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PURCHASE STATION CASINO TICKETS AT SCLV.COM/CONCERTS • PURCHASE PALMS TICKETS AT PALMS.COM Tickets can be purchased at any Station Casino Boarding Pass Rewards Center, the Fiestas, by logging on to SCLV.com/concerts or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Digital photography/video is strictly prohibited at all venues. Management reserves all rights. © 2016 STATION CASINOS, LLC.
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EDITORIAL Editor SPENCER PATTERSON (spencer.patterson@gmgvegas.com) Managing Editor BROCK RADKE (brock.radke@gmgvegas.com) Associate Editor MIKE PREVATT (mike.prevatt@gmgvegas.com) Senior Editor GEOFF CARTER (geoff.carter@gmgvegas.com) Film Editor JOSH BELL Staff Writer LESLIE VENTURA (leslie.ventura@gmgvegas.com) Calendar Editor ROSALIE SPEAR (rosalie.spear@gmgvegas.com) Contributing Editors RAY BREWER, CASE KEEFER, KEN MILLER, ERIN RYAN Contributing Writers DAWN-MICHELLE BAUDE, JIM BEGLEY, JACOB COAKLEY, MIKE D’ANGELO, SARAH FELDBERG, SMITH GALTNEY, JASON HARRIS, JASON SCAVONE, CHUCK TWARDY, ANDY WANG, STACY J. WILLIS, ANNIE ZALESKI Library Services Specialist/Permissions REBECCA CLIFFORD-CRUZ Office Coordinator NADINE GUY
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06 las vegas weekly 12.29.16
Trust Us everything you absolutely, positively must get out and do this week
31
30 Friday, 6 p.m.
Saturday, 10 p.m.
MOKSHA AT HARD ROCK CAFE The guitar-fronted landmark at the corner of Harmon and Paradise might be closing for good when the calendar turns to 2017, but it won’t be going quietly. Moksha, the city’s preeminent improv-rock band, will serve up the final jams in a joint (no, for the last time, stop confusing it with the Joint) that once hosted Aerosmith, among other occasional live acts during its 26-year-run. Knowing how Moksha likes to tailor its setlist to fit an occasion, we wonder what the freeranging foursome has planned for this shindig. The Rolling Stones’ “The Last Time” would make sense. Europe’s “The Final Countdown” for an encore? And if anyone’s taking bets, we’ll throw a few bucks down on Semisonic’s “Closing Time” at odds of 30-1. Free. –Spencer Patterson
Kwanzaa celebration at West Las Vegas Library This celebration will focus primarily on Nia (Purpose), one of the seven principles of Kwanzaa (Nguzo Saba), and what it means for younger generations. The planned program includes performances and a youth ceremony. Free. –Rosalie Spear
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31
saturday, 9 p.m.
Boulder City New Year’s at The Dillinger & Forge Social House Organizer Tsvetelina Stefanova has set up two rad NYE events in BC: a free ’80s dance party with DJ Ladyfingers at the Dillinger, and a Forge Social House “formal” featuring Brother Mister and Bazooka Zac ($10). –Rosalie Spear
Thursday, 8:30 P.M.
CITIZEN COPE AT BROOKLYN BOWL You’ve probably heard Clarence Greenwood unknowingly. Segments of “Let the Drummer Kick” from his eponymous 2002 debut might have lodged in your brain via an Acura commercial, or maybe you’ve encountered the equally sticky “Sideways” or “Son’s Gonna Rise” from a TV show like Scrubs or One Tree Hill. The blues/folk/soul singer and songwriter was born in Memphis but hails from D.C.—like Marvin Gaye, to whom he has occasionally been compared—and though he often performs with just his voice and guitar, he’s bringing a full band to Brooklyn Bowl Thursday night. $35-$68. –Brock Radke
07 las vegas weekly
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n ew year’s day hikes
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30
Friday, 4 p.m.
UFC 207 AT T-MOBILE ARENA
When last we saw Ronda Rousey in the octagon, her head was snapping back from the force of Holly Holm’s left foot hitting her jaw. A year after suffering that shocking first career loss, the 29-year-old Rousey will fight for the first time since—with her old belt on the line. Brazil’s Amanda Nunes is the bantamweight champ these days, having defeated Meisha Tate, who took down Holm. A Rousey win on Friday could set up a rematch with Holm, but the guess here is that after what happened the last time she fought, Rousey isn’t looking past anyone. The rest of the main card will pit bantamweights Dominick Cruz vs. Cody Garbrandt, welterweights Dong Hyun Kim vs. Tarec Saffiedine, bantamweights T.J. Dillashaw vs. John Lineker and flyweights Louis Smolka vs. Ray Borg. $80-$605. –Spencer Patterson
There are several approaches we could take here. One is to hit you with some trite motivational stuff: “Start 2017 on the right foot!” Or we could remind you how you did on last year’s resolution to get in shape. (Odds are good you didn’t.) Instead, we’ll lay it out plain: Here are three nature hikes you can take on January 1. None of them seem particularly strenuous, and they don’t start too early. Dress warmly, put on appropriate shoes and start the new year on whichever foot you’d prefer. Note: The hikes are free, but Nevada’s state parks charge $7-$12 for parking (though residents get a $2 discount). For more information, visit parks. nv.gov/calendar. Spring Mountain Ranch State Park Take a one-mile, ranger-led hike through Red Rock Canyon, one that winds past Lake Harriet and the Overlook and also takes in Spring Mountain Ranch’s historic areas. Children ages 7 and up are welcome. 10 a.m. Valley of Fire: Atlatl Rock This is almost a museum tour: A ranger leads you to view petroglyphs, and explain what we know about this ancient rock art. Many of the petroglyphs are not on marked trails, so remember those good hiking shoes. 10:30 a.m. Valley of Fire: Petrified Logs What rolls down stairs, alone or in pairs? Check out a usually restricted area filled with well-preserved slabs of fossilized wood. 2 p.m. –Geoff Carter
08 las vegas weekly 12.29.16
Boulevard by the sea
the inter w h e r e
i d e a s
SeaQuest is the nature attraction Vegas has long needed By Geoff Carter
D
uring my decade living in the Pacific Northwest, I visited the Seattle Aquarium regularly. It is softly lit, cavernous and filled with giant tanks of saltwater and freshwater fish. In visiting there, I learned two things about myself: Few things leave me awed like a school of jellyfish, and nothing makes me smile like a nearby kid spotting a Blue Tang and exclaiming, “Mom, it’s Doooooory!” Strictly speaking, SeaQuest Interactive Aquarium—now open in the east wing of Boulevard Mall, and fairly priced at $15 for adults, $10 from kids 2 to 11—isn’t that kind of aquarium. While it has undersea life in abundance—stingrays, eels, tortoises, sharks and, yes, jellyfish—it’s too modestly sized to inspire full adult awe. Instead, it does the next best thing: It puts all of its exhibits within the easy reach of kids, and encourages them to get hands-on. They can stand on built-in platforms to get a closer look at the fish, feed them and even reach a tentative hand into the tanks to touch them. (The flipside of those low-walled tanks and open enclosures only manifested once, when my friend spotted a small turtle where a small turtle shouldn’t have been. A staffer collected him: “Oh, this is Rambo. He’s always trying to escape.” He was gently returned to his enclosure.) For a city that has never really had anything like this—the occasional wildlife preserve and Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat notwithstanding—SeaQuest is kind of a revelation: It’s part aquarium, part science museum and part zoo. On the day of my visit there were dozens of kids at SeaQuest, petting lizards, sitting in aviaries full of colorful birds, staring slack-jawed at a Sulcata tortoise nearly the size of a Mini Cooper. Young awe was being cultivated in every direction.
AN ADDRESS FOR GRIEVANCES Journalists adore Amendment 1 of the United States Constitution. To us, it’s the Beyoncé of constitutional amendments; we’re always talking about who wore it better. We might have a new answer to that question on January 16—Martin Luther King Day—when the Erotic Heritage Museum unveils a huge banner of the amendment’s wording. But you won’t be able to see it from the street: EHM director
Victoria Hartmann says the banner will cover “a sizable amount” of the museum’s roof—specifically, the part of the roof that faces the Trump tower. A drone-shot video of the installation will be posted to EHM’s social media soon after, or you can just peep it from next door. Hartmann says the museum’s motivations are exactly as they seem: “We want to serve as a reminder to our president-elect that our constitutional rights are sacred,” she says. –Geoff Carter
rsection A ND L IF E M E ET
09 LAS VEGAS WEEKLY 12.29.16
VIVA FLAMINGO While lovely little new things arrive, the oldest Strip spot turns 70 BY BROCK RADKE
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1 BIG PHOTO
The sights—and feels—of SeaQuest beckon. (L.E. Baskow/Staff)
A BUBBLEGUM TRIBUTE TO STAR WARS Timely given the recent release of Rogue One (and, sadly, the death of Carrie Fisher), Bubblegum Gallery’s forthcoming group show celebrates the Star Wars universe. Beginning January 6 at 6 p.m., the Downtown Spaces spot will showcase Rebel Alliance paintings by Amy Miles; graphic design prints of Han, Chewie, Luke and Vader; Imperial and Rebel debris replicas; mini, vibrant pop art squares by John Patterson; fan gear merch; and more— all created by artists of all ages. “You can be a little kid or an adult, and we’ll hang it on the wall to display,” says owner LeslieAnn Farrell, who encourages attendees to dress in costume. The artwork will be on display through the end of the month, and if that’s not enough fandom for you, there will be a family-friendly TIE fighter paint class on January 13 ($25). –Rosalie Spear
The Lucky Dragon is a beautiful, actually new casino with unique features and delicious Chinese food. And the W Las Vegas is certainly one of the best things to happen to the SLS, the arrival of a steady and exciting boutique hotel brand in Las Vegas that brings along a lovely lobby bar, refurbished rooms, useful and shiny event space and a nifty rooftop pool deck. It’s nice to have new things on the Strip, but while I was exploring them, the Flamingo turned 70 years old on Monday. It’s the oldest resort on the Strip, but it doesn’t look or feel that way. Famously opened by Bugsy Siegel but made a success by Arizona bookmaker Gus Greenbaum after Bugsy’s murder—and later owned by Kirk Kerkorian and then the Hilton hotel chain before Caesars Entertainment (then Harrah’s) grabbed it 11 years ago—the Flamingo was the first luxury hotel in Las Vegas, a place once known for its tuxedo-clad staff and marquee performers like Sammy Davis Jr. and Lena Horne. Now, it’s known best for its ability to survive, pretty great hotel rooms at pretty great rates, some of the Strip’s best remaining neon signage and shows for the older set starring Donny and Marie Osmond and Olivia Newton-John. But the older-than-old Flamingo has something those shiny new things at the north end of the Strip would kill for: location, location, heart-ofVegas-action location. It’s a short walk from the Linq Promenade and High Roller observation wheel, Omnia and Drai’s nightclubs, Caesars Palace and the Forum Shops and the Bellagio fountains. In the ’50s and early ’60s you would only go north from the Flamingo to check out the action or see a show, at properties like the Frontier, the Sands, the Desert Inn, the Silver Slipper, the Stardust and the Riviera. Now it’s the center of the Strip, a place to stay even if you’re playing and partying everywhere else. While the W should help stabilize the fledgling SLS with new business tourist traffic, and the Lucky Dragon seems like a fascinating niche experiment—a locals’ casino within a stone’s throw of the Strip that brings something different to the northern end of the Boulevard—the needle isn’t moving yet.
10
THE INTERSECTION
LAS VEGAS WEEKLY 12.29.16
MIRROR, MIRROR When you stare into the maw of Orlando, it stares back e need to talk about Orlando. We need to do this for the simple reason that this Central Florida tourist town could well eat Las Vegas’ entire lunch someday. Arguably, it’s close to doing it even now: Though a record 42 million tourists visited Las Vegas in 2015, Orlando drew 66 million in the same time frame (also a new record). Depending on whom you ask, Orlando could be outdrawing us in convention business; the figures are close and hotly contested, but one is certain: Orlando’s convention center boasts 2.1 million square feet of space to Vegas’ 1.94. The hits keep coming. AngelList gives a $4.4 million dollar average valuation for Las Vegas’ start-ups, which is impressive until you see that Amazon-owned EXTENDED Zappos is on the list, RESIDENCY pushing the numbers BY GEOFF up. (Orlando’s startCARTER up valuation average is awfully close to ours, at $3.6 million.) The populations of the two metropolitan areas are neck-and-neck, both just above the two million mark. And for those who consider such things a marker of progress, Orlando has two major league sports franchises—the NBA’s Orlando Magic and MLS’s Orlando City SC—to our just-birthed NHL franchise. My parents live in Orlando. I visit
W
(Illustration by Ian Racoma/Staff)
them every year, in the quiet-ish time between Thanksgiving and Christmas when daytime temperatures drop to the high 70s/low 80s. (Another thing the two municipalities have in common: summertime temperatures seemingly antithetical to the existence of human life.) I would be lying if I said I knew “the real Orlando” in the way I tell visiting friends that I know “the real Vegas,” because I’ve never gone barhopping there—my taste test for virtually any municipality, from Brooklyn to Bangkok. When in Orlando, I do as 66 million others do: stand in line at Walt Disney World, and teach my parents how to use their smartphones. But on my last visit, Orlando began to feel familiar to me, because I finally recognized it as a face in the mirror. Orlando is so similar to Las Vegas in every aspect—the suburban sprawl forming on its edges, the deadly insects and reptiles lurking in its wild areas, the
beleaguered faces of service industry workers just trying to get through the supermarket without one more goddamn thing happening. Once I saw and understood these things, I knew which rocks to peek under, and I was right: The Orlando Weekly bemoans the stop-start of the city’s visual arts scene; city officials are struggling to gain support for a light rail line to the airport; and local businessmen are making noise about—you guessed it— bringing in an NFL franchise. Like anyone else with a heart, I mourned the victims of the June 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting. And yet, I allowed that horrific tragedy to slot into my “Florida man” narrative, in which everything bad that happens in that state—the 2000 electoral recount, the killing of Trayvon Martin, even the poor kid who was attacked by an alligator at Walt Disney World— happened in another world with no
connection to my own. But in Orlando’s proliferation of housing tracts and service industry-based economy, I’ve finally seen what others see in our own town, and why Vice thinks Las Vegas doesn’t deserve something as benignly American as a football team. Seeing behind Orlando’s curtain gave me a perspective on Las Vegas that, before now, I only thought I had. So, yeah, about those Vegas vs. Orlando tourism and convention numbers: We should absolutely be proactive in staying competitive, whether that means expanding the Las Vegas Convention Center or courting more start-up business. But we should also put some of that effort toward building our light rail, supporting our artists and cultivating an understanding of why we live here and why we do what we do. And we should occasionally look east and wonder how our neighbors are holding up.
12 COVER STORY WEEKLY | 12.29.16
13 COVER STORY
BY MIKE PREVATT
Maybe you’re feeling pretty despondent after the election. But remember: All politics is local, and Nevada lawmakers will convene on February 6 to craft, deliberate and vote on bills for the biennial legislative session. Now’s a good time to consider the issues on which you place the greatest import and share those concerns with your reps, regardless of their party affiliation.
Reduce the amount of apps that send you notifications. Delete the Facebook app (and its oppressive little Messenger brother). Mute the blood-boilers on Twitter. Pare down your Reddit follow list. Limit your Snapchat and Instagram check-ins to once or twice a day.
Remember the complacent and immobile uberconsumers of Wall-E? We’re hurtling toward such detachment and technological serfdom. So spend less time on your phone/tablet, video games and TV, and prioritize actual people and experiences.
Like Majestic Repertory Theatre artistic director Troy Heard. He recently spotted Betty, a dutiful, 92-yearold widow who had to take a physically demanding job at Walmart to get by. So he corralled his social media network to help surprise a person of limited means with an amazing Christmas, and the community rallied with a nearly $5,000 GoFundMe haul and other gifts. Of course, donations aren’t the only way to give someone a boost. You could just follow Heard’s example by simply being aware of those who struggle, offering a helping hand and making them smile in the process.
WEEKLY | 12.29.16
If there’s one saving grace for post-election Facebook and Reddit, it’s the community groups that make meeting new people easier. For IRL fraternizing, Meetup remains a fantastic way to seek out folks with similar interests, especially when it comes to hiking, yoga and other physical endeavors that come with a fitness bonus. (And if you just don’t trust anything online, you can still find old-school community boards at coffeehouses, spiritual facilities and stores like REI and 11th Street Records.)
Here’s one small, risk-free way of chipping in. If you visit smile.amazon.com, you’ll be prompted to select from one of the many local charities and nonprofits. From then on, your chosen benefactor will receive 0.5 percent of your non-delivery, non-tax purchase totals. That can add up, especially those of you now buying groceries through Amazon Prime Now.
Instead of dwelling on the growing terribleness of the world, why not creatively interpret it—or something more pleasant—on the canvas of your choosing? If you need some direction or practice, public painting classes (like at Bubblegum Gallery) and drawing sessions (Mr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art School at Artifice) abound throughout the Valley. Or bring some beer and cheap art supplies to a buddy’s house and collaborate.
