Entertain Us | Vegas Seven | Nov. 10-16,

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FREE November 10-16, 2016 « SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH ERIC IDLE / CHEFS ON THE MOVE / STEVE AOKI PLAYS FOR SCIENCE »

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JENNIFER NETTLES

ON THE COVER

Read Vegas Seven right-side up and then flip it over and start again with (7) SEVEN NIGHTS, featuring after-dark entertainment and the week’s nightlife happenings.

THE SHOW ISSUE Photography ANTHONY MAIR

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

NOVEMBER 10-16, 2016 TO DO

Veterans take on a new mission with Team Rubicon.

15 24/7

BY ROB KACHELRIESS

BY SHANNON MILLER

The sports-betting business courts the next generation.

16 The Deal

BY DAVID G. SCHWARTZ

What to do around the clock in Las Vegas.

A historic bar crawl.

BY ANTHONY CURTIS

45 The Fantasy Lives On

PLUS: The

Look

18 Post-Election Eats

CONVERSATIONS

BY GENEVIE DURANO

47 The Monty Python

Mario Batali pays tribute to classic recipes.

Showdown in Downtown Three athletes to watch at the Las Vegas Throwdown.

BY ZONEIL MAHARAJ

Seven questions with Eric Idle.

BY LISSA TOWNSEND RODGERS

Britney: Piece of Me

48 Ask a Native

Where not to watch the game on Monday nights.

BY JAMES P. REZA

FEATURE

20 Dinner and a Show

You’re invited to a party with a cast of characters.

BY LISSA TOWNSEND RODGERS

32 Now Showing

It’s the Bomb

OUR SITES TO SEE

BY JARRET KEENE

VegasSeven.com

A UNLV professor’s graphic novel about the Atomic Era.

49 Lucky No. 7

on the Strip

What is your dream Las Vegas residency?

What should you see?

BY SEVEN STAFF

BY SEVEN STAFF

36 Lights, Acrobats, Action

ON THE FLIP SIDE

Behind the scenes with Mystère’s head of lighting.

Seven Nights

BY GENEVIE DURANO

What to do after dark.

BY IAN CARAMANZANA

TASTE

39 Leaps and Bounds

Three Las Vegas chefs are making all the right moves.

Eat This Kumi’s new-style sashimi.

BY AL MANCINI

How To Be Bitchin’

BY AL MANCINI

Steel Panther on the art of glam rock.

41 The Mina Shuffle

BY JESSIE O’BRIEN

Michael Mina restaurants with new executive chefs.

BY AL MANCINI

SOCIAL INFLUENCE

44 Playhouse with Purpose Steve Aoki throws a party for brain research.

Hear This

MOVE lands at Firefly.

BY JOHN CARR

#NoFilter Rob Alahn and Doug Wilcox swim in the DJ live-stream revolution.

BY JOHN CARR

Denzel Curry’s Imperial March The Florida rapper talks about his viral hit “Ultimate,” working with his favorite artists and staying independent at VegasSeven.com/DenzelCurry.

DTLV.com

Inside Crykit’s Playhouse The DJ mixes fashion, art and music like she mixes beats at Playhouse, a new Tuesday-night party at Commonwealth. Find out what to expect at DTLV.com/Crykit.

RunRebs.com Ready for Tip-off The regular season tips off on Friday when the Runnin’ Rebels host South Alabama.

Runrebs.com has all the coverage on Las Vegas’ home team.

SpyOnVegas.com The Hookup Find upcoming events, see highlights from the hottest parties, meet the DJs and more.

BY CAMILLE CANNON

One Tough Mudder November 10 -16, 2016 vegasseven.com

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L A N I F E iT’S TH WN! O D T N U CO

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Kumi’s New-Style Sashimi

Ryan T. Doherty | Justin Weniger

LAST PERFORMANCE ON JAN. 1!

ROCKOFAGESVEGAS.COM

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702.777.2782

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THE SMASH HIT ‘80S ROCK MUSICAL

President Michael Skenandore Chief Financial Officer Sim Salzman Vice President, Marketing and Events Keith White Creative Director Sherwin Yumul Graphic Designer Javon Issac Technical Director Herbert Akinyele Controller Jane Weigel

Publisher

Michael Skenandore Editorial EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Melinda Sheckells MANAGING EDITOR

Genevie Durano SENIOR EDITOR, DINING, BEVERAGE & NIGHTLIFE

Xania Woodman ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Mark Adams SENIOR WRITER

Lissa Townsend Rodgers EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Shannon Miller EDITORIAL INTERNS

Sam Mendoza, Ashley Miles, Zauni Price, Ally Tatosian Contributing Editors Michael Green (Politics), Al Mancini (Dining), David G. Schwartz (Gaming/Hospitality) Art CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Benjamin Ward SENIOR DESIGNER

Cierra Pedro STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Krystal Ramirez PHOTO INTERNS

Zach McKee, Wes Morefield VegasSeven.com DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL CONTENT

Zoneil Maharaj SENIOR WRITER, RUNREBS.COM

Mike Grimala EDITOR, DTLV.COM

Jessie O’Brien DIGITAL PRODUCER & WRITER

Amber Sampson Production/Distribution DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION/DISTRIBUTION

Marc Barrington ADVERTISING MANAGER

Jimmy Bearse Sales BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

Christy Corda DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL SALES

Nicole Scherer ACCOUNT MANAGER

Brittany Quintana ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Robyn Weiss DIRECTOR OF SALES, BILLBOARD DIVISION

John Tobin

TO DO

24/7 What to do around the clock in Las Vegas

By Shannon Miller

THURSDAY 10

Cheap drinks and bites might not be the first things that come to mind when thinking of the Springs Preserve. But did you know that the destination’s Divine Cafe offers a bomb happy hour every Thursday? From poké and fish tacos to sloppy tots and bacon skins, their diverse bites, beer and wine specials will get your weekend started early. Did we mention the garden-fresh cocktails?

4-8 p.m., springspreserve.org

PHOTO BY JONAS YUAN

After releasing “Money Longer” and “You Was Right” this year, Lil Uzi Vert hits Brooklyn Bowl tonight.

Catch him in the still-early stage of his rise to fame. 7 p.m., $35-78, brooklynbowl.com/las-vegas Happy birthday, El Cortez! The Downtown hotel celebrates its 75th anniversary this month. Pop bottles and make a toast at The Parlour Bar, where you can drink $5 Champagne all day, every thirsty Thursday. elcortezhotelcasino.com Get your quirk on with Gram Rabbit at Bunkhouse.

The Joshua Tree, California-based trio have gained a cult following with their unique hybrid of folk, country rock, electro-dance and “inner-space jazz”—whatever that is. 9 p.m., $8-10, bunkhousedowntown.com

FRIDAY 11

SATURDAY 12

Mayesh Florist presents “A Disco Celebration of Colors,” to benefit the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Las Vegas. Guests can make a donation upon entry to take in art and floral arrangements and bid on items in the silent auction. Disco-themed dress encouraged. 4 p.m., Mayesh Las Vegas, 3950 W. Diablo Dr., Free entry with donation, mayesh.com

Discovery Academy hosts their Meat the Needs food drive for Three Square Food Bank. The charitable event features music, activities for the whole family and a collection goal of 500 pounds of nonperishable and unexpired food. 11 a.m., Discovery Academy, 1655 E. Warm Springs Rd., Free entry with food donation

Are you an art lover? Don’t miss Paint the Town at Zappos’ headquarters. The annual pop-up exhibit offers a chance to bid on artists’ work, with 50 percent of the proceeds going to Aid for AIDS of Nevada. Enjoy complimentary beer, wine and specialty cocktails while perusing fine art. VIP 5:30 p.m., GA 6 p.m., 300 Las Vegas Blvd. North, $25-50, paintthetown2016.auction-bid.org Put on your cardigan and don’t brush your hair (if you haven’t already). The on-point tribute band Smells Like Nirvana brings Kurt Cobain back to life at Brooklyn Bowl. 8:30 p.m., Free, brooklynbowl. com/las-vegas Need a laugh? Get the ball rolling with Ray Romano and David Spade in an evening of hilarious banter.

10 p.m., The Mirage, $98–$120, mirage.com

Gram Rabbit

Engage in discussion with the author of Been There Done That—My Life in the Educational Arena. Dr. Paul Meacham, the first African-American president of a Nevada System of Higher Education institution, will talk about his memoir and respond to Q&A. 2 p.m., West Las Vegas Arts Center, 947 W. Lake Mead Blvd., Free, artslasvegas.org It’s the height of fall beer festival season. Sip and savor at Downtown Container Park’s Autumn Beer & Wine Walk, which also features live music and food specials at venue restaurants. 3 p.m., $30, downtowncontainerpark.com Serenades of Life—Doctors in Concert features

country star Lee Ann Womack and the lesser-known musical talents of local physicians to benefit Nathan Adelson Hospice. 7 p.m., The Smith Center, $34-$134, thesmithcenter.com

If you didn’t catch The Rolling Stones at T-Mobile Arena a couple of weeks back, Exile on Main Strip might be the next best thing. The tribute act takes to the Brooklyn Bowl stage to perform the iconic rockers’ Exile on Main St. double album live in its entirety. 8 p.m., Free, brooklynbowl.com/las-vegas

November 10 -16, 2016 vegasseven.com

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TO DO

LAST MONTH I EXTOLLED THE VIRTUES OF If you had to suffer through The Adventures of Tom Sawyer or Huckleberry Finn in high school English, you might like to have a word or two with Mark Twain. 2016 Hollywood Fringe Festival winner Mr. Mark Twain Answers All Your Questions! can tie up that

loose end. 8 and 11 p.m., Majestic Repertory Theatre, 1217 S. Main St., $15, majesticrepertory.com

SUNDAY 13

In The Stage Biography of Diana Ross, Bre Lawrence

serves up the celebrated diva’s Motown hits, including “Stop!

