2023-08-31-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 SHANNON MILLER (shannon.miller@gmgvegas.com)

Sta Writer GABRIELA RODRIGUEZ (gabriela.rodriguez@gmgvegas.com)

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

Contributing Writers GRACE DA ROCHA,HILLARY DAVIS, MIKE GRIMALA, CASEY HARRISON, KATIE ANN MCCARVER, TERESA MOSS, RHIANNON SAEGERT, 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

Senior Advertising Managers MIKE MALL, ADAIR NOWACKI, SUE SRAN

Account Executives MARY CHARISSE DIMAIN, DEREK EIGE, LAUREN JOHNSON, 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

Production Manager BLUE UYEDA

Associate Marketing Art Director BROOKE EVERSON

Marketing Graphic Designer CARYL LOU PAAYAS

Production Artist MARISSA MAHERAS

Senior Tra c Coordinator DENISE ARANCIBIA

Tra c Coordinator ALEX HAASE

Distribution Relations Liaison JIDAN SHADOWEN

Fulfillment Operations Coordinator CASANDRA PIERCE

Route Administrator KATHY STRELAU

GREENSPUN MEDIA GROUP

CEO, Publisher & Editor BRIAN GREENSPUN

Chief Operating O cer ROBERT CAUTHORN

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SUPERGUIDE

Your daily events planner, starring Lady Gaga, LL Cool J, Weezer, Cupcakke,

THE WEEKLY Q&A

Pedro Duran, owner of

Books, is helping facilitate artistic dialogue at Fergusons Downtown.

COVER STORY

Fire up your calendar app and plan out the music, comedy, theater, art and more that will define the months ahead.

NEWS

Tracking Nevada’s rise in the solar rankings, along with what’s holding the state back from even more growth.

NIGHTS

Labor Day Weekend means dayand nightclub fun, and we’ve got the breakdown for the nonstop partiers out there.

SPORTS

FALL A&E GUIDE

FOOD & DRINK

Duck Donuts brings made-toorder goodies to the Strip, plus Su Casa’s Japanese sando.

IN THIS ISSUE

The NFL season fast approaches, and Case Keefer has one bet you should consider making on every single team.

Photo Illustration by Ian Racoma

Erika Jayne and more.

Hasta Siempre

G-Eazy (Courtesy)

SUPERGUIDE

BEETLEJUICE

Thru 9/3, 7:30 p.m. (& 9/2-9/3, 2 p.m.), Reynolds Hall, thesmithcenter.com.

DJ SNAKE

With Kromi, 10 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zoukgrouplv.com.

LAS VEGAS ACES VS. WASHINGTON MYSTICS

7 p.m., Michelob Ultra Arena, axs.com.

BRIAN NEWMAN: AFTER DARK

11:30 p.m., & 9/2-9/3, 9/6, NoMad Library, ticketmaster.com

TOM SEGURA

Thru 9/2, 8 p.m., the Chelsea, ticketmaster.com.

NIGHT SHIFT

9 p.m., Omega Mart at Area15, tickets. meowwolf.com.

BLESSTHEFALL

With Caskets, Kingdom of Giants, Dragged Under, 7 p.m., 24 Oxford, etix.com.

TWENTY YEARS WITH WEST COAST DRAWING

Thru 9/3, hours vary, Sahara West Library, thelibrarydistrict.org.

NO THANKS

With Evan Durant, Rainbolt, Edwin Kugler, Giatti, 10 p.m., Discopussy, discopussydtlv.com.

THE WINDJAMMERS

7 p.m., Ballroom at Treasure Island, treasureisland.com.

MAOR LEVI 10 p.m., Commonwealth, seetickets.us.

THE DOCKSIDERS 7 p.m., Notoriety, notorietylive.com.

BOBBY COLLINS

Thru 9/3, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m., Laugh Factory, ticketmaster.com.

GLITTER WIZARD

With Billy Tibbals, Rose Levee, 9 p.m., Sand Dollar Downtown, thesanddollarlv.com.

LADY GAGA 8 p.m., & 9/2-9/3, 9/6, Dolby Live, ticketmaster. com.

FRIDAY

DRAKE

With 21 Savage, 8 p.m., & 9/2, T-Mobile Arena, axs.com.

FIRST FRIDAY

5 p.m., Downtown Las Vegas, flv.org.

ZEDD

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

ADELE

8 p.m., & 9/2, the Colosseum, ticketmaster.com.

SCREAM’D: AN UNAUTHORIZED MUSICAL PARODY

Thru 11/4, times vary, Majestic Repertory Theatre, majestic repertory.com.

ABOVE & BEYOND 10:30 p.m., Omnia Nightclub, events. taogroup.com.

SENSES FAIL

With Holding Absence, Thousand Below, 6:30 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl, ticketmaster.com.

ERIKA JAYNE

Thru 9/3, 7:30 p.m., House of Blues, concerts.livenation.com.

DILLON FRANCIS

With Cody Ko, noon, Encore Beach Club, wynnsocial.com.

BOB ZANY

8 p.m., & 9/2, Ahern Live Comedy Showroom, ahernhotel.com.

WOOLI

With Level Up, Muerte, Notixx, 8 p.m., Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, bassrush. frontgatetickets.com.

With Spoon, White Reaper, 7 p.m., Bakkt Theater, ticket master.com.

RICK ROSS 10:30 p.m., Drai’s Nightclub, draisgroup.com.

AIR SUPPLY 8 p.m., & 9/2, Orleans Showroom, ticketmaster.com.

TAPE FACE 7:30 p.m. (nightly except Wed), the Underground Theater at MGM Grand, mgmgrand. mgmresorts.com.

LIL JON 10:30 p.m., Hakkasan Nightclub, events. taogroup.com.

JELLY ROLL

With Chase Rice, Struggle Jennings, 7 p.m., MGM Grand Garden Arena, axs.com.

RJMRLA 11 a.m., Daylight Beach Club, daylightvegas.com.

PLAN YOUR WEEK AHEAD

MICHELLE JOHNSON 7 p.m., Myron’s, thesmithcenter.com.

THE CHAINSMOKERS 10:30 p.m., XS Nightclub, wynnsocial.com.

LOS ATASKADOS

With Tijuana No, Francia, Desert Island Boys, 8 p.m., the Space, thespacelv.com.

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

CUPCAKKE

There’s nothing PG-rated about Cupcakke, and we appreciate that in an era when self-censorship for the sake of making other people comfortable feels so commonplace. The Chicago MC joins a long list of female artists who have seemingly staged their own revolution, reclaiming their sexuality through bold fashion and bad bitch anthems that celebrate their royal place in rap music. Foxy Brown and Lil Kim were the torchbearers of that movement in the ’90s, and this witty wordsmith carries it to the next level. Cupcakke somehow manages to fit in wherever she gets in, whether she’s firing o on a Lil Nas X remix (“Old Town Hoe”), a glossy pop track with Charli XCX (“Lipgloss”) or a lyrical love letter to the queer community (“LGBT”).

Early retirement briefly seemed possible for the bold artist, who claimed she was ready to quit music after deactivating all of her social media in 2019, but Cupcakke has since had a change of heart, and we’re hoping it stays that way.

9 p.m., $32, 24, Oxford, virginhotelslv.com.

–Amber Sampson

FOR MORE UPCOMING EVENTS, VISIT LASVEGASWEEKLY.COM.

(Courtesy/Sean Murphy)

SUPERGUIDE

MUSIC

COUNTING CROWS

With Frank Turner, 7:30 p.m., Pearl Concert Theater, ticketmaster.com.

LAS VEGAS LIGHTS VS. ORANGE COUNTY

7:30 p.m., Cashman Field, lasvegaslightsfc.com.

SATURDAY

PARTY

UNLV FOOTBALL VS. BRYANT 1 p.m., Allegiant Stadium, unlvtickets.com.

TIËSTO With Cat Dealers, noon, Ayu Dayclub, zoukgrouplv.com.

SPORTS

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

GARETH EMERY

9 p.m., A-Lot at Area15, area15.com.

ARTS

FOOD + DRINK

THE B-52S 8:30 p.m., & 9/3, Venetian Theatre, ticketmaster.com.

YOUNG THE GIANT 9 p.m., Fremont Street Experience, vegasexperience.com.

LAS VEGAS ACES VS. SEATTLE STORM 6 p.m., Michelob Ultra Arena, axs.com.

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

LUKE BRYAN 8 p.m., & 9/3, 9/6, Resorts World Theatre, axs.com.

TOM PAPA 8 p.m., Encore Theater, ticketmaster.com.

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

BLUSHING

With Past Self, Dark Black, 8 p.m., the Usual Place, eventbrite.com.

MARSHMELLO

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

ELEVATED UNDERGROUNDS

With Style Cramps, Sunday Mourning, Haphazard, 7:30 p.m., Fergusons Downtown, blacksheepbooking. ticketbud.com.

ALESSO 11 a.m., Tao Beach Dayclub, events. taogroup.com.

LL

COOL J: THE FORCE LIVE

COMEDY

PUDDLE OF MUDD

With Crash Midnight, Lost Hearts, 7 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl, ticketmaster.com.

MISC

FIREHOUSE 8 p.m., Westgate International Theater, ticketmaster.com.

DON TOLIVER 10 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zoukgrouplv.com.

LL Cool J hasn’t toured arenas in nearly three decades. The pioneering, iconic hip-hop artist is better known these days as a TV personality and an actor in movies and police dramas. But his carefully curated current outing is an absolute tribute to the music, a standout event in a sea of such concerts and specials as the culture celebrates its 50th anniversary. The FORCE (which stands for Frequencies of Real Creative Energy) has seen the 55-year-old Queens, New York, product perform some of rap’s earliest crossover hits (“Around the Way Girl,” “I Need Love”) and crush the concert finale with the devastating two-punch combo of “Mama Said Knock You Out” and “Rock the Bells.” In between all that power, the Vegas show is scheduled to see sets from more legends—DJ Jazzy Je , Rakim, Salt-N-Pepa, Ice-T, DJ Z-Trip—all backed by The Roots and punctuated by verses from that band’s defining voice, Black Thought, certainly one of the genre’s all-time best and most underrated performers. During a Labor Day weekend crowded with big-ticket concerts, this is one you simply should not miss. 8 p.m., $70-$940, MGM Grand Garden Arena, axs.com. –Brock Radke

LL Cool J (Courtesy)

NELLY 11 a.m., Wet Republic, events.taogroup.com.

G-EAZY 10 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zoukgrouplv.com.

BRENT FAIYAZ

8 p.m., the Chelsea, ticketmaster.com.

JEFF DUNHAM 8 p.m., Bakkt Theater, ticketmaster.com.

KILABOTITOS

8 p.m., M Pavilion, ticketmaster.com.

SCARFACE

With Slim Thug, Mike Xavier, 7:30 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl, ticketmaster.com.

BRAD GARRETT

8 p.m., & 9/4, Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club, bradgarrettcomedy. com.

DIPLO 10:30 p.m., XS Nightclub, wynnsocial.com.

96 BITTER BEINGS

With Hunter’s Briefcase, Shatter the Moon, Prawn Queen, 8 p.m., Artifice, eventbrite.com.

JAUZ 11 a.m., Marquee Dayclub, events. taogroup.com.

GEORGE BIRGE 10 a.m., Soak Pool, palms.com.

PARTYNEXTDOOR

Noon, Ayu Dayclub, zoukgrouplv.com.

FISHER 11 a.m., Tao Beach Dayclub, events. taogroup.com.

JOSH WOLF 7:30 p.m., & 9/4, Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club, ticketmaster.com.