If you work near a park, spot of grass or other open public place, head over with your meal, sit down and clear your head. It all but erases whatever cruddy morning you had.
If someone scores you a comp or helps you unpack a moving van on a hot afternoon, don’t let that favor go unreturned. Make a note of your debt somewhere, with a deadline within the month to pay it back.
The refrain “I don’t know who lives next door” is entirely too common and one of the reasons why Las Vegans a) don’t project more civic pride and b) feel alone. Whether it’s an impromptu introduction at the community mailbox or a visit to someone else’s doorstep with a baked or bought New Year’s goodie in hand, take a cue from Mr. Rogers and be someone’s neighbor.
Be it your time, money and/or compassion—because all those things are in increasingly short supply. If there was ever a time to scratch that volunteering itch, it’s now.
14 COVER STORY WEEKLY | 12.29.16
1
Help drop the puck on Las Vegas’ nextlevel sports life. Hockey lifer or not, fan of the name Golden Knights or not, getting in on the ground floor of a sports franchise brings a real sense of ownership—exponentially so when it’s your city’s first major league team ever. Grab a warm jacket and get yourself rinkside.
2
Watch Resorts World go up. A spokesman for the Genting Group’s $4 billion megaresort recently told the Las Vegas Sun “mobilization” of Phase 1 construction should start in the first quarter— that means those shiny red and gold towers are finally on the way. This is where the North Strip really gets interesting.
3
Eat Chicago pizza on the Strip. The Stripside hodgepodge known as the Grand Bazaar Shops outside Bally’s now houses the first western location of Giordano’s, one of the original purveyors of Chicago-style deep dish. One bite and you’ll understand.
4
Smoke legal weed. On January 1, everyone 21 and older can legally possess up to 1 ounce of cannabis flower, or an eighth of extract. However, you’ll still need a doctor’s note to buy from local dispensaries, at least for now. Paradox!
5
Catch a show at Park Theater. Missed Stevie Nicks and the Pretenders on opening night? Fret not. The calendar for Las Vegas’ shiniest new music room begins filling up in 2017, with residencies from Bruno Mars, Ricky Martin and Cher, plus unique one-offs like an April performance by celebrated filmmusic composer Hans Zimmer.
6
Food-crawl the Linq Promenade. It already had standouts with Brooklyn Bowl fried chicken and Flour & Barley pizza. Now add in Gordon Ramsay Fish & Chips, Urban Turban Indian grub, Amorino gelato, In-N-Out Burger, barbecue at Virgil’s and sushi burritos at Jaburritos. Up next: legendary LA pastrami at Canter’s.
7
See Tilting the Basin. The Nevada Museum of Art show—scheduled to hit Las Vegas sometime this spring—features the works of dozens of Nevada artists, including JW Caldwell, Katie Lewis and JK Russ.
15 COVER STORY WEEKLY | 12.29.16
8
Make Vesta Coffee Roasters your new office away from the office. And don’t forget to find some me time while you’re there—sip on a macadamia nutand-almond-milk latte while crushing whatever work throws at you.
9
Begin using the Monorail for resort-hopping. Nearly every hotel on the Strip is about to begin charging for parking, and the monorail only costs a buck a trip if you flash a local ID.
10
Eat fried chicken at Chik-fil-A in Las Vegas, only to realize it’s not as good as eating fried chicken at Momofuku in Las Vegas. And you can’t get caviar or ramen at Chik-fil-A.
11
Witness the Monte Carlo’s transformation. Of all the current era’s casino makeovers, who would have guessed the Monte Carlo could become a center of Vegas cool? With the NoMad hotel and restaurant and the shiny new theater as the centerpiece of Park MGM, it’s actually happening.
12
Attend Neon Reverb, Las Vegas’ coolest homegrown music festival, when it returns to Downtown this March. And get a first look at the indie bands that’ll be headlining other local festivals in two years.
13
Compete in a fitness race. There are plenty to check out, including real-life Stairmaster challenge Scale the Strat on February 26, benefitting the American Lung Association; the rugged Spartan Race March 18-19; and the hardcore obstacle-course Tough Mudder October 28-29.
14
Cruise using RTC’s new Bike Share program. Whether you purchase a membership or hop on for a single ride, you’re guaranteed to discover something new—maybe a delicious restaurant or art gallery.
15
Make a point of supporting Downtown’s ambitious theater companies. Cockroach, Majestic Repertory, A Public Fit and others need packed houses, especially as Fremont/Arts District revitalization continues and commercial rents inevitably go up.
16 cover story WEEKLY | 12.29.16
(Photo Illustration by Corlene Byrd/Staff)
ore than half of the entertainment I enjoy is streamed. I don’t have cable TV; instead, I have subscriptions to Hulu Plus, Netflix and HBO Now, and when I like a movie enough to own it, I purchase a digital copy and stream it through Amazon Prime. I don’t take my iPod to the gym; instead, I make mixes in Spotify and Google Play Music, and purchase my MP3s through the iTunes store and Bandcamp. (In fact, the only forms of physical media I still buy are books, magazines and vinyl LPs.) There are dozens of video and music streaming services out there, enough for you to be choosy. Why not begin 2017 by clearing out your bandwidth, literally and figuratively? Video. With an Internet connection, you can get Netflix ($8-$10 monthly, depending on the number of screens you’d like to use simultaneously), Hulu Plus ($8 monthly for one screen, with an optional $4 “no commercials” add-on) and HBO Now ($15 monthly, three simultaneous screens), and see virtually every show your friends are talking about, from Game of Thrones to Stranger Things to Saturday Night Live, without having to flip past the Hallmark Channel each time. And there’s talk that Hulu and
YouTube will begin streaming entire networks live in 2017, including Turner Classic Movies and ESPN. Music. At first blush, all of the major music streaming services—Amazon Music Unlimited, Apple Music, Google Play Music, Spotify and Tidal—look remarkably similar. All of them boast music libraries in the 25-30 million artists range, and all of them have a basic, $10 monthly subscription fee. But look more closely, and the individual touches appear: Spotify and Google also offer podcasts; Amazon, Apple and Google allow you to store your own MP3s on their servers; and Tidal live-streams concerts and offers a lossless audio streaming option (1,411 kilobits per second, versus their competitors’ 320.) I’d recommend Spotify or Tidal. Apple still doesn’t play nicely with non-Apple hardware, Google’s mobile interface is deeply confusing (and you can use its MP3 server storage without a subscription) and Amazon’s service seems almost an afterthought. Just remember: No matter which service you choose, if you like an artist enough to support them, buy their MP3s directly from Bandcamp, or simply get their stuff on vinyl. It sounds better, anyway.
http://www.otakonvegas.com/ fb.com/otakonvegas @otakonvegas
January 13-15th, 2017
Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino Las Vegas, NV
Live-Action Sumo Wrestling Anime • Cosplay • Video Games Guests • Autographs • Panels • Workshops Maid Cafe • Dinner Theater Cosplay Masquerade • Hall Costume Contest Dance / DJs • Formal Ball Dealer’s Room • Artist’s Alley • Photo Suite ... and so much more! Visit our website to register and for hotel discounts. Pre-Register Online and save! $60 / weekend (vs $65/weekend on-site. Single-day tickets available at the door)
Otakon Vegas is brought to you by the people behind Otakon , one of the largest celebrations of Anime and East Asian poplular culture on the east coast. Also join us for Otakon at our new location in Washington, DC! - August 11-13, 2017! - http://www.otakon.com/ ®
RUNNIN’
REBEL
BASKETBALL
CONFER EN C E H OM E OPEN ER
vs. WYOMING
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about us
g r e e n s p u n m e d i a
g r o u p
Publisher Mark De Pooter (mark.depooter@gmgvegas.com) Industry Weekly Editor Brock Radke (brock.radke@gmgvegas.com) Industry Weekly Writer Leslie Ventura (leslie.ventura@gmgvegas.com) Associate Creative Director Liz Brown (liz.brown@gmgvegas.com) Designers Corlene Byrd, Ian Racoma Circulation Director Ron Gannon Art Director of Advertising and Marketing Services Sean Rademacher CEO, Publisher & Editor Brian Greenspun Chief Operating Officer Robert Cauthorn Group Publisher Gordon Prouty Managing Editor Ric Anderson Las Vegas Weekly Editor Spencer Patterson 2275 Corporate Circle, Suite 300 Henderson, NV 89074
lasvegasweekly.com/industry lasvegasweekly.com /lasvegasweekly /lasvegasweekly /lasvegasweekly
on the cover
Photo by Sipa USA/AP Photo Photo illustration
T o
a d v e r t i s e
Call 702-990-2550 or email advertising@gmgvegas.com. For customer service questions, call 702-990-8993.
Bookings: alyson@skamartist.com
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SUMMER ‘17
Casting
JANUARY 8–1O & JANUARY 23 & 24
INSIDE THE JOINT AT HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO LAS VEGAS
HIRING FOR ALL POSITIONS PROMOTIONAL MODELS, MODEL SERVERS, MODEL BARTENDERS, MODEL BAR BACKS, MODEL SERVER ASSISTANTS, MODEL FOOD RUNNERS, VIP HOSTS, PROMOTERS, SECURITY OFFICERS, LIFEGUARDS & CASHIERS All model positions come dressed in swimsuit and sneakers all other positions dress in business casual attire. TO PRE REGISTER EMAIL REHABCASTING@HRHVEGAS.COM
/REHABLV #REHABLV 4455 PARADISE ROAD | LAS VEGAS, NV 89169 800.693.ROCK | HARDROCKHOTEL.COM Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is an equal opportunity employer and drug free workplace
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big this week
SN O OP DOGG
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BRUN O M A RS
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Before heading to San Francisco for his first 2017 show, Kaskade plays his first Omnia gig to kick off NYE Weekend in Vegas.
VA N I T Y
DJ Snoopadelic takes over the Hard Rock Hotel space for the Puff Puff Pass show afterparty.
THE BANK
Las Vegas, put yo’ pinky rings up to the moon. Bruno brings his midas touch to the Bank after his Park Theater concert.
HAKKASAN
Whether or not he’s actually dating resident Vegas performer J. Lo, Drake will be on the Strip for New Year’s Eve.
ST E VE AO K I
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JEWEL
After rocking Jewel Saturday night, Aoki jets off to NYC for a New Year’s Day warehouse party.
KASKADE BY KARL LARSON; DRAKE BY DENISE TRUSCELLO; LUDACRIS BY JOE JANET
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After opening an Atlanta restaurant named after his 2003 album Chicken-n-Beer, expect Ludacris to bring his Southern flavor to the Light’s NYE party.
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Once we enter 2017, a new party begins. Kick off the new year with one of 2016’s hottest EDM names at XS at Encore.
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T Y DO L LA $IG N
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K E NDRICK LAMAR
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THE WEEKND tao
FRE NCH MO NTANA & DJ K H ALE D
J ER MAI NE DUP R I
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G INU W INE , WARRE N G & Y ING YANG T W INS
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egas clubs typically book their New Year’s Eve talent months in advance, but sometimes, earlier is better. DJ Ikon has been a lock for NYE 2017 at the Bank at Bellagio since springtime, and that means a lot for the longtime local club fixture. Lake Tahoe native Aaron White has been spinning and living in Las Vegas since 2004. “I was living in Reno and came down here for the first time for a DJ battle at Tangerine [at Treasure Island],” Ikon says. “I won that and next thing you know they moved me down here to help open Pure.” The rest, as they say, is history. “I knew I wanted
to be in Vegas. There were a few guys like DJ Hollywood and R.O.B. who had already made a career here, and I knew that’s what I wanted to do and what I wanted my life to be. I just fell into it.” Ikon has played just about every room you can think of—some of his all-time faves are Pure, LAX and Wet Republic— and can currently be found at clubs like 1 OAK, Hyde, Intrigue and Heart of Omnia. At one time he was one of the area’s most active house-music producers, but in recent years he has refocused his efforts on touring and other ventures like the documentary he finished this year with the crew from DJ blog Club Killers and his Vegas sneaker
boutique Feature, which expanded its Spring Mountain Road shop this year. Musically, Ikon is riding the surging wave of open format. “My real passion is ’90s hip-hop, and it’s seen this huge resurgence this year,” he says. “People are going back to this golden era when everything that came out was really good and classic, and rediscovering it. I could listen to it all day, every day.” DJ Ikon at the Bank at Bellagio, December 31. –Brock Radke
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ady Gaga has spent lots of time in Las Vegas over the past year. First, she performed (with Tony Bennett) at the Frank Sinatra 100th birthday tribute show at Wynn’s Encore Theater last December. She returned in the spring, to UNLV, with Vice President Joe Biden to raise awareness of sexual assault and perform the Oscar-nominated song “Til It Happens to You.” Now she’s back at Encore Theater, performing an intimate, one-night-only set of favorites, classics
and jazz standards with Brian Newman and his quintet on December 30. Still flying high from this year’s release of her genre-spanning fourth solo studio album, Joanne, Gaga will take one of the world’s biggest stages in February when she performs at the Super Bowl halftime show. Though rumors persist that she could be interested in a Las Vegas Strip residency along the lines of Celine Dion or the more recently announced show from Ricky
Martin, it seems unlikely Lady Gaga is ready to slow down and post up in one place for long. She’s still just getting started. Lady Gaga at Encore Theater at Wynn, December 30.
PHOTOGRAPH BY FRANCOIS MORI/AP PHOTO
supernova
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Hakkasa n F e r gie dj
Photographs by Joe Janet
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f the headlines were correct and a slice of Las Vegas landed in Washington, D.C., earlier this month, it was one tremendous slice. The $1.4 billion MGM National Harbor made its debut with one of the biggest parties of the year on December 8, attended by a group of dignitaries and celebrities including former House Speaker John Boehner; American Gaming Association President Geoff Freeman; former Baltimore Mayor Stephanie RawlingsBlake; artists from the property’s Heritage Collection including Alice Aycock, Margaret Boozer, Chul Hyun
Ahn, Liao Yibai and Katherine Mann; CNN host Wolf Blitzer; then-Miss World Mireia Lalaguna; and actress Sarah Jessica Parker, who fitted guests with footwear from her first standalone shoe boutique, SJP. Michelin-starred chef José Andrés revealed his new seafood concept Fish and offered samples of lobster jambalaya and gin and tonic oysters. Other superstar culinary celebs in attendance to unveil their National Harbor restaurants were Marcus Samuelsson (who also debuts his first in-room dining program for the
resort’s 308 rooms and suites) and Bryan and Michael Voltaggio. Cirque du Soleil, Blue Man Group and the Jabbawockeez took over the resort’s new theater on opening night; Boyz II Men performed the first official concert on December 15.
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architect
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ndrea Frey might be the only person who would describe megaclubs like Hakkasan and Omnia as smaller-scale experiences. That’s because the director of creative production for the Hakkasan Group was accustomed to arena and festivalsized entertainment events before she landed in Las Vegas.
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PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTOPHER DEVARGAS
Frey started working with Angel Music Group in England in 2005, helping to build international events like the Global Gathering festival and Godskitchen productions. “We had tours around the world, and I was always prepping and advancing and traveling,” Frey says. “I was on the road for seven years, and before that I was more of an events manager based in festivals or arena shows. This is very different, because it’s relentless; it goes on every week, four days a week. I had to get used to that.” When she arrived on the Strip to open Hakkasan at MGM Grand—she has also helped key the creation of experiences at Omnia and this year’s Jewel—Frey took some time to adjust to Vegas. “It’s everything that I’m not,” she says. But constant sunshine, active outdoor opportunities and plenty of music eased the transition. “Music is my passion, always has been. My goal in the future is to move away from DJs and get into live music.”
For now, Frey helps create the experience in these venues, working with any artist who performs here. “It may be a small scale in comparison to what I was used to, but that doesn’t mean it’s less work,” she says. “The idea was to make bespoke creative shows for every artist on the roster. I’ve been in the business so long I tend to know a lot of them personally, especially because a lot of our artists are Dutch, and I’m Dutch so that makes it easier. “We welcome involvement, and sometimes it’s a pain in the ass to be quite frank, but sometimes it’s wonderful, because you create support from the get-go. If you do something and the artist is not involved, it can create some disconnect, but if someone is involved from the very beginning, it’s easier to do fine-tuning and tweaking.” –Brock Radke
I N D U S T R Y
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in the moment
j ewel lil jon
dec 17
Photographs by Mike Kirschbaum
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WHY TAKE IT TO THE STRIP,
WHEN YOU CAN TAKE IT TO THE EDGE? Open Tuesday – Saturday 5pm - 10pm HAPPY HOUR | $10 Martinis & Appetizers Tuesday through Friday, 5pm - 7pm
WINO WEDNESDAYS | $7 Wines By The Glass THROWBACK THURSDAYS | $7 Old School Cocktails
3000 Paradise Road, Las Vegas, NV 89109 • 702.732.5277
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L U X U R Y B Y C U R A T E D C O N C E P T T H E
A T R I U M
L A U N C H E S A T
P A L A Z Z O
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he Palazzo and Hudson Group have teamed up to create the new luxury retail concept the Atrium, a 16,000-square-foot multi-vendor destination offering fine jewelry, watches and accessories, beauty products and fragrances, electronics and premier spirits. It’s an unlikely mix of familiar offerings in a dramatic environment, something unique in retail in Las Vegas and perhaps anywhere else. It’s a shopping destination that must be experienced, but here are three fun finds to give you an idea what to expect at the Atrium: Porsche Design 911 Soundbar. The original rear silence and twin
exhaust module from a Porsche 911 GT3 has been converted into a Helmholtz resonance 2.1 virtual surround subwoofer booster, a truly powerful audio experience ready for wireless audio transmission from your tablet or smartphone. Louis XIII Black Pearl 140th Anniversary Edition. The most rare Louis XIII in the world was handmade using oak from France’s Limousin region by four generations of cellar masters. It’s a blend of over 1,200 eaux-de-vie ranging from 40 and 100 years old, packaged in just 775 decanters worldwide.