In the Name of Love” and “You Can’t Hurry Love.” The show also features photos and film clips, giving a glimpse into the lesser-known drama of the singer-songwriter’s life.

2 p.m., The Smith Center, $25, thesmithcenter.com

Backstage Bar & Billiards presents a punk and rockheavy lineup, including sets from Joe McMahon of Smoke or Fire, Brendan Scholz of local outfit Mercy Music and more. 8 p.m., $10, backstagebarandbilliards.com Punk rock should sound like it came out of a garage. If you agree, check out Diarrhea Planet at Beauty Bar. Be on time for opening sets from California-based Lovely Bad Things and locals Illicitor and Fredward.

8 p.m. $8, beautybarlv.com Wind down at Zenshin Asian Restaurant’s reverse happy hour. The $7 cocktails, $4 beers, $5.50 wine, and appetizers such as tempura onion rings, fried oysters and specialty sushi rolls are worth staying out an extra hour or two. 9-11 p.m., zenshinasianrestaurant.com MONDAY 14

Explore Native American heritage and identity through the Las Vegas City Hall Chamber Gallery’s Native American Visions exhibit. Artists from all over the United States showcase traditional mediums such as weaving and painting in silhouette. 7 a.m.-5:30 p.m., through Dec. 1, 495 S. Main St., Free, artslasvegas.org

HeXXperience

Las Vegas native and blues singer Joey Vitale shares his versatile voice and diverse repertoire at Downtown Grand’s Freedom Beat. Enjoy sing-along favorites over good ol’ American fare. 6 p.m., Free, downtowngrand.com Monday Night Football means a tailgate party, PUB 1842 style. Watch the game while enjoying slowroasted barbecue. If your team loses, at least you’re stuffed with good grub by celebrity chef Michael Mina. michaelmina.net/restaurants/las-vegas/pub-1842 TUESDAY 15

Calling all chocolate lovers! Hexx Chocolate & Confexxions introduces its HeXXperience, a tour of the kitchen that showcases its chocolate-making process. Gain some insight into the magic that produces their delectable treats. Tours begin every hour. $20, hexxchocolate.com/chocolate-tours Willkommen the D.S.R. Trio at the German American Social Club of Nevada’s Tuesday Night Jazz Jam. Bonus: Deutschland-inspired foodstuffs will be available for purchase. 6:30 p.m., 1110 E. Lake Mead Blvd., $7, germanamericanclubnv.com WEDNESDAY 16

Catch Chilean singer-songwriter Mon Laferte’s heartrending voice and lively performance at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino’s Vinyl music venue. 8 p.m., $25$60, hardrockhotel.com

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flying Allegiant on a trip from Reno/Tahoe to Las Vegas, both for fare savings and the valuable coupons from its in-flight magazine, but many make the trip by car. The trek from Reno to Las Vegas is seven hours (roughly 450 miles) of mostly straight, flat and desolate driving down U.S. 95, but there are some interesting diversions if you don’t mind stretching it out a bit, with the two primary stops being historic landmarks with drinking possibilities involved.

The first is in Tonopah, almost exactly at the halfway point of the trip. The target is the Mizpah Hotel, right in the center of town. It opened sometime between 1905 and 1908, depending on which source you use; at five stories, the Mizpah was the tallest building in Nevada until 1929. There’s a restaurant if you want to grab a bite, but it’s the long wooden bar in the lobby that grabs your attention. There are six video poker machines at its far end, but don’t try angling for a comp. Despite the schedules on the machines being about as bad as you’ll encounter, all you get is a $1 discount on drinks if you’re playing. A Budweiser goes for $3.50, so there’s nothing extraordinary about the prices, either, but somehow you just feel like you want to be one of the half-million or so people who have had a drink there in the last century-plus.

The next stop is Goldfield, about 30 miles away. Once a thriving mining town, Goldfield is practically a ghost town now, but it’s also home to the Santa Fe Club Saloon, which is billed as the longest continually operating bar in Nevada.

(It opened in 1905.) You have to turn east off the highway and drive about a mile and a half to get there, partway on dirt. And it’s open only from 2–9 p.m., so you also have to time it right. There are two video poker games at the bar (part of the original Brunswick) and the schedules are good, with a couple of games returning more than 99 percent. Don’t ask for a comp here, either. Not only do they not comp drinks, but you’ll probably get yelled at by the Santa Fe’s “world’s meanest bartender.” It was her day off when I was there, but I’ve heard she’s a pistol.

Don’t fret about that comp—a Bud is only $2.75.

If you’re driving from Vegas to Reno, you’ll do these bars in reverse order. I might even recommend the three-hour drive to Goldfield to check it out if it weren’t that you can get a similar experience less than an hour away at the Pioneer Saloon in Goodsprings, which dates back to 1913. Similar to the Santa Fe, there’s good video poker here, but they won’t comp drinks.

Just order up an Olympia beer in a can for $3.50 and play some pool for free in the back. 7 Anthony Curtis is the publisher of the Las Vegas Advisor and LasVegasAdvisor.com.

HEXX BY JON ESTRADA; MIZPAH BY BRUCE FINGERHOOD/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

A Historic Bar Crawl

THE DEAL

By Anthony Curtis

THIS IS HOW YOU HAPPY HOUR

HAPPY HOUR DAILY 4-7PM WEDNESDAYS IN THE LOUNGE • HAPPY HOUR ALL NIGHT LONG • HALF OFF BOTTLES OF WINE AND CHAMPAGNE • LIVE DJ THURSDAYS IN THE LOUNGE • LADIES NIGHT • HALF OFF HAPPY HOUR DRINKS 4-7PM

9(*$6 67$57(' +(5( á 0$,1 675((7 á '2:172:1 á 3OD]D/9 á %HHI%RR]H%URDGV

TO DO

Post-Election Eats Chef Mario Batali pays tribute to classic recipes

By Genevie Durano

Photography Quentin Bacon

Now that the election is finally over, we can sit down and have a civilized

meal celebrating the best of this country. Mario Batali’s newest cookbook, the aptly titled Big American Cookbook, covers a gamut of recipes—more than 250 in all—that represents our most beloved dishes, from state-fair favorites and shared dishes at church socials to specialties from various ethnic groups that make up this great nation of ours.

To celebrate the cookbook’s launch, Batali’s Las Vegas chefs, including culinary director Nicole Brisson and executive chef Brett Uniss, will select 10 dishes from Big American Cookbook to create a memorable meal on Friday, November 18. On the menu are oyster barbecue, deviled eggs, clam rolls, pierogies, Fisherman’s Wharf cioppino, bison rib eye and Texas caviar, among others. For dessert, the very patriotic Boston cream pie will make an appearance, along with Grape-Nuts ice cream.

The dinner is $135 per person and includes cocktails and an autographed cookbook. Call 702-266-9971 to reserve seats. 7

W

hen the Las Vegas Throwdown shreds its way into the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center on November 12, the action sports showcase and music festival will bring with it 40 tons of ice, 20 live bands and DJs, and some of the world’s finest snowboarders and BMX riders. Here are three athletes to watch as they compete for neon glory.

Showdown in Downtown Three athletes to watch at the Las Vegas Throwdown

By Zoneil Maharaj Photography Justin Kosman/Red Bull Las Vegas Throwdown Nov. 12, noon-8 p.m., $8, Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, DLVEC.com Above: Daniel Sandoval

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RYAN PAUL Snowboarder

Age: 26 Hometown: Cottage Grove, Minnesota Hailing from a state nicknamed Minnesnowta, it’s only right that 26-year-old Ryan Paul rips it up on the powder. The reigning champ—who nabbed first place in January in the Throwdown’s previous incarnation, Park Jam—Paul also snagged a silver medal in the 2012 Winter X Games and a first-place win at the 2011 Hot Dawgz & Handrails competition. While he’s praised for his skills on the halfpipe, he’s also known for his street antics. “I like to snowboard on obscure things that I

find out there in cities,” he says.

That includes everything from trash cans to dinosaur playground rockers. So what does he have planned for Las Vegas?

“Just expect to see someone out there having fun and enjoying himself,” he says.

ANDY BUCKWORTH BMX Rider

Age: 26 Hometown: Lake Haven, New South Wales, Australia Andy Buckworth is living the dream. After competing at a young age, the Aussie moved to the U.S. to do what he loves.

He soon joined motocross legend Travis Pastrana’s international Nitro Circus tour to compete against—and beat— his childhood heroes. “Growing up, especially on the other side of the world … it was all about Ryan Nyquist and Dave Mirra,” he says. “If you finish second behind Ryan Nyquist, that’s nothing to be ashamed about. But to be out there on the podium with him next to you, that’s definitely an experience I’ll never forget.”

