2023-03-23-Las-Vegas-Weekly

PUBLISHER MARK DE POOTER mark.depooter@gmgvegas.com

EDITOR

SPENCER PATTERSON spencer.patterson@gmgvegas.com

EDITORIAL

Senior Editor GEOFF CARTER (geo .carter@gmgvegas.com)

Editor at Large BROCK RADKE (brock.radke@gmgvegas.com)

Deputy Editor EVELYN MATEOS (evelyn.mateos@gmgvegas.com)

Sta Writer SHANNON MILLER (shannon.miller@gmgvegas.com)

Sta Writer AMBER SAMPSON (amber.sampson@gmgvegas.com)

Contributing Writers GRACE DA ROCHA,HILLARY DAVIS, MIKE GRIMALA, CASEY HARRISON, KATIE ANN MCCARVER, DANNY WEBSTER

Contributing Editors RAY BREWER, JUSTIN HAGER, CASE KEEFER, DAVE MONDT

O ce Coordinator NADINE GUY

CREATIVE

Art Director CORLENE BYRD (corlene.byrd@gmgvegas.com)

Senior Designer IAN RACOMA

Photo Coordinator BRIAN RAMOS

Photographers CHRISTOPHER DEVARGAS, STEVE MARCUS, WADE VANDERVORT

DIGITAL

Publisher of Digital Media KATIE HORTON

Web Content Specialist CLAYT KEEFER

ADVERTISING & MARKETING

Publisher of Branded Content & Special Publications EMMA WOLFF

Special Publications Editor SIERRA SMART

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Account Executives DEREK EIGE, LAUREN JOHNSON, ALEX TEEL, ANNA ZYMANEK

Sales Executive Assistants APRIL MARTINEZ, NANCY RAMOS

Events Director SAMANTHA PETSCH

Events Manager HANNAH ANTER

Events Coordinator ALEXANDRA SUNGA

PRODUCTION & CIRCULATION

Vice President of Manufacturing MARIA BLONDEAUX

Production Director PAUL HUNTSBERRY

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Your daily events planner, starring Maroon 5, Adele, Diplo, Pirate Fest and more.

WEEKLY

Chatting with Audrey DeLuxe about Burlesque Bingo and Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend.

COVER

NOISE

Hemlock marks 30 years with an apocalyptic celebration, plus Meow Meow lands at Myron’s for one night.

THE

Hemlock’s Chad Smith (Courtesy/ Trav-O-Leo Photography)

SUPERGUIDE

THURSDAY

NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL WEST REGIONAL

4:15 & 6:45 p.m. (& 3/25, time TBD), T-Mobile Arena, axs.com.

CLOSE TO MODERN With Dream 2 Dream, Darker Places, 8 p.m., the Usual Place, eventbrite.com.

SPORTS

SNAILMATE With City Boyz, Nightfeen, Siloh, 7 p.m., SoulBelly BBQ, eventbrite. com.

NBA G LEAGUE IGNITE VS. OKLAHOMA CITY BLUE 7 p.m., Dollar Loan Center, axs.com.

ARTS

FOOD + DRINK

MARYANN COTTON 8 p.m., the Barbershop, thebarbershoplv. com.

RL GRIME 10 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zoukgrouplv.com.

MAXIMUM DOOM: KADABRA With Spirit Mother, 9 p.m., Sand Dollar Lounge, thesand dollarlv.com.

BARRY MANILOW Thru 3/25, 7 p.m., Westgate International Theater, ticketmaster.com.

VERSA With Fr3nch, Moeejito, 10 p.m., We All Scream, seetickets.us.

JUST HER 10 p.m., Commonwealth, seetickets.us. (Courtesy)

SIRENS

The Beverly Theater inaugurates its “Come for the Sound” film series with a one-night-only screening of Rita Baghdadi’s 2022 documentary Sirens, a snapshot of the life and career of a Beirut-based, all-female thrash metal group, the first such band to emerge from the Middle East. The five members of Slave to Sirens have bigger obstacles to overcome than underattended gigs and interpersonal struggles; they plug their amps into crumbling infrastructure and, to varying degrees, are forced to conceal their identities to avoid persecution at home. But as metal legend Rob Halford will tell you, metal is “a very empowering kind of music,” and it drives Slave to Sirens forward. (As a member of Slave to Sirens puts it: “If we don’t protect our right to sing today, we will surely lose our right to speak tomorrow.”) Produced by Maya Rudolph, Natasha Lyonne and Cobain: Montage of Heck producer Danielle Renfrew Behrens, Sirens is both a great film for Women’s History Month and a properly headbanging introduction to the Beverly’s peerless theater sound system. 7 p.m., $10, the Beverly Theater, thebeverlytheater.com. –Geo Carter

MAR. FRIDAY

TAYLOR SWIFT

With Beabadoobee, Gayle, 6:30 p.m., & 3/25, Allegiant Stadium, ticketmaster. com.

WWE

FRIDAY NIGHT SMACKDOWN

4:45 p.m., MGM Grand Garden Arena, axs.com.

THE UNDERTAKER: 1 DEADMAN SHOW 10 p.m., the Chelsea, ticketmaster. com.

JOHN MELLENCAMP

8 p.m., & 3/25, Encore Theater, ticketmaster. com.

TESLA 7:30 p.m., & 3/25, House of Blues, concerts. livenation.com.

DANIEL TOSH 10 p.m., & 3/25, Mirage Theatre, ticketmaster. com.

MIRANDA LAMBERT 8 p.m., & 3/25, Zappos Theater, ticketmaster. com.

TIËSTO 10 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zoukgrouplv. com.

APOCALYPSE IN THE DESERT Ft. Hemlock, Outlier, Crematorium & more, thru 3/25, times vary, Fremont Country Club and Backstage Bar & Billiards, seetickets.us.

ILLENIUM 10:30 p.m., Omnia Nightclub, events.taogroup. com.

RANDY FELTFACE 9 p.m., 24 Oxford, etix.com.

LUKE BRYAN 8 p.m., & 3/25, 3/29, Resorts World Theatre, axs.com.

FOREIGNER 8 p.m., & 3/25, 3/29, Venetian Theatre, ticketmaster. com.

RICK SPRINGFIELD 8 p.m., & 3/25, Strat Theater, tickets.thestrat. com.

SURF MESA

11 a.m., Encore Beach Club, wynnsocial.com.

HENDERSON SILVER KNIGHTS VS. COACHELLA VALLEY FIREBIRDS

7 p.m., Dollar Loan Center, axs.com.

KEVIN KAARL

7:30 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl, ticketweb.com.

VEGAS CITY OPERA: THE VALKYRIES

7:30 p.m., & 3/25, Charleston Heights Art Center, vegascityopera. org.

GREEN JELLY With Shadowood X, High Tides ft. Layco, B. Jones, Erik A, 8 p.m., Jackpot Bar & Grill, seetickets.us.

MOKSI 10 p.m., Discopussy, seetickets.us.

UNLV BASEBALL VS. FRESNO STATE

Thru 3/26, times vary, Earl E. Wilson Stadium, unlvtickets.com.

BOKYUNG BYUN

7:30 p.m., UNLV’s Alta Ham Fine Arts, unlv.edu.

ADELE

Recent reports have Adele extending her Colosseum residency at Caesars Palace with new dates later this year—likely coinciding with the Formula One Las Vegas Grand Prix— but even if she comes back, this weekend’s pair of scheduled finales will provide some sort of closure to one of the biggest and most dramatic entertainment events in the history of the Strip. Of course, the drama began before the show, with Weekends With Adele shifting from a January-April 2022 run to an opening in November and additional dates added into the mix. But once she finally took the stage, it’s been all about the right kind of drama, a 90-minute concert production befitting its iconic venue that starts with classy minimalism and builds gradually, with fire, water and more, into the full spectacle that was always expected. Adele has walked the aisles, talked with fans and even fired T-shirts into the crowd. She did what she came to do and then some, keeping her first residency all about the voice and the emotion that wraps around her music. Why wouldn’t she sign on for more? 8 p.m., & 3/25, the Colosseum, ticketmaster.com.

–Brock Radke

(Courtesy) (Jae C. Hong/AP Photo)

MAROON 5

8 p.m., & 3/25, 3/29, Dolby Live, ticketmaster.com

SUPERGUIDE 25

PIRATE FEST

If the HBO Max comedy Our Flag Means Death has taught us anything, it’s that not all swashbuckling pirates need to walk the plank. There’s a bountiful bunch worth celebrating at Las Vegas’ annual Pirate Fest … arrr you ready? The even will honor history’s most mutinous characters with themed battles, sword-swallowing stunts, mermaid sightings and parkwide treasure hunts all you maties can enjoy. The two-day fantasy festival is one of the largest in the West and also pays tribute to the original pirates of the air— steampunks. Don’t forget to also bring your coin pouch, as there will be plenty of wares and lots of whiskey, specifically exclusive tastings of Beam/Suntory. Hoist the sails, secure the eye patch and say ‘aye aye!’ to a wild weekend. 3/25-3/26, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., $15-$30, piratefestlv.com, Craig Ranch Park. –Amber Sampson

SATURDAY

MAJOR LAZER 10:30 p.m., XS Nightclub, wynnsocial.com.

BOXING: DAVID BENAVIDEZ VS. CALEB PLANT 4 p.m., MGM Grand Garden Arena, axs.com.

KATT WILLIAMS 8 p.m., Thomas & Mack Center, ticketmaster.com.

WE’RE ALL MAD HERE With LSDream, Eazybaked & more, 9 p.m., Area 15, area15.com.

UNDEROATH

With Periphery, Loathe, 6 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl, ticketweb.com.

KASKADE 11 a.m., Ayu Dayclub, zoukgrouplv.com.