Christophe Claret Poker Texas Hold ’Em Watch. Because sometimes you need a timepiece with a well-defined, fully functional game of Texas Hold ’Em. Two watchmaker-constructors worked full time for more than two years to create this very Vegasy watch. The Atrium at Palazzo, 702-607-6768; Sunday-Thursday 10 a.m.-11 p.m., Friday & Saturday 10 a.m.-midnight.
PHOTOGRAPH BY JEFF GREEN
outf itted
evolution
K E Y O B S E R V A T I O N S F R O M
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s 2016 draws to a close— the first year Industry Weekly has covered the Las Vegas nightlife landscape—it’s time to look back at key trends that defined the club scene this year …
INTRIGUE PHOTOGRAPH BY BARBARA KRAFT
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The importance of intimacy. Two major new venues arrived in the spring—Intrigue at Wynn, a thorough refreshing of the iconic Tryst space, and Jewel at Aria, a wholesale revision of the former Haze nightclub—and both were designed with striking luxury, superior service opportunities and a more intimate vibe in mind. The monstrous megaclub that has come to define Las Vegas nightlife is well-represented; a more diverse audience is ready for different, unique experiences, and the industry leaders are ready to provide them. A more open format. Music is cyclical, and what’s hot will always be changing, but hip-hop—which never went away, so don’t call it a comeback—surged forward in Las Vegas in 2016, driving the live performance trend from arenas to concert halls to clubs. The reports of EDM’s death have been greatly exaggerated; the pop crossover of established artists like Calvin Harris and Diplo and newer ones like DJ Snake and The Chainsmokers proves the sound isn’t going anywhere. Expect to see more genre-blurring and more playlists and clubs that run the full gamut of dance music.
Press play. Encore Players Lounge debuted last December, a stylized, luxed-up casino party pit where you can watch sports, bet on them and play games that cost money and don’t. Then the new Wynn poker room arrived just steps away from EPL, Surrender and Encore Beach Club, connecting all the dots. This development came after Lavo Casino Club incorporated traditional VIP gaming into the nightclub environment, and during an era when every casual concept— from Downtown’s Gold Spike to the suburban PKWY Tavern to the Strip’s Beer Park and Beerhaus—is using traditional pub or taproom games to bring a bit of interactivity to the mix. And now MGM Grand’s Level Up is here to set a new standard, armed with everything from Giant Pac-Man to a gaming arena. What’ll they think of next? –Brock Radke
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FALLING IN REVERSE, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE & ISSUES
CHEVELLE AN INTIMATE EVENING WITH SANTANA
2.17
ATMOSPHERE
3.23
THE WORSHIP TOUR
2.21
DARK STAR ORCHESTRA
3.31
LOCASH
4.7
BADFISH, A TRIBUTE TO SUBLIME
3.8 – 3.25 BILLY IDOL FOREVER
1.31
POP EVIL WITH BADFLOWER
3.16
JASON ISBELL
4.9
THE DAMNED
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TOM SEGURA
3.19
UFO WITH SAXON
4.15
TIGER ARMY
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or 17 years it has been standing tall along the Las Vegas Strip foodscape, though in the current era of celebrity chefs and ultra-hip concepts, the Eiffel Tower Restaurant tends to get dismissed as a simple tourist favorite. And yet when special occasions roll around—New Year’s Eve, for example—this is the place everyone wishes they would have booked for the big night. It’s quintessential Vegas. The elegant atmosphere and sweeping views of the Strip and Bellagio’s fountains are the obvious reasons to take the trip up the tower, but the classic cuisine of chef Jean Joho is the true
jewel heart of this dining destination. Start with a French favorite, a napoleon of Alaskan king crab and avocado or a cassolette of escargots. Indulge with the trio of Osetra caviar. Vegetarians might be surprised to find the delightful option of baked herb crepes with artichokes and roasted tomato coulis, while omnivores will relish the choice of Muscovy duck breast, Beef Wellington or the Rossini-style filet mignon with foie gras and truffle sauce. The current tasting menu offers eight courses of splendor, from a warm Maine lobster salad with black trumpet mushrooms to venison medallions with huckleberry sauce, capped off with the legendary
Eiffel Tower soufflé, a blissful cloud of sweetness that will linger in your memory until you return. Eiffel Tower Restaurant at Paris Las Vegas, 702-948-6937. Lunch Monday-Friday 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m., brunch Saturday & Sunday 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; dinner SundayThursday 4:30-10:30 p.m. & Friday & Saturday 4:30-11 p.m. –Brock Radke
PHOTOGRAPH BY BIG FRENCH
night bites
NEW YEAR’S EVE
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S A T U R D AY D E C E M B E R 3 1 S T
P R I X F I X E M E N U , M I D N I G H T C H A M PA G N E T O A S T, L I V E D J E N T E R TA I N M E N T LO C AT E D I N S I D E T H E C O S M O P O L I TA N | 3 7 0 8 L A S V E G A S B LV D. S O U T H R E S E R VAT I O N S : 7 0 2 6 9 8 7 9 9 0 ST K H O U S E .CO M
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first sip
G R A P E E X P E C T A T I O N S
A D V E N T U R E A W A I T S W I T H F E R R A R O ’ S I L
C I R C O L O
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as Vegas Italian cuisine institution Ferraro’s and its family patriarch Gino Ferraro have been educating locals and tourists on the beauty of Italian wines for decades. Now, with the launch of the Il Circolo Wine Club, the Paradise Road restaurant takes its oenophilia to a new level. Members will experience a yearlong journey through Ferraro’s acclaimed collection, with a 20 percent discount on all wines purchased in the restaurant throughout 2017. They’ll also receive invites to monthly members-
only mixers. Perhaps the most exciting part of Il Circolo: Members who purchase at least one bottle a month from the club wine list will qualify for a chance to receive one of two trips for two to Tuscany and Piedmont, Italy, an all-expenses-paid, six-day trip with Gino and his wife, Rosalba, serving as guides. Tasting some of the best Italian wines in the world is something Ferraro’s patrons have been doing for years; sipping Barolos and Barbarescos in Piedmont is something else entirely. Considering the Il Circolo annual membership fee is just $100, the pos-
sibility of such an adventure is icing on the cake. And the more you dine and drink at Ferraro’s, the more times you’re entered to win the Italian wine country escape, set for spring 2018. Who knew Las Vegas and Italy could be so close? Ferraro’s, 4480 Paradise Road, 702-364-5300.
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Omnia Je ff Re t r o
Photographs by Aaron Garcia
dec 17
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GHOST BAR
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12/30 PartyNextDoor. 12/31 Lil Jon. 1/4 DJ Karma. 1/7 Blac Chyna. 1/11 DJ Wellman. 1/13 DJ Fashen. 1/14 DJ Gusto. Mirage, Wed, FriSat, 702-693-8300.
12/31 GBDC with DJ Seany Mac & Mark Stylz. 12/31 DJ Vibratto & Mark Stylz. Palms, nightly, 702-942-6832. HAK KASAN
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BANK
12/30 DJ Que. 12/31 Bruno Mars. Bellagio, Thu-Sun, 702-693-8300. CH ATEAU 12/30 DJ Casanova. 12/31 DJ Dre Dae. Paris, Wed, Fri-Sat, 702-776-7770.
HYDE 12/30 DJ Direct. 12/31 NYE Black Tie Masquerade. Bellagio, nightly, 702-693-8700.
DRAI’ S 12/29 G-Eazy. 12/30 Kid Cudi. 12/31 Kendrick Lamar. 1/1 Rae Sremmurd. 1/5 DJ Shift. 1/7 T.I. 1/8 Blueprint Sound & DJ Franzen. 1/12 Ross One. 1/13 DJ Esco. 1/14 Rae Sremmurd. 1/15 DJ Franzen. Cromwell, Tue, Thu-Sun, 702-7773800. EM BASSY 12/30 Conexion Boys. 12/31 Oro Solido. 3355 Procyon St, Thu-Sun, 702-609-6666. FO U NDATIO N
1 /29 Steve Aoki. 12/30 Tiësto. 12/31 Drake. 1/1 Mark Eteson. 1/5 Lil Jon. 1/6 Steve Aoki. 1/7 Kaskade. 1/8 Party Favor. 1/12 Borgeous. 1/13 Fergie DJ. 1/14 Tiësto. 1/15 Mark Eteson. MGM Grand, Wed-Sun, 702-891-3838.
IN T RIGUE 12/29 Marshmello. 12/30 Jesse Marco. 12/31 Chuckie. 1/5 RL Grime. 1/7 Chuckie. 1/13 A-Trak. 1/14 RL Grime. Wynn, Thu-Sat, 702770-7300. JEW EL 12/30 DJ Irie. 12/31 Steve Aoki. 1/2 GTA. 1/6 DJ Irie. 1/7 Jauz. 1/9 FAED. 1/13 LA Leakers. Aria, Mon, Thu-Sat, 702-590-8000.
RO O M L AX
12/30 DJ Mark Mac. 12/31 Find Your Karma NYE Party. 1/6 DJ Excel. 1/7 DJ Crooked. 1/13 Konflikt. 1/14 DJ Baby Yu. Mandalay Bay, nightly, 702-632-7631. F OX TAIL 12/30 Borgore. 12/31 DJ Hollywood. 1/6-1/7 Kid Conrad. 1/13-1/14 DJ Hollywood. SLS, FriSat, 702-761-7621.
12/29 DJ R.O.B. 12/30 Eric Forbes. 12/31 Ginuwine, Ying Yang Twins & Warren G. Luxor, Thu-Sat, 702-262-4529. LIGHT 12/30 Metro Boomin. 12/31 Ludacris. 1/4 Tyga. 1/6 Nas. 1/7 DJ E-Rock. 1/11 Baauer’s Studio B. 1/13 DJ Scene. 1/14 DJ E-Rock. Mandalay Bay, Wed, Fri-Sat, 702-632-4700.
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M AR QU EE 12/30 Benny Benassi. 12/31 Dayclub Dome with Cash Cash. 12/31 The Weeknd. 1/1 Dayclub Dome with Dash Berlin. 1/1 DJ Khaled. 1/2 Dash Berlin. 1/6 Dash Berlin. 1/7 Dayclub Dome with Audien. 1/9 Carnage. 1/14 Dayclub Dome with Vice. 1/15 Dayclub Dome with Thomas Jack. Mon, Fri-Sat, Cosmopolitan, 702-333-9000. OM N I A 12/30 Kaskade. 12/31 Calvin Harris. 1/3 Fergie DJ. 1/5 Fergie DJ. 1/6 Afrojack. 1/7 Zedd. 1/10 Julian Jordan. 1/13 Afrojack. 1/14 Jauz. Caesars Palace, Tue, Thu-Sun, 702-785-6200. RAI N 12/31 Midnight Fire & Rain New Year’s Eve Party. Palms, 702-942-6832. S U R R EN D ER 12/30 Yellow Claw. 12/31 DJ Snake. 1/4 Marshmello. 1/6 Ookay. 1/7 RL Grime. 1/13 Slander. 1/14 Dillon Francis. Encore, Wed, FriSat, 702-770-7300. TAO 12/29 Ty Dolla $ign. 12/30 Jermaine Dupri. 12/31 French Montana & DJ Khaled. 1/5 Ty Dolla $ign. 1/7 French Montana. 1/12 DJ Five. Venetian, Thu-Sat, 702-388-8588. VA N I T Y 12/30 Snoop Dogg. 12/31 Travis Barker. Hard Rock Hotel, 702-693-5505. XS 12/30 Alesso. 12/31 Major Lazer. 1/1 Marshmello. 1/7 Alesso. 1/15 Marshmello. Encore, Fri-Mon, 702-770-0097.
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in the moment
Drai’s DJ franz e n
dec 18 Photographs by Tony Tran
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Book your flight by calling (702) 660.6546 or for more information visit www.cirrusav.com
55 las vegas weekly 12.29.16
Blowin’ in THE WIND In her show Tethered, now showing at Winchester Cultural Center Gallery, Gail Gilbert manages to do what so many songwriters have been threatening to for years: She captures the wind. Her sculptures depict billowing swatches of fabric, caught aloft by nature and frozen in time. This is the first full sculpture show by Gilbert, who also performs in Cirque du Soleil’s KÀ. Tethered will be the wind beneath your wings through January 5. (Photograph by Mikayla Whitmore/Staff)
Arts & entertainment Spots to work off your holiday food baby 1. Trufusion
The Weekly 5
Whether you love yoga, pilates, boxing or bootcamp, this place has it all. 1870 Festival Plaza Drive #200; 8575 S. Eastern Ave.; 4750 Blue Diamond Road #100; trufusion.com.
2. origin climbing & fitness
3. Crossfit max effort
This 22,600 square-foot rock climbing gym provides lots of new weekly routes to traverse, regardless of experience level. 7585 Commercial Way #J, originclimb.com.
Choose from a challenging daily program or group or one-onone training. 3200 W. Sunset Road; 7520 W. Washington Ave. #180; crossfitmaxeffort.com.
4. life time athletic These 24-hour megagyms have everything you need, even indoor tennis courts in Henderson and a rock climbing wall in Summerlin. 121 Carnegie St.; 10721 W. Charleston Blvd., lifetimefitness.com.
5. Henderson MultiGenerational Center Pools Burn calories without hurting your joints by swimming in these heated pools. 250 S. Green Valley Parkway, 702-267-5825. –Rosalie Spear
BEST OMELETTES ON THE PLANET! ™
56 pop culture 12.29.16
Force and faith Carrie Fisher and George Michael shared more than supreme talent his was supposed to be a list of 10 songs that made me cry this year. But that got ditched in favor of paying tribute to George Michael. And just as I was putting the finishing touches on that, 2016 decided it wasn’t horrible and depressing enough, so it took Carrie Fisher, too. Obviously George and Carrie are deserving of their own columns, but this year is an evil, hateful motherf*cker, and these two brilliantly human beings actually had a lot in common, so … Let me count the ways. Both started young and made it big fast. As the daughter of Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher, Carrie had Hollywood blood. She scored her first movie role at 17, opposite Warren Beatty in Shampoo. Then she dropped out of Sarah Lawrence to do a movie called Star Wars. George was only 18 when he signed his first record contract, and he had No. 1 hits on both sides of the Atlantic before his 21st birthday. Both became instant, irrefutable icons. It’s easy to say that when Carrie first tried on Princess Leia’s knobby, cinnamon-bun hairpiece, she couldn’t have possibly predicted she’d be Leia for the rest of her life. And when George slipped on that “Choose Life” T-shirt, he never could have guessed it would make him “the greatest pop star of the MTV Cultural era,” as Maura Johnston anointed him attachment this week in The Guardian. by smith Both wished to be taken a little more galtney seriously. After Return of the Jedi, Fisher turned into a best-selling novelist. After massively successful solo debut Faith, Michael put out an album called Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1 (making mixtape makers the world over shout, “Why didn’t I think of that?!”). He also disappeared from his videos, essentially begging us to view him as an artist, not a pinup. Of course, we could never unsee the cinnamon-bun hair or that “Choose Life” T-shirt, and eventually they both made peace with that. Both had very public slips. Carrie’s history with drugs and mental illness are well-documented. (Google “Annie Leibovitz” and “Carrie Fisher.” See that Rolling Stone cover? The Empire Strikes Back cast is actually holding her up.) George had a series of well-publicized scrapes: arrests for public sex, car crashes, bouts with cannabis and crack, and jail time. Both were unapologetic about it. After accidentally overdosing on prescription medication and sleeping pills, Carrie turned that experience into the autobiographical novel Postcards From the Edge, which she adapted into a great
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movie directed by Mike Nichols and starring Meryl Streep. Months after being arrested in a Beverly Hills restroom, George released “Outside,” an unabashed ode to public sex. In the video, a men’s room morphs into a disco, complete with dancing cops and mirror-ball urinals. George and Carrie weren’t big on shame. Both were heroes who saved lives. Aside from being Princess f*cking Leia, “a damsel who could handle her own distress,” as The New York Times said this week, Carrie’s ongoing work as a memoirist/humorist made her a role model for all misfits, from aged feminists to self-medicating overeaters and every underdog in between. George lived an imperfect life—“deeply, wonderfully, embarrassingly, profoundly human,” as writer Michael Andor Brodeur put it—an experience that mirrored an entire generation of gay men. We’re lucky to have lived our lives alongside theirs.