The self-proclaimed “big-trick guy” is always pushing his and the sport’s limits, and he’s got no plans to stop anytime soon.

“People think you’re crazy because there are so many injuries that are involved, but really, it’s just passion—passion for the sport, passion for excitement, passion for the adrenaline,” he says.

DANIEL SANDOVAL BMX Rider

Age: 22 Hometown: Corona, California Sandoval might be young, but he has the battle scars of a seasoned veteran. “This is the worst year I’ve had,” he says. The athlete had a bad fall during a contest in France earlier this year, fracturing two ribs and dislocating his shoulder. But as soon as he recovered, he got back on his wheels. “When I’m injured, all I’m thinking about is riding my bike. It’s just a part of me now,” he says. It comes with the territory, especially when you’re doing what others deem impossible. Sandoval was the first person to land a BMX 720 tailwhip to barspin and a BMX 720 double tailwhip, so expect to ooh and ahh when he’s up.

He isn’t coming just to show off, though—he’s in it to win it.

“I know what I have to do when I have to do it.” 7

THE NEW PUB 365 IS NOW OPEN AND POURING AT THE TUSCANY SUITES AND CASINO. Pub 365 features a vast collection of 365 beers and a menu of delicious, modern pub fare that includes homemade small bites, iconic burgers and locally world-famous tacos.

The new Pub 365 is the perfect place for you and your friends to meet, watch a game and enjoy a cold pint of your favorite brew.

Pub365

@Pub_365

255 E. Flamingo Road | 702-944-5084

DINNER AND A

G

SHOW

Photography Anthony Mair

o down the touristand-LED-dusted Las Vegas Strip, between the roaring sports bettors and laser-focused card players of The Cosmopolitan’s casino, up the escalator to a small turquoise room where the walls are hung with guitars and glass cases hold souvenir ashtrays or rhinestone brooches. You might miss the door in the back, but you can’t miss what’s behind it: Beauty & Essex restaurant, which glitters with gilded picture frames, crystal chandeliers and iridescent walls.

Around the jewel-box lounge, eight performers get ready to share the (photographic) spotlight. With her side-shaved hair and Slayer T-shirt, Alex Halbauer looks even more rock ’n’ roll out of her leatherand-studs Sexxy costume than she does in it. Aidan of Thunder From Down Under hasn’t brought anything to grease up for the photo shoot and someone runs into the kitchen for some olive oil. The Maestro from Baz commiserates with him on the difficulty of being a stud in a Strip show, “The women—they touch you, they won’t leave you alone!” He laughs as he takes his sequined tailcoat off the hanger while a contortionist from O unrolls a yoga mat and folds herself into a pretzel the same way mere mortals would flop on a couch. Across the dining room, Piff the Magic Dragon rouses a snoozing Mr. Piffles, and two Jabawockeez bob their heads to the beats coming out of a portable speaker. Emily England from Absinthe walks by carrying her skates and Dolly from Frank Marino's Divas her stilettos—the latter also has Lady Gaga and Madonna in her illusionist repertoire. Each role needs “different boobs, different nails, different lashes,” she says, giving the “Dollys” a boost before taking her turn before the camera.

The dinner table is heaped with enough food to make Thanksgiving look like a fast day: onion rings, steaks, tacos, towers of oysters and lobster tails—Mr. Piffles perks up the moment the meatballs hit the table. Aidan is the first to grab his fork; even more attractive than a man with washboard abs is a man with washboard abs scarfing dumplings and doughnut holes.

Alex and the Maestro dive into the shellfish, while our contortionist finally unfolds herself and bites into a piece of avocado toast.

Jabbawockeez Whimsicality and P.J. hold up sashimi and melon mojitos to mouths that just won’t open.

“Only in Vegas” may be a cliché, but here, it truly applies. –Lissa Townsend Rodgers

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ABSINTHE

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Emily England, Skates of Hell, of Absinthe takes a spin.

Caesars Palace absinthevegas.com If you’re the type who offends easily, you are warned at the beginning of Absinthe, this show is not for you. So before you head inside that Spiegeltent, straighten out your panties, because sidesplitting, equal-opportunityoffensive jokes will fly faster than the rollerskating brothersister duo Billy and Emily England (and if you’re sitting in the front row, you know how fast that is). The Gazillionaire and his assistant Joy preside over this madhouse of acrobats, tap dancers, contortionists and balancing strongmen who bend, twist, split and defy gravity at every turn. Yes, we know Las Vegas is home to some freakishly flexible people, but to be this close to the performers is sometimes stupefying. Go in not knowing what to expect; leave slackjawed and in awe of all the things your body can’t possibly do. And the dirty banter? Hard to trump that.

–Genevie Durano

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BAZ: STAR CROSSED LOVE The Palazzo palazzo.com/baz There is simply nothing like Baz: Star Crossed Love on the Strip. Set in an immersive theater, the musical weaves together Australian director Baz Luhrmann’s three biggest cinematic hits: Romeo + Juliet, The Great Gatsby and Moulin Rouge! The first two retell tragic love stories; the latter’s original plot is just as heart-wrenching. The performers’ strong portrayals and vocal talent—as well as a stellar backing band—propel the production. “A Little Party Never Killed Nobody” is a fun number, with performers dancing through the theater, while the three female leads share “Young and Beautiful.” The production also spices things up with a pair of ballroom dancers: Their “El Tango De Roxanne” from Moulin Rouge! is awe-inspiring. Even if you didn’t fall in love with these movies on the big screen, you simply cannot look away from Baz, a dazzling piece of musical theater. —Mark Adams

Even show business has its businessmen: Maestro from Baz

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It takes a lot of money— and Champagne—to look this cheap: Dolly Parton of Divas.

The Linq frankmarino.com Drag shows dot local gay bars with performers serving up lip-synced renditions of pop and Broadway hits. But if it’s detailed drag perfection you’re looking for, see Frank Marino’s Divas. With a 30-plus-year history and the distinction of being the only female illusionist show in a Strip showroom, Divas offers imitations of icons both legendary and contemporary.

Marino hosts as the spectacular Joan Rivers, gliding across the stage in glittering Bob Mackie gowns while spitting out hilarious one-liners. And the other queens? “Fabulous” might be a trite word in the world of drag, but that’s exactly what these glamazons are. Pink slays “Raise Your Glass” with stirring bravado, Bette Midler does the Andrews Sisters’ “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” with throwback flair, and veteran Vegas fixture Larry Edwards’ Tina Turner and Patti LaBelle impersonations might be the best in the business. Divas is a fun, funny and fun-loving night out. –M.A.

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FRANK MARINO’S DIVAS LAS VEGAS

JABBAWOCKEEZ: JREAMZ

MGM Grand jbwkz.com/mgm The Jabbawockeez deliver a powerful performance with lots of laughs, a high-tech light show, video skits and an all-around good time. Jreamz centers around a character named P.J., a zombie walking through life on autopilot. Within his dream he meets a group named SWAG, who help guide him to a spiritual awakening. Through dreamscapes projected on screen, audience interaction and dance routines, the guides show P.J. how to escape monotony, and live life loud and in color. Jreamz is one of the few shows on the Strip that manages to entertain everyone in the family. There’s humor for all ages, music from different generations and references from various eras. For those looking for something for everyone, the Jabbawockeez offer a good time to be had by all. –Zauni Price

… and how much for these masks?

Jabbawockeez P.J. and Whimsicality strike a pose.

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O Bellagio cirquedusoleil.com/o The beautiful live music, the comedy, the costumes and of course, the strength and ability of the performers are what make Cirque du Soleil. But O offers something that other shows do not, as the impressive, mind-boggling stage transforms into a pool and back throughout the performance, becoming a platform for water acrobatics. While the storyline is slightly more opaque than other Cirque narratives, it really isn’t important when a man on fire walks across the stage and gymnasts flip on a flying ship 30 feet in the air.

While 20 or so performers demand attention as they dance and dive, look off to the side and you might just catch a sad maid, unflinching as she slowly sinks into the water. The worst part about O is not having enough eyes to see it all.

–Jessie O’Brien

A contortionist from O gives new meaning to “served with a twist.”

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The Westgate westgatedestinations.com Lest you thought Vegas entertainment has gone all PG-13 in recent years, you just need to venture farther out to the Westgate, where XX marks the spot. Sexxy, a topless cabaret, features performers who put it all out there. And by “all,” we mean dancing skills that make you forget that the only thing standing between them and that hobby horse they’re straddling is a sliver of a thong.

These ladies are not the topless performers of yore tottering around onstage in stilettos, whose hardest-working muscles were their come-hither smiles. No, these women are forces of nature, with years of squats chiseled into glutes you can bounce a quarter off of. A highlight is the stripper pole number, performed to Nina Simone’s “Feelin’ Good.” Watching Sexxy, you’ll be feeling a lot of things; “good” is just the tip of it. –G.D.

SEXXY

SECTION A very urban cowgirl: Alex from Sexxy.

