LAS VEGAS — Sammy Hagar has never been particularly interested in separating rock and roll from a good time. On May 17, 2024, he brought plenty of both to Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas with the official grand opening of Sammy’s Island, a tropical poolside escape built around the Red Rocker’s unmistakable Cabo-meets-rock-and-roll style.

The new concept transformed the Palms Pool with tropical food and cocktails, live music, a Tiki Bar and Tequileria, and plenty of Hagar influence throughout. It was less about simply putting a celebrity name on a Las Vegas pool and more about bringing a piece of the lifestyle Hagar has built around music, Cabo and a permanent vacation-state-of-mind to the desert.

And Barrelassin’ was there for opening night.

A Red Rocker Opening in Vegas

The grand-opening celebration featured Red Voodoo, the young California rock band whose connection to Hagar made them a natural choice for the occasion.

As Red Voodoo played, Hagar joined the band onstage along with longtime bandmates Michael Anthony and Vic Johnson. Together they performed “Your Love Is Driving Me Crazy” and “There’s Only One Way to Rock,” giving the newly opened Island a proper rock-and-roll christening.

Barrelassin’ also caught up with Vic Johnson during the festivities, grabbing a few photos with Hagar’s longtime guitarist away from the stage.

It was the kind of opening that made sense for something carrying Sammy Hagar’s name: palm trees, drinks, Vegas and eventually, guitars.

The View From Above

Barrelassin’ took in the opening-night festivities from one of the Palms’ upper-level bungalows, giving us a decidedly different view of the celebration below.

The elevated accommodation included a semi-private plunge pool overlooking the main pool area, which meant much of the night could be watched from our own pool while still being right in the middle of the atmosphere surrounding Sammy’s Island.

And watching Sammy Hagar perform at the opening of Sammy’s Island from a plunge pool above Sammy’s Island is about as appropriately Red Rocker as a night in Las Vegas can get.

Red Rocker Lager Arrives in Nevada

The Island wasn’t the only thing making its Las Vegas debut that night.

Red Rocker Lager, Hagar’s Mexican-style lager, made its Nevada debut at the Sammy’s Island grand opening, giving guests another piece of the Red Rocker universe to try while celebrating the new venue.

Naturally, we did.

At 4.3% ABV, the crisp lager fit the setting particularly well — cold beer, palm trees, a pool and live rock and roll in the middle of Las Vegas. And fortunately, Barrelassin’ got the photographic evidence before the can was empty.

It was a small detail that summed up the larger concept behind Sammy’s Island. Hagar’s music is here, but so are the other pieces of the world he has built around it — the drinks, the tropical setting and the Cabo-inspired attitude.

A Little Cabo in the Desert

Hagar had talked about creating an island-style destination for years before finding its home at the Palms. Sammy’s Island ultimately gave him a way to bring that idea to Las Vegas without simply trying to duplicate Cabo Wabo.

Instead, it feels like an extension of the same world.

There’s tequila and rum. There’s live rock and roll. And on opening night, there was Sammy Hagar himself onstage with Michael Anthony and Vic Johnson while the crowd celebrated around the pool.

For Barrelassin’, the view just happened to come with a plunge pool.

Not a bad way to welcome Sammy’s Island to Las Vegas.