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Everyone who sees Sting in concert also gets two tickets to the gun show. (AP Photo)
NOISE
WEEKLY | 12.29.16
A sumner’s tale From his days in the Police to new album 57th & 9th , Sting keeps throwing curveballs By Matt Wardlaw uring a tour with Peter Gabriel this past summer, Sting dropped in a hefty excerpt of Genesis classic “Dancing With the Moonlit Knight” at the head of Police favorite “Message in a Bottle.” It was a reminder that Sting—who plays the Chelsea at the Cosmopolitan on New Year’s Eve—has always been a different kind of rock star, a true fan of music and the process of making it. Even way back in 1985, when documentary Bring on the Night chronicled the start of his solo career, he seemed to be enjoying his interactions and collaborations with his new bandmates as much as his role as their bandleader. Sting, of course, spent his formative musical years in The Police. That power trio, which also featured drummer Stewart Copeland and guitarist Andy Summers, built a legend in less than a decade, moving from vans and clubs to planes and stadiums by the time it broke apart after wrapping a two-year tour behind Synchronicity in 1984. Looking back now, it seems obvious Copeland and
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Sting couldn’t coexist forever. They were still getting shots in when The Police catalog was collected for 1993’s Message in a Box. Discussing “Tea in the Sahara,” Sting said, “I think we played it too fast on the album and live,” to which Copeland quipped, “Sting thought everything was too fast.” But whatever tension might have existed seemed to feed into the music in all the right ways. The Police were a fierce live act, barreling through 12 songs in little more than an hour during a 1979 performance in Chicago, which opened and closed with intense takes of “Can’t Stand Losing You.” Sting’s subsequent solo career has given him full freedom to control the tempo, and 1985’s The Dream of the Blue Turtles revealed his love for jazz—in which he has continued to dabble in the years since. It would take a double album’s worth of songs to share everything that he’d been musically pondering for 1987’s ...Nothing Like the Sun. The loss of his father found him digging ever deeper with 1991’s The Soul Cages, and the aftershocks were still pres-
ent on Ten Summoner’s Tales in 1993, although the upbeat mood of many of its tracks suggested Sting had begun to find his way back to the light. Since then, the veteran songwriter has at least kept things interesting. Sometimes the boat drifts a little too far from the dock—general reaction wasn’t favorable when he brought the lute to the forefront on 2006’s Songs From the Labyrinth—but it’s admirable Sting continues seeking out new avenues. Discussing his rock-oriented new album, 57th and 9th, with Rolling Stone (“It’s not a lute album”), he revealed what we have long known to be true. “For me, the most important element in all music is surprise. I’ll keep throwing curveballs,” he said. “It’s my journey; people are welcome to share it with me. I really do what the f*ck I want.”
STING December 31, 9 p.m., $200. The Chelsea, 702-698-7000.
58 NOISE
WEEKLY | 12.29.16
Overlooked in 2016
C R p E
Country Rock PUNK Electronic
exodus of venus
wyatt at the coyote palace
cosmetic
No Further Ahead Than Today
Elizabeth cook AAAaC
kristin hersh aaaac
nots aaabc
Ulrich Schnauss aaaac
On her first full-length album in six years, alt-country singersongwriter Elizabeth Cook sounds fiery and determined, emerging from personal difficulties with her darkest and heaviest music to date. It might lack some of the lighthearted fun of her early material, but June’s Exodus of Venus is more powerful and more musically focused than any of Cook’s past albums, combining rock intensity with Cook’s twangy vocals. On the catchy “Orange Blossom Trail” and “Straightjacket Love” (featuring backing vocals from Patty Loveless), Cook mixes upbeat country with loud rock guitars and stark lyrics. She talks frankly about drug addiction on “Methadone Blues” and failed relationships on “Slow Pain” and “Cutting Diamonds,” all against the backdrop of swampy, bluesy rock. The lyrical darkness is matched by anthemic hooks throughout, especially on songs like “Evacuation” and the standout “Broke Down in London on the M25,” a defiant cry against hardship and adversity. “You can fall to pieces on some other day,” Cook sings on the stellar title track, and the album finds her ready to face anything that life can throw at her. –Josh Bell
As the singer and primary songwriter for Throwing Muses, Kristin Hersh constructed ’90s college-rock touchstones like The Real Ramona and University upon swirling instrumental layers and haunting vocal harmonies. Her latest project, November’s Wyatt at the Coyote Palace, suggests she’s capable of delivering just as much force without quite so much fuss. The double-disc set, which accompanies a hardbound memoirof-sorts, finds its creator unleashing a 24-track barrage that could be mistaken for a late-night demo session, were it not so effectively infectious. Playing every note on every single instrument, Hersh builds around her essential elements: a penetrating voice that staggers between anguished and celebratory, and lyrical pile-ups that range from direct (“We’re gonna die, so what the f*ck/We’re only here through sheer dumb luck”) to murky (“You step outside and hydrogen pops again on the white hot sidewalk”), sometimes within the very same song. Muses fans might yearn for a full-bore, full-band version of these melodically rich tunes, but even scaled-back like this, Wyatt ranks among the most captivating side trips of Hersh’s career. –Spencer Patterson
In collecting circles, Goner Records is renowned for releasing dozens of seminal garage-punk albums by acts like Guitar Wolf, the Oblivians and the late Jay Reatard. Yet one of the label’s most exciting current bands, the Memphis quartet Nots, is far more partial to scabrous postpunk and no wave than anything else. The band’s excellent second album, September’s Cosmetic, features an urgent rhythmic backbone—courtesy of Meredith Lones’ gouging basslines and pummeling drums from Charlotte Watson—and razor-burned melodic edges, thanks to Natalie Hoffmann’s poison-tipped guitars and bratty sneer. Cosmetic’s secret weapon, however, is Alexandra Eastburn’s analog synth anarchy. She adds disorienting textures to the churning, doom-driven title track and a roiling minor-key foundation to “Cold Line,” while on the brisk punk highlight “No Novelty,” her chirping, frayed keyboards provide snarling friction. The record ends with the seven-minute “Entertain Me,” a garage/synth-punk wind tunnel roaring with dissonance and distortion. Nots thrives when challenging the comfortable status quo, which makes Cosmetic an empowering, crucial spin. –Annie Zaleski
There are several excellent reasons why the fifth solo album by Ulrich Schnauss might have escaped your notice: He keeps a low profile, he sometimes goes up to five years between releases and his name is “Ulrich Schnauss.” But this London-based maker of dreamy, shoegaze-infused synth-pop has a singular gift for assembling hypnotic and intensely tuneful compositions from woozy-sounding constituent parts, and November’s No Further Ahead Than Today could win over M83 fans impatient with the latter artist’s hard right turn into schmoopy 1980s nostalgia. Schnauss borrows several rhythmic and melodic motifs in the course of No Further Ahead and returns them enhanced and changed, as if remixing the ideas of certain genres rather than the songs themselves. There’s some Washed Out-like dream-pop flourishes in the head-nodder “Melts Into Air” and the quietly insistent title track. “The Magic in You” adopts the breezy gallop of ’80s synth-pop without slavishly imitating it. All told, the album is a near-perfect introduction to Schnauss’ catalog—both the compelling work that preceded it, and the new solo stuff he’ll drop two to five years from now. –Geoff Carter
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screen Olson (right) and her three brats. (Fox/Courtesy)
59 las vegas weekly 12.29.16
Body of evidence The Autopsy of Jane Doe loses its way
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auntie lame Kaitlin Olson plays a foul-mouthed relative in The Mick By Josh Bell
aitlin Olson has spent 11 seasons (and three spoiled kids. It’s a stock sitcom concept that counting) playing a horrible person on goes back decades, as the immature, selfish adult It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and needs to learn parental responsibility, and the she doesn’t really expand her range with bratty kids come to appreciate their new caregiver. her new Fox sitcom The Mick, created The Chernins shy away from overt lessonby longtime Sunny writer-producers learning and family bonding in the four aaccc Dave and John Chernin. Since it’s on episodes provided for review, but they The mick broadcast TV as opposed to cable, The don’t go for the all-out nastiness of Sunny, Tuesdays, 8:30 p.m., Mick isn’t quite as vulgar and explicit landing The Mick in an awkward middle Fox. as Sunny, and its family-sitcom ground between obnoxious and cuddly. Premieres setup allows for more conventionally Mick is reprehensible except when January 1, 8 p.m. heartwarming moments. But it’s still the story calls for her to be responsible, focused on Olson doing essentially the and the same goes for the three kids. same shtick she’s been doing for years, None of them are charming in their only without her Sunny co-stars to back her up. awfulness, and the show relies on unpleasant Olson plays a degenerate named Mackenzie gross-out gags that lost their shock value when “Mick” Murphy, who spends her time drinking, Sunny was still in its early seasons. It’s hard gambling and taking drugs, and only speaks to her to root for the characters to form a makeshift trophy-wife sister when she needs money. But when family when all of them are such terrible people, that sister and her rich husband end up targeted but their terribleness is compromised by the by the FBI for some sort of financial crimes, they need to make them semi-likable. It’s the worst of flee the country and leave Mick to take care of their both worlds.
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Strong early reviews pointed to The Autopsy of Jane Doe, which was released on VOD last week after its September premiere at the Toronto Film Festival, as a last-minute horror highlight for 2016, but the second feature from Norwegian director André Øvredal (director of the entertaining 2010 foundfootage movie Trollhunter) only sustains its effective horrors for about half its running time. Øvredal manufactures a suitably creepy atmosphere as father-and-son smalltown coroners Tommy and Austin Tilden (Brian Cox and Emile Hirsch) are charged with determining the cause of death of the title character (Olwen Kelly, projecting malice even while motionless on a slab), who was found eerily preserved at a horrific crime scene. Øvredal uses simple horror devices, including flickering lights, creaking doors and shadowy figures in the background, to build a sense of menace and unease as Tommy and Austin start cutting into Jane, discovering more and more inexplicable irregularities in the corpse. Once the movie shifts from looming dread to outright horror, though, it loses most of its elegance, and the more Tommy and Austin learn about what’s happening, the sillier and less scary it comes across. What starts as creepy and unsettling ends with a wink and a groan. –Josh Bell
aabcc The AUTopsy of jane doe Emile Hirsch, Brian Cox, Olwen Kelly. Directed by André Øvredal. Rated R. Available on VOD.
60 las vegas weekly 12.29.16
Special screenings Doctor Who: The Return of Doctor Mysterio 12/29, Doctor Who episode plus bonus features, 7 p.m., $13-$15. Theaters: COL, ORL, SF, SP, ST, VS. Info: fathomevents.com. Princess Mononoke: 20th Anniversary 1/5, 1/9, Japanese animated film plus bonus features, Thu (subtitled) 7 p.m., Mon (dubbed) 7 p.m., $10-$12.50. Theaters: COL, ORL, SF, SP, ST, VS. Info: fathomevents.com. Sci Fi Center Mon, Cinemondays, 8 p.m., free. 12/31, The Neverending Story, 3 p.m., $1. 5077 Arville St., 855-501-4335, thescificenter.com. Tuesday Afternoon at the Bijou Tue, 1 p.m., free. 1/3, Little Caesar. Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road, 702-507-3400.
New this week Vince & Kath & James (Not reviewed) Joshua Garcia, Julia Barretto, Ronnie Alonte. Directed by Theodore Boborol. 114 minutes. Not rated. In Filipino with English subtitles. A college student enlists his cousin to help him woo his crush. Theaters: ORL
Now playing The Accountant aaccc Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick, Jon Bernthal, J.K. Simmons. Directed by Gavin O’Connor. 128 minutes. Rated R. Affleck plays an autistic accountant and combat expert in this ludicrous thriller that grossly mischaracterizes autism. The sometimes solid action is surrounded by increasingly farfetched and clumsily delivered exposition. The movie piles on silly plot twists in service of a story that’s not even particularly interesting. –JB Theaters: TC Allied aaacc Brad Pitt, Marion Cotillard, Jared Harris. Directed by Robert Zemeckis. 124 minutes. Rated R. Zemeckis’ gratifyingly old-school WWII drama stars Pitt and Cotillard as spies who accidentally fall in love while pretending to be married as part of an operation. If nothing else, the film’s elegance makes for a welcome respite from endless CGI pyrotechnics aimed at bored teenagers. –MD Theaters: COL, FH, PAL, SC, VS Almost Christmas (Not reviewed) Kimberly Elise, Omar Epps, Danny Glover. Directed by David E. Talbert. 112 minutes. Rated PG-13. A dysfunctional family gets together for Thanksgiving following the death of the family matriarch. Theaters: TC, TX Arrival aaabc Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker. Directed by Denis Villeneuve. 116 minutes. Rated PG-13. Hard sci-fi that’s easy to enjoy, Arrival stars Adams as a linguist who’s drafted by the U.S. military to help translate an alien language—by “talking” to the bizarre creatures face to face. Here, for the first time in ages, is proof that “thrilling” and “analytical” aren’t mutually exclusive. –MD Theaters: COL, FH, PAL, SC, ST, TS, VS
Animal performers line up for auditions in Sing. (Universal Pictures/Courtesy)
Assassin’s Creed abccc Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Jeremy Irons. Directed by Justin Kurzel. 108 minutes. Rated PG-13. The convoluted plot of this disastrous video-game adaptation involves two organizations fighting to possess an ancient device that controls free will, with both modern-day and historical sequences (each starring Fassbender). The plot is incoherent, the tone is ridiculously self-serious and the dialogue is laughable. –JB Theaters: AL, BS, CAN, CH, COL, DI, FH, GVL, ORL, PAL, RP, RR, SC, SF, SHO, SP, SS, ST, TS, TX, VS Bad Santa 2 aaccc Billy Bob Thornton, Tony Cox, Kathy Bates. Directed by Mark Waters. 92 minutes. Rated R. This belated sequel featuring alcoholic degenerate Willie Soke (Thornton) and his partner in crime Marcus (Cox) once again posing as Santa and his elf in order to pull off a heist captures very little of the wit or surprising likability of the original, instead going right for easy vulgarity and grossness. –JB Theaters: TC Boo! A Madea Halloween (Not reviewed) Tyler Perry, Diamond White, Bella Thorne. Directed by Tyler Perry. 103 minutes. Rated PG-13. Simmons family matriarch Madea spends Halloween watching unruly teenagers. Theaters: TC Collateral Beauty aaccc Will Smith, Edward Norton, Kate Winslet. Directed by David Frankel. 97 minutes. Rated PG-13. Smith plays a grieving ad executive whose business partners essentially con him into thinking he’s gone crazy in this bizarre, pseudouplifting drama. Despite the cruel premise, the movie is full of greeting-card platitudes, expecting the audience to be moved by its manipula-
tive nonsense. –JB Theaters: AL, BS, CAN, CH, COL, FH, GVL, ORL, PAL, RP, RR, SC, SF, SHO, SP, SS, TS, TX Dangal (Not reviewed) Aamir Khan, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Sanya Malhotra. Directed by Nitesh Tiwari. 150 minutes. Not rated. In Hindi with English subtitles. Biopic about Indian wrestling champion Mahavir Singh Phogat and his two daughters, whom he coached to championships of their own. Theaters: ST, VS Doctor Strange aaacc Benedict Cumberbatch, Tilda Swinton, Rachel McAdams. Directed by Scott Derrickson. 115 minutes. Rated PG-13. Marvel’s latest superhero movie follows a familiar template in telling the origin story of mystical hero Doctor Strange (Cumberbatch). While the story isn’t groundbreaking, the characters are engaging, the dialogue is snappy, the performances are lively and the special effects are dazzling, making for some astonishing action set pieces. –JB Theaters: SS, TS, TX The Eagle Huntress aaacc Directed by Otto Bell. 87 minutes. Rated G. In Kazakh with English subtitles. This crowd-pleasing documentary about a 13-year-old Mongolian girl breaking into the all-male world of training eagles for hunting follows such an audiencefriendly, cliché-filled narrative, and is delivered with such slick visuals, that it more resembles an empowering advertisement than a document of real life—even if it’s still entertaining to watch. –JB Theaters: SC Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them aaacc Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler. Directed by David Yates. 133 minutes.
Rated PG-13. This Harry Potter spinoff set in 1926 NYC is an entertaining ride, even if it doesn’t make a case for itself as essential. Wizard Newt Scamander’s quest to recapture his weird, cute and creatively designed beasts is light and fun, but the darker storylines, mostly setting up future installments, are less thrilling. –JB Theaters: AL, COL, DI, FH, RP, RR, SF, SHO, SS, ST, TS, TX, VS Fences aabcc Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Stephen Henderson. Directed by Denzel Washington. 138 minutes. Rated PG-13. Washington’s adaptation of August Wilson’s 1983 Pulitzer Prize-winning play about a working-class African-American family in 1950s Pittsburgh feels entirely stagebound and artificial, with set design and performances that might make sense for live theater, but which come across as stilted and ineffective onscreen. –JB Theaters: AL, CAN, CH, DTS, GVR, ORL, PAL, RP, SF, SP, SS, ST, TS, TX, VS Hacksaw Ridge aaccc Andrew Garfield, Teresa Palmer, Vince Vaughn. Directed by Mel Gibson. 131 minutes. Rated R. The first half of this biopic about nonviolent WWII hero Desmond Doss (Garfield) is an ultracorny small-town family drama and romance, while the second half has excessively violent and gory battlefield action. The movie lays on the sentiment and the blood and guts in equal measure, and both drown out the genuine heroism. –JB Theaters: AL, FH, ST, TS, VS Incarnate (Not reviewed) Aaron Eckhart, Carice van Houten, David Mazouz. Directed by Brad Peyton. 91 minutes. Rated PG-13. An exorcist with psychic powers attempts to save a young boy from a demon.