LARRY JUNE

Noon, Daylight Beach Club, daylightvegas. com.

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

MIKE ATTACK 11 a.m., Marquee Dayclub, events. taogroup.com..

KARA HETRICK: NOWHERE NEVADA Thru 9/10, hours vary, Centennial Hills Library. thelibrary district.org.

DJ PAULY D 10:30 p.m., Jewel Nightclub, events.taogroup. com.

RONDELL SHERIDAN

With Aaron Bennet, Frank Del Pizzo, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m., thru 9/10, Laugh Factory, ticketmaster.com.

FOR MORE UPCOMING EVENTS, VISIT LASVEGASWEEKLY.COM.

(Courtesy)

STARTING A FIRE

Pedro Duran’s Hasta Siempre Books encourages artistic dialogue

BY GABRIELA RODRIGUEZ

Hasta Siempre, a recent edition to Fergusons Downtown’s Gather House complex, is an eccentric bookstore that’s quickly becoming a haven for creatives and art connoisseurs. The inventory includes photo books and literature on the underbelly of the art world, scratching an itch for those looking beyond typical bookstore offerings.

Owner Pedro Duran moved to Las Vegas from Ecuador at age 6, under the DREAM Act [Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals].

“I’m a Dreamer, and Las Vegas is all I’ve ever known,” he says. “When I was growing up, I went to a lot of house shows on the East Side and skateboarded. I played lacrosse for a while, too.”

The Weekly sat down with Duran to chat about his aspirations and the inspiration behind his shop.

Were you an avid reader as a kid? My mom has always put me onto her favorite novels and writers, because she was a professor back in Ecuador. Well, both of my parents were. My mom taught English, and my dad taught history. They wanted my sister and me to go to college, and I didn’t go that route, but they’re accepting of it now. My sister actually published a book that’s sold at the Writer’s Block. It’s a children’s book. She had cancer, and her leg was amputated, so it’s about accepting kids with different disabilities.

I’m sure they’re very proud now. Yeah, I actually invite my mom to all the art shows, book readings and signings that we’re a part of, and she’s in love with it.

What are some of your favorite books or authors? William S. Burroughs, because I like how gnarly his stuff is. Most of the first editions I carry are from the Beat guys like Burroughs and [Jack] Kerouac, but I have an affinity for photo and art books. To me, Las Vegas doesn’t have much of an art scene and doesn’t catch my attention, which is why I’ve always gravitated towards these kinds of books. You can open one and learn as much as you would if you were to enter a gallery.

What was your inspiration behind Hasta Siempre? It was the lack of that that made me want to open my own shop. Some stores were missing certain niches that you would only find accidentally when looking through, let’s say, the pre-owned section at Zia Records. I want to focus on the stuff that isn’t shown.

When did the store open? About seven or eight months ago. Before the

shop, I had a big book collection and would sell and trade on my own. Then I had a vintage thing going on, where I would show a gallery of items on my Instagram and sell them under the name Hasta Siempre. That never died; I just added the bookstore element.

Where does the name Hasta Siempre come from? Hasta Siempre means, ‘Until Forever.” When my mom was in college, she was pro-Che

Pedro Duran inside Hasta Siempre (Wade Vandervort/Staff)

Guevara, pro-Fidel Castro and for the Cuban Revolution. There was a song she would play called “Hasta Siempre Comandante,” by Carlos Puebla. This song was written for Che Guevara and talks about resilience, which stuck with me for a long time. I’ve always loved the saying.

How do you curate your bank of books? While looking for books to add to the store, I have to learn to

not be selfish, because most of my findings are just from artists I like. I fall into a wormhole about new information on who influenced who all in this realm of counterculture and raunchy art.

I noticed that you post new books for sale on your Instagram daily. Do you plan on running an online store in the future? No, Amazon has that covered, and I can’t

beat their prices. It’s one thing to see these books online and another to walk in and actually feel it in your hands. You can see what kind of paper is used, if the cover has crocodile skin or canvas. I want to make money, but I’d rather people pick up their books in the shop or I’ll even ship to a customer who messages me on Instagram.

What do you hope to accom-

HASTA SIEMPRE BOOKS

1020 Fremont St., instagram.com/ hastasiemprebooks. Wednesday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

plish with Hasta Siempre? I want to work with as many people as possible and bring a sense of community to the community. I collaborated with [local art gallery] Scrambled Eggs on an event recently and 400 people pulled up. We brought people from all pockets of life, like the goth community, artsy folk and musicians. A lot can build from this meeting of minds. I want to keep the shop and keep the fire going.

Uncover the incredible tales and the colorful history of our state with the Nevada State Museums pass, a membership that allows guests access to all seven museums.

TAKE AN EXPEDITION THROUGH NEVADA’S HISTORY

With Labor Day weekend upon us, it’s the perfect opportunity to plan a Nevada-centric trip that includes Nevada State Museums. Wander through space and time to explore the rich history of Nevada—from the prehistoric era to the Wild West, mining booms to the Atomic Age, Native American life to the state’s natural splendor. Here’s a preview of the museums.

1 NEVADA STATE MUSEUM, CARSON CITY

carsonnvmuseum.org

Housed in the historic U.S. Branch Mint, the museum features 17 galleries and displays, including a reconstructed ghost town and the world’s largest exhibited Columbian Mammoth. Visitors can explore Nevada’s eons-old geology, prehistoric and modern creatures, American Indian culture, silver and gold mining history, and much more. The former Mint’s original Coin Press No. 1 is still working and presses commemorative coins during weekly demos. The museum also hosts rotating history exhibits, lectures, and special cultural programs throughout the year.

3 NEVADA STATE MUSEUM, LAS VEGAS

lasvegasnvmuseum.org

The Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas is a treasure trove of the state’s natural and cultural history. The museum’s permanent galleries tell the uniquely Nevada stories of mining and geology, atomic testing and the military, gambling and entertainment, and so much more. Don’t miss the famous Showgirl Wall, which features dazzling costumes from Las Vegas stages or the massive Ichthyosaur fossil on the wall. The museum also has special art and history exhibits on display throughout the year. Located on the beautiful Springs Preserve campus, the museum is a must visit.

4 EAST ELY RAILROAD DEPOT MUSEUM

elyrailroadmuseum.org

2 NEVADA STATE RAILROAD MUSEUM, CARSON CITY

carsonrailroadmuseum.org

The Nevada State Railroad Museum, Carson City tells the railroading story of Northern Nevada and eastern California. With yearround train rides and a museum containing an extensive collection of significant locomotives, rolling stock, artifacts, photographs and memorabilia, it’s an ideal stop for train enthusiasts of all ages! Don’t miss the museum’s signature piece—the magnificent Inyo, one of the oldest operating steam locomotives in the U.S.

Built in 1905, this fully restored train depot for the Nevada Northern Railway is one of the oldest and best-preserved buildings in White Pine County. Guests can explore the original railroad o ces, including those of the train dispatchers, crew chiefs, medical, management and more. The museum is a fascinating look into what kept the railroad rolling and made eastern Nevada boom.

5 NEVADA HISTORICAL SOCIETY

The Nevada Historical Society in Reno was founded in 1904, making it the state’s oldest cultural institution. This museum is a repository of information about Nevada, the Great Basin and the West. Galleries tell the stories of Indigenous people, emigrants and explorers, mining booms and busts, and Reno’s rise in the 20th century. The museum is home to the American Gaming Archives, a massive collection of artifacts from gaming establishments (legal and illegal) across the U.S.

6 LOST CITY MUSEUM

Just 10 miles from Valley of Fire, the Lost City Museum tells the story of Nevada’s first permanent residents who lived between AD 200 to AD 1200. The museum preserves artifacts recovered from prehistoric archaeological sites, including the Colorado River dam site for Lake Mead, Hoover Dam, and the adobe villages of the Pueblo Grande de Nevada, also known as the Lost City. Visitors can see pottery, baskets and other prehistoric items. The museum also displays the work of contemporary regional artists with regular rotating exhibits.

7 NEVADA STATE RAILROAD MUSEUM, BOULDER CITY

boulderrailroadmuseum.org

Just a stone’s throw from Las Vegas, the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Boulder City is more than just a train ride. The Boulder Branch Line, built by Union Pacific Railroad in 1931, helped facilitate the construction of the Hoover Dam as it shuttled equipment and materials to the building site. Today, guests can ride the excursion train for a 45-minute, seven-mile round trip and enjoy the exhibits highlighting the indelible influence these railroads had in Southern Nevada.

lostcitymuseum.org

nvhistoricalsociety.org

RAY ROMANO & BRIAN REGAN SEPTEMBER 15 & 16

DL HUGHLEY SEPTEMBER 23

DANIEL TOSH SEPTEMBER 8 & 9

GEORGE LOPEZ SEPTEMBER 1 & 2

Your

BY SPENCER PATTERSON,

Drake (September 1-2, T-Mobile Arena) With more No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 than any other rapper ever, Drake’s impact has been seismic, from the dancehall craze of “One Dance” to the ultra-viral “Hotline Bling.” 21 Savage joins in for a hype-worthy weekend of fun. –AS

Black Country New Road (September 5, the Portal at Area15) These artsy English rockers made huge waves in hip circles with their first two LPs in 2021 and ’22, and despite the departure of vocalist Isaac Wood, they remain an act indie-leaning listeners should make a point of catching, even on a Tuesday night. –SP

U2

(September 29-30, Sphere) Opening weekend of U2’s first-ever Vegas residency, focused on revered 1991 album Achtung Baby (even sans drummer Larry Mullen Jr.), would be big on its own; launching the Strip’s futuristic Sphere has it on a hype trajectory few shows in this town’s storied history can match. –SP

Mareux

(September 11, Backstage Bar & Billiards) Aryan Ashtiani’s decade-old darkwave project finally has a debut album, and its notoriety is creeping up the gothic electro totem pole. Expect the tour’s Vegas stop to draw up a dreamscape-like ambiance. –GR

Victoria Monét (September 28, 24 Oxford) On top of penning pop songs for Blackpink and Ariana Grande (you can thank her for “Thank U, Next”), Monét has stepped into the limelight on our own, finding a following with slow jams that demand the intimacy of 24 Oxford. –AS

Night Beats

(September 28, Vegas Stand

Up & Rock) The Seattle band’s latest LP, “Rajan,” blends hypnotic psychedelia, disorderly funk and throwback blues, wrapped around the band’s most evolved songs. –GR

Yves Tumor

(October 10, the Portal at Area15) The type of tour stop Vegas often misses, featuring a chameleonic experimenter whose blend of glam/psych/ dance/pop/etc. should appeal to anyone sick of the same old thing. –SP

Acid Mothers Temple

(October 13, Artifice) Makoto Kawabata’s psychedelic space troupe has touched down twice in Vegas—playing a co ee shop in 2002 and a house show in ’06—which begs the question: What will “Pink Lady Lemonade” sound like when we’re standing up? –SP

Nickel Creek

(October 15, Brooklyn Bowl)

Having gone close to a decade between albums, the veteran SoCal progressive bluegrass trio added to its consistently excellent catalog with March’s Celebrants—and should be something to behold live at the Bowl. –SP

GABRIELA RODRIGUEZ & AMBER SAMPSON

guide to the season’s top music, comedy, theater, art and more

(Courtesy/Anton Corbijin)

Wu-Tang Clan & Nas

(October 21, MGM Grand Garden Arena) The tour’s called N.Y. State of Mind, and it brings together not just the two headlining heavyweights behind Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) and Illmatic but also the surviving members of De La Soul, whose classic music finally made it to streaming platforms this year. –GR

SZA

(October 28, T-Mobile Arena)

