Author goes underground for Vegas guide

Kirk Baird

Friday, May 20, 2005 | 8:34 a.m.

When Jarret Keene arrived in Las Vegas in the summer of 2001, he thought he would quickly grow weary of the city.

After all, a barrage of Las Vegas-centric shows on the Travel Channel and other networks would have you believe there's little more to the city than swanky hotels and slot machines.

Keene, however, quickly discovered a Las Vegas beyond the neon glare of the Strip, with off-beat clubs, out-of-the-way restaurants and a burgeoning arts scene.

And Keene has put together a tour guide to it all: "The Underground Guide to Las Vegas" ($15.95, Manic D Press).

"You don't have to do battle with the Strip when you come to Las Vegas," said the 32-year-old author and former Arts & Entertainment editor of CityLife. "It definitely tells you a different story than you get from picking up People magazine. It's what really happens here in the arts and culture scene."

"It's the only book that tells you how to get fat, drunk and laid and enjoy some art at Gallery Au Go-Go."

A book-release party is scheduled for 7 p.m. Sunday at Dino's, 1516 Las Vegas Blvd. South.

Among the book's offerings are suggestions for restaurants, off-Strip hotels, food stores, spas, outdoor activities, free wi-fi spots as well as LANs (local area networks) and cybercafes; Las Vegas-centric novels; bars and strip clubs; tattoo and pawn shops; local music stores and weird local conventions.

The "Underground Guide" also offers tips on how to drink for free in casinos and basic bar etiquette in town, as well as a handy list of emergency numbers.

Keene first came up with the idea for the book after seeing a series of "Underground Guides" to other cities, such as Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago from Manic D Press, and thought Las Vegas was a natural for its own guidebook.

After submitting an outline, the publisher loved his idea and Keene began work on "The Underground Guide to Las Vegas" this time last year.

In addition to recruiting some friends and colleagues to opine sections of the book about their favorite haunts, Keene also penned several chapters of the guide himself.

"Writing and editing this book helped me fall in love with Las Vegas again," Keene said. "There's so much to do here it seems."

Although the book is geared toward visitors, Keene said "The Underground Guide to Las Vegas" is also the perfect read "for locals who may have forgotten about some of these places they may have frequented a few months ago."

Available at local Barnes & Noble Booksellers and Border's Books, as well as Balcony Lights Music & Books, Keene said "The Underground Guide to Las Vegas" is selling well enough that he's working on a new edition to the guide complete with updates such as any recommended clubs that have opened or closed.

"It's a work in progress," he said. "We're going to try and keep it updated every year and do our best to show the full spectrum of what is offered."