GEORGE THOROGOOD & THE DESTROYERS 8 p.m., the Pearl, ticketmaster.com.

VEGAS VIPERS VS. ST. LOUIS BATTLEHAWKS 4 p.m., Cashman Field, ticketmaster.com.

THE DIRTY HOOKS

With Mojave Sun, 10 p.m., Sand Dollar Lounge, thesanddollarlv. com.

FAT JOE 10:30 p.m., Jewel Nightclub, events. taogroup.com.

MEOW MEOW 6 & 8:30 p.m., Myron’s, the smithcenter.com.

DESERT DOGS VS. ROCHESTER KNIGHTHAWKS 7:30 p.m., Michelob Ultra Arena, axs.com.

STEVE AOKI 11 a.m., Wet Republic, events. taogroup.com.

PAROKYA NI EDGAR 7 p.m., Sahara Theatre, eventbrite.com.

ZEDD

With Charly Jordan, 10 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zoukgrouplv.com.

VEGAS KNIGHT HAWKS VS. IOWA BARNSTORMERS 7 p.m., Dollar Loan Center, axs.com.

BIA 11 a.m., Drai’s Beachclub, draisgroup.com.

THE WHITE NOISE With The Red Seduction, Jason Juadines, 9 p.m., Vegas Stand Up & Rock, vegasstandup androck.com.

THE CHAINSMOKERS 11 a.m., Encore Beach Club, wynnsocial.com.

(Photo Illustration)

YEAT 8 p.m., House of Blues, livenation.com.

DIPLO 11 a.m., Encore Beach Club, wynnsocial. com.

DILLON FRANCIS 10:30 p.m., XS Nightclub, wynnsocial. com.

TALEEN KALI With Evelyn Scythe, Pure Sport, 8 p.m., Artifice, eventbrite. com

THE AMERICAN FRIEND 1 p.m., Beverly Theater, thebeverlytheater. com.

2 CHAINZ 10 p.m., Drai’s Nightclub, draisgroup. com.

CHAMPAGNE SUNDAY With Khoree The Poet, 2 p.m., Duomo, ticketmaster. com.

SOURMILK 10:30 p.m., Jewel Nightclub, events.taogroup. com.

ROB GARRETT: NEIL DIAMOND THE TRIBUTE 9 p.m., Alexis Park Resort, alexispark.com.

TOM THAKKAR With Jackie Fabulous, Tyler Fischer, Michael Yo, thru 3/31, 7 & 9:30 p.m., Comedy Cellar, ticketmaster.com.

THREE ART EXHIBITS

Sahara West Library’s museum-sized gallery space is currently hosting three outstanding shows of local art, and while each employs a di erent medium—collage, painting and photography— they mix together nicely. The beautifully textured, jumbo-sized “playing cards” of Raphaele Cohen-Bacry’s The Only Game in Town are made with bits of wallpaper and slivered photographs of famous artworks from auction magazines, walking the line between familiarity and abstraction. Kathleen Nathan’s Upstate; Revisiting the Roadways of Upstate New York is a photographic road trip that’s also an a ecting visual record of American quirkiness, conflict and decline. And the giant paintings of A Corporate Spy’s Supervivencia are art as widescreen cinema, as sprawling landscape; you can either admire them from across the room as the vibrant pop-culture epics they are, or get in close and let your head swim in their intricate details. Through May 20, free, Sahara West Library, thelibrarydistrict. org/gallery-exhibits. –Geo Carter

(Courtesy)

MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL: NATIONAL INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT 4 & 6:30 p.m. (& 3/30, 6:30 p.m.), Orleans Arena, ticketmaster.com.

MINNESOTA 10 p.m., Discopussy, discopussydtlv. com.

NÍKOLI With Dana, Stereo Assault, 6 p.m., Dive Bar, facebook.com/ thedivelv.

JAMAICA SUK 10 p.m., La Mona Rosa, lamonarosalv. com.

DOM DOLLA 10:30 p.m., EBC at Night, wynnsocial.com.

STRANGELOVE 8 p.m., Hard Rock Live, ticketweb.com.

UNLV SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: JANÁČEK SINFONIETTA 7:30 p.m., Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall, unlv.edu.

VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS VS. EDMONTON OILERS VS. 7 p.m., T-Mobile Arena, axs.com. (Lucas Peltier/AP Photo)

Theodore

SARAH HESTER ROSS 6:30 p.m., Coop’s Cabaret, coopscabaret. com.

RAFA BARRIOS 10:30 p.m., Marquee Nightclub, events. taogroup.com.

JONATHAN KARRANT 7 p.m., Myron’s, thesmithcenter. com.

FOR MORE UPCOMING EVENTS, VISIT LASVEGASWEEKLY.COM.

NINA LAS VEGAS 10 p.m., We All Scream, weallscream. com.

Shea

Next shows: April 22, 9 p.m., the Mint; April 26-30, Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend, the Orleans; burlesquebingo.com.

(Courtesy/Tim Hunter)

BURLESQUE BINGO

THE WEEKLY Q&A

AIM TO TEASE Q+A

BY AMBER SAMPSON

Performer Audrey Deluxe spices up the Mint Tavern with Burlesque Bingo

The art of seduction can be a bit … cheeky. Just ask Audrey Deluxe, creator of the saucy striptease game show Burlesque Bingo, running monthly at the Mint Tavern. ¶ “You do have to be sexy, but also with comedic wit,” says Deluxe, who has been performing for more than 20 years. “I think there’s really nothing sexier than being funny.” ¶ A burlesque bombshell from New Orleans, Deluxe has traveled up and down the West Coast with her raucous and over-the-top bingo night. Each year, she also runs the substantive burlesque showcases at Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend, past installments of which have featured charismatic hosts like filmmaker John Waters, local burlesque performer Cora Vette and Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, portrayed by famed actress Cassandra Peterson. ¶ “Viva Las Vegas has become such a lifestyle event. What started as just a rockabilly music festival now encompasses the whole vintage lifestyle,” she says. “My type of burlesque definitely fits into that, and the people who come to the event, that’s the kind of burlesque they want to see.”

all in. Vegas always goes all in.

What makes a burlesque show great to you? I want a highly curated show. I don’t just want one act, another act and another act. I want them to all look like they belong in the same show. I want performers who are dynamic and really grab an audience. My emcee has to be hilarious, work fast and pay attention to the audience. I love having people in the show who aren’t just showing up and doing their act that they have rehearsed over and over. They’re also looking at the audience and saying, what do they want from me? What can I give them?

You started doing burlesque back in 1999. How did you get introduced to it? I had a friend in a burlesque troupe called the Shim Shamettes in New Orleans, and she decided to start a troupe called the New Orleans Dolls. She asked me to join it because I was a theater major, but I was like, ‘Oh no, I want to be a serious actress.’ She said ‘You don’t have to fully strip; just give it a shot and see what you think.’ So I spent the whole weekend researching all my favorite midcentury sex symbols and bombshells and movie stars. I caught up on all my musicals. And I put together probably the silliest routine of what I thought was burlesque at the time. She hired me.

Did wanting to become an actress help inform your performance at all? I definitely think so. My stage persona is Audrey Deluxe, and it is definitely a character. It’s not my everyday

personality or lifestyle. I feel like a soap opera actress. I’ve been playing the same character for 20 years now. I would never have ever been able to get up there as me doing it.

Walk us through Burlesque Bingo. Is it as literal as it sounds? We have an old-style game show set, and I have my Lucky Charms, who are like my Vanna Whites, and the audience is playing bingo along with us. I have beautiful burlesque dancers come out, and they dance all over a board that’s on the floor. As they take off their clothes, they land on numbers. I call the numbers out, the Lucky Charms will mark the board and, when someone gets five in a row on their bingo card, they yell bingo. The audience is really as much a part of the show as we are. It’s a very interactive burlesque show. I love burlesque, but I don’t always love the presentation of it. I wanted to do a new take on it.

What’s one of the wildest things you’ve seen at a show? We’ll usually have someone from the audience who will look like a very mild-mannered lady, and she’ll come up onstage and somehow end up taking off her clothes (laughs). At our last show at the Mint, the power went out, and we have a giant, lightup bingo set, which was dark. But luckily, there was someone in the audience who was a spiritualist, so she ended up talking to the ghosts in the room. When you let the audience get up there and they’ve been drinking a little bit, you never know what they’ll do. Sometimes, they put on the better show.

You’ve brought Burlesque Bingo to other cities. What made Las Vegas the right fit? I feel like people here want to come out, they want to have fun, they want to be entertained, whereas sometimes you’ll have a jaded audience [somewhere else] and they’re too cool for going

How are you experimenting with burlesque at Viva this year? In the past, we’ve presented it as a showcase where we have an act, an emcee, an act, an emcee … but this time, we’re trying a very ambitious approach. It’s a startto-finish show that hopefully might remind you of something that would have been on the Las Vegas Strip in the ’60s. It’s multimedia. We’ve incorporated videos with our music and some of the best burlesque you’ve ever seen, with a really funny emcee.

What else should people know about your Mint residency? This month, I’m bringing a brand-new show called Peak-a-View. It’s a naughty little show. It was my pandemic project with my best friend and dance partner. We were under lockdown and had no way of performing, so we created six episodes of Peek-a-View. They were black and white, old Bettie Page-style videos that had funny little skits and then stripteases. Every episode starts with a cocktail of the month, where we demonstrate how to make one of our favorite cocktails. And we’re doing it live for the first time in Vegas. It’s a ’60s TV variety show meets cocktail party meets peep show.

The public is invited to this FREE annual series. Admission is by ticket only on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets are limited to two (2) per customer.

Tickets ONLY available at the UNLV Performing Arts Center Box Office: Tuesday–Saturday, 12 p.m.–6 p.m. For information, call (702) 895-ARTS, but tickets cannot be reserved by phone.