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PIFF THE MAGIC DRAGON The Flamingo piffthemagicdragon.com An act featuring a guy with a funny accent dressed like a magic dragon, toting a longhaired white Chihuahua also in dragon garb may not seem like a Vegas lock. But, lucky for mankind, after a stint in The Cosmopolitan’s Spiegelworld collaboration Vegas Nocturne, a solid run on America’s Got Talent and a national touring show, Piff the Magic Dragon and his sidekick, the adorable Mr. Piffles, have landed their own show at the Flamingo.

Mixing magic, comedy and animal magnetism, the laugh– filled show is unlike anything else on the Strip. Bask in the rags-to-riches story of the world’s only magic-performing Chihuahua, who started in the pound and now has his name in lights. Coming soon: Piff’s Piffmas Spectacular. –Melinda Sheckells

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Piff the Magic Dragon and his furrier half, Mr. Piffles.

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THUNDER FROM DOWN UNDER

Excalibur thunderfromdownunder.com It’s rare to have a show host that’s as entertaining as the talent, but Thunder From Down Under’s Marcus Deegan is an anomaly. He’s raunchy, but so damn likable. He’s the guy who’ll threaten to teabag your grandma and hug her in the same breath. The rest of the Aussies share the emcee’s shamelessness, hopping from table to table, lap to lap, pouring beer down their slick, toned bodies and even wiping the fog off of ladies’ glasses—with their speedos.

Theatricality plays a major role in the show. Trampolines on the outsides of the stage allow for huge leaps during well-choreographed dance routines, and the theater is small yet intimate enough that you can see every move.

It’s equal parts striptease and Step Up. –Amber Sampson Aidan of Thunder From Down Under holds up his end.

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When cooking at home, Tao Group corporate chef MARC MARRONE lets his guests take over Eating and entertaining have changed … When my parents used to entertain—everyone’s mom would slave away and cook in the kitchen and everyone would sit down and eat in the dining room. But now everyone’s so into food … so rather than me making something, put it on a plate and slide it over, they’re building their own. I focus on getting all the stuff lined up and saying this sauce goes well with this, this goes well on that and kind of let them play around with it.

Let the guests play chef … For appetizers, I’ll get a bunch of things ready to go that are individual and shareable but they’re all buildable by whomever. That way I’m not plating up individual things and they’re all sitting there waiting. So I’ll do tacos or empanadas, things like that

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where people can build their own little sliders or sandwiches the way they want while I’m making the next course or outside barbecuing.

Burgers are definitely my favorite thing to make; for the Fourth of July we’ll go fullon, do burgers with doughnut buns. I’ll do a burger bar on the island in my kitchen with different styles of burgers—grilled, pan-fried, roasted and five different kinds of buns and different cheese and let everyone have fun putting Cheetos, tortillas— whatever they want on their burgers.

Relax and enjoy the party … Food should be fun, drinking should be fun: We’re getting so wrapped up in following a recipe you saw online or getting hung up on “I don’t have this ingredient, I don’t have this mixer.” The happier you are and the more you love the food, the better it’s going to come out. People aren’t here for you to cook for them; they’re here to hang out. As long as you take that lighthearted approach, the whole thing will fall together nicely. And there’s always pizza you can order if there’s a big disaster.

–Lissa Townsend Rodgers

Floral by Miss Daisy. For holiday centerpiece tips, visit vegasseven.com/missdaisy.

PLAYING WITH YOUR FOOD

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AND...

SCENE!

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NOW SHOWING ON THE STRIP WHAT SHOULD YOU SEE? HERE ARE 27 OPTIONS AND COUNTING Despite the billboards, LED screens, taxi toppers and glossy ads, we sometimes forget that

we live in a town full of entertainment. After all, we locals seldom go see it and when friends come to visit, their “what’s good” is usually met with an “I dunno.” The Vegas Seven staff took in more than two dozen shows, from hit-making singers to hot male strippers, celebrity impersonators to Cirque du Soleil. Still, it’s only a fraction of what’s on the stages of Las Vegas—checking out the rest is up to you.

THE BEATLES LOVE The Mirage cirquedusoleil.com/beatles-love Pairing Cirque du Soleil’s dizzying acrobatics and imaginative production with the timeless music of the Beatles has given LOVE a 10-year run. The revamped show boasts new acts, new technology and a remixed soundtrack courtesy of Giles Martin, son of Beatles producer George Martin. LOVE impresses with spectacular sights and sounds, including an opening frenzy of soaring aerialists, whirling breakdancers and a cast of characters directly from Pepperland. Acrobats styled as jellyfish float through “Octopus’s Garden,” airborne yogis bend to “Here Comes the Sun,” giant red balls bounce throughout the theater for “Strawberry Fields Forever.” The segments that focus on one or two performers, such as “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds” with a glimmering aerialist and “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” featuring a dancer chasing animations, do best by the band.

–Zoneil Maharaj BLUE MAN GROUP Luxor blueman.com With live music, humorous skits and trippy visuals, Blue Man Group offers imaginative

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entertainment for the whole family.

After a start in New York City, the trio first came to Las Vegas in 2000 and quickly became a hit with locals and tourists. Instead of using overthe-top stage tricks to mesmerize viewers, the performance relies heavily on audience interaction.

The Blue Men often wander directly into the crowd, climbing over seats to select participants for special show segments, such as a comical date scene where a lucky audience member is invited to share a Twinkie with the Blue Men while cream unexpectedly squirts from their chests. Catch all of the antics and act like a kid again at the next showing of Blue Man Group.

–Ashley Miles BRITNEY: PIECE OF ME Planet Hollywood britneyspears.com Britney Spears' Las Vegas residency isn't about crooning ballads like "Everytime" or banging out a perfect "Baby One More Time." The adoring fans that pack the Axis theater are there because they watched her slay some sick choreography via videos on MTV’s Total Request Live, became entranced by her star power and want to witness the magic live. In that respect, Britney delivers. She might lip-sync through a parade of

hits and occasionally be overshadowed by one of her many backup dancers, but her devotees are there for the spectacle. Piece of Me is over-the-top pop production, with impressive prop pieces, dazzling visuals, killer choreography and the opportunity to watch one of music’s biggest successes skip around the stage in semi-scandalous outfits.

Which brings me to: Britney looks fabulous. If only Axis’ giant LED screen would show that to the nosebleeds. –Mark Adams BOYZ II MEN The Mirage boyziimen.com If music brings people together, then Boyz II Men are the ushers. With an award-winning catalog that spans 25 years, the “End of the Road” singers’ residency at The Mirage, extended through 2018, draws an intergenerational crowd—from those who played “On Bended Knee” at their

wedding to those conceived to “I’ll Make Love to You” that same night.

The now-trio could simply perform their beloved ballads and get a standing ovation—they’re one of the greatest selling R&B acts of all time, after all. Instead, they pepper their performance with jokes— from calling themselves “The Black Man Group” to covering Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” to make their sole white band member feel comfortable—share backstories, don glittery gold suits for a series of Motown classics and make women’s dreams come true by handing out roses and hugs during “A Song for Mama.” And the Boyz’ vocals and bodies remain agile as they throw down “Motownphilly” like it was 1991. Times may have changed—contemporary R&B leaves nothing to the imagination and politicians want to build walls to divide us—but at least we’ve got Boyz II Men to break it all down. –Z.M.

Clockwise from top left: Elton John, Celine Dion, Boyz II Men, Chippendales

CARROT TOP Luxor carrottop.com Come for his glorious red locks, stay for the surprise shots halfway through the show. The ginger-haired comedian has been knocking the socks off Vegas audiences for years with his rude, crude and quick-witted humor. “The King of Props” brings stand-up comedy to the next level by taking every 2-D joke to 3-D, poking fun at current issues, pop culture, Vegas hot shots and himself during a two-hour joy ride that offers loads of belly-busting laughter. This show isn’t for the faint of heart and definitely not for the young’uns, so leave the kids at home, grab a 32-ounce draft beer and enjoy the “nothing is off-limits; seriously, there are three dildos in this show” comedy. –Ally Tatosian CELINE DION Caesars Palace celinedion.com Many decades from now, when people talk about the marquee names that made Las Vegas, Celine Dion will be right up there with Frank, Dean and Sammy.

In 2003, the Canadian chanteuse ushered in the modern-day artist residency, and Caesars Palace built her her very own Colosseum. More than 1,000 performances later, Dion is at the top of her game, powering through adult-contemporary hits such as “I Surrender,” “Because You Loved Me,” “Power of Love” and “Beauty and the Beast,” among others.

Backed by a 31-piece orchestra, she hits every seemingly impossible note, while in between songs, she casually chats with her band and the audience, bringing the woman who has hit the highest octaves of stardom down to earth. When the lights dim for the Titanic anthem “My Heart Will Go On,” the audience can be forgiven for the sighs and sniffles as they let every note sink in. –Genevie Durano

CHIPPENDALES Rio chippendales.com You know you’re watching a quality male revue when a woman two rows back shamelessly announces, “I just creamed myself.” This, ladies and plenty of gentlemen, is what happens at Chippendales. No threadbare tank top is safe when you’ve got an entourage of chiseled men shredding through them like tissue paper. Ever wanted to be frisked by a cop with abs so hard you could knock your knuckles against them? There’s a show for that.