SZA dazzled us with an intimate 2017 Vinyl performance in her Ctrl prime, and reports have the R&B icon dropping magical arena sets filled with surprise guests on her current SOS tour. –AS

Men I Trust (November 3, Theater at Virgin)

If “soft girl” aesthetic was a band, it might be Men I Trust, a Canadian three-piece that audibly hugs listeners like a warm blanket and carries them to bed. –GR

Kylie Minogue (November 3-4, 10-11, Voltaire)

The red carpet has been rolled out for the Australian pop star’s first Strip residency, which will fill a new 1,000-seat Venetian venue with the timeless “Can’t Get You Out of My Head” and cuts from her forthcoming album, Tension. –AS

Mexican Independence Day Weekend! Carin León (September 14, T-Mobile Arena); RBD (September 14, MGM Grand Garden Arena); Banda MS (September 15, Michelob Ultra Arena); Marco Antonio Solís (September 15, T-Mobile Arena); Gloria Trevi (September 15, Bakkt Theater); Emmanuel (September 15-16, Venetian Theatre); Alejandro Fernández (September 15-16, MGM Grand Garden Arena); Caifanes (September 16, Pearl Concert Theater); Los Ángeles Azules (September 16, Bakkt Theater); Luis Miguel (September 16-17, Dolby Live); Maná (September 17, T-Mobile Arena)

More! Melt Banana (September 8, Backstage Bar & Billiards); Ignite (September 8, Sand Dollar Downtown); Frankie & The Witch Fingers (September 9, the Usual Place); Ed Sheeran (September 9, Allegiant Stadium); Head Automatica (September 14, House of Blues); Neon Trees (September 16, Fremont Street Experience); Devon Allman & Donavan Frankenreiter (September 20, Brooklyn Bowl); Danzig (September 22, Theater at Virgin); Dashboard Confessional (September 23, Fremont Street Experience); YG, Tyga, Saweetie & more (September 23, Thomas & Mack Center); The Pharcyde (September 27, Brooklyn Bowl); The Used (September 28, House of Blues); Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo (September 29, Pearl Concert Theater); Corey Taylor (September 29, Brooklyn Bowl); Uada (September 29, the Usual Place); Kali Uchis (September 29, MGM Grand Garden Arena); Goose (October 1, Brooklyn Bowl); Shakey Graves (October 1, Theater at Virgin); Boys

Like Girls (October 2, House of Blues); The Postal Service & Death Cab for Cutie (October 4, Theater at Virgin); The Gaslight Anthem (October 5, Brooklyn Bowl); The Church (October 6, Brooklyn Bowl);

BY AMBER SAMPSON

Life Is Beautiful (September 22-24, Downtown Las Vegas) The Downtown bash returns for its 10th edition with a culinary lineup of more than 50 chefs, a trinity of legacy acts— Kendrick Lamar, The Killers and Odesza—at the top of its poster and an impressive undercard featuring Flume, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Omar Apollo, The 1975, Kim Petras and many others.

When We Were Young (October 21-22, Las Vegas Festival Grounds) Poppunk isn’t dead, and neither is this two-day festival, which keeps the hype train rolling in its second year with sets from Blink-182, Green Day, Something Corporate, 30 Seconds to Mars, Good Charlotte, Simple Plan, Sum 41, Plain White T’s and too many more to count.

Arkadia (November 2-5, Area15) Somehow, Arkadia quietly emerged with one of the grooviest electronic dance music bills we’ve seen all year—Chromeo, Elderbrook, Dr. Fresch, Jai Wolf, The Glitch Mob, Troyboi, Evan Giia and more, plus inspiring presentations from thought leaders and more.

SEMA Fest (November 3-4, Las Vegas Festival Grounds) A cool car is nothing without its music, so SEMA Fest will debut with an all-star lineup featuring Imagine Dragons, Incubus, Ludacris and Wiz Khalifa, plus enough motorsports competitions and sleek rides to keep auto enthusiasts enamored for days.

Anita Baker (October 6-7, Dolby Live); Jackson Browne (October 6-7, Venetian Theatre); The Hold Steady with Built to Spill (October 7, Brooklyn Bowl); Pink (October 7, Allegiant Stadium); M83 (October 12, Theater at Virgin); The Psychedelic Furs with Squeeze (October 14, Pearl Concert Theater); Porno for Pyros (October 15, House of Blues); Max & Igor Cavalera (October 17, House of Blues); Richard Lloyd Group (October 20, Sand Dollar Downtown); Something Corporate (October 20, House of Blues); Lil Yachty (October 26, Brooklyn Bowl); Primitive Man with Midwife (October 26, the Usual Place); Exciter (October 27, Count’s Vamp’d); Jake Owen (October 27, Sandbar at Red Rock); Doja Cat (November 3, T-Mobile Arena); Hozier (November 3, the Chelsea); Liz Phair (November 4, Theater at Virgin); Tony! Toni! Toné! (November 10, Pearl Concert Theater); Lindsey Stirling (November 24, Reynolds Hall); Corey Feldman (November 25, Sand Dollar Downtown); TV Girl (November 26, Brooklyn Bowl).

More! Big Blues Bender (September 7-10, Westgate); Rumbazo (September 15-16, Downtown Las Vegas Events Center); Galactic Zoo (September 16, Area15); iHeartRadio Music Festival (September 22-23, T-Mobile Arena); Reggae Rise Up (October 6-8, Downtown Las Vegas Events Center).

Fans at When We Were Young 2022 (Courtesy/Gina Joy)

(Courtesy/Jacob Webster)

SHOWGIRLS ARE FOREVER

Dita

BY BROCK RADKE

Iconic burlesque innovator

Dita Von Teese has long felt at home in Las Vegas, finding inspiration in the city’s glittery history when her touring productions visit a local venue. Now set to open her own residency show on the Strip, she’s ready to use all that inspiration to create something new onstage. And what a stage it is.

The historic Jubilee Theater at Horseshoe Las Vegas is an absolute perfect fit for Dita Las Vegas, and sweetening the deal further is the news that Von Teese will use some of the classic costumes from the legendary Jubilee production in her show. These masterpieces haven’t seen the stage since the showgirl spectacular shuttered in 2016.

But no one is trying to re-create the Las Vegas of old; Von Teese is assembling her biggest production ever and paying homage to Jubilee while continuing to evolve her art form. The Weekly spoke to her recently to get the lowdown.

Is this Vegas residency something you’ve been working toward for a long time? It’s something I’ve wanted for a long time, but it took quite a while, many years to actually get to someone with the power to make it happen the right way in Vegas. I think if someone hasn’t seen the shows and the tours and what I actually do, they might just imagine the girl in the martini glass [act]. We’ve seen burlesque before, and it’s usually in a little room with 100 people. So it takes someone coming out to see the show to understand where I should be. This is kind of a defining moment for me, for our partners to come out and see the show and say, this should be in the Jubilee Theater.

Were you a fan of Jubilee? I’ve seen Jubilee more times than I can count. Every time I’d go to Vegas, I had two stops—the Jubilee show and the Liberace Museum. Those things are gone

now, but it was very exciting when the room was o ered, because it is that historic, and my first question was, where are all the feathers? It’s a little bit daunting to build a show for that stage. I respect the Jubilee show so much and everyone who was in it and working on it. All the feathers and rhinestones are legendary for people like me, who love that kind of spectacle, and I felt like I won the glamour jackpot when I found out we can utilize some of those beautiful costumes.

Your shows are a very modern version of a very classic presentation. Are you taking that same signature approach to the residency show? My mission for the last 25 years has been to evolve burlesque into something di erent, and at no point have I tried to re-create the past or do it how it was done back then. I’m interested in technology, in feminine power, and that’s very di erent from

old-timey burlesque entertainment that was run by men for men. Burlesque in this day and age means something totally di erent for so many people. The majority of my audience is female, but a lot of men come too. And to be able to do something bigger than I’ve ever done and stay in one place is very exciting to me, because I’ve always been thinking of, how do I fit all these things onstage into a semitruck and take them around the world. There’s so much more I can do, and I’m looking forward to bringing together the best of what I can do with my favorite things from Jubilee and just seeing these costumes onstage, in motion again, in a new way.

You’re also working with a larger cast, but how will your own performance be di erent in this show? I’m still onstage for these really elaborate, long striptease numbers, and this show, I make more appearances than I normally do. We’re trying to make

as many costume changes as possible. And if you know the room, there are all these cool things that come out of the ceiling, out of the floor, from the side stages, so there’s so many opportunities to have di erent kinds of appearances.

Are we going to see any of those big, classic showgirl show moments? Maybe a chorus line?

Yes, but in a new and di erent way. I don’t fit into the standards of the showgirl. I wanted to be a ballerina when I was little, but I wasn’t good enough. I wanted to be at Crazy Horse in Paris, and I was told no, I don’t have the right body shape or height. So I feel like I have the ability to manifest things when I’m told no—I’m still becoming a showgirl. We’ve been trying to create a show that feels di erent from the past and I feel like I’m on the right track with this. I don’t want to say too much, but yes, I know I can put my own spin on this.

Von Teese prepares to make her mark on the Strip

DITA LAS VEGAS:A JUBILANT REVUE Opens October 5, $47-$189, Jubilee Theater, ticketmaster.com.

(Courtesy/Albert Sanchez & Pedro Zalba)

Matt Rife

(September 8-9, the Chelsea) Even if you saw his appearances on MTV’s Wild ’n Out, this 27-year-old comedian’s meteoric rise likely caught you by surprise—and when you did see him, you assumed he was just some chiseled TikTok model. But he’s actually one of the hottest stand-ups in the game right now, selling out venues left and right on his ProbleMATTic tour.

Taylor Tomlinson (September 14-15, Encore Theater) Earlier this year, Tomlinson inked a deal for two more Netflix specials, and it only takes a few minutes of her stage work to see why. There’s an instant familiarity, like you’ve known her personally for years, and the everyday life and relationship material she mines is just as relatable.

Theo Von (October 27-28, Resorts World Theatre)

The sizzling-hot Von might have raised his profile more than any other comedian during the pandemic, thanks to seemingly infinite viral YouTube clips from his This Past Weekend podcast. Though he’s always courting controversy, he’s also always proving there’s more to the man than the mullet.

Tina Fey & Amy Poehler

(November 10-11, Resorts World Theatre)

They first met on the Chicago improv scene some 30 years ago, and their comedy collaboration has since given the world some of the all-time greatest stu on Saturday Night Live. The first-ever joint tour from Poehler and Fey sounds like a dream come true, and the fact that they’re playing the Strip’s newest residency room is almost too awesome to believe.

Las Vegas Greek Fest (September 15-17, St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church)

This true community event is celebrating its 50th anniversary, a testament to the tireless organizers and supporters who keep it rolling each year with live music, kids’ activities, tours of the hosting church and much more. But it’s the food that keeps us coming back, from flaming saganaki to delicate, sweet pastries. Lasvegasgreekfest.com

Vegas Unstripped (October 14, 18b Arts District) Get ready for another feast of one-night-only dishes from the city’s culinary kings and queens complemented by cocktails, music and more, with proceeds going to local charities that battle hunger. Saipin Chutima, Brian Howard, James Trees and Johnny Church are among the confirmed chef participants, and $150 all-inclusive tickets are on sale now. Vegasunstripped.com

One Night for One Drop (November 15, Marquee Nightclub) It’s wrong to call One Night for One Drop a food festival, even though the landmark philanthropic event will o er an array of expertly curated wine, spirits and cuisine. This year’s immersive party is themed after Cirque du Soleil co-founder Guy Laliberté’s infamous bashes, taking over Marquee at the Cosmopolitan. Onedrop.org.