UNLV faculty, staff and students may obtain tickets beginning at 12 p.m., Wednesday, March 8, 2023. The general public may obtain tickets beginning at 12 p.m., Saturday, March 11, 2023.

UNLV’s annual series featuring nationally and internationally known guest lecturers

WILDEST DREAMS

Taylor Swift performs during her Eras Tour kicko show, March 17 in Glendale, Arizona.

(AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

BY EVELYN MATEOS

The presale for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour began and ended in madness. A reported 14 million people hit the Ticketmaster website on November 15, and more than 2 million tickets were sold that day according to a Ticketmaster Business post.

Although that day’s Veri ed Fan Tix Presale, for which some 3.5 million registered, was aimed at keeping the tickets from ending up on secondhand market sites like StubHub and SeatGeek, it didn’t take long for seats to begin showing up there. At press time, tickets for Swift’s March 24 and 25 Allegiant Stadium shows ranged from $360 to $10,000+ on StubHub and $413 to $5,000+ on SeatGeek.

Las Vegas will be one of 20 U.S. cities to host multiple dates on the Eras Tour this year, but did locals truly get lucky when it came to securing tickets? We headed to a March 3 Taylor Swift Dance Party at Brooklyn Bowl to nd out.

One fan named Cristina wasn’t able to purchase tickets during the Veri ed Fan presale, she says, despite having been informed she’d receive priority because she’d held tickets to a 2021 date on Swift’s Lover Fest tour, which was canceled due to the pandemic.

“I didn’t get sh*t on the days I logged in, and I sat there like an idiot,” she explains. “Then they came back around to the people who had priority … and we got second row, like, right on the oor, so we got lucky.”

Cristina’s friend Gil also missed out during the Veri ed Fan presale but landed tickets the next day, during a Capital One presale. “The rst day, I just watched it all disappear in front of me. I was debating on prices and then all of a sudden, they all disappeared,” he says. “The next day, [when] it opened up, I said screw it, went in blindly and got good tickets.”

Kevin, dressed in a black T-shirt from Swift’s 1989 World Tour, relays how he actually scored tickets the rst day of the presale. “It was a ght,” he says. Kevin took the morning o from work for the presale, only to learn that it would be postponed until later that day. And then?

“I’m a chiropractor and I was in the middle of talking to a patient when my coworker knocked on the door, and said, ‘Hey, you’re up on the tickets.’ I told my patient, ‘I’ll be right back. I need Taylor Swift tickets.’ They completely understood, and I rushed to my computer. I was like, ‘Let’s go. I need pit tickets right now!’ And luckily, I got them.”

Sitting at the bar with two friends waiting to head into the dance party, another fan named Alexis explains that her group tried to buy tickets but ultimately couldn’t score any.

“I’ve bought tickets for other high-demand concerts, like Harry Styles, and I thought this would just be [like that], but it proved to be di cult,” she says. “We were looking at other cities, too. I was like, there’s six nights in LA, I can probably get one, but I couldn’t even get that.”

Like Alexis and her friends, thousands of Taylor Swift fans around the country wound up empty handed, prompting 26 of them to le a lawsuit accusing Ticketmaster’s parent company of anticompetitive conduct and fraud, as reported by The New York Times Several lawmakers also publicly criticized the company’s business practices. Non-Swifties might be wondering, why so much chaos over some pop music concerts? So let’s try to explain why this tour—which kicked o March 17 in Glendale, Arizona, and hits Las Vegas next, are such a big deal.

(Continued on Page 20)

WILDEST DREAMS

(Continued from Page 19)

SHE’S NOT A VEGAS REGULAR

Swift last performed here during the 2019 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena, but she played just one song—the live debut of that year’s track “ME!,” with Panic! At The Disco’s Brendon Urie guesting. She’s been here for iHeartRadio Music Festival appearances (2014, 2012) and Academy of Country Music Awards shows (2011, 2010) and even played 2015’s Rock in Rio festival at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds.

But the last time Swift brought a full, non-festival tour stop to town was way back on May 23, 2009, when the Fearless Tour came to Mandalay Bay Events Center, now known as Michelob Ultra Arena. That means dedicated Las Vegans have had to travel if they wanted to catch her for the past decade-plus.

A fan named Mallory, who showed up to the dance party in a maroon plaid skirt and a yellow T-shirt that read, “No, it’s Becky”—a reference to an old fan-favorite joke—has hit the road to see her favorite artist multiple times. She caught the Red Tour in LA, the 1989 World Tour in Glendale, Arizona, and the Reputation Stadium Tour in LA and Santa Clara. But this one, she says, will feel different.

“I’m incredibly excited to see her in my hometown for the first time,” Mallory explains. “I can’t wait to hear her say something like ‘Well, hello Las Vegas!’ I just know it’ll hit different when she’s greeting my city.”

Equipped with 65,000 seats, Allegiant Stadium stands as a likely reason why Swift has two Las Vegas dates on her tour itinerary after skipping Southern Nevada in recent years.

The stadium, which opened in 2020, hosted DJ/producer Illenium for its first public concert on July 3, 2021. Since then, Allegiant has presented some of music’s biggest names—Garth Brooks, Metallica, Billy Joel, Imagine Dragons, Bad Bunny, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Weeknd, The Rolling Stones and Korean K-pop group BTS, which played four nights at the stadium last April.

Beyoncé (August 26-27) and Pink (October 7) also have dates booked in 2023, but Swift will go down in history as the first woman to headline Allegiant Stadium.

IT’S NOT JUST ANY TOUR

Much as they’d like to, most fans can’t attend every headlining tour by their favorite artist—even die-hard Swifties. That’s what makes the Eras Tour so enticing. In one night, it takes audiences through every musical phase of Swift’s career, stretching back across 10 albums and 17 years (see sidebar, page 21).

Since she last toured five years ago, Swift has released four LPs, 2019’s Lover, 2020’s Folklore and Evermore, and last year’s Midnights, plus she has released re-recorded “Taylor’s Versions” of 2008’s Fearless and 2012’s Red, featuring additional songs not included on the original releases.

Fans have had lots to speculate about—the stage setup, props, costumes and especially which chart-toppers and deep cuts they’ll get to hear. After the first two Era Tours shows in Glendale, Arizona, last week, we now know that Swift has built a solo, acoustic section into her set, during which the songs will likely change from night to night. “My plan … would be to play different songs every single night and never repeat one,” she told the crowd.

Whatever she picks in Vegas, “I’m sure it’s going to be amazing,” Gil proclaims at Brooklyn Bowl. “She could sing one song for three hours, and I would be cool.” He predicts a setlist with “a little bit from everything.”

The Eras Tour presents an opportunity for Jenny, another local fan at the Taylor Swift Dance Party, to catch up on everything she’s missed since last catching Swift live at the 2009 Mandalay Bay show.

“It’ll be interesting to see how she ties in each era,” Jenny says. “Will she go chronologically? How will she play into her new albums? I’m just excited to see it.”

(Continued on Page 22)

D e f i n i n g t h e E r as

A glance back through Taylor Swift’s 10-album catalog

TAYLOR SWIFT (2006)

Swift’s debut established the then-country singer/songwriter as a talented storyteller, filling the airwaves with twang and relatable love songs. Swifties hope to hear: “Should’ve Said No,” “Mary’s Song.”

FEARLESS (2008)

This sophomore album captured the essence of teenage girldom. Fearless was a guide for growing up, dating and surviving high school, and its catchy melodies begin to nudge Swift toward the pop genre. Swifties hope to hear: “Love Story,” “The Other Side of the Door.”

SPEAK NOW (2010)

Though album No. 3 didn’t reach the commercial heights of its predecessors, it remains a fan favorite due to its personal lyrics and longer run times (the average song length is five minutes). Speak Now was also written entirely by the singer, who told Rolling Stone in 2019 that she was emboldened to pen her third LP alone after facing skepticism from peers about whether she wrote her songs. Swifties hope to hear: “Enchanted,” “Dear John.”

RED (2012)

Swift’s fourth album covers the spectrum of feelings one goes through during and after a relationship, from infatuation to heartbreak to healing. It also sees her work with music veterans like Swedish producers Max Martin and Shellback, with their collaboration “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” earning Swift her first Billboard chart-topper. Swifties hope to hear: “All Too Well,” “22.”

1989 (2014)

Swift’s interest in pop music was fully realized on her fifth album, and the public loved it. It spawned seven singles, including “Blank Space,” which weaponized her “serial dater” reputation. Filled with upbeat songs and synths, 1989 differs from the wistful storytelling of her previous efforts. Swifties hope to hear: “Wildest Dreams,” “New Romantics.”

REPUTATION (2017)

With the release of lead single “Look What You Made Me Do,” Swift signaled that Reputation, which leans on synths, bass drops and trap-style percussion, might explore darker topics, including revenge. But most of its songs actually tell a different story, about “finding love throughout all the noise,” Swift explained at a Chicago concert. Swifties hope to hear: “Delicate,” “Getaway Car.”

LOVER (2019)

Lover welcomes listeners to a bright and glittery pop world, with touches of pop-punk (“Paper Rings”) and glances back to her country roots (“Soon You’ll Get Better,” featuring The Chicks). The songs touch on serious issues, like the double standards she has faced, but are largely focused on what the singer loves—her family, friends and partner. Swifties hope to hear: “Cruel Summer,” “Death by a Thousand Cuts.”

FOLKLORE (2020)

While the world was confined at home, Swift wrote and recorded an indie folk album with Aaron Dessner from The National, Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon and returning producer Jack Antonoff. Folklore shows off a different side of Swift’s writing, moving away from autobiographic material toward more fantastical tales. Swifties hope to hear: “Cardigan,” “August.”