Ever wanted to watch a tall, dark and handsome “ride” a motorcycle bareass naked in just a helmet and a hand to cover his man parts? Come on down. No doubt Chippendales is sexy, but it also turns on the charm with dewy-eyed serenades and appreciation for our soldiers—and their butts.

–Amber Sampson 53X Paris Las Vegas 53xlv.com Las Vegas may be a town where it’s all on the menu, but most of our supposedly libertine adult shows offer only two choices: girls or boys. However, 53X is a coed takeoff that offers something for both ladies and gentlemen, as well as a little bit of the-lady-is-a-gentleman. A crew of dancers enact a variety of scenarios—football player and cheerleader, businessman coming home from work—that offer abundant naughty opportunities.

Hostess Shannel, a veteran Las Vegas diva who’s appeared on RuPaul’s Drag Race, brings some fabulous gowns and a sharp sense of humor.

Some bits could be tighter (audience participation) and the weirdly oriented stage is clearly not easy to work with, but 53X offers something different than the usual Vegas adult show. –Lissa Townsend Rodgers

ELTON JOHN: THE MILLION DOLLAR PIANO Caesars Palace eltonjohn.com When the lights come up, a gap-toothed, grinning Elton John appears in blue-lensed glasses, holding up the most glittery cape in existence before jumping into 1974’s “The Bitch Is Back” in front of a surreal backdrop of swirling golden balconies and flowing red curtains. The elaborate entrance gives the audience a sample of what’s in store for the evening. The show hits many moods that change with lyricist Bernie Taupin’s storytelling and John’s pop-rock piano: John’s pricey LED-covered Yamaha and stage screen display a galaxyscape during “Rocket Man,” while a psychedelic cartoon of John’s history rolls as he sings “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.” John and Taupin have created vivid, melodic songs that stand the test of time. The imagery of their music doesn’t need the extravagant stage and chameleon piano, but subtlety just isn’t Elton John’s style. –Jessie O’Brien EVIL DEAD THE MUSICAL The Tommy Wind Theater evildeadvegas.com The 1981 movie The Evil Dead is a cult staple: The combination of teen drama, demonic possession and hero-turned slasher-turned-hero won the hearts of fans and became a horror classic.

Evil Dead the Musical celebrates the douchebag, slut and hero archetypes with comedy and music—then splatters them all over the audience with the incentive of taking home a cool free T-shirt, audience members can upgrade to the splatter zone.

Besides the gratuitous gore, our favorite part of the show was the cast interaction—middle fingers and mooning included. (Shout out to Doris!) These evil spirits do not break character in the lobby, as they kindly seat guests, or when they hang out and take pictures with the audience post show. Best enjoyed with alcohol. –Shannon Miller

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Left: Mat Franco.

Bottom: Human Nature

motion, reptilian acrobats slithering around a whirling tree—and animates them with some truly gasp-inducing physical feats. It’s a show that will beguile you as you watch it and whose images will linger long after you leave. –L.T.R.

HUMAN NATURE The Venetian humannaturelive.com After spending several years on the Strip with their Motown show, Human Nature has added variety to their repertoire with Jukebox, which makes room for everything from the Beach Boys to Bruno Mars.

The quartet maintains a fast pace and self-deprecating wit throughout, also giving a nod to their own boy-band history with an amusing run-through of the tunes and dance moves from that slice of the ’90s.

Human Nature also takes requests— this is a “jukebox” after all—and their tight backing band stays on top of every number. If you’re lucky, you’ll get to hear them honor their Australian homeland with a kickass a cappella version of AC/DC’s “You Shook Me All Night Long.” –L.T.R. LEGENDS IN CONCERT Flamingo Las Vegas legendsinconcert.com The celebrity impersonator show is a Las Vegas staple and Legends in Concert has been delivering the goods for more than 30 years. The stars range from ersatz Patsy Cline to faux Lady Gaga but always include an Elvis. The current round opens with Garth Brooks going through his good-time tunes with a crew of boot-scooting backup dancers, who slip into fringed minidresses when it’s time for Tina Turner. Tina sticks mostly to her ’80s catalog and has the Turner strut down, even if her wig feels a little Whitney. Michael Jackson moonwalks and “Thriller”-s and changes leather jackets. Finally, Elvis appears in full-white jumpsuit regalia, striking kung fu poses and kissing women in the front row while swaggering through “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Hound Dog”

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and “American Trilogy.” Legends in Concert may be more cheese than Cirque, but it’s what folks have always come to Vegas for. –L.T.R. MICHAEL JACKSON ONE Mandalay Bay cirquedusoleil.com/ michael-jackson-one Cirque du Soleil has paid homage to musicians with LOVE and Viva Elvis, but never one who was known for jaw-dropping physical feats of his own.

Fittingly, Michael Jackson ONE takes on the legacy of Michael Jackson with a squad of excellent dancers, from solid formation on “Smooth Criminal” to a loose “The Way You Make Me Feel” (Love those graffiti dresses!) Michael Jackson One does a fine job with overkill—an opener of “Beat It” with legion of dancers, acrobats, bungee jumpers and a chick with a golden Mohawk and screaming guitar is sensory overload in the best “Wow”-inducing way—but there’s also a nice minimalist bit of a single bedazzled dancer gliding through Jackson’s signature moves to a “Human Nature”/”Never Can Say Goodbye” mashup. Some moments may be less for die-hard fans—symbolism, voice-overs, ancillary characters—but overall, Michael Jackson One does right by Michael himself.

–L.T.R. MYSTÈRE Treasure Island cirquedusoleil.com/mystere The OG of Las Vegas Cirque shows, Mystère has been trapezing its way into audiences' hearts since 1993.

Now, of course, it has six other siblings on the Strip, but it sealed its place in the Cirque firmament long ago. Watching Mystère today, you still thrill at the sight of that cube that

houses a spinning aerialist, and your breath still catches at the aerial silks, a balletic twist of grace and strength performed high above the crowd.

As for the seesaw and trampoline act, bodies are flying so fast that you wonder if Cirque performers are a different species of human altogether, propelled by an otherworldly force with an indeterminate center of gravity. Physical feats are Cirque’s raison d’être, but its heart lies in its humor. Thus, clowns and giant babies and silliness abound.

In a town that’s very much an adult playground, the most unexpected thing you’ll find in Mystère is your inner child. –G.D. LE RÊVE Wynn wynnlasvegas.com/lereve Le Rêve means “the dream,” a fitting title for a show that often feels like a dream—or a particularly powerful hallucination. The production moves between air and water, the lofty heights of aerialists and the deep dives of swimmers, with the occasional blasts of fire and mist adding to the otherworldly atmosphere. The theater is simultaneously lofty and intimate, offering the feeling of a fantasy unfolding all around you, distant as a cloud and as close as a snow globe. Le Rêve excels at memorable visuals—red-shod legs chorus-kicking out of a blue pool, blonde-bobbed angels descending in slow

MAT FRANCO Caesars Palace matfranco.com A magician trying to make it in Las Vegas these days has the deck stacked against him. Internet-savvy kids have pretty much hacked every trick out there then posted the video on YouTube. But Mat Franco, who got his headlining gig at The Linq by way of an America’s Got Talent win, has a different strategy: Why not take the mystery out of magic and divulge its secrets to the audience? This, of course, is another type of misdirection. Because no matter how transparent he makes his tricks seem, Franco’s sleight of hand is just too fast for the human brain to comprehend. So rather than trying to guess what he’s up to, just give yourself over to tricks such as multiplying wine glasses, a disappearing/reappearing cellphone and card shuffling that’ll make that eye in the sky cross. As for the promise of magic being reinvented nightly?

Franco most definitely delivers. We just can’t tell you how. –G.D.

Below: Zombie Burlesque

PENN & TELLER Rio pennandteller.com The towering, now slim and shorn Penn doesn’t hold his magic powers in his old Samsonesque ponytail like one may have expected. The duo continues to shock and awe without his signature wavy locks. And it’s no surprise: After 20 years in Las Vegas, Penn & Teller’s act is so dialed in you wonder if they even have to try anymore— just like you wonder how Teller pulls a flaming ashtray, fire extinguisher and shovel out of his pinstriped suit.

But what makes the Penn & Teller show so entertaining is the personal storytelling and (sometimes dark) comedy layered on top of the magic. The pair takes traditional, nostalgic tricks such as the classic rabbit-in-the-hat bit or a vanishing act, all of which require some form of audience participation, and add complexity while Penn narrates and the mime-like Teller speaks without talking. You may figure out how they pull off some tricks, whether by sleight of hand or an audience plant, but others will still leave you wondering how the hell they did that. –J.O. ROCK OF AGES Rio rockofages.com Leather, fringe, misogyny— they all live in the ‘80s musical comedy Rock of Ages. It’s a classic tale of a young bombshell, Sherrie, who moves to Hollywood in hopes of better life and finds a job at the Bourbon Room bar where she meets barback and wannabe rock

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star Drew. Their potential romance and Drew’s rock god dreams get derailed by a string of events that include a bedazzled-cowboy-hat-wearing rock douche that leads Sherrie to the stripper pole and Drew onto the pages of Tiger Beat. All the while the Bourbon Room is in danger, as a stiff German developer tries to turn the Sunset Strip into a shopping center.

The story is told through the ambiguously gay narrator Lonny and the hair-metal music of the ‘80s that is about having fun and getting laid.