More! Je Dunham (September 3, October 22, November 12, Bakkt Theater); Bobby Bones (September 9, Theater at Virgin); Ralph Barbosa (September 15, Summit Showroom); Bill Maher (September 15-16, November 3-4, David Copperfield Theater); Lil Rel Howery (September 1516, Wiseguys Town Square); Gabriel Iglesias (September 15-17, the Chelsea); Steve Martin & Martin Short (September 22-23, Encore Theater); Marc Maron (September 22-23, Wiseguys Arts District); Pete Davidson (September 23, the Chelsea); DL Hughley (September 23, Mirage Theatre); Ali Wong (September 29-30, Encore Theater); David Spade & Nikki Glaser (September 2930, November 16-17, Venetian Theatre); Kathy Gri n (October 6, Mirage Theatre); Sebastian Maniscalco (October 6-7, Encore Theater); Kevin James (October 19-21, Mirage Theatre); Iliza Shlesinger (October 27-28, Encore Theater); Daniel Tosh (September 8-9, October 27-28, November 10-11, Mirage Theatre); Tracy Morgan (November 9, Pearl Concert Theater); Colin Quinn (November 10, Treasure Island Theatre); Nate Bargatze (November 10-11, Encore Theater); Jay Leno (November 12, Encore Theater); Bill Burr (November 17, Dolby Live).

More! San Gennaro Feast (September 20-24, M Resort); Great American Foodie Fest (September 29-October 1, Orleans); Downtown Brew Festival (October 7, Clark County Amphitheater); Las Vegas Asian Night Market (October 14, location TBA); Aki Matsuri Japanese Festival (October 21, Water Street Plaza); Cigar Aficionado Big Smoke (November 3-4, Resorts World); Las Vegas Pizza Festival (November 4, Industrial Event Space).

Local chefs at Vegas Unstripped 2021 (Courtesy/ Angie Ortaliza)

Poehler (left) and Fey (AP Photo/Photo Illustration)

BY GEOFF CARTER

The Emotional Show

(Thru March 16, Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art) This Barrick show contemplates nothing short of the role that human emotion plays in art, a “demanding and amorphous territory” that more than 40 artists will navigate, each in their own idiom. For example, Christine Sun Kim and Thomas Mader do so through performance video; Miguel Rodriguez o ers figurative ceramics; Tamar Ettun provides an “inflatable environment.”

Other artists feeling their feelings include Ali Fathollahi, Dan45 Hernandez, Q’shaundra James, Martin Krelo , Wendy Kveck, Jason Lazarus, Sara Jean Odam, Heidi Rider, Lance Smith, Jen Urso, Mikayla Whitmore, the Smile Face Museum and many more.

Speaking from our own hearts, we feel good about The Emotional Show. That’s because we know that two more solid exhibitions—Jeannie Hua’s Tailings and Lined and Torn: Paper Works from the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art Collection—are showing at the same time, in adjacent galleries. Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., free, unlv.edu/ barrickmuseum.

Sidne Teske: Heart/Land

(Thru September 27, Nevada

Humanities) Teske’s pastel paintings capture the softly radiant landscape of the northern Nevada town of Tuscarora, subtly hinting at the ways in which mining has transformed the land since the 1860s. They hang alongside figural works that ponder the “inner landscape.” Reception September 25.

Blanca Roa: Dia de Muertos, A Living Tradition (Thru October 31, West Las Vegas Library) An artist and dollmaker hailing from northern Mexico, Roa guides viewers through some 35 years of her life and career at West Las Vegas Library, expressed through darkly vibrant paintings … and some custom dolls, too. Reception September 17.

Showgirl Legacy Foundation: Showgirls! The Legacy of Glitz and Glam

(

September 6-December 10, Sahara West Library) Created from entries into Las Vegas Academy of the Arts’ 16th Annual Showgirl Art Competition, Showgirls! both draws on Vegas’ glittering production show legacy and casually reimagines it. Also at Sahara West: Nevada Watercolor Society’s fall show and Stephanie Amon’s Faces of Hip Hop

Hija/e/o/x(s) de Su

(September 8-December 7, Nuwu Art) This group show, curated by Geovany Uranda and Cesar Piedra, aims to “unite the Latina/e/o/x communities” of Northern and Southern Nevada. It features work from Adriana Chavez, Emmanuel Muñoz, Daisy Sanchez, Häsler Gómez, Ricardo Rubalcaba-Parades and more.

Cute & Creepy: Creature Collage Workshop

(September 11 & 28; October 9 & 26, Slonina Artspace) You might learn a few things at this recently opened Fremont Street artist collective. For example: You could be instructed in the finer points of surreal collage by renowned artist JK Russ, for just $25 per lesson.

Ronaldo Dizon: Thoughts on the River Nile (September 26-December 17, East Las Vegas Library) True to the exhibition’s name, Dizon’s photography captures the stunning sights of Egypt—the pyramids at Giza, the great Sphinx, Abu Simbel, the Temple of Horus, Karnak—in dreamlike, glowing color, alongside scenes of folk going about their lives.

Nancy Good: Meaning: The Search For (October 13-December 1, Core Contemporary) The owner of Core Contemporary gallery hasn’t shown her own work since 2021, but that drought ends with this show of Good’s interactive mural-sized paintings and video art from her “A2D” (analog to digital) series.

BY

Scream’d (September 1-November 4, Majestic Repertory Theatre) The runaway success of 2022’s The Craft: An Unauthorized Musical Parody shouldn’t surprise anyone. Majestic Repertory Theatre artistic director Troy Heard was destined to make that production as iconic as the film itself.

“When I did The Craft, it was a labor of love,” he says. “Since then, it’s played in Kansas City, it’s lined up for another production on the West Coast, and people just go for it. They loved how it was a parody, but it wasn’t a stupid parody. It was more like nostalgia, an homage.”

Now, Majestic Repertory Theater is tapping into the ’90s horror zeitgeist again with Scream’d, a musical parody following the first film of the series, as high schoolers are picked o by the murderous Ghostface. Audience members are also encouraged to dress up as characters. That’s part of the whodunit fun. “What makes Scream so di erent is, it’s more like an Agatha Christie murder mystery than a slasher film, because the killer changes,” Heard says.

Familiar faces from the The Craft musical parody will return, including Katie Marie Jones, who plays the Drew Barrymore and Rose McGowan roles, and Ray Winters, who’ll play Skeet Ulrich’s character, Billy. Brandon Scott Grayson, who directed music for The Craft, will also up the tempo on Scream’d’s live band arrangements. “Where The Craft was grunge and darker, this one is more pop,” Heard says. “You’ve got boy bands, you’ve got Britney and you’ve got some rock.” –AS

More! Joseph Watson: Sights and Situations (Thru September 30, Priscilla Fowler Fine Art); Alina Lindquist: Musings of the Mojave (Thru October 1, West Charleston Library); Nevada Camera Club: Annual Electronic Competition (September 14, Whitney Library); Art in the Park (October 7-8, Boulder City’s Bicentennial, Escalante & Wilbur Parks); Dan Swenson: Landscapes and Spaces of the West (November 16, Centennial Hills Library).

SHANNON MILLER & AMBER SAMPSON

Still from “I Am Great” by Quindo Miller from The Emotional Show (Courtesy)

Sin

City Burlesque Festival

(September 8-9, multiple venues) Perhaps the sexiest event this fall will feature tantalizing showcases including Babes and Blues, produced by local performer Issabelle Marie with music by Kitty Chow and the Sin City Sensations; a variety showcase hosted by Angie Z; a competition for the Sin City Queen of Burlesque crown; and an afterparty show with Coco Lamarr at Cheapshot. –SM

Opera Las Vegas:

Behold the Man (September 30 & October 1, CSN’s Nicholas J. Horn Theater)

Opera Las Vegas kicks o its 25th season with the world premier of a comic opera based on the true story of Cecilia Giménez, an art restorer whose botched job in 2012 went viral on the internet, and had transformational consequences for her small Spanish town. –SM

Henderson Symphony Orchestra: Black Panther in Concert (September 29, Water Street Plaza Amphitheater) Strings, horns and percussion bring Wakanda to life as the HSO plays the score of Marvel’s Black Panther with the film screening in the background. Master of the talking drum Massamba Diop will accompany the orchestra for the performance. –SM

Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations (October 10-15, Reynolds Hall)

Written by Dominique Morisseau and directed by Jersey Boys’ Des McAnu , this Tony Award-winning musical takes viewers through The Temptations’ journey to become one of the top hitmaking acts of the Motown era. –SM

A Public Fit: Indecent

(October 27-November 20, Super Summer Theater Studio Theater) The first mainstage production of A Public Fit’s 10th season hinges on the controversy surrounding Sholem Asch’s 1923 play God of Vengeance, regarded as a significant and controversial Jewish works of the 20th century. –SM

Nevada Ballet Theater: Carmina Burana

(November 3-5, Reynolds Hall) Many should recognize the blasting opening lines of “O Fortuna,” the first movement in this work by 20th century German composer Carl Or . The epic cantata grows to even greater proportions when performed as a ballet. –SM

Nevada Conservatory Theatre: Cinderella Under the Mistletoe (November 24-December 10, Judy Bayley Theatre) Set in mythological Vegas, the world premier of this slapstick comedy fairytale is guaranteed fun for the whole family. “I don’t know if you’ve seen a British panto[mime], but they’re hilarious and delightful, and very much about social commentary,” teases NCT executive director Kirsten Brandt. –SM

More! Nevada Conservatory Theatre with Vegas Theatre Company: Happy Days (September 8-17, UNLV Black Box Theatre); The Miracle Worker (September 8-24, Las Vegas Little Theatre); Les Miserables (September 12-17, Reynolds Hall); Rainbow Company Youth Theatre: Lord of the Flies (September 22-24, 29-30, October 1, Charleston Heights Arts Center); A Public Fit: The Lifespan of a Fact (September 29-30, Clark County Library); Vegas Theatre Company: Abandon (October 5-31, VTC Theatre); Nevada Conservatory Theatre: American La Ronde (October 6-22, UNLV Black Box Theatre); Conrad Tao & Caleb Teicher: Counterpoint (October 6, Artemus W. Ham Hall); Vegas City Opera: Kings & Queens (October 13-14); Las Vegas Philharmonic: Symphonic Spectacular (October 21, Reynolds Hall); Las Vegas Philharmonic: The Music of Queen (November 11, Reynolds Hall).

FRESH TAKE

Meet new Nevada Conservatory Theatre head Kirsten Brandt

The Nevada Conservatory Theatre has a fearless new leader. After running various theaters and teaching in companies and schools across the West Coast, new executive director Kirsten Brandt hopes to bring elements of engagement, experimentation and accessibility to UNLV’s professional theater training program, and to the 2023-24 season.

“Theater is a way of engaging with the community to start conversation,” she tells the Weekly. “I’m interested in ethical engagement with the audience, which means it’s not just me telling them, ‘You need to think this way.’ It’s having an actual dialogue about things.”

Brandt says she’s aware that the meaning of theater sometimes gets lost upon audiences who are used to streaming services and more passive spectatorship. But the theater’s upcoming season—starting with Samuel Beckett’s Happy Days, Steven Dietz’s American La Ronde and Laura James’ Cinderella Under the Mistletoe—is one they won’t want to miss, she says.

“I’m really excited about the possibilities of that experimentation. … The word experimental turns people o a lot of times, and I want people to know that experimentation means adventure and innovation and accessibility.” –SM

(Courtesy/Noah Rivera)

Four Marx Brothers Movies (September 1-4, the Beverly Theater) “Do you suppose I could buy back my introduction to you?” “Go, and never darken my towels again!” There’s nothing that sticks in the head like a good Marx Brothers movie, and the Beverly is o ering four of them—Animal Crackers, Monkey Business, Horse Feathers and Duck Soup—over as many nights.