EVERMORE (2020)

Released less than five months after Folklore—“To put it plainly, we just couldn’t stop writing songs,” she explained on Twitter— Swift’s ninth album carries forth with additional epic tales and folky dreamscapes. Swifties hope to hear: “Champagne Problems,” “Right Where You Left Me.”

MIDNIGHTS (2022)

In the liner notes to her latest album, Swift calls it “a collection of music written in the middle of the night, a journey through terrors and sweet dreams.” The songs detail failed relationships, career struggles and, in popular song “Anti-Hero,” self-deprecation. Her poetic vernacular blends with elements from her past work to create what many fans feel is her magnum opus. Swifties hope to hear: “Karma,” “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve.”

Taylor Swift records (Christopher DeVargas/ Staff)

(Continued from Page 20)

THE STARS COULD COME OUT

For Swift, the live experience often extends beyond glamorous costumes and monster setlists. “Every person in the audience probably knows what costumes I’m going to wear,” Swift said during her 1989 World Tour (Live) Apple Music exclusive documentary. “[And] they could know the setlist if they really wanted to. So I decided to start inviting special guests out.”

That tradition began during the 2013-2014 Red Tour, when Swift invited longtime friend Ed Sheeran to join her onstage in different cities to duet on her song “Everything Has Changed” and his single “Lego House.” Ellie Goulding stepped onto the Red stage for duet versions of “Anything Could Happen” and “Burn,” and Sam Smith stopped by to belt “Money on My Mind” with Swift.

During Swift’s 1989 World Tour in 2015, “Please, welcome to the stage” became a familiar refrain, introducing

a diverse parade of surprise guests that included Mick Jagger, Alanis Morissette, Wiz Khalifa, St. Vincent, Lorde, Beck and Selena Gomez. The tour even brought non-musical guests into the fold, such as the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team and TV host Ellen DeGeneres.

At this point, guessing who might pop in has become a significant part of the pre-show buildup. Who might join Swift in Las Vegas? We know two popular artists will be there for sure— Gayle, the teen singer behind viral hit “Abcdefu,” and indie-pop vocalist Beabadoobee, who released latest album Beatopia last summer. They’ll be slotted in as opening acts in Las Vegas; other support artists for the tour include Paramore, Phoebe Bridgers, Gracie Abrams, Girl in Red and Haim.

As for surprise acts, who’s to say? We do know the Strip is packed with resident performers who could theoretically slide over to Allegiant for a quick song, from Miranda Lambert and Keith Urban—both of whom have joined Swift onstage in the past—to

Carrie Underwood, Katy Perry, Usher and Luke Bryan. What about the DJs? Diplo, Illenium, Kaskade, The Chainsmokers, Zedd, Dillon Francis and Steve Aoki are all gigging around town later that night. Or maybe she’ll go full Vegas on us, with classic icons like Wayne Newton or Penn & Teller or even cast members from a Cirque du Soleil production show.

SHE’S SETTING RECORDS ALL THE TIME

Swift has spent her career one-upping not just her current and historical peers, but herself, too. At 17, she became the youngest artist to write and record a No. 1 song on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, when “Our Song,” a single from her eponymous 2006 debut album, peaked.

Her sophomore album, 2008’s Fearless, won the Album of the Year Grammy award in 2010, making her the youngest person (20) ever to win

it. (Billie Eilish now holds that record, having won Album of the Year at age 18 in 2020.) Swift has gone on to win that coveted Grammy two more times, for 1989 in 2016 and Folklore in 2021, becoming just the fourth artist—and first female artist—ever to win the award three times.

This year, Swift became the first artist to win the Grammy for Best Music Video “with a sole directing credit for their own music video,” according to Grammys.com. That 10-plus-minute track, “All Too Well,” also stands as the longest song to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Swift has landed on lists of the top 10 highest-paid entertainers, published by Forbes, multiple times, ranking No. 9 for 2022 after earning $92 million. Forbes reported that about 70% of that total derived from album sales and streaming profits from her back catalog.

Six of last year’s 40 top-selling vinyl records were Taylor Swift albums, with her music accounting for “nearly one of every 25 vinyl LPs sold last year in the U.S.,” according to Billboard magazine. She already holds the title for the highest-grossing U.S. tour—2017’s Reputation Stadium Tour, which earned $266.1 million across 38 dates—and Billboard estimated in December that she was on track to generate $591 million in ticket sales for her Eras Tour.

Earlier this month, Swift had 10 different LPs on the Billboard 200 albums chart, joining The Beatles, Prince, David Bowie and Whitney Houston as the fifth artist ever to do so.

And then there’s this: When latest studio album Midnights dropped in October, Swift became the first artist in Billboard Hot 100 history to occupy the entire top 10 in a single week the following month. Lead single “Anti-Hero” spent eight weeks at No 1, surpassing, yep, Taylor Swift’s previous record of seven weeks at No 1 for “Blank Space,” according to Billboard.

Glendale, Arizona, celebrated Swift’s unprecedented popularity by temporarily rebranding itself Swift City during her two-night run at State Farm Stadium. What might Las Vegans do to mark the occasion? Show up at Allegiant Stadium Friday or Saturday night to find out.

Taylor Swift performs during her Eras Tour kickoff show, March 17 in Glendale, Arizona. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

TRUMP’S RAPE TRIAL

Former President Donald Trump’s effort to keep key evidence out of his civil rape trial next month was rejected by a federal judge March 20. A trial in the case filed by E. Jean Carroll is scheduled to start April 25. Carroll and Trump are expected to testify.

LAS VEGAS TO OPEN ‘TECHNOLOGY AND RECREATION PARK’

A “technology and recreation park” will replace Charleston Heights Park, the City of Las Vegas has announced.

The city will host a grand opening for the nearly 4-acre park on April 1. Located southwest of Smoke Ranch Road and Jones Boulevard, the Ernest and Betty Becker Family Technology and Recreation Park features a new community center and new amenities.

The $5.7 million project includes a 5,783-square-foot community center with attached park restroom building, a new parking lot, a basketball court, turf areas, new playground equipment, walking paths and improvements for accessible walkways.

“The new center will include state-of-the-art equipment in a true technology-based facility,” the city said in a statement. “The community center will provide the infrastructure to accommodate high-tech uses, allowing youths, as well as adults, to create computer games, participate in esports, and produce high-quality video in front of a green screen.”

The center will offer programming for a variety of ages from “tots to active adults.” Some planned programs for seniors include esports, a walking club and workshops about iPads, cybersecurity and basic computers.

The city is hosting free “preview programs” through March 31, including 3D printing, computer-aided design (CAD), Minecraft Education workshops, esports tournaments and “drone soccer.” Advance registration is required and can be completed at lasvegas nevada.gov –Shannon Miller

NEWS

UKRAINE AID ON THE WAY

The Pentagon is speeding up its delivery of Abrams tanks to Ukraine, opting to send a refurbished older model that can be ready faster, with the aim of getting the 70-ton battle powerhouses to the war zone in eight to 10 months.

LA SCHOOLS SHUT DOWN

Tens of thousands of workers in the Los Angeles Unified School District walked o the job March 21 over stalled contract talks, and they were joined by teachers in a three-day strike that shut down the nation’s second-largest school system.

ENTERTAINMENT

LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL EARLY-BIRD PASSES ON SALE MARCH 23

(File/Sta

AVI KWA AME GETS MONUMENT DESIGNATION

President Joe Biden on March 21 o cially designated Avi Kwa Ame—the sacred site of creation for several native tribes—as a U.S. National Monument, a victory for tribal activists and elected leaders who have long called for federal protections for the Southern Nevada landmark.

In addition to Avi Kwa Ame, Biden designated the Castner Range near El Paso, Texas, as a national monument. Combined, the designation of these two sites will protect more than 514,000 acres of public lands, according to a re-

lease by the White House. Biden also urged Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to initiate a new National Marine Sanctuary designation within the next 30 days to protect all U.S. waters around the Pacific Remote Islands—an area consisting of nearly 500,000 square miles in the central Pacific that encompass Baker, Howland and Jarvis Island, Kingman Reed and the Johnston, Wake and Palmyra Atoll, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

–Casey

Harrison

$ 75M

Following a recent locals-only presale, the Life Is Beautiful festival will o er a limited batch of early-bird passes beginning March 23 at 10 a.m. at lifeisbeautiful.com

Tickets to the September 22-24 Downtown music and arts gathering will start at $355 plus taxes and fees for general admission, and run up to $3,050 plus taxes and fees for All-In passes. Layaway payment options will also be available, allowing buyers to reserve their spots for as little as $75 up front.

–LVW Sta

THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR GAVE CLARK COUNTY MORE THAN $75 MILLION FOR THREE RECREATIONAL FACILITIES–JAMES REGIONAL PARK, HOLLYWOOD REGIONAL PARK AND THE CLARK COUNTY SHOOTING COMPLEX. NEWS

THE HEAT IS ON The first-place Vegas Golden Knights saw a four-game win streak snapped with a 7-2 loss to the Calgary Flames on March 16. They followed it up with a 7-2 victory over Columbus, and will play Calgary again March 23 at 6 p.m. on the road.

Police O cer Kevin Brooks of Menifee, California, gives some help to his partner, Dino, on a ladder climb during the 31st annual Las Vegas Metro Police Department K-9 Trials on March 19 at the South Point. Prizes were awarded to Top Agency, Top Dog and Tough Dog. (Steve Marcus/Sta )

)

NEW HEIGHTS

Harry Reid International Airport prepares to keep breaking passenger records

BY SHANNON MILLER

Las Vegas’ airport opened to airline ights in 1948, and obviously a lot has changed since then. For one, it’s no longer McCarran International Airport, as it was known until Clark County changed the name in 2021.