Short takes Theaters: BS Jackie aaabc Natalie Portman, Billy Crudup, Peter Sarsgaard. Directed by Pablo Larrain. 100 minutes. Rated R. This biopic of former First Lady Jackie Kennedy (Portman) takes place in the days following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The arch style may put off viewers looking for a conventional tribute, but director Larrain offers something more meaningful and lasting, an impressionistic portrait that says more in images than in words. –JB Theaters: COL, DTS, ET, SC, TS Jack Reacher: Never Go Back aaccc Tom Cruise, Cobie Smulders, Danika Yarosh. Directed by Edward Zwick. 118 minutes. Rated PG-13. The sequel to 2012’s Jack Reacher finds the title character (Cruise) determined to clear the name of his longtime military contact (Smulders), who’s been arrested and accused of espionage. He’s also saddled with a spunky teenage sidekick (Yarosh), and the generic plot and mediocre action scenes don’t help. –JB Theaters: TC La La Land aaabc Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, John Legend. Directed by Damien Chazelle. 128 minutes. Rated PG-13. Stone and Gosling are so terrific together, as an aspiring actress and a jazz pianist struggling to realize their respective dreams in cutthroat Los Angeles, that one can sort of forgive this being a throwback musical in which neither lead is a first-rate singer or dancer. –MD Theaters: DTS, GVR, SC, SP, TS Lion aaacc Sunny Pawar, Dev Patel, Nicole Kidman. Directed by Garth Davis. 118 minutes. Rated PG-13. Based on a true story, Lion stars Patel as a young man who was raised in Australia (Kidman plays his mom) after getting hopelessly lost at age 5, but who uses Google Earth in an effort to locate the tiny village in India where he was born. Sluggish at the start, moving by the end. –MD Theaters: GVR, RR, ST, TS, VS Loving aaacc Joel Edgerton, Ruth Negga, Alano Miller. Directed by Jeff Nichols. 123 minutes. Rated PG-13. Nichols’ film dramatizes the events that led to the landmark 1967 Supreme Court decision Loving v. Virginia, which legalized interracial marriage in the U.S. While the film preaches to the converted, there seem to be fewer of the converted than many of us had hoped. –MD Theaters: SC Manchester by the Sea aaaac Casey Affleck, Lucas Hedges, Kyle Chandler. Directed by Kenneth Lonergan. 137 minutes. Rated R. Lonergan’s superb third feature (following the equally terrific You Can Count on Me and Margaret) stars Affleck—now a Best Actor frontrunner—as a janitor with a tragic past who unexpectedly finds himself tasked with caring for his teenage nephew (Hedges). Funny and heartbreaking. –MD Theaters: AL, BS, COL, SC Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children aaccc Asa Butterfield, Ella Purnell, Eva Green. Directed by Tim Burton. 127 minutes. Rated PG-13. Based on a popular series of young-adult novels, Peculiar Children is a tedious mash-up of familiar teenfantasy tropes, starting with the ordinary kid who learns that he’s part of a secret, magical world. Burton displays none of his trademark dark creativ-
ity, and even the special effects are lackluster. –JB Theaters: TC Miss Sloane aaacc Jessica Chastain, Mark Strong, Gugu MbathaRaw. Directed by John Madden. 132 minutes. Rated R. Chastain plays a ruthless but crusading lobbyist in this political drama that attempts, with varying success, to have it both ways. Chastain is fiercely compelling as the title character, but the movie is so focused on blowing the audience’s mind that it eventually loses credibility. –JB Theaters: SC Moana aaacc Voices of Auli’i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Rachel House. Directed by Ron Clements and John Musker. 113 minutes. Rated PG. Influenced by Polynesian mythology, Moana is a pleasant but not particularly distinctive addition to the Disney animated princess canon, with the title character (Cravalho) seeking out a buffoonish demigod (Johnson) in order to save her island home. The animation is lovely, but the songs and the plot are mediocre. –JB Theaters: AL, BS, CAN, CH, COL, DI, FH, ORL, PAL, RP, RR, SC, SF, SP, SS, TS, TX
Directed by Gareth Edwards. 133 minutes. Rated PG-13. This Star Wars prequel/spinoff, set just before the events of the original 1977 movie, struggles between fan-pleasing callbacks and telling its own story, about a group of Rebels stealing the plans to the Death Star. Although the individual elements are uneven, they come together in an entertaining and satisfying way. –JB Theaters: AL, CAN, CH, DI, DTS, ET, FH, GVL, GVR, ORL, PAL, RP, RR, SF, SHO, SP, SS, ST, TS, TX, VS Sing aaccc Voices of Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Scarlett Johansson. Directed by Garth Jennings. 110 minutes. Rated PG. In a city full of anthropomorphic animals, a koala stage impresario (McConaughey) mounts a singing competition to save his failing theater. The story evokes the “let’s put on a show” narratives of classic musicals, but the style is all crass 2016 Hollywood, with a soundtrack full of squeakyclean, soulless versions of pop songs. –JB Theaters: AL, BS, CAN, CH, COL, DI, DTS, FH, GVL, ORL, PAL, RP, RR, SC, SF, SHO, SP, SS, ST, TS, TX, VS
Moonlight aaabc Alex Hibbert, Ashton Sanders, Trevante Rhodes. Directed by Barry Jenkins. 110 minutes. Rated R. Divided into three segments, Moonlight follows the introverted, gay Chiron as a kid, a teenager and a young man, coming to terms with his identity growing up in one of Miami’s poorest African-American neighborhoods. It’s rooted in real details, and each segment (even the slowmoving final third) achieves its own grace. –JB Theaters: COL, SC
Storks aabcc Voices of Andy Samberg, Katie Crown, Anton Starkman. Directed by Nicholas Stoller and Doug Sweetland. 89 minutes. Rated PG. Set in a world where storks magically create and deliver actual babies, Storks gets points for weirdness, but writer and co-director Stoller mostly glosses over it in favor of kid-friendly animal antics. There are some vague lessons about family and togetherness, but the plot is too incoherent to make any of them stick. –JB Theaters: TC
Nocturnal Animals aaabc Jake Gyllenhaal, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon. Directed by Tom Ford. 116 minutes. Rated R. Fashion designer Ford (A Single Man) adapts Austin Wright’s novel Tony and Susan for his second feature, which tells two pointedly related stories. One involves Adams as a rich but lonely art gallery owner; the other is her imagining of a violent novel written by her estranged exhusband (Gyllenhaal). –MD Theaters: COL, FH, PAL, ST, VS
Trolls aabcc Voices of Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Zooey Deschanel. Directed by Mike Mitchell. 92 minutes. Rated PG. This animated adventure based on the tiny, colorful, tall-haired dolls manages to avoid being crass, showcasing some cute characters and amusing situations in the process. It’s mostly forgettable and sloppily plotted, but for kids entertained by bright colors and catchy music, it will be a great time-passer. –JB Theaters: COL, TC
Office Christmas Party aaccc Jason Bateman, T.J. Miller, Olivia Munn, Jennifer Aniston. Directed by Josh Gordon and Will Speck. 105 minutes. Rated R. The employees of a Chicago tech company throw a huge holiday party to land a big client and save their jobs. Naturally, things get out of hand, in a predictable and tiresome fashion. Even the talented cast’s comedic skills aren’t enough to overcome the poorly structured plot and formulaic lessons. –JB Theaters: AL, BS, CAN, DI, ET, FH, GVR, ORL, PAL, RP, RR, SC, SF, SHO, SP, SS, ST, TS, TX, VS
Why Him? aabcc Bryan Cranston, James Franco, Zoey Deutch. Directed by Jon Hamburg. 111 minutes. Rated R. With Why Him? director John Hamburg repeats an old and odious formula, the “uptight square versus aggravating free spirit.” The movie contains the usual bits of forced, stupid humor, and it will be quickly forgotten, but, thanks to stars Cranston and Franco, unexpectedly, the occasional moment of genuine, human humor sometimes slips through. –JMA Theaters: AL, BS, CAN, CH, COL, DI, ET, FH, ORL, PAL, RP, RR, SC, SF, SHO, SP, SS, ST, TS, TX, VS
Passengers aaccc Chris Pratt, Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Sheen. Directed by Morten Tyldum. 116 minutes. Rated PG-13. Pratt and Lawrence are passengers on an interstellar voyage who come out of suspended animation 90 years too early in this muddled sci-fi misfire. Neither the romance nor the action is particularly convincing; the stars have minimal chemistry, and the sci-fi plotting of the climax is rushed and full of holes. –JB Theaters: AL, BS, CAN, CH, DI, ET, FH, GVL, GVR, ORL, PAL, RP, RR, SC, SF, SHO, SP, SS, TS, TX Rogue One: A Star Wars Story aaabc Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn.
JMA Jeffrey M. Anderson; JB Josh Bell; MD Mike D’Angelo
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(PAL) Brenden Theatres at the Palms 4321 W. Flamingo Road, 702-507-4849 (CAN) Galaxy Cannery 2121 E. Craig Road, North Las Vegas, 702-639-9779 (CH) Cinedome Henderson 851 S. Boulder Highway, Henderson, 702-566-1570 (COL) Regal Colonnade 8880 S. Eastern Ave., 844-462-7342 ext. 270 (DI) Las Vegas Drive-In 4150 W. Carey Ave., North Las Vegas, 702-646-3565 (DTS) Regal Downtown Summerlin 2070 Park Center Drive, 844-462-7342 ext. 4063 (ET) Eclipse Theaters 814 S. Third St., 702-816-4300 (FH) Regal Fiesta Henderson 777 W. Lake Mead Parkway, Henderson, 844462-7342 ext. 1772 (GVR) Regal Green Valley Ranch 2300 Paseo Verde Parkway, Henderson, 844-462-7342 ext. 267 (GVL) Galaxy Green Valley Luxury+ 4500 E. Sunset Road, Henderson, 702-442-0244 (ORL) Century Orleans 4500 W. Tropicana Ave., 702-889-1220 (RP) AMC Rainbow Promenade 2321 N. Rainbow Blvd., 888-262-4386 (RR) Regal Red Rock 11011 W. Charleston Blvd., 844-462-7342 ext. 1756 (ST) Century Sam’s Town 5111 Boulder Highway, 702-547-1732 (SF) Century Santa Fe Station 4949 N. Rancho Drive, 702-655-8178 (SHO) United Artists Showcase 3769 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 844-462-7342 ext. 522 (SP) Century South Point 9777 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 702-260-4061 (SC) Century Suncoast 9090 Alta Drive, 702-869-1880 (SS) Regal Sunset Station 1301-A W. Sunset Road, Henderson, 844-462-7342 ext. 268
For complete movie listings, visit lasvegasweekly.com/movie-listings.
(TX) Regal Texas Station 2101 Texas Star Lane, North Las Vegas, 844-462-7342 ext. 271
Theaters
(TS) AMC Town Square 6587 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 702-362-7283
(AL) Regal Aliante 7300 Aliante Parkway, North Las Vegas, 844-462-7342 ext. 4011
(TC) Regency Tropicana Cinemas 3330 E. Tropicana Ave., 702-438-3456
(BS) Regal Boulder Station 4111 Boulder Highway, 844-462-7342 ext. 269
(VS) Regal Village Square 9400 W. Sahara Ave., 844-462-7342 ext. 272
62 STAGE
WEEKLY | 12.29.16
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A father-daughter game of “Airplane” begins the Tony-winning Fun Home. (Photograph by Joan Marcus/Courtesy)
Bechdel success A beloved author’s graphic novel becomes a Tony-winning musical By Jacob Coakley emember the comics that used to live in the back with clear, soaring melodies full of joy and heartache, of alt-weeklies? The black and white islands that and characters that are recognizable, human and all too were 180 degrees opposite from the daily strips, flawed. The main character is Bechdel herself, at three full of real, jagged characters and modern life? stages in her life: as a child at home, living with the confuThey died out with the rise of the Internet, sion and turbulence of family secrets; as a young but some of the artists couldn’t be stopped. woman coming into an understanding of herself FUN HOME January For years, Alison Bechdel’s strip Dykes to Watch at college; and as “present day” Bechdel, narrat3-8, times Out For (which coined the phrase “the Bechdel ing the story of her life. vary, $29Test,” now common shorthand to evaluate the wellFor a show that won five Tony Awards, includ$127. Smith Center’s roundedness of female characters in media) was ing Best Musical, Best Book and Best Score, the Reynolds a fixture in those pages. But when the market for music in Fun Home still seems underappreciHall, 702those strips started dying, Bechdel began expandated—that’s how good it is. Songs range from a 749-2000. ing—she released a graphic novel memoir entitled Jackson 5-esque tune (“Come to the Fun Home”) Fun Home, chronicling the saga of growing up in extolling the virtues of the funeral home (sample a funeral home with her dysfunctional family and lyrics “You know our mourners/So satisfied/ coming to grips with her own sexuality (Bechdel came out They like, they like, they like/Our formaldehyde”) to as a lesbian in college) and that of her closeted father. The “Changing My Major”—a song charged with sex and the book got turned into an Off-Broadway musical, and then a giddy thrill of first love—to the desperate “Telephone Tony-winning Broadway musical and now a touring musiWire,” which neatly captures the tension and fear of cal playing the Smith Center January 3-8. talking about truth after a lifetime of denial. Fun Home Bechdel’s work was always simple but detailed, with a is an exhilarating testament to the power of a musical controlled line and defined, realistic (if offbeat) characto tell stories—stories that are jagged, clear, and more ters. The musical, adapted by Jeanine Tesori (music) and real than what you normally get in a musical, just like Lisa Kron (book and lyrics) works in a similar register, Bechdel’s original comic.
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WEEKLY | 12.29.16
VEGAS’ MOST FUN CASINO
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The Patriots are heavy favorites to make the Super Bowl as the regular season wraps up. (Elise Amendola/AP Photo)
Which Super Bowl pairings would generate the biggest betting buzz? By Case Keefer
any NFL bettors have gotten the best of sports books this season—the house’s profit margins have declined, along with the overall handle. But gamblers have more work to do to send books into the offseason on a down note. With the money it commands on an annual basis, the Super Bowl could pull casinos up. Bettors have wagered a record sum on the Super Bowl in three of the past four years, according to the Nevada Gaming Control Board, including the $132.5 million gambled on 2016’s Super Bowl 50. With 10 of 12 playoff spots clinched heading into the regular season’s final week, it’s time to start thinking about likely championship matchups. Odds on potential Super Bowl pairings aren’t available locally, but these are the most probable matchups according to offshore sports books. Dallas Cowboys vs. New England Patriots (plus-225) This clash of prohibitive favorites could mean record-breaking volume, since both teams have national fan bases that would surely show up in droves. Dallas and New England have been the NFL’s two best teams all season, so action on the game would probably be split somewhat evenly. Atlanta Falcons vs. New England Patriots (plus-675) The Falcons’ inclusion would probably limit betting volume, as their fan base isn’t very entrenched in Nevada. This one could also be feast or famine for sports books, since the majority of bettors would be all over the Patriots on the point
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spread, with those who like the Falcons probably betting on them to win outright, leaving bookmakers rooting for the favorite to win but not cover. Seattle Seahawks vs. New England Patriots (plus-700) When the Patriots and Seahawks played in Super Bowl 49, the game stimulated nearly $116 million in wagers, just short of an all-time record. The Patriots dominated the action, and most money would likely come in on New England again. Green Bay Packers vs. New England Patriots (plus-900) Gamblers who bet on the quarterback they trust the most would have quite the dilemma choosing between Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers, two players who have delivered for bettors more than anyone else over the past decade. There’s no doubt Packers-Patriots would mean big betting business. Dallas Cowboys vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (plus-950) The Steelers’ 2006 Super Bowl 40 victory over the Seahawks stood as the most bet-on game for seven years. Pittsburgh’s fan base can match the Cowboys’, Patriots’ and Packers’, so this is probably the second-most desirable matchup for casinos behind Patriots vs. Cowboys. Dallas Cowboys vs. Kansas City Chiefs (plus-1150) The Chiefs are the only team near the top of the odds that hasn’t played in the Super Bowl in more than 20 years, but it’s unlikely the novelty would equal excitement locally. The Cowboys would hog the action, and even proposition wagers would be cut down with the solid but unspectacular Chiefs.
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MORIMOTO
LAS VEGAS WEEKLY
MGM Grand, 702-891-1111. Daily, 5-10 p.m.
