Side Show plays a little bit of everything

For a clue as to what Side Show's entertainment philosophy is, look no further than the name the group gave itself.

"We wanted to make (shows) fun and kind of reminiscent of a circus," says Kelly Sheehan, Side Show's lead vocalist and occasional percussionist. "We wanted to make it a good time and kind of silly."

Mission accomplished for the duo, who currently play at 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays at Martini Ranch at Texas Station, 2101 Texas Star Lane.

Sheehan and Eric Dahl, lead guitarist and vocalist, make up the core of Side Show. In addition, Sheehan says, "we do frequently add a third player, (guitarist/vocalist) Tom Rojas."

In fact, as the gig demands, "we actually expand up to a five-piece," Sheehan says. "It depends on what people want to hear."

Sheehan and Dahl have been playing together for about a decade.

"We have been quietly creeping around the shadows in Las Vegas for quite a while," Sheehan jokes. "We've played in quite a few local bars and pubs, but a lot of our work is private parties in the hotels."

Side Show began as, and remains, "kind of a paid hobby for us," Sheehan says. "It's therapy for Eric and I. We both work in advertising and marketing and the stress is ... pretty up there.

"So we started playing together kind of to blow off steam at one of the local pubs in town. And it's turned into a good chemistry between Eric and I, and Tom as well, so we just picked it up from there."

Their Texas Station gigs began in July.

"We love them. We have a lot of fun there," Sheehan says. "It's a great evening.

"We play a lot of classic rock and a little bit of new rock and some blues thrown in. And I'll do some Janis Joplin, all the way across to some stuff you wouldn't normally hear like Marc Cohn or some older blues stuff that Eric will do.

"It's a lot of fun," Sheehan says. "Throw Eric and I and a few half-price martinis in there and it's a pretty good show."

They currently only play Wednesdays, having taken a break from an additional Sunday date, too. But the Sunday dates probably will resume after football season ends, Sheehan says.

The best thing about Side Show's Texas Station gig is that she and Dahl enjoy the audience as much as the audience enjoys them.

"It's more about having a great time than being the most fabulous wonderful band," Sheehan says. "We're really out for fun and, hey, if we sound good, it's a bonus."

For more information, visit the group's website at www.sideshowlv.com.