In March, workers demolished the concrete signs bearing McCarran’s name on Tropicana Avenue and Sunset Road. (For years, advocates had called for the airport’s renaming after the late Sen. Pat McCarran, who secured federal funding to originally build the airport, came under scrutiny for a track record of antisemitism and racism.)

New signs bear the new name Harry Reid International Airport, in honor of the former Senate Majority Leader who represented Nevada in Congress from 1983 to 2017. Reid expressed gratitude for the honor and died months later in December 2021.

It’s the latest of many updates that have created the airport before us today, which welcomed a record 52.6 million passengers in 2022. Over the years, it has evolved to meet the needs of the fast-growing Valley and its hospitality and tourism industries, which are only expected to keep growing, thanks in part to the recent introduction of professional sports teams and events like November’s Formula One auto race and the 2024 Super Bowl.

The next big update? Upgrades to the baggage system and other infrastructure that Rosemary Vassiliadis, Clark County’s director of aviation, refers to as “aging.”

“Last year, Harry Reid International Airport served a record 52.6 million passengers, and a vast majority of those used our baggage systems,” Vassiliadis says. “This heavily utilized equipment has been in place for nearly two decades. … Like any machinery, there is expected wear and tear after years of this volume.”

Upgrades will allow for “a more seamless experience for the traveler as their bags are being processed and delivered to them,” Vassiliadis continues. “This will also enhance the reliability, energy e ciency and sustainability of the systems.”

In February, Sen. Jacky Rosen announced that $31 million had been secured for Harry Reid airport upgrades through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. O cials have said the project is expected to begin later this year.

Approaching capacity?

The heavy passenger volume of 2022, in which the single-month passenger record was broken three times, is a welcome sign that Southern Nevada has largely bounced back since the 2020 pandemic shutdown. At the same time, it serves as a warning that Clark County might need to move faster toward building another commercial airport, if future visitation continues as projected.

On the current trajectory, o cials estimate that Harry Reid could reach its

capacity of 63 to 65 million passengers by 2030. As Vassiliadis points out, “Harry Reid International Airport sits on a nite plot of land … [so] there is no more room to physically expand.”

That makes the area’s other airports—Henderson Executive Airport (HND) and North Las Vegas Airport (VGT)— “more important than ever,” according to a February 6 press release from Harry Reid International Airport.

“These reliever airports play a crucial role in supporting general aviation activities, which allows LAS to maximize its commercial operations,” the statement explained.

Meanwhile, a second commercial airport has been in the works for some time. In 2000, the Ivanpah Valley Airport Public Lands Transfer Act tapped more than 6,000 acres of land for an airport some 20 miles southeast of Las Vegas. Over the years, Clark County has shelved the project and picked it back up several times, as the economy, funding and air travel trends and projections have uctuated.

O cials say the competition of the Ivanpah airport will be crucial in preventing constraints arising from Harry Reid reaching capacity, but Vassiliadis projects an opening date of 2037 at the earliest. What happens between 2030 and that point?

“The number of passengers at which the airport will have constrained operations has changed over the years,” Vassiliadis notes. “A decade ago, the

projection was 53 million after the opening of Terminal 3. [So] it is important to note that 2030 is a moving target, along with the 63 to 65 million passengers projection, because our industry continues to evolve.”

Whatever that number becomes, what happens when it’s eclipsed? “We can and will be able to serve passengers at LAS beyond 65 million, but we will potentially see impacts to that e ciency our customers enjoy,” Vassiliadis says. “This means we could experience operational ight delays, longer waits for gate availability, congested roadways heading into the airport.

“[But] technology is constantly advancing,” she adds, so new developments improving aviation e ciency in aviation could factor in when planning for future passenger volumes in Southern Nevada. For example, “newer aircraft have more seats, meaning airlines can serve more passengers without having to add another ight,” she says.

Harry Reid could also work with airlines to “smooth out” peak operation hours and schedule ights during less-busy times, “something we have successfully done in the past few years as we have seen continuous growth,” Vassiliadis says.

During that period of that growth, the only constant has been change, and Vassiliadis says the airport has risen to each occasion and will continue to do so. “LAS was the rst, large airport to recover post-pandemic, showing once again the enduring strength of this destination,” she says.

(Courtesy/Trav-O-Leo Photography)

NOISE

METAL

MEMORIES

BY AMBER SAMPSON

Chad Smith’s the kind of Las Vegas music legend who still hangs his own show posters. “I went all through Boulder City and Henderson a couple of weeks ago and hung up a bunch of them for the Apocalypse in the Desert festival,” says Smith, the bassist and vocalist for longtime heavy metal band Hemlock. “I don’t know any other band guy that’s been doing it for 30 years that’s still street-teaming, but I enjoy the connection, just being able to talk to people and invite them out.”

Call it old-fashioned if you want, but that grunt work has kept Hemlock in the game long enough to see it evolve. The 45-year-old frontman remembers gigging with unsigned bands like Papa Roach before anyone had heard “Last Resort.” “We also played with System of a Down before they had a record deal, and they actually got booed offstage at the Huntridge,” Smith laughs. “It’s crazy stories like that, because we’ve been doing it for so long.”

Smith and his brother Brian (drums) founded the band— which also includes guitarists Jerad Johnson and Timothy Groce these days—in their teens, gigging in local bars and high school gyms until they snagged their first headlining gig at the Huntridge Theater. “We sold it out packed to the brim, and everybody was screaming the words. You could stop a part and they’d scream it,” Smith remembers. “That’s when you feel like you’ve made it.”

Since those days, Hemlock has cut 12 albums and supported the likes of Slayer, Ministry and Lamb of God on global tours. But unlike many of its contemporaries, Hemlock did

Las Vegas metal band Hemlock looks back on 30 headbanging years

it all without a record deal. “I always tell everybody, we don’t sell drugs, we don’t have a rich uncle, we don’t have Bitcoin winnings. We fund it all ourselves,” Smith says.

To continue touring, the Smiths made the tough decision to leave Las Vegas and move to Iowa 15 years ago in order to “minimize our overhead,” he explains, though they still visit their hometown for months at a time. Each day’s a new adventure for the independent band, but Smith says he wouldn’t trade meeting Hemlockers on tour for anything. Some followers show off tattoos they’ve gotten in tribute to the band; others found their life partners at Hemlock shows—and plan to bring their kids to them.

“We don’t really have fans. We have friends,” Smith says. “We don’t go hide out in the dressing rooms. We hang out at merch, walk around the club, sign autographs, give hugs. It’s like a family reunion each year we go back on tour.”

Hemlock is celebrating its milestone year with its Dirty 30 Tour, which includes a headlining performance at Apocalypse in the Desert, a two-day fest featuring more than 50 metal bands, some of which have shared the stage with Hemlock.

Smith promises each tour set will be a flexible and spontaneous event. Hemlock has always aimed to play 70 to 90 shows a year. And in 2023? “With Dirty 30? I’m hoping, if everybody can handle it and it goes right, by the end of this year, we’ll have done 150 shows,” he says. Ambitious? Excessive? It’s just Hemlock.

“I wouldn’t change it for anything,” Smith says. “I’m 45 years old, but I’m still ready to rock.”

ONE COOL CAT

Meow Meow’s classic-yet-subversive cabaret show hits Las Vegas

NOISE

BY GEOFF CARTER

The first thing to know about Meow Meow is that she really, really wants to be here. The Australian-born singer, dancer and actress—born Melissa Madden Gray—has attempted to bring her act to Myron’s since before COVID, only to see it rescheduled time and again. “The material ain’t gettin’ any younger,” she jokes. “Though it’s actually become a bit more relevant.”

That material is surprisingly tough to describe, but I’ll give it my best shot. In the broad strokes, Meow Meow is a traditional cabaret performer, in the tradition of French chansons and the Weimar Republic repertoire. She sings, she tells stories, she banters with the audience. And when she sings, which she regularly does in theatrical productions and with Portland, Oregon-based jazz orchestra Pink Martini, the room goes still and rapt. She glides elegantly through a set of originals and standards—everything from Jacques Brel’s “Ne Me Quitte Pas” to Radiohead’s “Fake Plastic Trees.”

But that description doesn’t account for the subtle chaos that sets Meow Meow’s performance above and apart. Her stage banter can turn on a dime from basic audience call-and-response into a full-blown, hilarious discourse on subversive topics. She delights in appearing unprepared and underequipped; one of her signature flourishes is deploying her own theatrical smoke, which she applies around herself in a languid halo. It’s musical theater as cabaret performance, and it’ll be completely worth the pandemic-extended wait to see what kind of effect Vegas has on her particular kind of stage magic.

“The whole concept of Las Vegas is absolutely fascinating, because it’s a town built for the entertainment business,” she says. “Entertainment and, I guess, a degree of fantasy. It’s a parallel universe, and that’s how I live my life, so it feels like a natural fit.”

It should feel like a natural fit for Vegas, as well, though in a strange way, we had to come back around to

meet Meow Meow. The lounge-centric Vegas of the past, the place that hosted Louis and Keely, the Rat Pack and Liberace, would have understood her immediately, and booked her into the Copa Room where she belongs.

Vegas’ recent swing to more intimate productions—think Delilah, the gone-too-soon Miss Behave’s Mavericks and even Lady Gaga’s Jazz + Piano—is a boon to Meow Meow. This is the Las Vegas she wants to play.

“The first time I went to Vegas, I saw Liza Minnelli doing almost an out-of-town tryout for the show she was about to take [to Broadway in 2008],” she says. “It was a great experience of being in a matinee with the warmest audience in the world. And I think about how you can reach 2,000 people and still make it seem intimate, which is the special skill of all great performers of any genre, bringing that feeling of intimacy. …

“I’m a history girl. I’m very modern in my performance, but I do love the history of things. I like the mixture of jazz and experimentation that is the history of Vegas. It’s quite exciting.”