Sounds about right for Vegas. –J.O. ZOMBIE BURLESQUE Planet Hollywood zombieburlesque.com Society might be desensitized to zombie gore, but nothing can quite prepare you for zombie raunch. Quirky and way off-color (“Eating Penis Doesn’t Make You Gay” is among the show’s original tunes), Zombie Burlesque is set during the Atomic Era inside Club Z, a zombies-only club that is open to the living for the first time.

That means you won’t be eaten … but at least one audience member will be dragged onstage to be whipped and manhandled by green-hued babes (including singer and former Pussycat Dolls member Sophia Monica), while another couple will be asked to participate in a version of The Newlywed Game. The small room brings you closer to the action—and hilarious host Enoch Augustus Scott is merciless with the crowd. But don’t worry. If you’re feeling a little stiff, free Jell-O shots will help you get loose. –Z.M.

Lights, Acrobats, Action

By Genevie Durano

Behind the scenes with SEAN JENSEN, Mystère’s head of lighting Cirque du Soleil shows are visual spectacles that leave audiences in awe of what humans can do. Aerialists and acrobats soar through the air at stunning speeds, contorting their bodies into shapes that suggest they may not have vertebrae like the rest of us. But the stars wouldn’t shine without the crew backstage who perform their own acrobatics—not with their bodies but with their technical equipment.

Sean Jensen, Mystère’s head of lighting, and his 12-person team ensure that every aspect of technical lighting is on point for each performance. This includes everything the audience sees onstage, as well as backstage. Lighting is a crucial element not just for the beautiful visuals it creates for the audience, but for the performers’ safety as well.

Jensen has been with the show since it debuted in 1993. Mystère was the first Cirque production in Las Vegas, and Jensen recalls a steep learning curve for what was and is a very complex production. “When I joined the team here, it was quite a unique experience because a lot of the creation happened onsite,” he says. “A lot of the preparation and building of the show was done here. As we would work on the show ... there were times when we all thought, ‘What did we get ourselves into?’ But we knew that we were definitely involved in something special.”

How rapidly has technology changed in two decades? Jensen recalls than when Mystère started, there wasn’t even email. The changes in technical lighting—LED, video projections, wireless technology—mean that the show has also evolved in this respect. Still, Jensen doesn’t lose sight of the fact that it’s all about the magic that happens both on and off the stage. Mystère remains a show powered by human imagination.

“The main thing is, when the house lights go down, that the audience gets the same show every show. … We deliver what was created for the audience,” he says. “It’s making sure that I pay attention to the details, so when it’s time for the audience to come in and sit down, they’re getting the best of Mystère.”

In addition to his role at Mystère, Jensen also serves as the technical director and lighting designer for A Choreographers’ Showcase, a partnership between Cirque du Soleil and the Nevada Ballet Theatre.

The opportunity allows Jensen to stretch his skills. “My role is to create the visuals,” he says. “It’s so much fun for me because I really get to do whatever I want to do, which is nice because it brings me away from Mystère and let’s me just completely be creative. I get to work with the choreographers and help their visions of the light.”

The next time you’re watching a Cirque du Soleil show, pay special attention to the light as it illuminates or darkens the stage, or as a spotlight shines on particular performer. Magic happens all around, even if the magician is hidden in the rafters. 7

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LEAPS AND BOUNDS

Three Las Vegas chefs who are making all the right moves

By Al Mancini Photography Andrew Sea James

In June, Amy Bearden became executive chef of Texas Station. Bearden began her career 20 years ago at Black Angus Steakhouse, and she has worked at The Pub in Monte Carlo, House of Blues and most recently Fiesta Rancho. We asked: How did your mind-set change when you moved from running a single restaurant to an entire resort? Coming from only having

three or four chefs under me to having 12, the responsibility is greater. You have a lot more people who want a lot more things from you. So it’s definitely [about] multitasking and trying to stay focused every day.

You began your career at a steakhouse, and your first project at Texas Station was updating the menu of their steakhouse, Austin’s. Do you particularly enjoy steakhouses? Anytime I’m on

the broiler, I’m happy. It’s kind of like my therapy. If

I have a long, stressful night and that broiler’s busy, it’s just focus time. And by the time you know it, it’s all done, and everything I have to work out in my head gets worked out by the end of the night.

How is cooking for locals different from cooking on the Strip? A locals casino is a lot

more intimate. We see the same guests every single day, if not three or four times a day, whether they’re eating or not. And once these guests really embrace e find yourself celebrating birthdays, holidays and life events with them. They know when my team members are gone; they know their days off. I like that.

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TASTE

In September, Richard Hoffmann assumed the executive chef position at Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken’s immensely popular Border Grill in Mandalay Bay. The Hungarian chef had previously served as executive sous chef for Mandalay Bay and Delano Las Vegas.

We asked: What was it like for you going from overseeing a resort to a single restaurant? It’s better

because you’re not sitting back in the office. You get your hands on food. And I’m a hands-on chef.

How quickly will you be able to make your own mark on Border Grill?

I believe I already have.

I’ve been working very closely with Chef Susan— changing the menu, changing the concept, raising the quality. And the chefs are backing me up 100 percent.

Where do we see your signature at Border Grill? I used to do a dish

for the Latin Grammys at Mandalay Bay, a 24-hour braised short rib Barbacoa with some yummy guajillo, Mexican chocolate, roasted butternut squash, serrano chips and a blue corn lobster open-faced tamale.

Right now it’s available as a special, but I want to put that on the menu.

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In late September, Patrice Caillot was appointed executive pastry chef for Wynn and Encore. The Burgundy native previously worked at Osteria del Circo in New York before moving to Las Vegas in 1998 to oversee the dessert programs for Circo and Le Cirque in Bellagio. We asked: Is there a difference in what Europeans look for in a dessert and what Americans want? For

Europeans, the product is definitely the No. 1 priority.

So if you show up with strawberry, it’s [about] the quality of the strawberry and the farm it came from.

Here, the quality is also very important. But it’s also about the show [or presentation]. It’s not only the taste. People want to see the show.

Is there a hidden gem on one of your dessert menus that really wows your guests? At Jardin,

we have the chocolate flowerpot. We get guests all the time who see it arrive on the table and actually think it’s a flowerpot.

What theme is currently running through your dessert offerings? A lot

of spice. We’re working on a poached pear with ginger and spice at Wazuzu. I’m also working on spicy hot chocolate using ancho and chipotle chilies and allspice. That’s one of the hot chocolates I’m going to serve at the Drug Store Café, our coffee shop. But it’s mainly spices for winter.

You’ve worked for Steve Wynn at Bellagio and now at Wynn and Encore.

Does he have a favorite dessert? Mr. Wynn

really loves desserts with coconuts. He loves tropical fruits. For example, he loves coconut tapioca. He also loves chocolate. 7

The Mina Shuffle Three Michael Mina restaurants have new executive chefs, all with previous experience within Mina Group restaurants.

Nick Sharpe, Michael Mina

Sharpe joined Mina’s eponymous Bellagio spot in 2011 on the corporate level, and went on to work for him at San Francisco’s RN74. After taking a hiatus from the group in 2004, his new position at Mina’s Bellagio namesake marks his return to the fold.

Anthony Schutz, Stripsteak

After working at N9NE Steakhouse and Nove Italiano, Schutz joined The Mina Group in 2012 as the executive sous chef at the late Seablue. He moved on to run the kitchen at PUB 1842 in MGM Grand before taking his latest position.

Isaiah Utter, Pub 1842

Coming to Las Vegas in 2011 to work at Gallagher’s Steakhouse, Utter joined the Mina family later that year as a line cook at Seablue. Upon its closing, he briefly worked at Gordon Ramsay Steak before helping Schutz open Pub 1842, ascending to the top spot with his boss’ move across the Strip to Mandalay Bay. –A.M.

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SOCIAL INFLUENCE

THE LOOK

Linda Richardson Photography Krystal Ramirez

Philanthropist, Make-A-Wish Southern Nevada, and host of the 15th annual Fashion Show luncheon at Spago on November 17.

Why do philanthropy and fashion go so well together? Fashion is highly relatable to our guests, and it’s a perfect mix of showcasing upcoming trends while benefiting their charity of choice. Make-A-Wish has granted several fashion wishes, like Milene’s wish to be a fashion designer. She created two amazing looks and had her very own fashion show.

How do you select the perfect outfit every year? I typically wear something from the designer presenting at our luncheon, and this year it’s Pucci. Pucci hosted an at-home shopping event where it graciously donated a percentage of sales back to Make-A-Wish Southern Nevada. In the past, we partnered with Fendi, Valentino and Oscar de la Renta.

It is so nice to see everyone dressed up for a good cause. What is the best part of the luncheon for you? My favorite part is meeting the Wish Kids and their families, but also witnessing friends, old and new, gathering together for an organization that is so near and dear to my heart. It’s like going to lunch with your girlfriends; the only difference is we’re raising a substantial amount of money for a great cause.

What is your greatest wish this holiday season? My ultimate wish this holiday season, and really throughout the year, is to teach my grandchildren the importance of giving back. I also want my husband to buy me a New York City apartment, but that’s not nearly as important as my grandchildren giving back.