Stop Making Sense: The IMAX Live Experience (September 11, AMC Town Square) Why reissue 1984’s Stop Making Sense? Why is Silence of the Lambs director Jonathan Demme’sTalking Heads concert film, which captures that band at its peak, widely considered to be one of the best-made concert films ever? Why did A24, the new distributor of Stop Making Sense, spring for a 4K restoration? Why screen it in IMAX? Why are the members of Talking Heads reuniting for livestreamed Q&A session that immediately follows this screening? Why a big suit? The answers to most of these questions will become evident one minute into “Psycho Killer,” and the rest will hit you midway through the funky delirium of “Girlfriend Is Better.” Stop Making Sense is rock history, and IMAX is the big suit it deserves.

Lakota Nation vs. United States (September 28, the Beverly Theater) The Black Mountain Institute and Nuwu Art present Jesse Short Bull and Laura Tomaselli’s 2022 documentary of the Lakota Indians’ fight to reclaim South Dakota’s Black Hills, a site that is sacred to them. Oglala Lakota poet and activist Layli Long Soldier, the film’s writer and narrator, will introduce the film and perform a reading.

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (September 29, the Beverly Theater) Begin the spooky season right with a screening of this innovative and influential silent film from 1920—acknowledged by many to be the first proper horror film. Robert Wiene’s tale of a hypnotist and his homicidal somnambulist has been remastered in 4K, and will be accompanied by a live score.

Wild & Scenic Film Festival (October 7, Spring Mountain Ranch State Park) A fundraising event for Friends of Nevada Wilderness, this one-night film festival is both an opportunity to enjoy films about nature in the shadows of Red Rock Canyon, and for you to get to know your local conservationist organizations, who will also be in attendance. Nevada wilderness.org/ws 2023

More! Scrapper (September 14-19, the Beverly Theater); Have You Got It Yet? (September 14-17, the Beverly Theater); Chungking Express (September 26, the Beverly Theater); 2023 Sundance Shorts Tour (September 30, the Beverly Theater).

(Courtesy/IFC Films)

BY GABRIELA RODRIGUEZ

Las Vegas Book Festival

(October 21, Historic Fifth Street School)

Founded more than two decades ago, the City of Las Vegas’ annual book fest brings together acclaimed authors, up-and-coming writers and avid readers for a daylong celebration of words. This year’s lineup will feature author readings, discussion panels, poetry, writing workshops and more (though specific names were unavailable at press time). Activities are available for all ages to participate in and attend, and Clark County students will be spotlighted during a Spark! Youth Poetry Competition. At its core, the festival’s mission is to spread knowledge and appreciation for literary composition, and it’s tough to argue with that.

Lasvegasbookfestival.com

More! Reading: Jarret Keene (September 12, Writer’s Block); Reading: Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah (September 14, UNLV’s Judy Bayley Theater); Reading: Myriam Gurba (September 19, Writer’s Block); Reading: Edgar Gomez (September 20, UNLV’s Beverly Rogers Building); Reading: Morgan Jerkins with Claytee White (September 29, Writer’s Block); Reading: Morgan Thomas (October 4, UNLV’s Beverly Rogers Building); Reading/signing: The Gospel of The Hold Steady authors (October 8, Writer’s Block); Reading: Melissa Broder (October 13, Writer’s Block); Reading: Ahmed Naji (October 17, Writer’s Block); BMI Breakout Writers Series: Tyriek White (October 19, UNLV’s Barrick Auditorium); Reading: Daniel Gumbiner (October 26, Writer’s Block); Reading/signing: David Sedaris (November 21, Reynolds Hall).

RECORD BREAKING

Charity Weekend Celebration

SEPTEMBER 21-23

BENEFITTING CHARITIES:

Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center

Manilow Music Project

Musicians on Call

Three Square

Victoria’s Voice

Youth Villages

TICKETS INCLUDE:

Collector’s Commemorative Coin

Copacabana Boa

Record Breaking Celebration hat

2 free drinks (in a collectible cup) at the Copa Bar

VIP Pass to the Saturday afternoon private screening of COPACABANA–TheMovie!

All Manilow 2023 show tickets are available at

STRIP WORKERS PAY THE PRICE FOR F1 RACE PREPARATIONS WITH COMMUTING HEADACHES

It was a blazing 104 degrees on the Las Vegas Strip earlier this month when Ricky Kendall and six other bus riders trudged across the Interstate 15 overpass on Flamingo Road, each clutching water bottles and shielding their faces from the sun with whatever they could find.

Kendall, who works at a resort company call center, usually just takes the bus from the Horseshoe to his home off Flamingo and Decatur Boulevard. But on this day the bus was nowhere to be found.

The reason: Construction work and repaving of the Strip for the inaugural Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix prevented the bus from reaching Kendall’s usual stop. Walking a few miles in the Las Vegas heat is problematic regardless of your physical condition, but for senior citizens like the 71-year-old Kendall, it was even worse, he said.

Kendall’s chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, flared up so badly that he had to use his inhaler twice despite the recommended dose being once every four hours.

The scene that played out is common on Las Vegas Boulevard as service industry workers are seeing their commutes to and from work altered because of the ongoing construction to accommodate the November 16-18 events surrounding the race. Some workers have reported being stuck in a resort’s parking garage for nearly an hour after a shift because the Strip can’t accommodate the rush-hour demand combined with the normal visitor traffic.

Some parts of the Strip have been reduced to one lane of traffic in each direction.

“I represent tons of people that work on that Strip—tons of people, day in and day out that are fighting the traffic, that have no direction,” Clark County Commissioner Marilyn Kirkpatrick said during a June commission meeting. “They don’t know how long it might take them on any particular day.”

One Reddit user reported having “sat in so much traffic for this paving project,” spending around 45 minutes to drive only 5 miles. Another described driving on the Strip to their job off Sands Avenue and Paradise Road as “torture.” –Grace De Rocha

IN THE NEWS

EDUCATION

CCEA WANTS LOMBARDO TO ‘END THE STALEMATE’ WITH CCSD

The Clark County Education Association agreed August 26 to put pressure on Gov. Joe Lombardo to “end the stalemate” between the union and the Clark County School District as bitter contract negotiations continue.

The union held a full-membership meeting that day as planned to discuss “work actions,” but did not take up votes to strike—work stoppages, sickouts, slowdowns or operational interruptions—according to one attendee. Nor did members take a vote to “work to rule” as a kind of work action, meaning teachers would only work the 7 hours, 11 minutes a day outlined in their current contract.

The union had previously floated “work to rule” as a kind of work action it might consider if it did not have a satisfactory contract to ratify by August 26.

The union does not have such a contract. CCEA and the district are still mired in contract negotiations, with their last bargaining session on August 18.

Details from the meeting are slim, as CCEA denied entry to the event at UNLV’s Cox Pavilion to the media and said there were

no plans for a press conference afterwards. Union leadership has not responded to repeated requests for comment on behalf of their members. The union has also not released a public statement on social media.

However, the attendee shared photos from the slideshow presented to the crowd inside the venue. One photo showed a lengthy statement, which the members reportedly agreed to, seeking Lombardo’s intervention. It read, in full: “The level of vacancies in CCSD are at a crisis level. We have close to 2,000 vacancies with close to 35,000 students without a full-time classroom teacher. Governor Lombardo and the Nevada Legislature made a historic investment in our public school system, with a significant amount coming to CCSD. To date, CCSD has refused to use that investment to address the vacancy crisis. We are entering our 2nd month of the school year, and more educators are threatening to quit before the school year ends. Accordingly, we are calling on Governor Lombardo to use his authority as Governor to intervene and end the stalemate CCSD has created in addressing this crisis of vacancies.” –Hillary Davis

Flood damage to Echo Road on Mount Charleston from Tropical Storm Hilary, shown on August 25 (Steve Marcus/Staff)

Vice President Kamala Harris led a White House celebration Friday for the Las Vegas Aces to mark their 2022 championship, telling the contingent of her pride in their performance—both on and off the court.

“It was only five years ago that this franchise moved to Las Vegas, and now they are the first major professional sports team in Nevada history—in Nevada history—to win a championship, and that’s because this team defines grit and determination,” Harris said.

The noteworthy performances extended off the court, Harris said. She praised the Aces for being role

MOUNT CHARLESTON RESIDENTS WAKE UP TO FIND PROPERTY WASHED AWAY BY FLASH FLOODS

Aimee Williams woke during the early morning hours August 21 to a neighbor calling to say a roaring flash flood was sweeping through their small community of Old Town on Mount Charleston. One by one, neighbors called neighbors alerting them of the danger. Each rushed into motion, moving vehicles, adding sandbags around their houses, saving what could be saved as the waters rose.

models and leaders outside of the arena by serving the Las Vegas community through a team foundation, supporting student health and mental wellness, and pushing for equal pay for female athletes and all women.

“Our nation’s stronger because of your leadership,” Harris said.

“For example, when an American citizen was wrongfully detained abroad, you organized and advocated in a ferocious, extraordinary way. You organized folks, you lifted up the issue, you helped educate folks about what was at stake, all in support of Brittney Griner.”

–Danny Webster

They watched as debris including trees, rock and mud tumbled in the powerful current. They waited, alone, cut off from each other and without immediate assistance from any emergency services.

The National Weather Service says the upper Spring Mountain range received about 6 to 10 inches of rainfall, while lower elevations such as Mount Charleston received about 2 to 4 inches as the remnants of Hurricane Hillary rolled through late on August 20 and early the following morning.

About 51 people were evacuated from the mountain by Mount Charleston Fire Protection District during the early morning hours of August 21. Yet, like Williams, many remained in their homes.

The park remains closed indefinitely to visitors as flash floods cut large swaths out of main roadways throughout the Mount Charleston area. It is expected to remain closed through the summer with a potential reopening October 1, forest service representatives said Friday.

–Teresa Moss

“We started Schools Over Stadiums because our state’s priorities are in the wrong place. We saw a state legislature that never took up bills to address our class sizes, which aren’t manageable for most educators.”

–Dawn Etcheverry,

president of the Nevada State Educators Association and an elementary school music teacher in Sparks, on opposing public funding for an Oakland A’s stadium in Las Vegas

CHAMPS LAS VEGAS WEEKLY 31 I 8.31.23

The west rim is heart-pounding, soul-searching, bucketlist-checking adrenaline rushes you’ve never felt or seen before, including one of the largest glass cantilever bridges in the world that will have you stepping 4,000 feet out over the Grand Canyon floor. Skywalk is just one of the ways you can jolt your senses and ignite your spirit at Grand Canyon West.

Plan your adventure today.

OUTSHINING THE REST

BY SHANNON MILLER

When Frank Rieger, owner of local solar panel retailer and installer Sol-Up, moved to the Valley and started his company with one employee in 2009, he says there was “pretty much no solar at all.” But he saw a unique opportunity in Las Vegas.

“Nobody had solar on the roof … and the fascinating thing is, it’s not just the amount of sunshine in the state. It’s also the unobstructed roofs. So, there’s little shading issues compared to other places in the world,” he says.

Today, Rieger’s company has grown to more than 150 employees, and has set up an o ce in Reno. That’s no huge surprise, considering Nevada has risen in the ranks to No. 1 for solar jobs per capita, according to the Interstate Renewable Energy Council’s 2022 National Solar Jobs Census.