She adds that she owns a “fabulously beaded” showgirl costume (though it has “a bit more girth” in some sections than she would like, “and there’s a label inside it that reads ‘Kenny’”). She likes collecting those kinds of items, she says, because it connects her to a performance legacy to which she’s proud to align herself.

She tells a story about the time she met a relative of Gypsy Rose Lee, who likened Meow Meow to the legendary burlesque performer.

“I thought, ‘But I’ve got all my clothes on!’ And he said, ‘It’s the way that you relate to the audience.’ … She would do the very radical thing of directly addressing the audience with these fantastic monologues that were really very subversive. … I guess the subversion of entertainment is what I like. Something that gives you all the satisfaction of comedy and sexiness and beautiful music, but it’s got a little bit of subversive political edge to it as well.”

(Courtesy/ HarmonyNicholas)

BY BROCK RADKE

Obvious statement: Las Vegas has become home to all manner of music festivals, some even stretching the definition of such events in new and different ways. Less obvious is what’s going on at Area15, the experiential arts complex located just off the Strip, which has created its own consistent series of dance music festivals featuring cutting-edge artists and merging old-school raves with modern immersive entertainment elements.

Area15 expands its original series of EDM mini-fests

MASSIVE FUN

WE’RE ALL MAD HERE With LSDream, Eazybaked, Space Wizard, Tripp St. & more. March 25, 9 p.m., $45-$95, area15.com.

The programmers at Area15 call them massives, resurrecting a bygone term for large-scale, somewhat underground dance music festivals, and the next one is themed after Alice in Wonderland’s Mad Hatter on March 25.

The follow-up edition of We’re All Mad Here will feature a headlining set from electronic artist LSDream; additional performances from Eazybaked, Space Wizard, Tripp St., Equanimous, SuperAve., Tahùm and DJ Manifesto; and a full array of festival-style vendors,

interactive photo displays and art installations, roaming characters and much more. Obvious statement: Costumes are encouraged.

“This year will be more of a theatrical, character-driven experience, more interactive,” says Kimberly Beneville, Area15’s head of experiences. “You might find yourself wandering around finding the Caterpillar, and you can actually ask him for advice or maybe have a conversation about your love life with him. You might follow the White Rabbit on a journey or play croquet with the Queen of Hearts. There are a lot of little surprises.”

Surprises are guaranteed at the massives, which span multiple venues at Area15. We’re All Mad Here, Neon Dream (May 27), Secret Garden (June 30-July 1) and Happy Camper (July 22) were all originated last year, and new events finding their way into the mix in 2023 include Odyssium, a pirates-and-sirens Halloween adventure set for October 28-29, and the cosmic rave-up Galactic Zoo on New Year’s Eve.

NIGHTS

“I think we have something pretty special at Area15 where we have multiple stages with the A-Lot and the Portal, and we just opened the Wall,” Beneville says. “From the beginning, we wanted to create these mini-festivals … where you can really take a journey, with all different themes, performers and activities, but really [built on] the idea of different stages with multiple artists.”

Adds Noah Kessler, head of entertainment: “Each event is sort of a different universe or world as well, and they’re curated in a special, creative way in each space. You can have different programming at the Wall, a different style of music or genre in the Portal or out in the A-Lot. It really becomes dimensional.”

All the production for each massive is done inhouse, a feat that further distinguishes Area15’s dance music programming from other day- and nightlife offerings in Las Vegas. Unbound by DJ residencies or the way the Strip’s megaclubs need

to draw tourists, this creative team can move in any musical or conceptual direction it desires.

“We take a broad approach [to booking talent], but putting out a positive message into the world is important to us as a company,” Kessler says. “That’s a big part of it, and aligning [artists] with the event as well as who’s moving tickets. It’s important to book strong sellers to headline the event as we’re building the experience.” He also notes that data from recent events shows these mini-festivals are growing a strong local audience.

Since its pandemic debut, Area15 has quickly established a reputation for incorporating extra layers of storytelling and imagination into everything that happens across its sprawling campus. These colorful art raves are a logical extension of that vision.

“We’re a very playful environment. We really encourage you to get crazy with us, dress up in costumes, just have fun,” Beneville says. “The massives are all about play and fun and … taking you out of your reality. We don’t take ourselves too seriously.”

(Courtesy)

SETTING THE

AEG Presents marks 20 years of evolving Las Vegas entertainment

BY BROCK RADKE

March 25, 2003 stands as an important date in the history of Las Vegas entertainment. It marked opening night of Celine Dion’s rst concert residency, A New Day…, at the new Colosseum at Caesars Palace. Everyone knows that event launched the modern Las Vegas residency model that continues to dominate the live entertainment landscape along the Strip, but it also began a wildly successful 20-years-andcounting run for AEG Presents in Las Vegas.

Over the past two decades, the local office of the live division of LA-based Anschutz Entertainment Group has booked concerts and events at nearly every major venue in town, opened several landmark theaters and showrooms and brought many of the most iconic artists in the world to Las Vegas. Collectively, AEG Presents Las Vegas programming has accounted for more than $2 billion in gross ticket revenue, selling approximately 19.7 million tickets to Vegas shows.

Senior Vice President John Nelson came to town when AEG rst nished the deal with Caesars, Dion, her husband René Angélil and director Franco Dragone to build and operate the Colosseum exclusively for Dion’s show. “We didn’t know how it would be received or how it would go, but it was such an immediate and longterm success, it started an entirely new business for us out here,” Nelson says.

For 16 years, AEG ran the Colosseum, producing other residencies with Elton John, Cher, Bette Midler, Shania Twain, Mariah Carey, Rod Stewart and more, along with oneoff and limited engagement music and comedy events. As casino resorts developed more and larger venues, AEG grew its footprint, most notably with the 2009 revamp of the Hard Rock Hotel and the new version of its iconic music hall, the Joint.

Bobby Reynolds came to Vegas from Chicago to oversee that project, and these days, as a senior

vice president with AEG, he continues to program the current version of that room, the Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, along with Encore Theater at Wynn and other spaces and events.

“I think [Las Vegas] is really signi cant for AEG, and certainly earlier on in our company’s tenure, the Vegas piece was always so strong with Celine and our roster of resident artists,” Reynolds says. “That really helped AEG continue to operate and reinvest, in Vegas and to grow our presence in regional markets and venues.”

Celine at the Colosseum gets a lot of credit for breaking ground in Las Vegas, and justi ably so, but the Joint’s impact on the concert scene is immeasurable. It pioneered rock residencies with Santana (before he moved to his current, longtime home at the House of Blues), Guns N’ Roses, Def Leppard, Journey and Mötley Crüe, not to mention the many acts that played the Hard Rock and might not have otherwise performed in Las Vegas.

“I still think it had one of the best opening

lineups ever, with The Killers, Paul McCartney, Kenny Chesney and Bon Jovi in a week’s time,” Reynolds says. “I also clearly remember booking Imagine Dragons to open for Weezer for $500, and not long after that, for Interpol for a whopping $1,000. Seeing them play New Year’s Eve several years ago as a legit headliner on their way to becoming a worldwide rock band was memorable. We’ve done a lot of impressive things there.”

AEG also opened T-Mobile Arena with Guns N’ Roses, Allegiant Stadium with Illenium and Resorts World Theatre with Carrie Underwood. (Dion was originally scheduled to christen Resorts World Theatre but had to delay her new residency show for health reasons.) From Dolby Live to Michelob Ultra Arena to MGM Grand Garden, name a big room on the Strip and AEG has placed superstars on those stages: Katy Perry, Nine Inch Nails, Lionel Richie, Jim Ga gan, Diana Ross, Luke Bryan, Lady Gaga, Widespread Panic, Tony Bennett, Robbie Williams, Reba

THE STRIP

STANDARD

McEntire and countless others.

The Rolling Stones set a record gross of $12.8 million at Allegiant Stadium. Encore Theater, crowded with unique comedy and musical residencies, plus interesting and diverse upcoming bookings like Ali Wong, the Pixies and George Benson, regularly notches the accomplishment of highest-grossing theater for a room with a capacity under 3,000—and it only seats 1,500. And as a brand-new theater, Resorts World’s largest venue was named Billboard’s top venue for a capacity of 5,000 or less among 2022 yearend box office scores.

“I see more growth in Las Vegas,” Reynolds says. “We will continue to book new resident artists at Resorts World, where the word in the industry is it’s arguably the best theater in the U.S. I also want to bring more comedy there, too, which we started with Kevin Hart.”

With Adele breaking records in the house Celine built and U2 planning to invade Las Vegas

at the coming-soon MSG Sphere, the idea of the concert residency continues to change and ourish. The next big thing could very well be Dion’s return at Resorts World; no dates are scheduled yet, but she’s primed to return to performing in August in Amsterdam, and her tour plans open up in the fall—when she could make her biggest splash during the Formula One Las Vegas Grand Prix on the Strip.

“Resorts World, in its rst year, was the busiest theater in the world in its category,” says Nelson, who con rms AEG is prepared to put Dion onstage in Vegas when she’s ready to sing.

“Audiences are coming back to Vegas. The one thing [Las Vegas] has been waiting on since the pandemic has been the convention crowd, and now that’s coming roaring back. I think this year, Las Vegas will set new records for visitation across the board.”

And AEG stands ready to provide all the live entertainment those visitors could ever imagine.

Celine Dion at the Colosseum in August 2015 (Al Powers/Powers Imagery/Invision/ AP Photo)

ITALIAN ESCAPE

BY BROCK RADKE

“Organic” seems like the right word to describe Azzurra Cucina Italiana, which opened last month on the south end of Water Street in Downtown Henderson. This charming and cozy eatery with twinkling blue oceanic accents feels like the perfect elevated option among the blossoming developments in this part of town, and the way it came together was similarly natural.