12.29.16
MORIMOTO AT LAST THE CELEBRATED JAPANESE CHEF’S CUISINE FINALLY LANDS AT MGM GRAND BY JIM BEGLEY or about three years now, chef Masaharu Morimoto has flirted with Las Vegas. Having originally considered a takeover of Japonais at Mirage, he became the latest celebrity chef to land on the Strip this year with the opening of his eponymous restaurant in the former Shibuya space at MGM Grand, and in this venue he’s serving exactly the type of ornate dishes you’d expect of a high-end Strip restaurant. Begin with the toro tartare ($31), simply a gorgeous dish. Buttery Kindai bluefin tuna, adorned with white sturgeon caviar, is proudly displayed as if expensive jewelry; in another flat box, a sextet of accoutrements awaits (including a sharp nori tsukudani) with a dashi-infused soy by its side. Eaten from miniature, metal spatulas, they’re like a Choose Your Own Adventure—you add toppings in combinations to your liking. Equally appealing is the oyster foie gras ($24), a trio of raw oysters topped with uni, foie and teriyaki sauce. It tastes as good as it looks, delivering bitesized umami bombs. Yellowtail “pastrami” ($24) is a treat, lightly smoked tableside and finished with togarashi, gin crème fraiche and grapeseed oil, while Wagyu beef carpaccio ($26) highlights the hearty meat with yuzu soy and sweet garlic. Less successful is the tuna pizza ($23), a Morimoto signature dish that just seems dated, even if its anchovy aioli makes for an interesting touch. The unique aspect of Morimoto Vegas? It’s his first restaurant with teppan grills. This is no Benihana, with nary a flaming onion volcano in sight, but instead an engrossing, theatrical experience honoring the traditional flattop-grill cooking method. Steaks rule the day, while the bouillabaisse in fata paper ($38) delivers a complex broth rife with seafood. Be aware: You can order anything on the menu from the teppan seats but not vice versa from regular tables. With all the outstanding Japanese cuisine in our Valley, locals might not opt to navigate the Strip— and MGM’s new locals’ parking fees—to seek out Morimoto’s newest venture. But diners who do will be reminded why the Iron Chef maintains such a loyal following.
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(Photo by Peter Harasty/File)
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FOOD & DRINK
LAS VEGAS WEEKLY 12.29.16
STARDUST ROYAL
INGREDIENTS 1/2 oz. Lejay Crème de Cassis Liqueur 1/2 oz. Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur (Photo by Mikala Whitmore/Staff)
Top with Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut Dress the Drink Gold Dried Starfruit for garnish
PIZZA UNIVERSE
SYLVAIN BAKERY ZEROES IN ON CUBAN-STYLE PIZZA
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I consider myself a connoisseur of pizza. cheese will warm you and this dish right up. That doesn’t mean I’m a pizza snob, though The pizzas come in two sizes—individual and my North Jersey roots sometimes large—and range in price from $5 to $14. CUBAN dictate otherwise. It basically means I want to They’re baked in tin pans with higher than know and taste all things pizza. normal edges, which gives the crust volume SYLVAIN I’ve learned in my latest studies just how and crunch. The edges are lubricated with BAKERY 2510 E. many pizza cultures there are around the butter or oil so that the crispy, cheesy crust Tropicana world. And while I believe I’ve tried most feels like a secondary component. This style, Ave., versions, I hadn’t considered Cuban pizza— native to Detroit in the U.S., is currently 702-4333230. until my visit to Cuban Sylvain Bakery. The making waves as the Motor City experiences Mondaytiny storefront, near a tire shop on East something of a pizza renaissance. The cheese, Saturday, Tropicana, is so tucked away, first-time cooked to the edge of burning in a good way, 9:30 a.m.8:30 p.m. visitors should receive prizes for finding it. matches well with the sauce, somewhere Though the pizza was the main draw, I’m also between a traditional tomato sauce and a a big fan of the spaghetti. Served in Styrofoam sofrito, an olive oil- and veggie-based sauce bowls, it comes with your choice of ham, shrimp, found in Spanish cultures throughout the world. chorizo or cheese as a topping. The cheese version Sylvain might be tough to find, but its soulful food ($5.50) is buttery, and the spiced-up tomato sauce and is easy to remember. –Jason Harris
METHOD Build drink in a coupe glass. Garnish and serve. Optional: Prior to adding ingredients, spray the inside of the coupe glass with Chefmaster Edible Gold Spray for an added gold effect.
What better way to welcome the New Year than with a golden, decadent Champagne cocktail in hand? Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut is a delicate, dry champagne that pairs well with light hors d’oeuvres, making it ideal for just about any NYE party. When combined with the sweet blackcurrant liqueur and the spicy ginger liqueur, it’s a cocktail worthy of toasting the end of 2016, and ringing in 2017 on a bubbly, joyful note.
Cocktail created by Francesco Lafranconi, Executive Director of Mixology and Spirits Education at Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits.
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Live Music THe Strip & Nearby Brooklyn Bowl Citizen Cope 12/29, 8:30 pm, $35$68. Smells Like Nirvana 12/30, 8:30 pm, free. George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, The Lique 12/31, 8 pm, $48-$99. The Expendables, Hirie, Tribal Theory 1/6, 7 pm, $18-$20. Lovedrive 1/7, 8 pm, free. The Fab 1/14, 8 pm, free. Phil Lesh and Friends ft. Chris Robinson, Neal Casal, Tony Leone & more 1/20-1/21, 6:30 pm, $70-$200. Phil Lesh & The Terrapin Family Band 1/22, noon, $35. Dirkschneider 1/24, 7 pm, $25-$65. August Burns Red, Protest the Hero, In Hearts Wake, ’68 1/26, 6 pm, $23-$459. Juicy J, Belly 1/27, 7:30 pm, $30-$115. Ace Frehley, Enuff Z’nuff 2/2, 7 pm, $35-$60. Adam Ant 2/10, 8 pm, $30-$130. Galactic, The Bright Light Social House 2/14, 7 pm, $22-$25. Alter Bridge 2/16, 6:30 pm, $28-$60. Ween 2/17-2/19, 6 pm, $55$180. The Infamous Stringdusters, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades 2/20, 7 pm, $23-$35. Circa Survive, MewithoutYou, Turnover 2/25, 6:30 pm, $23-$30. Travelin’ McCourys, Jeff Austin Band 2/27, 7 pm, $25-$30. Railroad Earth 2/28, 7 pm, $20-$25. Gov’t Mule, The Record Company 3/4, 8 pm, $33-$35. William Singe, Alex Aiono 3/5, 7:30 pm, $25-$125. Tchami, Mercer 3/9, 7 pm, $22. Tribal Seeds, Raging Fyah 3/12, 7:30 pm, $33-$50. Umphrey’s McGee, Spafford 3/17, 6:30 pm, $33-$50. Linq, 702-862-2695. Caesars Palace (Colosseum) Elton John 12/29, 12/31, 1/1, 2/7-2/8, 2/10-2/11, 2/14-2/15, 2/17-2/19, 7:30 pm, $55-$500. Van Morrison 1/13-1/14, 8 pm, $57-$257. Celine Dion 1/17-1/18, 1/20-1/21, 1/24-1/25, 1/27-1/28, 1/31, 2/1, 2/3-2/4, 7:30 pm, $55$500. Reba, Brooks & Dunn 2/22, 2/24-2/25, 3/1, 3/3-3/4, 7:30 pm, $60-$205. 702-731-7333. Cosmopolitan (Chelsea) The Weeknd 12/30, 9 pm, $214-$280. Sting 12/31, 9 pm, $200$650. Dierks Bentley 3/3-3/4, 7 pm, $49-$109. Flogging Molly 3/16, 9 pm, $40. Death Cab for Cutie 3/17, 8 pm, $25-$55. Maluma 3/24, 8 pm, $47-$100. Bastille 4/14, 7 pm, $25-$40. (Clique) Clique Unplugged Thu, 9 pm, free. 702-698-7000. Cromwell (Drai’s) Kid Cudi 12/30, 10 pm, $60$100. Kendrick Lamar 12/31, 10 pm, $175-$250. 702-605-4000. Double Down The Psyatics, Thee Swank Bastards, The Pluralses, Three Rounds, Jerk! 12/30. Johnny Zig & The Highlighters 12/31, 10 pm; 1/1, 9 pm. Franks & Deans’ Weenie Roast 1/4. TV Party Tonight w/Atomic Fish 1/12, 9 pm. 40 Oz. Folklore, Jerk!, Agent 86, Off the Wall, CXA 1/13. Los Brigands, The Capsouls, Some Kind of Nightmare, 3rd Rate 1/14. Gold Top Bob & The Goldtoppers 1/18. Rex Dart & The Bargain DJ Collective Mon, 10 pm. Unique Massive Tue, midnight. Shows 10 pm, free unless noted. 640 Paradise Road, 702-791-5775. Flamingo (Showroom) Keith Sweat, Aries Spears 1/17-1/21, 1/24-1/28, 1/31, 2/1-2/4, 7:30 pm, $59$225. 702-733-3333. Hard Rock Hotel (The Joint) Snoop Dogg, Bone Thugs N Harmony, DJ Quik, Warren G, Too Short, Tha Dogg Pound 12/30, 7 pm, $44-$255. RVLTN Three-Year Anniversary ft. Oliver Heldens, Excision, The Paradox 1/13-1/14, 8 pm, $45-$80. Vanilla Ice, Mark McGrath, Naughty by Nature, All-4-One, Tone Loc, Young MC 2/3, 8 pm, $45-$200. Iration, The Green, Protoje, Zach Deputy 2/10, 8 pm, $40-$125. R. Kelly 2/17, 9 pm, $50-$250. AFI, Nothing, Souvenirs 2/18, 8 pm, $28-$128. Better Than Ezra 2/25, 7 pm, $45-$150. (Vinyl) Otherwise, Nations, American Monster 12/30, 9 pm, $15-$25. Sage the Gemini, SOB X RBE, Derek Pope 1/28, 9 pm,
George Clinton brings P-Funk to Brooklyn Bowl for New Year’s Eve. (Courtesy)
$22-$45. Carnifex, Fallujah, Rings of Saturn, Lorna Shore, She Must Burn 2/1, 7 pm, $18-$30. Max & Iggor Cavalera, Immolation, Full of Hell 2/9, 7 pm, $25-$45. Dumbfoundead, Year of the Ox 2/11, 8 pm, $15-$25. The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, White Hills, Electric Citizen 2/16, 7 pm, $25-$30. Amaranthe Maximalism, Failure Anthem, Citizen Zero, Cypher 16, Smash into Pieces 2/18, 7 pm, $22-$39. 702-693-5000. Hard Rock Live Crown Avenue 12/29, 1/1, 9 pm, free. Groove Martini, DJ Silla the Thrilla 12/31, 9 pm, $175. Frank Sidoris’ Royal Electric 1/13, 9 pm, free. All That Remains 2/16, 7 pm, $15. Datsik, Crizzly, Virtual Riot 2/23, 8 pm, $25-$30. Hard Rock Cafe (Strip), 702-733-7625. House of Blues Spazmatics, Karma 1/7, 7 pm, $10. Joe Walsh 1/11, 1/13-1/14, 1/18, 1/20-1/21, 7 pm, $100-$436. Kane Brown, Jordan Rager 1/12, 7 pm, $13-$102. Falling in Reverse, Issues, Motionless in White, Dangerkids, Dead Girls Academy 1/15, 5 pm, $28. Chevelle, Black Map, Dinosaur Pile-Up 1/22, 7 pm, $30. Carlos Santana 1/25, 1/27-1/29, 2/1-2/4, 7 pm, $90-$350. Pop Evil, Red Sun Rising, Badflower 1/31, 7 pm, $20-$25. Mandalay Bay, 702-632-7600. Mandalay Bay (Events Center) Maroon 5, PJ Morton 12/30-12/31, 8 pm, $100-$250. Twenty One Pilots 2/18, 7 pm, $40-$50. 702-632-7777. MGM Grand (Garden Arena) Luke Bryan 12/30, 8 pm, $75-$165. Ariana Grande, Little Mix, Victoria Monet 2/4, 7:30 pm, $30-$200. 702-891-1111. Mirage (The Still) Rein Garcia 12/31, 7 pm, $95. 702-791-7111.
Monte Carlo (Park Theater) Bruno Mars 12/3012/31, 9 pm, $161-$505. Band of Brothers 1/29, 8 pm, $71-$173. 844-600-7275. Orleans (Showroom) Big Bad Voodoo Daddy 12/29-12/30, 8 pm, $20-$40. Burton Cummings 1/11-1/12, 9 pm, $40-$60. Randy Bachman 1/131/14, 9 pm, $40-$60. One Night With the King 1/28-1/29, 8 pm, $19-$40. Marilyn McCoo, Billy Davis, Jr. 2/11-2/12, 8 pm, $35-$55. 702-284-7777. Palms (Lounge) DJ Josh Bliss, EVO 12/31, 8 pm, free. (The Pearl) Rick Astley 1/21, 8 pm, $31-$77. Bonnie Raitt 2/17, 8 pm, $47-$88. Frankie Valli 2/18, 8 pm, $46-$138. 702-944-3200. Planet Hollywood (Axis) Lionel Richie 12/29-12/30, 8 pm, $59-$249. Wu-Tang Clan 12/31, 9 pm, $69$149. Britney Spears 1/11, 1/13-1/14, 1/18, 1/20-1/21, 1/25, 1/27-1/28, 2/1, 2/3-2/4, 9 pm, $69-$500. 702777-2782. Rí Rá The Black Donnellys 12/31, 4 pm & 8:45 pm, free. Mandalay Bay, 702-632-7771. SLS (The Foundry) Cheap Trick 12/31, 8 pm, $60. (Sayers Club) O Wildly 12/30, 10 pm, free. 702761-7617. Stoney’s Rockin’ Carter Winter 12/31, 9 pm, $25$35. Dylan Scott 1/6, 10 pm, $5-$10. Steve Dorian 1/13, 9 pm, $5-$10. Jackson Michelson 1/27, 9 pm, $5-$10. Russell Dickerson 2/10, 9 pm, $10$15. Town Square, 702-435-2855. T-Mobile Arena Calibash ft. Ricky Martin, Don Omar, Wisin, CNCO, Zion y Lenox, Osmani Garcia & more 1/26, 8 pm, $69-$305. George Strait 2/17-2/18, 8 pm, $75-$200. Bon Jovi 2/25, 7:30 pm, $20-$553. 702-692-1600.
Topgolf The Police Experience 12/29, 9 pm, free. The Young Dubliners 12/30, 8 pm, free. One Drop Redemption 2/3, 8 pm, free. 4627 Koval Lane, 702-933-8458. Treasure Island (Gilley’s) Scotty Alexander 12/31, 9 pm, $120. Voodoo Cowboys 1/4, 1/11, 9 pm. Christian Simmons 1/5, 1/18, 9 pm. Kelly Rae 1/61/7, 10 pm. New Frontier 1/13-1/14, 10 pm. Scotty Alexander 1/19, 9 pm; 1/20-1/21, 10 pm. Easy 8’s 1/25, 9 pm. Rob Staley 1/26, 9 pm; 1/27-1/28, 10 pm. Shows $10-$20 unless noted. 702-894-7722. Venetian (Venetian Theatre) Styx, Don Felder 1/6, 1/7, 1/11, 1/13, 1/14, 8 pm, $55-$179. 702-414-9000. Westgate (Westgate Cabaret) Cameo Thu-Sun (dark 12/29-12/30), 7 pm, $69-$99. 702-732-5111. Wynn (Encore Theater) Lady Gaga 12/30, 9 pm, $1,000-$1,500. 702-770-7000.