With 7,562 solar jobs, Nevada lags behind California in the sheer number of jobs. (California had more than 78,000 jobs in 2022). But it beat the Golden State

and Utah in terms of jobs distributed among the population.

And Nevada ranks sixth in terms of cumulative solar electric capacity installed. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the Silver State has installed 5,409 megawatts, enough to power 911,561 homes and provide nearly 23% of electricity statewide.

It wasn’t a straight rise to the top, however, Rieger says. As the state has gotten more on board with solar, di erent policies have helped, and hindered, his company’s growth. “At the beginning, the most important subsidies were rebates from the utility company,” he says. “Unfortunately, these were never sustainable.”

Now, the industry has some “certainty,” thanks to the In ation Reduction Act, he says. The $738 billion spending bill signed into law in August 2022 increased and extended the federal solar investment tax credit, allowing nonrefundable tax credits up to 30% of installation costs through at least 2032, according to the Department of

Energy’s website.

The incentive is considered one of the most important policy mechanisms to support the growth of the industry in the U.S. According to the SEIA, since the investment tax credit was enacted in 2006, the solar industry has grown 200 times larger. Without the In ation Reduction Act, the tax credit would have expired at the end of 2023.

“I think the In ation Reduction Act has had a huge impact, because it gave the solar industry a future,” Rieger says. “[It] gives us, nally, a timescale for 10 years, so we can predict our business cases. And this gives certainty to us as an installer but also to our customers, which is really crucial.”

According to a White House fact sheet on Nevada, the legislation will bring an estimated $2.7 billion investment in large-scale clean power generation and storage to Nevada between now and 2030. “For solar, uptake projections estimate that over 75,000 additional Nevada households will install rooftop panels as a result,” the fact sheet reads.

Nevada Sen. Jacky Rosen, who toured Sol-

Federal policies both help and hinder Nevada’s emergence as a solar power

Up in April to hear how solar tax credits from the In ation Reduction Act were helping business, tells the Weekly that the legislation and clean energy investments she helped to pass can help lower energy costs and create thousands of jobs in the state.

“With solar, wind, hydropower, and geothermal energy, Nevada is uniquely positioned to lead the nation in the transition to clean energy while creating thousands of good-paying, union jobs along the way. Investments in our state’s clean energy future are investments in our economy,” Rosen says. “Thanks to the In ation Reduction Act I was proud to help pass, we are going to help lower energy costs for hardworking Nevada families, support small businesses, and continue creating good-paying jobs in our state.”

TARIFFS INVESTIGATION IMPACT

On the other hand, a federal investigation—into companies allegedly circumventing antidumping duties on solar panels sourced from China—has apparently hindered the industry. The Department of Commerce’s investigation, which began in March

2022, created uncertainty as to whether the Obama-era tari s would be imposed retroactively on companies that supply about 80% of U.S. panel imports, according to Reuters

After the investigation was announced, installation forecasts were cut nearly in half, as installers braced for higher prices of solar panels. An SEIA survey of 730 U.S. solar companies found 70% of respondents reporting that at least half of their workforce was at risk as a result of the probe.

In June 2022, the Biden administration announced that, while the investigation continued, it would waive the tari s for two years in an e ort to help the solar industry’s continued growth (important for the White House’s goal to zero out carbon emissions from electricity by 2035). On August 18, the Department of Commerce issued a nal decision saying the tari s will be implemented. With Biden’s two-year waiver, they will not be due until 2024.

Rosen, who led bipartisan colleagues in urging Biden to bring a swift conclusion to the investigation, condemned the nal decision as “misguided” and argued it would

impede the solar industry’s ability to grow.

“While this decision is narrower than the original petition called for, it will still hurt the solar industry and solar companies’ ability to grow. Let me be clear: this misguided decision is going to directly a ect our nation’s solar economy,” reads a statement from the senator, in part.

Ed Gilliland, senior director of strategic initiatives for the Interstate Renewable Energy Council, says the policy seems to have had an impact on utility-scale (power plant) solar jobs in 2022.

According to the 2022 National Solar Jobs Census, 6,000 utility-scale jobs were lost last year. However, about 9,500 jobs were added in the residential market.

“Overall, utility-scale jobs were down nationally. And the only reason we did experience growth was that the residential market had a very strong year,” he says. “This appears to be turning around, and we do expect the utility-scale jobs to come back a lot stronger this year, which should bode well for Nevada, because there’s a lot of utility-scale development going on.”

(Photo Illustration)

HOW NOT TO LABOR

Spend your holiday weekend bouncing through Vegas nightclubs and pool parties

BY BROCK RADKE

We all know Labor Day Weekend is not the end of summer in Las Vegas. But there are plenty of other reasons to celebrate, including the fact that it’s still one of the best three-day weekends to hit the clubs, join the crowds and let loose. Need an itinerary? We got you.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1

On any other weekend, we’d advise skipping the dayclub on Friday so you don’t burn out early. But LDW is a marathon, and that means you need to set the right pace from the start, so down the iced coffee or energy drink of your choice and join the lovely ladies of Nervo at Ayu Dayclub at Resorts World ( zoukgrouplv.com ) to get the weekend started right. Or dip over to Wynn to catch resident troublemaker Dillon Francis team with Canadian YouTuber and rapper Cody Ko at Encore Beach Club ( wynnsocial.com ).

Friday night, dance music all-stars of today and tomorrow take control: catch Above & Beyond at Omnia at Caesars Palace (events.taogroup.com), hitmaker Zedd at Zouk at Resorts World (zoukgrouplv.com), or Aussie house fave Dom Dolla running the show at night at Encore Beach Club (wynnsocial.com).

RICK ROSS PAULY D

(Courtesy/Tao Hospitality Group)

(AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann)

SATURDAY,

SEPTEMBER 2

The big day has arrived. This is the time to go hard under the sun, bouncing to sets from Vegas legends Tiësto at Ayu (zoukgrouplv.com) and Steve Aoki at Wet Republic at MGM Grand (events.taogroup.com). Switch up the beat on the Cromwell’s center-Strip rooftop when rapper Rick Ross performs live at Drai’s Beachclub (draisgroup.com) or check in with your old pal DJ Pauly D at Marquee Dayclub at the Cosmopolitan (events.taogroup.com).

What’s that? You’re sweaty and sunburned? You can’t hear and you smell like Champagne? These are honor badges of LDW Vegas. Time to rally for some of the biggest sets of the weekend at Wynn when Calvin Harris returns to XS and Tyga performs at Encore Beach Club on Saturday night (wynnsocial.com).

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 3

And now we take it down a notch. Sunday is for a more relaxed vibe. You’ll still hit the big pool parties, but this time, you’ll take in the surrounding scene at these beautiful venues and appreciate the full experience along with the music. We suggest the OVO Takeover show starring Partynextdoor at the tropical Ayu (zoukgrouplv.com) or the energetic Fisher spinning at the enchanting Tao Beach Dayclub at Venetian (events.taogroup.com).

More superstar artists come out to play Sunday night, including Diplo at XS (wynnsocial.com), rapper G-Eazy returning to Zouk (zoukgrouplv.com), and—just announced!—the one and only Diddy taking the stage at Drai’s (draisgroup.com). He just announced he’s dropping his first solo album in more than 15 years in a couple of weeks, so expect some samples of new music and maybe some special guests.

TYGA (AP

Photo/Chris Pizzello) (Courtesy)

GAME BOYS

The chiptune origins of Vegas’ Decaying Tigers (and their favorite video game soundtracks)

BY AMBER SAMPSON

The charm of chiptune isn’t lost on anyone who has rescued Princess Peach from the nal castle. It’s a uid style of music that’s meticulous at best, composed from the sounds of vintage game chips and reshaped into quite literally any genre you can imagine. Synth-rock, pop, 8-bit jazz … the pixelated sky’s the limit.

Las Vegas trio Decaying Tigers—Austin Grimes on drums, Cheyne Shirley on bass and Jack Rubinstein on guitar—has been spreading the gospel of chiptune (and teaching it at the Sin City Anime Convention) for six years, producing a bright collection of 8-bit tunes across a handful of releases, including June’s Circuit Circus. The group also played last year’s Life Is Beautiful and was featured prominently in award-winning 2021 documentary Rarity: Retro Video Game Collecting in the Modern Era.

“I didn’t really know too much about [chiptune] until I started jamming with these guys and fell in love with it,” Grimes says. “I love old retro video games. I’m a big Nintendo fan, so this was right up my alley.”

Adds Rubinstein, “It gives you that reminiscence of being a kid again.”

Decaying Tigers works exclusively with authentic period hardware to create its quest-defying synth-rock sound, and that includes the 1989 Game Boy. The trio actually plugs the hand-

FAVORITE VIDEO GAME SOUNDTRACKS

Austin Grimes: “All the Final Fantasy music is beautifully written. If I had to choose what’s the most impressive video game music soundtracks out there, I would have to go with that.”

Jack Rubinstein: “Mega Man always had that rock ’n’ roll style. Before I even produced chiptunes, when I did stu on Ableton or another music program, I did a mega remix of six of Mega Man’s songs, of all their best portions.

held in onstage with a two-channel mixer, piping in the sounds it has created on it as a backing track to the live set. Suddenly, zippy soundscapes burst forth, and the musicians kick into high gear, like human live wires driven by the conducting power of their pocket-sized friend.

“We access the sound chip of the Game Boy with a program called LSDJ,” Shirley explains. “You write all your notes, EQ it how you want it on there and everything is contained in the Game Boy, so you don’t have to have any external things.”

The trio says its greatly in uenced by Anamanaguchi, the chiptune pop band behind Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game. But with personal in uences that range from synthwave to pop-punk to metal, a Decaying Tigers album can easily become a smorgasbord of extremely heavy and extremely playful grooves. It also helps to have a cool story in mind.

“If you’re at that boss level, you gotta bring up the energy level,” Rubinstein says. “Or,” Grimes adds, “if it’s the cloud level, it’s a little more dreamy.”

Some song titles pay homage to video games (“Snake Eyes,” “Side Scroller”) and on Circuit Circus, the trio covers songs from Mortal Kombat, Tetris and Kirby. Now as the guys prepare to kick o their rst 10-date West Coast tour, they’re also considering adding a vocalist to the mix. As with any player, the goal is to keep leveling up.

DECAYING TIGERS Decayingtigers.bandcamp.com | Next show: September 16, Double Down Saloon

“I also love Streets of Rage. Streets of Rage 3 is the only soundtrack that had a randomizer. When you’re playing it, the synthesizers, the music, the drum tracks, everything is pre-recorded, but it’s not set in stone. As you’re playing, it could randomly play a part of the song or it could repeat a part of a song. You probably won’t hear most of the music the same ever.”

Cheyne Shirley: “Probably Zelda: The Ocarina of Time, just because it’s so focused on music in that game. We recently covered a Zelda song, and it brings back so many memories.”

From left, Cheyne Shirley, Jack Rubinstein and Austin Grimes (Wade Vandervort/Sta )

BY GEOFF CARTER

Many people come to Las Vegas in hopes of seeing the kind of Vegas show that no longer exists. They hope to see variety, with singers, dancers, acrobats, magicians and comedians practically stumbling over each other in an eager rush to entertain. They hope to see outrageous spectacle—the kind of thing they can’t see anywhere else, even on TV or in movies. They hope to see ornate and—why not?—skimpy costuming. And they want it suffused with the production show campiness that made “Vegas” into an adjective. In essence, they want what

they imagine a Vegas Strip show to be.