“Some things just sort of happen and grow,” says owner Windom Kimsey, the Downtown-based architect who also operates Public Works Coffee Bar. “We knew we wanted to do something and be part of this phase of development, but the

restaurant was sort of serendipitous.”

He explains how he was lunching with friends and reminiscing about one of their favorite local Italian restaurants, the former Bratalian Neapolitan Cantina on Eastern Avenue. Kimsey jokingly texted the general manager of that spot, Walter Ciccone, asking if he was ready “to move down to Water Street. I thought, he’s going to tell me to go take a hike. Instead, he said, ‘We should talk,’” Kimsey says. “The more we talked about it, the more sense it made and the more excited we got.”

Ciccone’s wife and fellow Bratalian grad Alessandra Madeira naturally joined the team to focus on the menu, Kimsey got to work on the design and Azzurra was born. Inspired by Kimsey and his wife Annelisa

Azzurra brings something fresh to Water Street

Polk’s travels to northern Italy, the 30seat restaurant and bar has been booked solid, with its intimate space and different vibes in high demand.

“One of my pet peeves is large, noisy restaurants, where there’s a lot of space but you can’t talk to people sitting across from you,” Kimsey says. “When we were in Italy and Europe last summer, we found a lot of cool, smaller restaurants, [especially] in Milan, which is a high design city, very clean and sleek. That was sort of the inspiration for the design.”

Olive trees, geometric tiles and felt panel ceilings are some of the elements that subtly convey those Milan vibes, while the seats at the marble bar—if you can snag one—offer a soothing home for

FOOD & DRINK

a glass of wine and a snack. Madeira was given free rein when it came to the food. Her veal, beef and pork meatballs ($16) with basil ricotta and marinara and grilled Spanish octopus ($18) with cannellini beans are but two of the familiar appetizers diners loved at Bratalian, given new life—and sometimes bright tweaks—at Azzurra. On the cold side, Caesar ($12) and Caprese ($16) salads are popular starters, and beef carpaccio ($22) is decorated with lots of olive oil, shaved Parmesan, arugula and hearts of palm.

The pork chop Agrodolce ($33) a pan-seared, double-cut chop finished with cherry peppers in a white wine sauce, “is a simple dish to make, but not too many people do it that way,” Kimsey says. “There have been a lot of people who couldn’t wait for her to be cooking again [in a restaurant] so they could eat that.”

Squid ink linguine frutti di mare ($36) is a new dish, laden with clams, shrimp, scallops, mussels and calamari. Other popular pasta options include penne vodka ($20) and spaghetti with meatballs ($24), and light eaters have been devouring zucchini noodles ($22) with shrimp and cherry tomatoes.

The stylish experience makes Azzurra a significant step for dining on Water Street, a risk that’s already paying off. “We’ve been drawing from all over Henderson and beyond, and that’s kind of the idea,” Kimsey says. “More people are coming down here wanting to try something new. I see my projects as planting seeds for redevelopment, trying to make Downtown more of a destination. That’s the ultimate goal, and this is a good stepping stone toward the long-term vision.”

Queso tacos or nachos? Or maybe loaded fries?

It’s near-impossible to choose at Vitos Tacos, especially once you’ve worked through the menu and tried it all. But there’s good news, too: No matter what you pick, it’ll be built around the place’s signature, addictive birria.

Launched in 2020 as a mobile food trailer (now parked full-time at Area15), which routinely sold out of its daily allotment, Vitos has rapidly added to its empire—a full-on food truck, a stall inside Z Supermercado at Maryland and Trop, and last April, a brick-and-mortar all its own at Eastern and Warm Springs. Armed with a fryer, that spot has expanded the menu to include those monstrous nachos ($14) and fries ($15), topped with cilantro and onions, cheese sauce, tangy salsa (ask for red and green!) and heaping helpings of birria.

That distinctive protein—available as beef or chicken—tastes like a family secret passed down through generations. But, owner Victor Gonzalez explains, he actually came up with it during some pandemic downtime just a few years back. “It probably took me two weeks, and about 10 attempts, to get it right,” he says of his recipe, which features 17 spices and requires six to seven hours to cook (for the beef).

Vitos also offers it in burritos, quesadillas and even in bowls of ramen. But after weeks of intense research, our first recommendation is to bring a friend, order two queso tacos apiece ($3.75 each) and share the fries or nachos. Oh, and don’t forget sides of Vitos’ heavenly consommé ($2 small/$4 large) so you can dip absolutely everything into it … and drink up whatever’s left.

–Spencer Patterson

(Wade Vandervort/Staff)

(Courtesy/ Bronson Loftin)

AZZURRA CUCINA ITALIANA 322 S. Water St., 702-268-7867, azzurra cucina.com. Monday-Saturday, 4-10 p.m.

VITOS TACOS 7380 S. Eastern Ave. #118, 702-268-8009, instagram.com/vitostacos for truck & trailer locations. Monday-Saturday, 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sunday, 10:30 a.m.-8 p.m.

EATING UP VITOS’ BIRRIA-CENTRIC MENU

BEST IN THE WEST

WEST REGIONAL When & Where: March 23 & 25, T-Mobile Arena. Sweet 16: No.

seed Connecticut (-3.5) vs. No. 8 seed Arkansas, 4:15 p.m.; No. 2 seed UCLA (-1.5) vs. No. 3 seed Gonzaga, 6:45 p.m. Elite 8: UConn/Arkansas winner vs. UCLA/Gonzaga winner, time and line TBD

All games on CBS. Tickets: Sold out but resale tickets available through axs.com and secondary-ticketing sites.

Arkansas guard Nick Smith Jr. (AP Photo/John Amis)

BY CASE KEEFER

The rst game will match a preseason national championship favorite against a midseason national championship favorite, and the second will pair two of the two best programs in the Western United States, both of which were considered title threats all year.

The rst group of teams ever to play NCAA Tournament games in Las Vegas couldn’t have turned out much better. The West Region has looked like the premier piece of the bracket since Selection Sunday, with the regional champion to be crowned March 25 at T-Mobile Arena after a pair of semi nal games there on March 23.

No. 8 seed Arkansas might look like an intruder alongside No. 2 seed UCLA, No. 3 seed Gonzaga and No. 4 seed Connecticut, but the Razorbacks are no Cinderella. Some sportsbooks had them as co-favorites to win the national championship in the months leading up to the season, with a historically strong recruiting class coming in following back-to-back Elite 8 berths.

It just took Arkansas a while to reach its potential, which it has undoubtedly done, having knocked o West No. 1 seed and defending national champion Kansas 72-71 in the round of 32.

The Razorbacks’ opponent, Connecticut, won its rst 14 games this season to reach No. 1 in the polls. Gonzaga and UCLA were frequently near the top, too, and will now renew their rivalry.

Here’s a closer looker at the four teams, with a headliner (top player to watch) and a showstopper (an attribute that regularly stops opponents dead in their tracks) for each.

NO. 8 SEED ARKANSAS

Headliner: Nick Smith Jr. Smith, the top high school recruit in the nation last year, has actually played poorly so far in the tour-

nament and got benched without scoring a single point in the upset over Kansas. But that makes his remaining college games all the more intriguing, as NBA scouts will be watching closely to see how he responds to adversity. Smith is a projected top- ve pick in June’s NBA Draft, and that probably won’t change even if he continues to struggle. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard has shown enough over the past month, lifting the Razorbacks to another level during the regular season after missing most of the year with a knee injury.

Showstopper: Athleticism. It’s uncommon for the highest-seeded team left in a regional semi nal to have the most talent, but that’s the case here—and it might not be close. Alongside Smith, the Razorbacks have three other players highly likely to contribute in the NBA—guards Anthony Black (who could also be selected in the top ve in the upcoming NBA Draft), Jordan Walsh and Ricky Council IV. Walsh was the game-breaker against the Jayhawks, locking up National Player of the Year nalist Jalen Wilson to spur a second-half comeback after the Razorbacks went down by 12 points.

NO. 4 SEED CONNECTICUT

Headliner: Adama Sanogo.

The 6-foot-9 junior forward from Mali has been one of the best players in the nation all year, averaging 17 points and seven rebounds per game—and he’s taken it to another level in the tournament. Sanogo has scored a total of 52 points and grabbed 21 rebounds in blowout wins over No. 13 seed Iona and No. 5 seed St. Mary’s, while going 21-for-29 from the eld. Some might expect the bigger-name opponents ahead to do a better job defending him, but he has excelled regardless of the competition. In November, Sanogo scored 25 points in an easy 82-67 win over NCAA Tournament overall No. 1 seed Alabama at a

neutral site.

Showstopper: Strength. UConn trailed Iona at halftime in the rst round of the tournament and led St. Mary’s by just one point, but it outscored the two teams by a combined 89-49 in the second half. The late-game runs are no coincidence. The Huskies take pride in wearing down their opponents. They’re probably the best rebounding team in the country, and it’s not all Sanogo. Their guards also crash the boards, and UConn brings 7-foot-2 freshman Donovan Clingan o the bench. The Huskies’ seven loses on the year show there is a way to beat them; it’s just not through trying to outmuscle them in the paint.

NO. 3 SEED GONZAGA

Headliner: Julian Strawther. Three-time All-American Drew Timme, the school’s all-time leading scorer, might be the obvious choice, but this is Las Vegas. And this city belongs to Strawther, Timme’s top sidekick and one of the best prep basketball players in Nevada history out of Liberty High. The junior nearly left for the NBA Draft after last season but returned, alongside seniors Timme, Rasir Bolton and Anton Watson, with the hope that the experienced core could bring home the ultimate prize—Gonzaga’s rst-ever national championship. Timme might be the face of the Bulldogs, but Strawther is their most dynamic player, a standout on both ends of the court who averages 15.5 points and six rebounds per game.

