanoue's return to Pearl this weekend ...

WEEKEND PICKS: Level H Promotions, No Way Out Entertainment and The Upperclassmen bid aloha to The O Lounge on Friday with the final installment of “;Fource”; at the Kapiolani Boulevard nightclub. Doors open at 9 p.m. with a hosted bar until 11 p.m. and $4 shot specials all night long; resident DJs Schwin and Flip will keep things moving until 2 a.m. ... The Asylum will help get people ready for May's Global Dance Festival with a two-night after-hours event. “;Input”; will feature San Francisco's Alland Dyallo and Scott Carrelli alongside local DJs Willis Haltom, Zane and Loic Tambay on Friday, while “;Output”; will welcome Germany's Pan Pot and San Francisco's Clint Stewart. Doors open at midnight both nights ... Jazz Minds opens for a rare Sunday event this weekend. “;Beat Street”; is an 18-and-over affair, with live sets by Philth, Kin, Jean-Paul and Chad Quota starting at 10 p.m. DJ Freq will also be on hand ...