Several Strip production shows come close to checking all these boxes, but few come closer than Awakening, playing Fridays through Tuesdays at Wynn. This $120 million-dollar show draws on nearly every landmark era of Vegas entertainment—the sheer spectacle of Cirque du Soleil, the Disneylike immersion of the Forum Shops at Caesars, the costuming and glitz of Lido de Paris and Jubilee, the myth-building and illusions of Siegfried & Roy and David Copperfield, and even the heavy EDM beats and radiant stagecraft of Electric Daisy Carnival.

What comes out on the other side

THE STRIP

WAKING LIFE

Old Vegas and new make good bedfellows in Wynn’s Awakening

of this collision of influences is … well, Awakening. The show is proudly and even defiantly its own thing. It’s the story of IO, an incorruptible young protagonist with a head of flaming red hair that makes her easy to spot even when there’s a lot going on. She undergoes a quest to reconcile the forces of light and darkness, which she does by seizing necessary totems from various elemental spirits; the story is at once simple and a little difficult to follow. (A narration by Sir Anthony Hopkins, spoken directly into our ears via speakers built into the seats, helps to keep us on track.)

The important thing is that the quest leads her, and us, into one breathtaking

WAKING LIFE

scene after the next. We visit an undersea world, populated by giant jellyfish and a stunning whale puppet created by The Lion King’s Michael Curry, a co-producer of the show with Baz Halpin (producer of Taylor Swift’s Reputation tour) and legendary Vegas producer Bernie Yuman. Later, IO gets lost in a dark, foreboding wood that acts as a showcase for Awakening’s dancers and acrobats.

The cast is huge, with 60 performers darting in and out of the action. The score, by film composer Brian Tyler, often grooves harder than you’d expect from a Vegas show. And through it all, the show’s endlessly versatile glass-topped, 60-foot circular stage

becomes whatever the show needs it to be, from a kinetic dancefloor to the roof of a fluffy cloud, through a complex system of LED screens and hydraulic lifts.

Curiously, this version of Awakening is actually a reawakening; earlier this year the show closed for changes and adjsutments, reopening at the height of summer. Whatever it is they did to the show, they made something you can bring nearly any visitor to see—the club kid, the Cirque stan, the old-timer who saw Siegfried & Roy at the Frontier—and give them almost exactly what they want. Awakening is mythological Vegas making a wish, and real-life Vegas fulfilling it with big, confident style.

AWAKENING

Friday-Tuesday, times vary, $99+. Wynn, awakening.com.

(Courtesy)

OVO Weekend

OVO Weekend, hosted by Chubbs, arrives at Resorts World for the It’s All A Blur official after party, in tandem with Drake’s twonight stop on the It’s All A Blur tour at T-Mobile Arena. Chubbs—Drake’s longtime collaborator and close friend—is hosting the official afterparties, exclusively at Resorts World.

Don’t let summer slip away without one last epic, Las Vegas party weekend. With worldclass DJs, chart-topping hip-hop artists, a nonstop event schedule and more, the Resorts World Labor Day lineup is stacked with seven can’tmiss performances and parties.

+

NERVO

Friday, Sept. 1

The Australian twin DJ Duo bring their EDM beats to Ayu on Friday. Expect a nonstop party, high-energy and an electrifying performance from the sisters who are considered some of the best party DJs in the world.

TIESTO

Saturday, Sept. 2

The one-and-only Tiësto is back at Resorts World for Labor Day Weekend. Often dubbed “the Godfather of EDM,” Tiësto’s live performances always deliver and always pack a crowd.

PARTYNEXTDOOR

Sunday, Sept. 3

The second performance of OVO Weekend and the It’s All A Blur official after party, PARTYNEXTDOOR will be bringing the party to the pool. The Canadian recording artist was the first artist signed to OVO, Drake’s record label, where he’s remained through countless Billboard hits and awards.

Mexican Independence Day Weekend

Another big weekend at Zouk and Ayu is on the horizon with Mexican Independence Day Weekend from September 14-17. Expect Cheat Codes, Kaskade, Zedd, RL Grime, special guests and more.

DJ SNAKE

Thursday, Aug. 31

DJ Snake is responsible for some of the biggest club hits in the last decade. The French music producer and DJ has become a mainstay at Resorts World through his residency, and with only a handful of shows left for the year, now is the time to catch him.

ZEDD

Friday, Sept. 1

EDM star Zedd is known for his dynamic and adaptive production style that keeps fans dancing well into the early morning. He’s worked with some of the biggest pop stars on the planet, won several huge industry awards, including a Grammy, and pulls massive crowds for his can’t-miss performances.

DON TOLIVER

Saturday, Sept. 2

Don Toliver’s star continues its meteoric rise within the industry. He’ll be performing at Zouk the first night of OVO Weekend for the It’s All A Blur official after party. With a full roster of A-list collaborators, Don Toliver’s set in Las Vegas is hotly anticipated this weekend.

G-EAZY

Sunday, Sept. 3

G-Eazy is back for another performance in the Jungle Cat series. “A Bohemian Nighttime Pool Party,” Jungle Cat guests are invited to escape into a mystical jungle oasis of lush foliage, twinkling lights and nonstop music. It might be the most ideal setting to enjoy one of G-Eazy’s mesmerizing performances.

FRESH BITES

Duck Donuts’ made-to-order operation catches crowds on the Strip

BY BROCK RADKE

Duck Donuts is counterintuitive in the sweetest possible way.

If there’s an archetype doughnut-shop experience, it revolves around looking at the colorful, circular treats in a shiny display case and choosing your favorite avor—or today’s favorite—to start your day, if not requesting a dozen baked, blissful beauties to take with you. But at Duck Donuts, a North Carolina-based franchise that opened its rst local shop on the Strip in front of Horseshoe Las Vegas, the doughnuts are made fresh to order after you choose your own avors and toppings.

DUCK DONUTS

Grand Bazaar Shops at Horseshoe, 714-410-6611, duckdonuts. com. Daily, 8 a.m.-2 a.m.

Even on the bustling Boulevard, where customers from all over the world want to grab a quick and tasty bite on the way to their next Vegas activity, these customized creations are coming out hot and fresh until the wee hours.

“And nobody else is really selling doughnuts on the Strip,” says franchise owner Gary Kopel, who also operates ve stores in California. “Of the two big brands, Krispy Kreme has mostly moved away, gone from being huge to almost nothing on the Strip, and Dunkin has focused on co ee. There’s no fast breakfast on the Strip, unless you want to go to Starbucks and get a heated-up sandwich, and some people don’t want to sit down for every single breakfast they eat when in Vegas, so we’ve been doing well because of that.”

And also, because of doughnuts. Everybody loves ’em. Duck’s signature vanilla cake doughnut gets glazed rst in a classic coating or your choice of cinnamon-sugar, chocolate, vanilla, maple, lemon or other options. Then add rainbow sprinkles, graham cracker crumbs, chopped bacon, peanuts and more, and nish it o with a hot fudge, marshmallow, salted caramel or other avored drizzle. Custom doughnuts cost $5; build your own dozen for $38.

“I’m a sweets person, and when I rst heard about Duck Donuts, I had to try them,” Kopel says. “I heard about it, I read about it, and when I tried them, I knew we had to do this right now.”

We’re just not accustomed to devouring fresh-made doughnuts. But Kopel is hoping Vegas visitors and locals will continue to fall in love with the brand so he can expand, on and o the Strip. After all, Duck Donuts was started in a tourist town, the Outer Banks beaches of Duck, North Carolina, feeding families on vacation.

So far, the Grand Bazaar Shops spot is moving a ton of cinnamon-sugar doughnuts, passing out samples to passersby and luring them in for more. But familiar avors like maple bacon, blueberry pancake, chocolate-covered strawberry, s’mores and chocolate caramel crunch are ready and waiting, and the doughnut breakfast sandwich of bacon, egg and cheese ($8) is among the top-sellers. Coming soon: boozy lemonade drinks, another obvious t for the Vegas Strip.

(Courtesy)

SU CASA Silverton, 702-263-7777, silvertoncasino. com. Thursday-Monday, 4-9 p.m.

IT’S PRIME TIME FOR A JAPANESE SANDWICH AT THE SILVERTON

BY ROB KACHELRIESS

The last thing most chefs want to do is deep-fry a prime New York Strip, but Shayne Galan pulls it o with unexpected success at Su Casa, a cozy sushi counter inside the Silverton Casino.

The 10-ounce steak is the main ingredient in an ambitious sando, the Japanese version of a sandwich. The cut is lightly breaded in panko crumbs, fried and pressed inside slices of Japanese milk bread, made from scratch by the Silverton’s pastry team.

The steak is surprisingly tender and beautifully red when ordered medium rare. Galan lathers the sandwich in just the right amount of Samurai Sauce (Worcestershire, ketchup and soy with grated ginger and garlic) and Garlic Yum Yum Sauce (made with Japanese Kewpie mayo). It’s cut into four shareable pieces and served with perfectly cooked tru e and furikake fries with spicy unagi mayo.

Enjoy the sando ($34) with the baked lobster roll ($18) for a twist on a Surf ’n’ Turf, or the restaurant’s other big surprise, a delicious crispy salmon skin salad ($13) with garlic sesame ponzu dressing.

Su Casa is inside Mexican restaurant Mi Casa, and customers at either concept are welcome to order from both menus. It’s worth noting the sando pairs well with either sake or tequila.

A wager worth considering

BY CASE KEEFER

Hundreds of wagers are available locally on every NFL team going into the season, and I dug through almost all of them in an attempt to find some gems. Here’s a best bet on all 32 NFL teams before the 2023-2024 season, which kicks o on September 7.

ARIZONA CARDINALS

+7 on the point spread vs. Washington in Week 1 (SuperBook at Westgate Las Vegas)

Most rate Arizona as the worst team in the league but the market is pricing it as historically bad, and that might be a reach. Washington isn’t much better and shouldn’t give a touchdown against anyone.

ATLANTA FALCONS

To win the NFC South at +220 (i.e. risking $100 to win $220) (Boyd Sports)

It’s an evenly matched, twoteam race to win the NFC South between the Falcons and Saints, but the former is o ered nearly twice as high as the latter.

BALTIMORE RAVENS

Zay Flowers to win O ensive Rookie of the Year at 20-to-1 (BetMGM)

The Ravens are going more pass-heavy under new o ensive coordinator Todd Monken, and the first-round receiver out of

Boston College has been the talk of training camp.

BUFFALO BILLS

To be the last remaining undefeated team at 10-to-1 (Caesars/William Hill)

A virtual pick’em at the Jets in Week 1 is tricky, but if the juggernaut Bills survive that test, they’re clear favorites in their next seven games.

CAROLINA PANTHERS

Under 8 wins at -140(i.e. risking $140 to win $100) (South Point) Quarterback Bryce Young, the top overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft, represents long-term hope, but there’s not nearly enough top-flight talent around him to contend right away.

CHICAGO BEARS

Under 2,900.5 passing yards for Justin Fields at -115 (Caesars/William Hill)

The third-year Ohio State product has been a terrific runner but dreadful passer so

far in his career, and the arrival of former Panthers receiver D.J. Moore shouldn’t be enough to push him into respectable territory.

CINCINNATI BENGALS

Ja’Marr Chase to win O ensive Player of the Year at 12-to-1 (Boyd)

The third-year receiver probably deserves more credit than he’s gotten for quarterback Joe Burrow’s superstar turn, and he just might get it this year if his production doesn’t fall o much while Burrow recovers from a calf injury early in the season.

CLEVELAND BROWNS

Will make the playo s at +112 (Boyd)

As long as quarterback Deshaun Watson can be a fraction as successful as he was in four seasons with the Houston Texans, the Browns look like the rare team without a discernible weakness.