How many wishes do you make come true a year? The luncheon raises enough money to grant more than 30 wishes each year. My husband and I have been supporting Make-A-Wish Southern Nevada for more than 20 years, and each year it becomes more meaningful to our family.

What is the best wish you’ve heard?

My favorite story is Natalia’s wish to warm people from the inside out. She worked with a celebrity chef to create a one-of-a-kind soup inspired by all her favorite ingredients. Once the soup was to her liking, she went to a nearby shelter to feed the homeless and give away blankets. This story embodies selflessness and truly inspires me every day.

When did you first fall in love with fashion? The moment the fashion industry inspired my daughter, Melissa, who chased her dream to open her own store. Fashion has always been a passion of mine since the moment I could buy my own clothes, but it truly won over my heart when it gave my daughter such joy.

Richardson is wearing a Valentino dress, Chanel necklaces and Cartier bracelets.

DO GOOD

SOCIAL INFLUENCE

much about it. At the end of the day, if we don’t die from something like cancer, we will have some kind of degenerative issues that will affect us and the people that we love.

What have you learned since getting involved with the research? We’re

PLAYHOUSE WITH PURPOSE

the same room with them and create more collaborations. That’s really cool to me. I don’t get the opportunity to do that very often because usually when I do events, I’m just DJing. At this one, I get to hang out. It’s more of an intimate thing. Anyone who enters can have conversations about brain health and what we can do to raise more money and awareness of these organizations that are doing incredible work.

Steve Aoki throws a party for science

By Camille Cannon Photography @CaesarSebastian HANG WITH DJ STEVE AOKI

at a nightclub and you can expect an earful of his electronic bangers and confetti in your hair. Cozy up to Steve Aoki at Brooklyn Bowl on November 15 and you’ll get to hit pins alongside neuroscientists, bid on one-of-a-kind experiences in live and silent auctions (think jumping into the foam pit at Aoki’s Las Vegas “playhouse”) and catch him outside the booth as he hosts the Aoki Foundation’s Bowling for Brains fundraiser. The inaugural event supports the Buck Institute

on Aging, SENS Research Foundation and Las Vegas’ own Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, continuing the foundation’s ongoing support of regenerative science.

Why was it important for you to hold this event in Las Vegas? I’ve lived

here for a few years now. I [want to] reach out to the community. Anyone who’s willing to help out toward brain research and organizations that are focused on cutting-edge research on degenerative brain diseases … I want to meet these people. I want to be in

By Rob Kachelriess Photography Kirk Jackson Right: Team Rubicon Members of Team Rubicon assist homeowners in Moore, Oklahoma, following a devastating EF-5 tornado in May 2013.

One Tough Mudder Veterans take on a new mission with Team Rubicon

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November 10 -16, 2016 vegasseven.com

What sparked your interest in degenerative diseases? After my father

passed away in 2008, I started doing a lot of research on cancer and understanding what killed him. That led to researching general health and nutrition and understanding the body, the brain, then science and technology, seeing how far we’ve advanced and what kind of trajectories we’re heading toward. A lot of it has to do with understanding our brain. It’s the single most important phenomenon in civilization—the human brain. Yet we really don’t know

going down a path that, at one point, was considered science fiction.

There are a lot of things happening in science that you wouldn’t even believe. The idea of telekinesis, being able to move things with your brain … that’s happening now. People who have issues with paralysis and can’t move their arms or legs, they’re able to use technology to move machines and be mobile. These radical technological advances are something I’m excited about. You talk about it with people and they’re like, “Holy shit, it’s really happening.” You don’t really hear about it because the science community is so small. In a way, I use this platform to say, “Hey, the science community is pretty small, but the music community is pretty large.”

I would love to use this platform to bounce all of these amazing advances off to a community that would never hear about it and let them know, “Hey, you can help out.” We can get there faster, and we can get there more efficiently if more people [get involved].

What is your long-term goal for the Aoki Foundation? We’re working

toward a world where degenerative brain diseases do not exist. … Imagine if we could eradicate that like we eradicated tuberculosis or polio, then we wouldn’t ever have to worry about it again. If we don’t have a brain that’s working, we’re not ourselves. 7 Aoki Foundation Bowling for Brains, 7 p.m., Nov. 15, Brooklyn Bowl, $100–$12,500, steveaokifund.com.

Vegas Seven is giving away tickets to this event to four lucky readers, visit vegasseven.com/AokiContest for more details.

Team Rubicon first came to life when a pair of U.S. Marine Corps veterans organized a relief group in response to the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. None of the established organizations were able to take them, so they deployed on their own to the hardest-hit areas to deliver aid. Six years later, the group has evolved into one of the fastest-growing nonprofit organizations in the country, offering help in the wake of natural disasters both at home and abroad. Team Rubicon now has about 40,000 volunteers, and 80 percent of them are veterans. The rest include military family members, first responders, medical professionals and anyone else willing to give.

This band of brothers is now taking on a new mission as the official U.S. charity partner for Tough Mudder, an organization that stages grueling obstacle courses in cities around the world. The biggest one of the year is the World’s Toughest Mudder, a brutal challenge that will unfold at Lake Las Vegas over Veterans Day weekend. It’s open to individuals and teams who will try to complete the five-mile course as many times as possible in a 24-hour period, with prize money at stake. Team Rubicon is up for the challenge with 16 official participants of their own, most of whom have served in the military. They won’t be in direct competition for the cash prizes, but hope to raise both donations and awareness while drawing new volunteers to their cause.

By David G. Schwartz

The Fantasy Lives On

THE SPORTS-BETTING BUSINESS COURTS THE NEXT GENERATION

B

efore several state attorney generals tapped the brakes last season, fantasy football was taking the country by storm. Then the bubble burst.

Now, a Nevada startup helmed by a sports-betting veteran is rolling the dice on fantasy’s return.

Vic Salerno has been in the sports-betting business since the 1970s and has spent his career inventing ways to make gambling more accessible—from creating Nevada’s first computerized bookmaking system to, more recently, developing race and sports kiosks and a mobile sports wagering app. He expanded Leroy’s Race and Sports Place into a statewide chain with 53 locations and 19 satellite kiosks before his company, American Wagering, was acquired by British super-bookie William Hill in 2012. Salerno then served as chairman and chief technology officer of William Hill until February 2016. That’s when the American Gaming Association Hall of Famer founded USFantasy Sports, the first fantasy sports operation licensed in Nevada.

“Fantasy sports,” Salerno says, “is what younger people like now.” With a long history of successfully regulating sports betting, Nevada was a natural launching pad for his new venture.

Calling itself “next generation Daily Fantasy Sports,” USFantasy Sports uses a pari-mutuel model, which means that players aren’t betting against the house.

Mostly used in horse racing, pari-mutuel betting puts all money into a pool, which is then proportionally divided among winners, minus a cut for the house.

“We are different from a DraftKings or FanDuel because our process is entirely transparent,” Salerno says.

“Anyone can see the odds changing as it happens.”

USF currently offers action on football and basketball, with hockey, golf, NASCAR and baseball coming soon. In football, bettors pick from groups of quarterbacks, receivers and running backs to win, place or show in their category. Points are earned for each positive yard, with additional ones for touchdowns and other big plays.

It’s an oft-repeated truism that there is no “I” in “team,” but fantasy bettors can pick a winner from a

losing team. In fact, Salerno says that is more common than expected.

“Many times,” he says, “a quarterback on a team that falls behind early is going to throw much more than one that’s winning most of the game. So often a losing team’s quarterback wins.”

In addition to the straight-up win/place/show betting, USF offers Daily Double, Pick Three, Exacta and Trifecta bets, and what Salerno says is “the biggest overlay in the history of Nevada sports betting,” the Million $ Seven contest. To win a million dollars, all a bettor has to do is wager one dollar and correctly pick the top seven players in seven different prop groups.

Just as with other DFS, players can win money by picking top performers. There are telling differences, though. Where DraftKings and FanDuel have argued that what they offer isn’t gambling and therefore doesn’t fall under antigambling statutes or gaming regulations, USF is positioned as a pari-mutuel wagering product. That’s smart, because states have been regulating pari-mutuels for decades, so USF isn’t asking for a legal carve-out or new regulatory structure. It also means that racetracks, which have been struggling for years, are ideal places to host USF wagering in states without Nevada’s network of legal sports books.

That pari-mutuel structure helped USF quickly become the first legal DFS purveyor in Nevada in June. It also may help the company get up and running in other

states soon. Salerno says that USF is currently in talks with Colorado, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Mississippi, New York and California, among other states. Unlike other DFS companies, which would elbow out existing operators, USF would complement those already in the market, Salerno says.

“Racetracks are interested in putting in something that will bring in a younger crowd on a daily basis,” he adds.

For his part, Salerno thinks there is ample room for traditional sports betting and his product. “Fantasy players are a little different from traditional sports bettors,” he says, with more of an emphasis on individual performers. Where there is no legal betting, though, he admits, “there will be more interest.”

People have never had a hard time finding different ways to gamble, and USF’s pari-mutuel twist on DFS, with all the institutional benefits that go along with it, could prove successful in many states. As Salerno has seen in his nearly 40 years in the business, there is one constant: People like risking money to prove their mettle in picking winners. 7

GREEN FELT JOURNAL

SOCIAL INFLUENCE

David G. Schwartz is the director of UNLV’s Center for Gaming Research.