Downtown Backstage Bar & Billiards Loud N’ Killer, Miguel Ortiz, Blizzard, Razor Savvy, Kung Pow, Brian Campbell 12/30, 10 pm, $5. XEB 12/31, 8 pm, $25-$125. Gonzo, DJ Shams, Louie Castle, Lady Reiko 1/6, 9 pm, $10-$12. Voodoo Glow Skulls, Buck-O-Nine, The Porkers, Guilty by Association, Light em Up 1/7, 8 pm, $16-$20. The Aggrolites 1/14, 8 pm, $15-$20. Driven, Bag of Humans 1/18, 8 pm. The Sonics 1/20, 8 pm, $15$20. The Curse 1/28, 8 pm, $10-$15. Beastie Boys Tribute ft. No Red Alice, Cash Patrick Colligan, Red Akobella, Charlie Madness, Demi Vie, For the Fight 2/10, 8 pm, $5. Save Ferris, Vista Kicks
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2/11, 8 pm, $20. Authority Zero, Hey Smith 2/17, 7 pm, $12-$15. 601 E. Fremont St., 702-382-2227. Beauty Bar Skyler Lutes 12/29, 8 pm, free. The Beatnuts, Big Pooh 1/22, 8 pm, $15. Dorothy, The Georgia Flood 1/27, 8 pm, $13. Go Betty Go, The Roxy Gunn Project, Pet Tigers 1/28, 8 pm, free. Chris Lorenzo, Boogie Snacks, Ben Diesel, Gardner, Gabriel Blu 1/31, 9 pm, $10-$12. Down by Law, Guilty by Association, Battle Born 2/1, 8 pm, $10-$12. Bleep Bloop, Grom Zuks, Byra Tanks, Lion Eyes B2B Plain James 2/7, 9 pm, $10. JT Woodruff, In Her Own Words, Woven in Hiatus, Hazing 2/9, 8 pm, $10. Nots 2/19, 8 pm, free. The Bombpops, Western Settings, Caskitt 2/24, 8 pm, free. Darkest Hour, Ringworm, Rotten Sound, Rivers of Nihil 3/2, 8 pm, $18-$20. Turkuaz 3/3, 8 pm, $10. A Wilhelm Scream, Runaway Kids 3/19, 8 pm, $12$15. Meat Puppets 3/24, 8 pm, $15. Nikki Lane, Robert Ellis, Jonathan Tyler 3/25, 8 pm, $15. 517 Fremont St., 702-598-3757. Bunkhouse Saloon Iconoclast 12/30, 9 pm, free. Dark Black, Hidden Levels, When We Escape, DJ Fish, Johnny Rox 12/31, 9 pm, free. Eleven Thousand, Special-K 1/5, 9 pm, $5. We Are Pancakes, Maxwell Fresh & Jay R Beatbox, Silverscape, HaleAmanO, Jessica Manalo, Lady Reiko 1/7, 7 pm, $10. Kastle, Crykit, Mayneframe, SoManyFeels, Lion Eyes, Plain James 1/11, 9 pm, $6-$8. Cold Cave, Drab Majesty 1/12, 8 pm, $15. Mike Xavier 1/14, 9 pm, $10-$15. Rooney, Rabid Young, The Solarists 1/19, 8:30 pm, $12-$15. Retox, Headwinds, Illicitor 1/21, 9 pm, $10-$12. 124 S. 11th St., 702-854-1414. Downtown Grand (Freedom Beat) Patrick Sieben 12/29, 6 pm. Scot Little Bihlman 12/3012/31, 6 pm; 1/17, 1/20, 8 pm. S.E. South 1/1, 8 pm. Hector Esparza 1/3, 1/12, 8 pm. Wise 1/4, 1/11, 8 pm. Ilona 1/5-1/8, 8 pm. Patrick Genovese 1/10, 8 pm. Keith Wren 1/13, 1/19, 8 pm. Cory Edward Brown 1/15, 8 pm. Peter Love 1/18, 8 pm. Shows free. 206 N. 3rd St., 702-953-4343. Downtown Las Vegas Events Center DJ Pauly D 12/30, 8 pm, $20-$350. Billy Kenny, Bixel Boys, Justin Jay, Flash.Gang, Justin Baule 1/6, 8 pm, $18-$321. Ekali, Sleepy Tom, LZF, TSiMZ 1/13, 8 pm, $18-$321. Shiba San, Will Clarke, Space Byrdz, 530 1/20, 8 pm, $18-$321. 200 S. 3rd St., 800-745-3000. Gold Spike DJ Wizdumb, DJ Impakt, Avalon Landing 12/31, 8 pm, $10-$70. 217 Las Vegas Blvd. N., 702-476-1082. Golden Nugget (Gordie Brown Showroom) Morris Day and The Time 12/30, $32-$119. John Waite 1/6, $21-$119. Blood, Sweat & Tears 1/13, $32-$162. Micky Dolenz 1/20, $21-$108. Felix Cavaliere’s Rascals 1/27, $32-$162. Tommy James & The Shondells 2/3, $43-$162. Blue Oyster Cult 2/10, $43-$162. David Cassidy 2/17, $32-$228. Jefferson Starship 2/24, $21-$119. BJ Thomas 3/3, $21-$119. The Marshall Tucker Band 3/10, $32-$108. Eddie Money 3/17, $43$162. Taylor Dayne 3/24, $21-$162. Shows 8 pm. 866-946-5336. Hard Hat Lounge Folk Hogan, The Rifleman 1/26, 9 pm, free. 1675 Industrial Road, 702-384-8987. Ron Decar’s Event Center Ron Decar’s Swingin’ New Year’s Eve 12/31, 7 pm, $125-$380. Jimmy Hopper 1/27, 7 pm, $27-$42. 1201 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 702-384-0771. Smith Center (Reynolds Hall) Cabrera Conducts Beethoven & Mozart 1/14, 7:30 pm, $30-$109. Cabrera Conducts Dvořák 2/4, 7:30 pm, $30$109. Burt Bacharach 2/10, 7:30 pm, $29-$125. (Cabaret Jazz) Trina Johnson Finn 1/7, 7 pm, $25-$35. Lon Bronson Band 1/13, 8 pm, $15-$35. Niki Scalera 1/14, 7 pm; 1/22, 2:30 pm, $21-$41. Tommy Ward 1/15, 2 pm, $25. The Composer’s Showcase of Las Vegas 1/18, 3/1, 10:30 pm, $20$25. George Winston 1/20-1/21, 7 pm, $35-$59. Storm Large 1/27-1/28, 7 pm, $39-$59. Bruce
Harper Big Band, Elisa Fiorillo 2/6, 7 pm, $20$35. Santino Fontana and Trio 2/10-2/11, 7 pm, $39-$59. (Troesh Studio Theater) Las Vegas Philharmonic Spotlight Series 2/16, 7:30 pm, $70-$195. 702-749-2000. World Market Center XO: Love.Live.Las Vegas 2/10, 7 pm, $25. 475 S. Grand Central Parkway #1615, 702-599-9621.
Everywhere Else Adrenaline Sports Bar & Grill Driven, Mynas, Midnight Clover 12/31, 8 pm, free. Joni’s Agenda, William Neal 1/7, 8 pm, free. Vatican Falling, Mynas, Asylum of Ashes 1/27, 7 pm, free. Bipolar, DiM, Levitron, Quor 1/28, 8 pm, $5. Metalachi, Bipolar, Within the Cochlea, Dr. Phobic 2/18, 8 pm, $12-$15. 3103 N. Rancho Drive, 702-645-4139. Aliante Casino (Access Showroom) Tyriq, Jamestown 12/31, 9 pm, $22-$60. Timothy B. Schmit 1/28, 8 pm, $30-$50. 702-692-7777. Bonnie Springs Ranch Joe Foresman 12/31, 7 pm, free. 1 Gunfighter Lane, 702-875-4191. Bootlegger Bistro Joni Janak 1/8, 2-4 pm, $15. 7700 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 702-736-4939. Boulder Dam Brewing Lisa Mac CD Release Party 12/30. Great Jones Band 12/31. Cygne 1/6. S.E. South 1/7. Rick Berthod 1/13. Toney Rocks 1/14. West Coast Travelers 1/20. Out of the Desert 1/21. Full Flight 1/27. Sunset Ridge 1/28. Shows 8 pm, free. 453 Nevada Way, Boulder City, 702-243-2739. CasaBlanca Resort & Casino Elvis Live from Vegas ft. Tyler James 12/30, 7:30 pm, $15-$25. 897 W. Mesquite Blvd., 877-438-2929. Count’s Vamp’d Sin City Sinners All-Stars, Sin City Rejects 12/29, 9:30 pm, free. LA Guns, Bakers Dozen 12/30, 9 pm, $10-$15. Count’s 77, Electric Dynamite 12/31, 9 pm, free. Burn Unit, U2LV 1/5, 8:30 pm, free. 6750 W. Sahara Ave., 702-220-8849. Dispensary Lounge Dispensary Lounge A Jazz New Year’s 12/30, 9 pm. Naomi Mauro 1/7, 10 pm. Julian Tanaka 1/11, 9 pm. Joe Darro 1/18, 8 pm. Scott Henderson 1/25, 9 pm. Shows free. 2451 E. Tropicana Ave., 702-458-6343. Dive Bar Green Jello, Cirka:Sik, Time Crashers 12/30, 9 pm, $5. Sheiks of Neptune 12/31, 9 pm. MDC, Radio Silence, Life’s Torment, Child Endangerment 1/4, 9 pm, $12. NE Last Words, For the Fight, Astoria, Sicc of Windy City Music, Bom Green, Clay Curry 1/7, 8 pm, free. Born Rivals, Ash Williams, Lawn Mower Death Riders, Alex and his Meal Ticket, Rayner 1/13, 10 pm, $5. Mechanical Manson 1/14, 9 pm, $6-$8. Silver Snakes, Aeges, The Black Moods 1/18, 8 pm, $10. Mindwars, Mynas, Vile Child 1/21, 9 pm, $5. Mobile Deathcamp, Willie Psycho’s Cirkus of Mayhem, Final Drive 1/22, 8 pm, $10. Malice, Cage, Honor Amongst Thieves 1/25, 8 pm, $5. DJ Clay from Insane Clown Posse, Willie Psycho, Fisty Cuffs, Sly, 614 Villainz, Critical Ways, Upchuck, D.U.M. & more 1/27, 8 pm, $5. Powerman 5000, EMDF, Darkest Day, Astoria, Pandorum 1/28, 8 pm, $15-$17. Hed PE, Motograter, NE Last Words, For the Fight, Andrew Boss, Quantum 2/3, 8 pm, $15-$17. 4110 S. Maryland Parkway, 702-586-3483. E-String Gary Anderson, Rick Vittallo, Paul Badea, Tony Miranda, Ken Seiffert 12/31, 1-5 pm, $25-$30. 2031 W. Sunset Road, 702-5305299. Eastside Cannery Sin City Sinners 12/30, 8 pm, free. Vince Neil 12/31, 9:30 pm, $39-$70. Great White, Slaughter 2/18, 8 pm, $15-$28. The Spinners 3/25, 8 pm, $15-$30. 702-507-5700. Forge Social House Brother Mister, Bazooka Zac 12/31, 8:30 pm, $10. 553 California Ave., Boulder City, 702-293-6743. The Golden Tiki Mint Julep & Dot, Professor Rex Dart 12/30, 9 pm, free. Heebie Jeebies, Dirt City 3, Professor Rex Dart 1/14, 9 pm, free. 3939 Spring
Mountain Road, 702-222-3196. Green Valley Ranch (Grand Events Center) Bee Gees Gold 2/24, 8 pm, $19. 702-367-2470. Jack’s Place Seth Turner & The High Desert Drifters 12/31, 9 pm, free. Shows 6 pm, free unless noted. 544 Nevada Way, Boulder City, 702-293-2200. No Regrets Bar The Let’s Rock Band 1/6, 9 pm, free. 8349 W. Sunset Road #150, 702-550-4644. Primm Valley Resort Espinoza Paz 1/7, 8 pm, $25-$55. The Isley Brothers 1/21, 8 pm, $30-$60. 702-386-7867. Rampart Casino Lil’ Elmo and the Cosmos 12/30-12/31, 7 pm, free. JW Marriott, 221 N. Rampart Blvd., 702-507-5900. Red Rock Resort (Rocks Lounge) Lights: A Tribute to Journey 1/21, 4 & 6 pm, $19. Us the Duo 2/3, 8 pm, $29. Richard Cheese 2/4, 8 pm, $39-$64. (Ballroom) Chris Botti 1/28, 8 pm, $35-$75. 702-797-7777. Sam’s Town (Sam’s Town Live) Wes Winters 12/31, 10 pm, $23. 702-284-7777. Sand Dollar Lounge Jimmy Powers & The Hang Dynasty 12/29. Chris Tofield Band 12/30. The Moanin’ Blacksnakes 12/31, 1/7. Carlos Silva & The Scatterbrains 1/3, 9 pm. Goldtop Bob 1/4. The Rayford Brothers 1/5. Bobby Jones Blues 1/6. Shows 10 pm, free unless noted. 3355 Spring Mountain Road, 702-485-5401. South Point (Convention Center) Dennis DeYoung: The Music of Styx 12/31, 9 pm, $175. (Showroom) Atlantic City Boys 1/13-1/15, 7:30 pm, $30-$40. Earl Turner 2/17-2/19, 7:30 pm, $30-$40. Michael Cavanaugh: The Music of Billy Joel 2/24-2/26, 7:30 pm, $35-$45. Tower of Power 3/3-3/5, 7:30 pm, $55-$65. Neil Diamond Tribute ft. Rob Garrett 3/10-3/12, 7:30 pm, $25-$35. Hermans Hermits 3/17-3/19, 7:30 pm, $45-$55. The Lettermen 3/24-3/26, 7:30 pm, $35-$45. 702-796-7111. Suncoast (Showroom) Vegas Super Band 12/31, 9 pm, $32. Kris Allen 1/14, 8:30 pm, $29-$51. Sheena Easton 1/21-1/22, 8:30 pm, $25-$45. Frankie Moreno 2/4, 8:30 pm, $20-$40. 702-636-7075. Sunset Station (Club Madrid) Metropolis 12/30, 10 pm, $5-$10. 702-547-7777. Texas Station (Dallas Events Center) Hotel California: Tribute to The Eagles 1/14, 8 pm, $19. 702-631-1000.
Comedy
Aliante Casino (Access Showroom) Richie Redding 1/7, 8 pm, $26-$36. Ashima Franklin 1/14, 8 pm, $21-$31. 702-692-7777. Backstage Bar & Billiards Steve Byrne, Mike O’Brien, Gary Cannon 12/29-12/30, 8 pm, $15. 601 E. Fremont St., 702-382-2227. CasaBlanca Resort & Casino The Comedy Machine 1/6, 8:30 pm, $15-$25. 897 W. Mesquite Blvd., 877-438-2929. Fremont Country Club Hannibal Buress 1/7, 9 pm, $31. 601 E. Fremont St., 702-382-6601. Harrah’s (Main Showroom) Ralphie May 1/261/28, 2/2-2/4, 2/9-2/11, 2/16-2/18, 3/2-3/4, 3/9-3/11, 3/16-3/18, 10 pm, $35-$99. 702-369-5000. Mirage (Terry Fator Theatre) Ron White 12/29-12/30, 2/10-2/11, 10 pm, $65-$89. Daniel Tosh 1/13, 2/3, 10 pm; 1/14, 2/4, 7:30 pm, $65-$105. 702-792-7777. Monte Carlo (Park Theater) Katt Williams 1/7, 9 pm, $52-$275. 844-600-7275. SLS (The Foundry) Jon Lovitz, Dana Carvey 1/6-1/7, 2/3-2/4, 3/17-3/18, 8:30 pm, $49-$89. 702-761-7000. South Point (Showroom) Jay Mohr 1/20-1/21, 7:30 pm, $30-$40. The Capitol Steps 1/27-1/29, 7:30 pm, $30-$40. 702-796-7111. Venetian (Theatre) Ma Kashur Trio 1/24, 8:30 pm, $55. 702-414-9000.
Performing Arts Artifice Look Hear: An Artists’ Showcase 12/29, 9 pm, free. 1025 S. 1st St., #100, 702-489-6339. Art Square Theatre Cockroach Theatre’s HIR 1/19-1/21, 1/26-1/28, 2/2, 2/4, 8 pm; 1/22, 1/29, 2/5, 2 pm, $16-$20. 1025 S. 1st St., #110, 702-818-3422. Baobab Stage Theatre Burlesque 1/13, 9 pm, $20-$25. Midnight Cabaret 1/27, midnight, $20$25. Town Square, 702-369-6649. Charleston Heights Arts Center African Folktales and Fables w/Diane Ferlatte & Djeliba Baba 1/14, 2 pm, $10. 800 S. Brush St., 702-229-6383. Clark County Library (Jewel Box) The Weir 1/27, 7 pm, free. 1401 E. Flamingo Road, 702-5073400. Lloyd D. George United States Courthouse Golden Gates: Music and dance from Russia & Georgia 1/20, noon, free. 333 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 702-388-6355. Las Vegas Little Theatre (Mainstage) A Little Night Music 1/13-1/14, 1/19-1/21, 1/26-1/28, 8 pm; 1/15, 1/21-1/22, 1/29, 2 pm, $21-$24. 3920 Schiff Drive, 702-362-7996. Majestic Repertory Anton Chekhov’s 1/19-1/21, 1/26-1/28, 2/2-2/4, 2/9-2/11, 8 pm; 1/22, 1/29, 2/5, 5 pm, $25. 1217 S. Main St., 702-478-9636. Smith Center (Reynolds Hall) Fun Home 1/3-1/8, 7:30 pm; 1/7-1/8, 2 pm, $29-$127. Motown the Musical 1/17-1/22, 7:30 pm; 1/21-1/22, 2 pm, $29$127. Drumline Live 1/26-1/27, 7:30 pm, $24-$69. Finding Neverland 2/14-2/17, 7:30 pm; 2/182/19, 2 & 7:30 pm, $29-$139. Shaolin Warriors 2/20, 7:30 pm, $24-$85. NBT’s Swan Lake 2/25, 7:30 pm; 2/26, 2 pm, $29-$139. (Troesh Studio Theater) Broadway in the Hood’s The Mountaintop 1/13-1/14, 7 pm; 1/14, 2 pm; 1/15, 3 pm, $34. One Woman Sex and the City: A Parody on Love, Friendship and Shoes 2/1-2/4, 7 pm, $25-$37. (Cabaret Jazz) Broadway in the Hood’s Ain’t Misbehavin’ 2/3, 7 pm; 2/4, 2 & 7 pm; 2/5, 3 pm, $34. The Sweets’ Spot w/Melody Sweets 2/7, 10 pm, $25-$40. 702-749-2000. T-Mobile Arena Cirque du Soleil’s TORUK: The First Flight 1/18-1/20, 7:30 pm; 1/21, 4 & 7:30 pm; 1/22, 1 & 5 pm, $39-$155. 702-692-1600. Theatre in the Valley Tribute 1/27-1/28, 2/3-2/4, 2/10-2/11, 8 pm; 1/29, 2/5, 2/12, 2 pm, $12-$15. 10 W. Pacific Ave., 702-558-7275. Thomas & Mack Center Disney on Ice: Worlds of Enchantment 1/12-1/13, 7 pm; 1/14, 11:30 am, 3 & 7 pm; 1/15, 1 & 5 pm, $18-$83. 702-739-3267. UNLV (Dance Studio One) UNLV Dance: Coalesce 1/20, 2:30 & 7:30 pm, $10-$18. (Artemus W. Ham Hall) Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo 1/24, 8 pm, $25-$75. Theatreworks USA: Charlotte’s Web 1/30, 10 am, $9-$14. UNLV Music: Symphonic Winds Concert I 2/16, 7:30 pm, $8-$10. (Rando-Grillot Recital Hall) Nextet 1/25, 7:30 pm, free. UNLV Chamber Music Series: Hungarian Masterworks 2/9, 7:30 pm, $25. Allegro Guitar Series: David Russell 2/17, 8 pm, $41-$45. 702-895-3332.