DALLAS COWBOYS

To have the most regular-season wins at 15-to-1 (Boyd)

The Cowboys’ defense almost unanimously rates out as the best in the league going into the season, and the o ense has an upside just as high if it can cut down on a nagging turnover problem that persisted last year.

DENVER BRONCOS

Under 2.5 division wins at +130 (Caesars/William Hill)

Denver has won a total of three games in the AFC West over the past three years, and though the division’s hype has diminished this year, it remains one of the toughest in the league.

DETROIT LIONS

Will make the playo s at -160 (South Point)

Detroit barely missed a shot at its first postseason win since 1991 last year, and this team looks much better led by young stars like receiver Amon-Ra St.

on every NFL team heading into the season

FLOWERS

JA’MARR CHASE

AIDAN HUTCHINSON DEFOREST BUCKNER

’EM ALL BET ’EM ALL

Brown and edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson.

HOUSTON TEXANS

To have the fewest wins at 10-to-1 (Circa)

One of the league’s easiest schedules could prevent this from cashing, but from an overall roster-quality standpoint, the number is far too high.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

Over 6.5 wins at -110 (SuperBook)

There’s too much star power all over the field—the likes of guard Quenton Nelson, running back Jonathan Taylor, defensive tackle DeForest Buckner and linebacker Shaquille Leonard— for the Colts to bottom out for a second straight year.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

+3.5 on the point spread vs. the Chiefs in Week 2 (Caesars/William Hill)

The Jaguars’ o ense should be too explosive to be this big of an underdog to anyone at

home, even the defending Super Bowl champions.

GREEN BAY PACKERS

Matt LaFleur to win Coach of the Year at 20-to-1 (Boyd)

LaFleur has been one of the NFL’s sharpest coaches ever since taking over in Green Bay five years ago, and this is his first chance to get full credit following the o season trade of three-time MVP Aaron Rodgers.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

Kadarius Toney to win O ensive Player of the Year at 175to-1 (Caesars/William Hill)

If the former Giants’ firstround pick can ever stay healthy—and he has already missed training camp with a torn meniscus—his potential is tantalizing as the top receiving option for reigning MVP Patrick Mahomes.

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS

Over 11.5 sacks for Maxx Crosby at +120 (Caesars/William Hill)

The leader of the Raiders’

defense has 20.5 sacks over the past two seasons combined, but his o -the-chart pressure numbers indicate he’s been unlucky not to have a handful more.

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

Over 4,425.5 passing yards for Justin Herbert at -112 (Boyd)

This might look like an astronomical total, but Herbert has proven his durability and willingness to play through injury, and he now has a pass-happier play-caller in new o ensive coordinator Kellen Moore.

LOS ANGELES RAMS

+5 on the point spread vs. Seahawks in Week 1 (Wynn)

Depth is the Rams’ problem; they’ll likely tank if oft-injured quarterback Matthew Sta ord, wide receiver Cooper Kupp or defensive tackle Aaron Donald miss time, but all three are healthy going into the season.

MIAMI DOLPHINS:

Under 9.5 wins at +105 (South Point)

Expectations are way too high for an exciting, though mostly finesse, team that is facing arguably the NFL’s toughest schedule.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS

Under 9 wins at -125 (South Point)

The Vikings’ 13-4 record a year ago was a mirage considering they had a negative point differential on the season, and the front o ce is apparently aware, having spent the o season shedding big-money contracts and positioning for the future.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

+2 on the point spread vs. Miami Dolphins in Week 2 (SuperBook)

The Patriots are undervalued overall coming o a rare down year, but a 4.5-point spread against the reigning NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1 feels more properly priced than this Week 2 matchup.

BET ’EM

ALL

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

Over 9.5 wins at +115 (SuperBook)

The Saints have far and away the easiest schedule in the league and should perform pretty steadily considering they also have one of the most experienced rosters.

NEW YORK GIANTS

Under 1,000.5 rushing yards for Saquon Barkley (Caesars/William Hill)

The star running back struggled to stay on the field for a full season before last year, and still looms as a potentially greater threat in the passing game.

NEW YORK JETS

Under 1,125 receiving yards for Garrett Wilson at -112 (Boyd) Last year’s O ensive Rookie of the Year might not get as big a workload as many expect with

so many veteran weapons joining the Jets to play alongside new quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

Jalen Carter to win Defensive Rookie of the Year at +750 (Boyd)

The best player on Georgia’s back-to-back national championship teams was reportedly in the running to become the No. 1 overall draft pick before o -field troubles dropped him into the lap of Philadelphia, where he has reportedly dominated training camp.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Will not make the playo s at -130 (South Point)

This would be a fair line in another division, but being forced to navigate through the Bengals, Ravens and Browns in the AFC North limits the Steelers’ ceiling.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

To win the NFC West at -160 (SuperBook)

The other three teams in the division—the Seahawks, Rams and Cardinals—are much further behind the 49ers than the odds indicate.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

Under 9 wins at -115 (Golden Nugget)

Seattle eked out a 9-8 record last year in what amounted to a dream season, having come into it expected to be one of the worst teams in the league. Regressing back toward reality is more likely this year.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

Under 61.5 receptions for Mike Evans at -115 (Caesars/William Hill)

No one on Tampa Bay’s o ense should be very prolific with Baker

Mayfield at quarterback—and protected by a tissue-paper o ensive line.

TENNESSEE TITANS

+3.5 on the point spread vs. Los Angeles Chargers in Week 2 (Caesars/William Hill)

Derrick Henry remains the toughest running back in the NFL to take down, and the Chargers could still field the worst rush defense in the NFL.

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS

Over 6.5 sacks for Chase Young at -120 (Caesars/William Hill)

Buy low on the former No. 2 overall pick: Injuries have derailed the edge rusher the past two seasons, but he remains an athletic freak surrounded by other impactful defensive linemen.

(Continued from Page 55)

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IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES HAVE BECOME BIG BUSINESS IN LAS VEGAS

BY KATIE ANN MCCARVER VEGAS INC STAFF

There’s no shortage of entertainment options in Las Vegas—it is, after all, known as the “Entertainment Capital of the World.”

One form of entertainment seems to be gaining traction among tourists and locals. Immersive entertainment has swept across the Las Vegas Valley in recent years—taking the form of floor-to-ceiling projections at Lighthouse ArtSpace Las Vegas inside the Shops at Crystals, a wide array of virtual reality experiences and Meow Wolf’s Omega Mart inside Area15.

“The hallmark of great experiential and immersive entertainment, and what sets it apart from traditional entertainment, is that you can engage with it,” said Dan Pelson, chief operating officer at Area15. “We talk about moving all of our guests from spectators to participants— you’re part of it. It’s personal to you.”

The immersive entertainment sphere is reminiscent of the earliest forms of the internet, in that there’s a great deal of investment, focus and energy being funneled toward it, Pelson said, and various companies are seeking to take advantage of that momentum.

He added that many startups in immersive entertainment don’t last long. In order to make it in experiential entertainment, one must constantly innovate and add new spaces, Pelson said.

“And that’s where the excitement really lies

with experiential and immersive, because there’s a lot of mediocrity out there; there just is,” Pelson said. “And it’s not all going to work just because you call it immersive. It really has to be not only mind-blowing, but it has to really work from a business perspective.”

Virtual-reality has also seen significant growth.

Sandbox VR, which boasts a variety of immersive and full-body virtual reality experiences, recently opened at the Miracle Mile Shops, the San Francisco-based company’s second location in Las Vegas—following its success at the Grand Canal Shoppes—and 43rd location overall.

Nicole Dixon, senior VP of global marketing at the Sandbox VR, said the company functions at the intersection of technology and entertainment, and has grown at an “incredible clip.”

Las Vegas’ uniquely high level of visitors are increasingly looking for things to do in the entertainment capital beyond just traditional gaming experiences, Dixon said, as evidenced by the proliferation of sports franchises and other alternatives to gambling, betting and such.

“We’re really seizing that momentum and capitalizing on it,” Dixon said. “Our occupancy rates in our first location were among the strongest in our portfolio, so the demand was very high there. So we wanted to make sure that we could really serve all of the individuals who

might want to experience our product.”

When virtual reality experiences are done well, they differ from traditional forms of entertainment—like going to the movies— in that they aren’t so passive, Dixon said. In an immersive atmosphere, people can interact with content in a way that’s “thrilling,” she said, and that makes them feel like “anything is possible.”

Entertainment venues like Sandbox VR also allow people to come together socially, to physically interact with one another and to engage in gaming experiences together, Dixon said.

Pelson echoed Dixon’s sentiment, noting that the world of traditional entertainment experiences is changing dramatically, and the priority for most consumers right now is experiences that are authentic, that tell a story and that are engaging.

“That’s what makes it special in our opinion,” Pelson said. “That’s what makes it much more meaningful and creates much greater memories.”

In the past, people would gather in areas like shopping malls to socialize or connect with one another, Pelson said, but that’s not really the first choice of younger generations.

The goal when creating Area15—which opened nearly three years ago—was to create a physical destination with digital components that would drive people to connect, whether it be with art, culture, media, entertainment or, ultimately, one another.

The venue, with a slew of entertainment options ranging from ax-throwing to art installations, has already seen millions of visitors in its short lifetime, making Las Vegas an epicenter of immersive entertainment.

Next on Area15’s horizon is a 20-acre expansion of its entertainment district, anchored by a year-round, immersive horror experience from Universal Parks and Resorts.

Area15 (Courtesy/Laurent Velazquez)

VEGAS INC NOTES

Two Dignity Health-St. Rose Dominican Hospitals in Southern Nevada were named by U.S. News & World Report to its 2023-2024 Best Hospitals survey. Siena Hospital in Henderson earned the High Performing distinctions in five categories: heart attack, heart failure, kidney failure, knee replacement and stroke. San Martin Hospital in southwest Las Vegas earned High Performing distinctions in heart failure and kidney failure. U.S. News evaluated more than 4,500 hospitals across 15 specialties and 21 procedures and conditions. Hospitals awarded a “Best” designation excelled at factors such as clinical outcomes, level of nursing care and patient experience.

Cleveland Clinic was ranked 116th of 400 U.S. corporations across all industries and 26th in the health care and social sector on the Forbes 2023 America’s Best Employers for Women

list. Forbes partnered with Statista, a market research firm, to survey more than 60,000 Americans working for businesses with at least 1,000 employees. Women were asked to rate their employer based on factors such as pay equity, parental-leave policies, leadership training programs for women, representation of women in upper management and employer response to incidents of discrimination.

Dr. Tony Ramogi joined Southwest Medical (2716 N. Tenaya Way) as a hospitalist. Anna Zabek, APRN, joined the Tropicana Health Care Center location (4835 S. Durango Drive) and specializes in adult medicine.

Five Pisanelli Bice attorneys were among select lawyers recognized on the 2023 Mountain States Super Lawyers lists. James Pisanelli and Todd Bice were honored as two of the leading top

100 lawyers in the mountain region, which includes Nevada, Montana, Utah, Wyoming and Idaho. Managing partner Debra Spinelli and of counsel M. Magali Mercera were also recognized as 2023 Super Lawyers. Attorney Emily Buchwald was named a 2023 Mountain States Rising Star.

Paragon Pools was named a multiple winner in the 2023 PebbleTec World’s Greatest Pools for four projects in the Las Vegas Valley. The submissions were “ranked among this year’s top-scoring photo entries, as evaluated by an independent panel of Pool and Home/Garden publication editors.” Judges ranked submissions based exclusively on pool design and craftsmanship; photo quality and composition; and interest to readers, including prospective pool buyers. Winning pools will be featured in the 2023 World’s Greatest Pools book and on the Pebble Technology website.

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