Showstopper: O ense. Gonzaga leads the nation in o ensive e ciency, and there’s not a close second (though UConn is the next team behind them in the category among remaining teams). The Bulldogs can excel in any style game; they beat Alabama 100-90 in a de facto track meet earlier the season and out-executed St. Mary’s in a much-slower half-court battle 77-51 in the West Coast Conference Tournament championship. Gonza-

ga is rst in the nation in two-point eld goal percentage (58.7%), 10th in three-point percentage (38.4%) and 12th in turnover percentage (14.7%), and enters the Sweet 16 on an 11-game win streak, during which it has averaged 91 points.

NO. 2 SEED UCLA

Headliner: Jaime Jaquez. Things got tight in the Bruins’ second-round game against Northwestern, when the Wildcats tied the game at 45 midway through the second half. But Jaquez, a senior swingman, converted on two shots to help settle his teammates down and lead them to a 68-63 victory. He has come through in those type of moments for three straight years, including helping UCLA reach the Final Four as a No. 11 seed in 2021. That tournament is mostly remembered for an instant-classic national semi nal game in which Jaquez’s 19 points weren’t quite enough to top Timme’s 25 points in a 93-90 overtime loss to Gonzaga. The two teams reconvened early the next season in a neutral-site game at T-Mobile Arena, with Jaquez again scoring 19 points but Gonzaga again prevailing. The trilogy comes in the Sweet 16.

Showstopper: Defense. Some wondered if East Coast lifer coach Mick Cronin’s slow, stingy style would t with perhaps college basketball’s most glamorous program when he went from Cincinnati to UCLA in 2019. It has. It might not be the prettiest brand of basketball, but UCLA absolutely sti es opponents. The Bruins have gone back and forth between rst and second in national defensive eciency all year (along with fellow Sweet 16 participant Tennessee). UCLA vs. Gonzaga might therefore truly be a matchup of the nation’s best defense against the nation’s best o ense. If “defense wins championships,” UCLA could be in line for its 12th national title—and rst since 1995.

CANADA-BASED PRODUCT SUPPLIER VALUES ADAPTABILITY IN EMPLOYEES HIRED TO NEVADA LOCATION, ITS FIRST IN THE U.S.

BY KATIE ANN MCCARVER VEGAS INC STAFF

The new Spector & Co. site might not look like much from the outside—a warehouse marked with the Canadian supply company’s name—but inside it’s humming with activity, as employees work between a showroom full of products sporting brand names like Netflix, Jelly Belly and Spotify, and a factory with the array of machines that made them.

The North Las Vegas facility is the Montreal-based company’s first location in the United States, where about 60% of its business takes place, according to Juan Martinez, vice president of branding and manufacturing growth for North America at Spector & Co., a top designer and manufacturer of promotional products.

“We’ve been in business for 70 years,” Martinez said at the 93,000-square-foot facility, which recently became fully operational. “So, we are pretty much one of the best companies in Canada and very competitive in the United States.”

The supplier, which works with distributors to provide branded products to various companies, uses multiple techniques to do so, including flatscreen printing, digital printing, debossing and laser-engraving.

Pens and books are probably the company’s most popular products, Martinez said, followed closely by bottles and bags. At the North Las Vegas facility, pens in the showroom read “Welcome to our Las Vegas Residency.”

The facility has locally hired about 25 people, whom Martinez called “the

best of the best.” The company’s goal is to have approximately 50 to 55 employees by year’s end, he said. Spector & Co. cares about engaging with the community, he emphasized.

“The important part here is that all this equipment requires very capable and competent operators, and the team that we have worked with—all the hires that we have—have been amazing,” Martinez said during a tour of the facility, stopping occasionally to greet employees and ask about their work. “And they are very profi-

cient already.”

Spector & Co. considered about 20 cities for its first U.S. facility, Martinez said, eventually narrowing the list down to San Antonio, Phoenix and Las Vegas.

Vegas eventually won out based on labor availability, direct flights to and from the company’s home base in Montreal, and the fact that one of the largest annual events in the company’s industry takes place here.

“Proximity-wise, it’s a perfect location,” said Ginny Lee, customer

liaison at Spector & Co. “And it gives us a West Coast footprint.”

Martinez said he could see the North Las Vegas operation expanding to hire hundreds of employees within the next five years or so, if all goes according to plan.

The most complex aspect of the company and its expansion isn’t the expensive factory equipment it relies on, Martinez emphasized, but rather the staff that operate it.

“Expansion is always a big portion of what we do,” he said. “Again, we can install all the equipment or the electrical—the plumbing—[but] the most important component is those people that we’re going to be hiring, and the mindset that they have.”

One major advantage of a U.S. facility will be the company’s ability to fill orders without having to worry about customs slowing down their delivery. Being in Nevada will allow the supplier to speed up delivery to U.S. companies by several days or even provide 24-hour service, Martinez said.

With new space also comes new opportunities for innovation, which Martinez suggested is a priority of Spector & Co.

The company thought a lot about what it did and did not want to carry over from its Montreal base to the North Las Vegas site, Martinez said, along with new strategies it could implement. For example, both facilities might soon see the use of robotics, he said.

The days of learning one machine and retiring on that same machine are in the past, Martinez said, and a common denominator among new hires at Spector & Co. must be their ability to learn various machines and adapt as they evolve.

“We thrive on innovation,” Martinez said. “We get excited about it. The guys are super knowledgeable about things, and they are agile. A lot of the people that we hire over here—and that was something that I consciously was looking for—[are] people that can adopt technology very quickly.”

Juan Martinez, vice president of branding and manufacturing growth for North America at Spector & Co. (Steve Marcus/Staff)

VegasInc Giving Notes

Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada announced the addition of Brett Valdez to its board of directors. He brings more than 14 years of banking experience in finance and relationship building and past JA volunteering experience to the nonprofit organization dedicated to educating youths about financial literacy, workforce readiness and entrepreneurship. Valdez is senior vice president and relationship manager at PNC Bank, where he is responsible for helping to build the organization’s commercial banking business in Nevada. He also serves on the board for the Las Vegas chapter of the Association of Latino Professionals for America.

The Dunn Family Foundation has established a $1 million endowment through the UNLV Foundation to fund the creation of the Dunn Family Assessment Collection in the UNLV University Libraries. The endowment

will enable UNLV Libraries to purchase more robust testing collections to support student educators at UNLV and teachers in Southern Nevada. The collection will primarily be housed in the Teacher Development & Resources Library, located in the Carlson Education Building on UNLV’s Maryland Parkway campus. For more information on resources for educators available through the UNLV Libraries, visit the Teacher Development & Resources Libraries at library.unlv.edu/tdrl

Project 150, a local nonprofit that helps high school students in need, announced a contribution of $250,000 from The Frias Charitable Trust to continue providing services and support to local homeless, displaced and disadvantaged high school students. Project 150 earmarked $100,000 of the donation for its scholarship fund. The remaining $150,000 will be used to purchase two new box trucks to assist with weekly deliveries of nonperishable food, school supplies and hygiene items to the 75 Southern Nevada high schools that Project 150 serves.

On February 13, Sahara Las Vegas team members distributed more than 350 pairs of shoes to underprivileged students at Robert E. Lake Elementary School as part of the property’s Sahara Cares initiative. The shoes were donated by team members across various departments. While shoes were the main focus of this distribution, other clothing items were collected, such as underwear, socks, hats, scarves and mittens. The scarves and mittens were hand-knitted by some of the team members. All donated articles of clothing were placed in the school’s clothing closet, which allows students to come in and grab clothes and shoes as needed.

Commercial Alliance Las Vegas and Las Vegas Realtors are partnering with other local real estate organizations to support Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth by collecting donations and volunteering to renovate residences that house previously homeless teens. Other organizations supporting this cause include the Nevada Appraisal Institute ; Building Owners and Managers Association ; Southern Nevada CCIM ; Commercial Real Estate Women ; Institute of Real Estate Management ; NAIOP Southern Nevada ; Nevada State Apartment Association ; and Society of Industrial and Office Realtors . On

Saturday, April 22, volunteers plan to renovate several of NPHY’s local housing units that provide temporary homes for previously homeless youth. Through March 31, CALV is collecting donated items from NPHY’s Amazon Wish List to help with the beautification and renovation project. To make a donation, go to tinyurl.com/calv-donations ,

The Helms Helps Foundation gifted the Collaboration Center Foundation with $500,000 toward renovations on its stables, which are going to be converted into a larger multiuse indoor area housing a treatment and therapy space for community partners to operate, which will include a developmental pre-school, treatment facilities, educational and training classrooms, an art center, an autism assessment clinic and a new grab and go café.

Through a partnership with the Shaquille O’Neal Foundation and Reebok, Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada has renovated the outdoor area at the Boulder Highway Clubhouse to include a brand new, artificial turf, multisport field. Funded by more than $60,000 in donations from foundation and Reebok, the new field will allow for more programming at the club, including enhanced play, sports, recreation, and fitness activities.

Valdez

DAY DRINK BELIEVER

It’s the final round of the 2023 Beer Bracket, presented by Ellis Island!

Vote for your favorite beer:

All participants who vote in the Beer Bracket are entered to win a table for up to four guests to dine in the Font Yard and will receive a voucher via email for one free beer at Ellis Island! This offer can be redeemed at the promotions booth and is good for any bar on property until April 3, 2023. Stop by Ellis Island to sample all of the beer ‘contestants’ and find out which is your personal favorite! *Terms apply

DAY DRINK BELIEVER

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