Special Events
A Night of Hope with Joel Osteen 1/27, 7:30 pm, $15. T-Mobile Arena, 702-692-1600. America’s Party Downtown 12/31, 6 pm, $35-$40. Fremont Street, VegasExperience.com/NYE. AVN Awards Show 1/21, 9 pm, $175-$2,500. The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel, 702-693-5000. Barrick Lecture Series Atul Gawande, MD: “The Future of Medicine” 1/25, 7:30 pm, free; tickets required. UNLV Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall, 702-895-2787. Be Brave 5K 1/14, 7-11 am, $25-$30. Floyd Lamb Park, 9200 Tule Springs Road, bebrave5k.com. Dam Short Film Festival 2/8-2/11, times vary, $9-$100. Boulder Theatre, 1225 Arizona St.,
68
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35 Valley Locations
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Boulder City, damshortfilm.org. Dinner With the Dead w/Celebrity Medium Thomas John 1/20-1/21, 8 & 10:30 p.m., $300-$325. Foundation Room at Mandalay Bay, 917-453-3924. Dollar Movie Day: The NeverEnding Story 12/31, 3 pm, $1. The Sci Fi Center, 5077 Arville St., 855-501-4335. Down & Derby Roller Disco Dance Party 1/4, 10 pm, free. Gold Spike, 217 Las Vegas Blvd. N., sk8party.com. Enter the Matrix 12/31, 9 pm, $20. Millennium Fandom Bar, 900 Las Vegas Blvd. S. #140, 702-405-0816. Fireworks & Celebrations at Lake Las Vegas 12/31, 9 pm, free. Lakelasvegas.com/events. Fireworks Over Pahrump Launch your own fireworks 12/30-12/31, 6 pm, $5. Pahrump Fireworks Launch Site, one mile west on Gamebird Road off Highway 160, visitpahrump.com. First Friday 1/6, 2/3, 3/3, 4/7, 6-11 pm, free. Downtown Las Vegas, ffflv.org. Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience 3/25, 8 pm, $40-$100. MGM Grand Garden Arena, 702-891-1111. Glittering Lights Thru 1/7, 5:30 pm, $20-$70. Las Vegas Motor Speedway, glittering lightslasvegas.com. Harlem Globetrotters 2/9, 7 pm, $18-$357. T-Mobile Arena, 702-692-1600. Healthy Henderson Fair 1/14, 10 am-2 pm, free. Henderson Multigenerational Center, 250 S. Green Valley Parkway, 702-267-5800. Kendall-Jackson Wine Dinner 2/2, 6 pm, $55. The Charcoal Room at Palace Station, 702-221-6678. Kwanzaa Celebration 12/30, 6-8 pm, free. West Las Vegas Library Theatre, 951 W. Lake Mead Blvd., 702-507-3989. Las Vegas Jewish Film Festival 1/14-1/29, times vary, $10-$50. Adelson Educational Campus (primary festival location), 9700 Hillpointe Road, lvjff.org. Life Time Indoor Triathlon 1/8, 8 am, $30. Life Time Athletic locations, indoortri.com. Mesquite Motor Mania 1/13-1/14, 9 am; 1/15, 8 am, free. CasaBlanca Resort, 950 W. Mesquite Blvd., mesquitecarshows.com. New Year’s Day Plunge 1/1, noon, $10-$15. MonteLago Village at Lake Las Vegas, xcellg.com. New Year’s Eve Cruise 12/31, 11 pm, $30. MonteLago Village, lakelasvegas. com/events. New Year’s Eve Fireworks Viewing Party 12/31, 8 pm, $99. The Ice Rink at Cosmopolitan, 702-698-7000. Noon Year’s Eve Family-friendly celebration 12/31, 10 am-1 pm, free. Town Square, 702-269-5000. NYE Bash: 80’s Dance Party w/DJ Ladyfingers 12/31, 9 pm, free. Dillinger, 1224 Arizona St., Boulder City, 702-293-4001. The Official Supernatural Convention 2/9-2/12, times vary, $35-$978. Rio, creationent.com. OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) Open House 1/7, 10 am-noon, free. UNLV Paradise Campus, 251 E. Tropicana Ave., 702-774-6554. Scale the Strat 2017 2/26, 7 am, $40+. Stratosphere, scalethestrat.com. Seven Things I’ve Learned: An Evening with Ira Glass 2/11, 7:30 pm, $29-$99. Smith Center’s Reynolds Hall, 361 Symphony Park Ave., 702-749-2000. Skate Photography Workshop w/Stephen Vanasco 1/6, 2 pm, free. Leica Store, Forum Shops, Caesars Palace, 702-868-4070. Snoop Dogg & Reef Dispensary FootballThemed Meet & Greet Benefit 12/30, 2-4 pm, $100 for non-patients. Reef Dispensary, 3400 Western Ave., reefdispensaries.com.
Tenaya Creek Beer Tasting Dinner 12/29, 6 pm, $60. Yardbird Southern Table & Bar at Venetian, yblvevents@runchickenrun.com. Vegas Music Summit 2/2-2/3, 11 am, $49-$99. Downtown Las Vegas, vegasmusicsummit.com. Writer’s Block EXPO ft. J. Elvis Herman, Emily Hoover, Heather Lang, Nicholas Russell, Casey Sparks 1/6, 7 pm. World Book Club: The Bone People 1/10, 6 pm. The Writer’s Block Book Club: Washington Square 1/19, 6 pm. Events free. 1020 Fremont St., 702550-6399.
Sports
California Clasico: LA Galaxy vs. San Jose Earthquakes 2/11, 7 pm, $20-$45. Cashman Field, californiaclasico.com. D3 Hoops Classic 12/29, 10 am; 12/30, 2 pm, $9-$14. South Point Arena, 702-797-8005. Framptom vs. Santa Cruz 1/28, 2 pm, $54-$504. MGM Grand Garden Arena, 702-891-1111. Future Stars of Wrestling 1/28, 7:30 pm, $15. Silverton, 702-263-7777. JAMZ Youth National Championship 1/20-1/22, noon, $25. Orleans Arena, 800-745-3000. Major League Soccer: Mexico vs. Iceland 2/8, 6:30 pm, $29-$154. Sam Boyd Stadium, 7000 E. Russell Road, 702-739-3267. UFC 207 Nunes vs. Rousey 12/30, 3:30 pm, $80$605. T-Mobile Arena, 702-692-1600. UNLV Men’s Basketball Wyoming 12/1, 1 pm, $15$130. Boise State 1/4, 8 pm, $15-$130. Thomas & Mack Center, 702-739-3267. UNLV Women’s Basketball Colorado State 12/29, 6 pm, $5. Utah State 1/7, 4 pm, $5. Cox Pavilion, 702-739-3267. WFG Continental Cup of Curling 1/11, 8 pm; 1/12-1/14, 9 am; 1/15, 1:30 pm, $22-$238. Orleans Arena, 800-745-3000.
Galleries
Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art Town and Country: from Degas to Picasso Thru 2/20. Daily, 10 am-8 pm, $16. 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 702-693-7871. Big Springs Gallery American Society of Railway Artists Annual Juried Show Thru 1/8. The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards 1/29-4/2. Daily, 9 am-5 pm, free w/museum admission ($5-$19). Springs Preserve, 333 S. Valley View Blvd., 702822-7700. CSN Artspace & Fine Arts Galleries CSN Art & History Faculty Exhibition ft. Suzanne Acosta, Linda Angel, Dennis Angel, Myranda Bair, Christopher Bauder, Robin Stark & more Thru 1/28. Mon-Fri, 9 am-6 pm; Sat, 10 am-4 pm. 3200 E. Cheyenne Ave., 702-651-4146. Downtown Spaces 1800 S. Industrial Road, dtspaces.com. Galleries include: Bubblegum Gallery Star Wars Group Art Show 1/6, 6 pm, free. Sublime Group Art Show 2/3, 6-9 pm, free. #207D, 702-806-0930. Skin City Body Painting Scott See: Lucid Day Dreaming Artist Reception 1/6, 6-10 pm, free. #130, 702-431-7546. Erotic Heritage Museum (Main Gallery) Catherine the Great Thru 3/30. (Celebrating Trans Lives) (LGBTIQ Gallery) Restraint & Revolution: The Art of Adare Thru 1/1. Daily, 11 am-10 pm, $10-$18. 3275 Sammy Davis Jr. Drive, 702-794-4000. The Galleries at Lake Las Vegas Winter Holiday Art Show Thru 1/12. Daily, 1-8 pm, free. 10 & 20 Via Bel Canto in MonteLago Village, 702-568-7948. Historic Fifth Street School (Mayor’s Gallery) Chinese New Year: Year of the Rooster Thru 3/4. Artist Reception 1/26, 5:30-7:30 pm, free. Apt. only. 401 S. 4th St., 702-229-1012. Left of Center In Pursuit of Sanity Thru 1/7. A Room of One’s Own: An All Women’s Exhibit 1/17-3/31. Artist Reception 1/28, noon-3 pm, free. Tue-Fri, noon-5 pm; Sat, 10 am-3 pm. 2207 W. Gowan Road, 702-647-7378. Obsidian Fine Art Steve Anthony, Mandy Joy. First Friday event w/music from Richard Bistrup 1/6, 6 pm, free. Mon, Sat, Sun, noon-7 pm; Tue, Thu, Fri, 3-7 pm; Wed, 11 am-2 pm & 4:30-7 pm. Arts Factory, 107 E. Charleston Blvd. #240, 702-540-9331.
70 las vegas weekly 12.29.16
By Rob Brezsny ARIES
March 21-April 19 Donatello was a renowned Italian sculptor. His favorite piece was “Lo Zuccone,” a marble statue of the Biblical prophet Habakkuk. As Donatello carved his work-in-progress, he addressed it. “Speak, damn you! Talk to me,” he was heard to say on more than a few occasions. Did the stone respond? Judging from the beauty of the final product, I’d have to say yes. I suspect you will have Donatello-like powers of conversation in 2017, Aries. If anyone can communicate creatively with stones— and rivers and trees and animals and spirits and complicated humans, for that matter—it’ll be you.
LEO
July 23-Aug. 22 Even if you don’t think of yourself as an artist, you are always working on a major art project: yourself. You might underestimate the creativity you call on as you shape the raw material of your experience into an epic story. Luckily, I’m here to impress upon you the power and glory of this heroic effort. Is there anything more important? Not for you Leos. And I trust that in 2017 you will take your craftsmanship to the highest level ever. Keep this advice from author Nathan W. Morris in mind: “Edit your life frequently and ruthlessly. It’s your masterpiece, after all.”
SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22-Dec. 21 Walk your wisdom walk in 2017, Sagittarius. Excite us with your wisdom songs and gaze out at our broken reality with your wisdom eyes. Play your wisdom tricks and crack your wisdom jokes and erupt with your wisdom cures. The world needs you to be a radiant swarm of lovable, unpredictable wisdom! Your future needs you to conjure up a steady stream of wisdom dreams and wisdom exploits! And please note: You don’t have to wait until the wisdom is perfect. You shouldn’t worry about whether it’s supremely practical. Your job is to trust your wisdom gut, to unleash your wisdom cry, to revel in your wisdom magic.
TAURUS
April 20-May 20
horoscopes GEMINI
May 21-June 20
CANCER
June 21-July 22
According to Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami, “A certain type of perfection can only be realized through a limitless accumulation of the imperfect.” Let’s amend that thought so it’s exactly suitable for your use in 2017. Here’s the new, Taurus-specific version: “A messy, practical, beautiful type of perfection can be realized through a patient, faithful, dogged accumulation of the imperfect.” To live up to the promise of this motto, make good use of every partial success.
Gemini gymnast Marisa Dick has created a signature move that has never been used by any other gymnast. To start her routine, she leaps up off a springboard and lands on the balance beam doing a full split. The technical term for this bold maneuver is “a changeleg leap to free-cross split sit” (although its informal name is the “Dick” move). The International Federation of Gymnastics has certified it in its Code of Points, so it’s official. During the coming months, I expect that you will also produce one-of-a-kind innovations in your own sphere
VIRGO
LIBRA
SCORPIO
Aug. 23-Sept. 22
Sept. 23-Oct. 22
Oct. 23-Nov. 21
French painter Henri Matisse (1869-1954) turned out to be one of the supremely influential artists of the 20th century. But he was still struggling to make a living well into his 30s. The public’s apathy toward his work demoralized him. At one point, he visited his dealer to reclaim one of his unsold paintings. It was time to give up on it, he felt, and take it off the market. But when he arrived at the gallery, his dealer informed him that it had finally been bought—and not by just any art collector, either. Its new owner was Pablo Picasso, an artist whom Matisse revered. I think it’s quite possible you will have comparable experiences in 2017, Virgo. Don’t give up on yourself!
CAPRICORN
Dec. 22-Jan. 19 As I was ruminating on your astrological omens for 2017, I came across a wildly relevant passage written by Rabbi Tzvi Freeman. It conveys a message I encourage you to memorize and repeat at least once a day for the next 365 days. Here it is: “Nothing can hold you back—not your childhood, not the history of a lifetime, not even the very last moment before now. In a moment you can abandon your past. And once abandoned, you can redefine it. If the past was a ring of futility, let it become a wheel of yearning that drives you forward. If the past was a brick wall, let it become a dam to unleash your power.”
“The self in exile remains the self, as a bell unstruck for years is still a bell,” writes poet Jane Hirshfield. I suspect that these words are important for you to hear as you prepare for 2017. My sense is that in the past few months, your true self has been making its way back to the heart of life after a time of wandering on the outskirts. Any day now, a long-silent bell will start ringing to herald your full return. Welcome home!
AQUARIUS
Jan. 20-Feb. 18 Naturalist John Muir regarded nature as his church. For weeks at a time he lived outdoors, communing with the wilderness. Of course he noticed that not many others shared his passion. “Most people are on the world, not in it,” he wrote, “having no conscious sympathy or relationship to anything about them—undiffused, separate and rigidly alone like marbles of polished stone, touching but separate.” Is there anything about you that even partially fits that description, Aquarius? If so, 2017 will be an excellent year to address the problem. You will have immense potential to become more intimate and tender with all of the component parts of the Great Mystery. What’s the opposite of loneliness?
I hope you will be as well-grounded in 2017 as you have ever been—maybe even since your past life as a farmer. I trust you will go a long way toward mastering the arts of being earthy, practical and stable. To do this right, however, you should also work on a seemingly paradoxical task: cultivating a vigorous and daring imagination—as perhaps you did in one of your other past lives as an artist. In other words, your ability to succeed in the material world will thrive as you nurture your relationship with fantasy realms—and vice versa. If you want to be the boss of reality, dream big and wild—and vice versa.
In accordance with your astrological omens for 2017, I’ve taken a poem Shel Silverstein wrote for kids and made it into your horoscope. It will serve as a lighthearted emblem of a challenging but fun task to which you should attend in the coming months. Here it is: “I’ve never washed my shadow out in all the time I’ve had it. It was absolutely filthy I supposed, so I peeled it off the wall where it was leaning and stuck it in the washtub with the clothes. I put in soap and bleach and stuff. I let it soak for hours. I wrung it out and hung it out to dry. And whoever would have thunk that it would have gone and shrunk, for now it’s so much littler than I.”
PISCES
Feb. 19-March 20 Seven Chilean poets were frustrated by their fellow citizens’ apathy toward the art of poetry. They sarcastically dramatized their chagrin by performing for baboons. Authorities at the Santiago Zoo arranged for the poets’ safety, enclosing them in a protective cage within the baboons’ habitat. The audience seemed to be entertained, at times listening in rapt silence and at others shrieking raucously. I’m sure you can empathize with the poets’ drastic action, Pisces. How many times have you felt you don’t get the appreciation you deserve? But I bet that will change in 2017. You won’t have to resort to performing for baboons.
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