It’s an oft-repeated truism that there is no “I” in team, but fantasy bettors can pick a winner from a losing team.

The domestic operations of Team Rubicon are broken down into 10 regions. In recent weeks, volunteers from the Las Vegas area have been battling wildfires near Carson City and helping with flood relief in Northern California. Team Rubicon’s presence has also been felt in the southeast following Hurricane Matthew and during international missions connected to the 2013 typhoon in the Philippines, last year’s earthquake in Nepal and the ongoing refugee crisis in Europe. Overall, Team Rubicon has responded to more than 160 disasters around the world. For some of the veterans who volunteer, these missions are a natural and purposeful transition from the battlefield to civilian life after military service.

You can learn more about Team Rubicon and its efforts at the World’s Toughest Mudder on November 12-13 at Lake Las Vegas.

You can also support the team by visiting teamrubiconusa.org and toughmudder.com/charity. 7

45

CONVERSATIONS

The Monty

Python

Seven questions with Eric Idle

By Lissa Townsend Rodgers

I

t’s been 47 years since Monty Python’s Flying Circus first appeared on the BBC, but the comedy troupe’s influence remains strong today. Founding member Eric Idle appeared in legendary sketches such as “Nudge Nudge” and “Spam,” as well as writing classic tunes for Python films such as “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.”

Since the group’s heyday, he’s had a radio and television series, written books, acted in movies and created the musical Spamalot, which played at the Wynn in 2007-2008. Now he’s returning to Las Vegas with fellow Python John Cleese for the Together Again at Last … For the First Time tour.

What can people expect at your show at the Venetian? It’s a slightly different evening. This is something that John and I have concocted, somewhere between a talk and a lecture. It’s not like [any] show we’ve ever done. This is something different, and it really recounts the story of how we met, the hundreds of different shows and the [Monty Python] era. We [will] do sketches that they don’t know. Then we have the songs, so it’s more like a long, involved talk and dance. It stays loose, we can [do] different things every night, which is nice.

There’s more conversation as well. I like live [performance] very much. You can change it.

Something can be done tomorrow night that’s different.

Is there anything you do that especially gets the audience going?

There are some bits of film that are very funny, but they’re not things people will have seen. …

They’re more of us doing things, [about] certain points of our lives, [that are] slightly more obscure at times. They can work very well on the screen, John playing with

Little Red Riding Hood, and things like that. There are very funny pieces of film projects, so we are getting a laugh.

What’s it like being on the road with John Cleese? Do you get tired of seeing each other every day? It’s nice being on the road with an old friend. We’ve had 53 years together, so there’s an awful lot of experience, an awful lot of things. We’ll talk about, “You remember that time when we did this? Oh, my God, do you remember when we were filming in Germany?” There’s quite a lot of nice reminiscence. That’s sort of what we’re trying to make the show into.

You’ve written several books. Do you think you’ll do any writing about this trip? Last time I went out, I did a blog every day for Australia and New Zealand. …

This time, I’m going to try to write something a little bit more long form. We have a bus, and there’s a perfect place to write.

You put your headphones on and you’re tied to your computer. It’s a very relaxing way of getting between places. I’m looking forward to having some thinking time and some reading time and some downtime.

Do you ever think about retiring?

I would like to stop all the time, but my wife makes me keep going. I haven’t been on the road for a long time. It’s pleasant to go on the road and perform for different people. I did in 2003, I went across America in a rock ’n’ roll bus. It’s a very interesting way to see the country. You put up and do the show, and it’s quite nice when you’re suddenly in a little place. I’m looking forward to focusing on about five or six cities [that] I’ve never been to.

You’ve written a lot of great songs for Python. What came first, the comedy or the music? There would always be an element of music, or a song, or a silly song. I think it plays naturally into comedy. Some things are just much funnier if you sing as well. I will be playing a few songs—they’re not altogether clean. I find that form comes naturally to me. I have done that ever since I was at university, really. … I didn’t think I’d be a rock star. They were mainly from overseas. It was only just beginning in England.

I never actually wanted to be a rock star. I’d much rather be in comedy. I think it lasts longer.

Eric Idle & John Cleese: Together Again at Last ...

For the First Time November 18-19, 8 p.m., $50-$150, Venetian Theatre, venetian.com

You spent quite a bit of time in Vegas when Spamalot came to town.

Are you a gambling man? I can’t gamble at all, which is very useful. ... I never find it very interesting. It’s not that I don’t want to; it just never got to me, putting my money down. The games don’t trap me. 7

November 10 -16, 2016 vegasseven.com

47

ASK A NATIVE

CONVERSATIONS

By James P. Reza

Can a social Las Vegan find a peaceful place to sip on Monday nights during football season?

If only it was just on Mondays. In 2014, I addressed the overbearing presence of televisions screening sports. Two years have passed and the invasive scourge has spread well beyond appropriate spots like neighborhood bars and sports lounges to infiltrate even the most unexpected of places, reaching almost every bar (and restaurant bar) in Las Vegas. I have a running list of about 150 such places I enjoy, and a cursory glance and some quick math suggests that about 90 percent screen sports at least occasionally. For restaurant bars, most of those that don’t are the higher-end casino spots like STK and Hugo’s Cellar. Of course, in a casino, a sports book is never far away.

I understand that Las Vegas is a sports-betting paradise. And I get that in our transient city, people cling to whatever team they left behind when moving here. Further, I’m not a sports hater. I’m a big fan of tennis; I enjoy the NBA, soccer and Formula 1.

I’m but a casual watcher of baseball and football, but during college hoops and March Madness, if I’m not at the Thomas & Mack, I’m usually losing my head at Born and Raised, PKWY Tavern or Tenaya Creek Brewery.

But there is a time and place for my otherwise antisocial behavior, and that’s not at the bar of an otherwise upscale restaurant, a fancy cocktail joint or a cozy, intimate lounge. Nothing turns me off more than wanting to escape the MNF madness by stepping into a fave watering hole only to be greeted by a sea of jerseys.

If, like me, you want to fumble out of the football frenzy every Monday night but don’t want to sit at home alone, here’s my short list of spots to try, with an indicator of pricing.

And to all those non-sports bars that insist on screening the games, can we at least try silencing the play-byplay? I can ignore a screen; I cannot ignore the overamplified voice of Jon Gruden five months out of the year.

BARS: Artifice ($), The Griffin ($), Downtown Cocktail Room ($$), Velveteen Rabbit ($$), the Mandarin Bar ($$$).

RESTAURANT BARS: Bin 702 ($), Cornish Pasty Co. ($), Park on Fremont ($), Carson Kitchen ($$), Echo & Rig ($$), Herbs & Rye ($$), Paymon’s Hookah Lounge ($$, Maryland Parkway location only), Carbone ($$$). 7 Know of any others? Send them to askanative@vegasseven.com.

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November 10 -16, 2016 vegasseven.com

It’s the Bomb A UNLV history professor publishes a graphic novel depicting the Atomic Era

By Jarret Keene

Photography Krystal Ramirez

The Holocaust has its Maus.

The Islamic Revolution in Iran has its Persepolis. The Jack the Ripper saga has its From Hell. And now the history of atomic testing in Nevada and beyond has its own comic book. But rather than a sensationally rendered thriller involving flashy spies and explosions, it’s a story that focuses on Americans trying to do their part in a time of global uncertainty.

Consider, for instance, that the first splash page in the new graphic history Doom Towns: The People and Landscapes of Atomic Testing (Oxford University Press, $19.95), written

by UNLV history professor Andy Kirk, doesn’t offer a mushroom cloud. Instead, the page depicts anonymous women perched on stools, operating the control panels at the Oak Ridge, Tennessee, uranium-enriching Calutron facility during World War II. The image stands as part of Kirk’s narrative decision to avoid the atomic sublime (think spectacular detonations) in favor of revealing the subject’s real human history.

“Atomic history is a story of hundreds of thousands of ordinary people behind the scenes, thrust into extraordinary circumstances, many of them women,” Kirk

said shortly after his presentation at last month’s Vegas Valley Book Festival. “Mesmerizing images of atomic blasts were only the end of a long process of science and labor that was purposely obscured.”

And that’s hidden no more.

The central aim of Doom Towns is to reveal the people and the environments where they lived and worked. This graphic history is the result of Kirk’s 10-plus years as a public historian working with a million-dollar grant from the U.S. departments of energy and education. After completing the online Nevada Test Site Oral History Project, traveling to Kazakhstan (where the former Soviet Union tested its nuke arsenal) and publishing scholarly articles, Kirk struggled to find a visual way to share a massive trove of photos and documents.

That’s when his publisher handed him a copy of Abina and the Important Men, an award-winning graphic micro-history about a West African woman fighting to escape slavery in the late 19th century. Smitten with the approach, Kirk secured an artist—Kristian Purcell, a U.K. painter who specializes in interpreting historical sources. The artwork is superb, especially in moments like when

Fremont Street hotel waitresses silently, and rather nonchalantly, posted a warning notice from the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission next to a cash register: NO PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE TIME OF ANY TEST WILL BE MADE. It’s a scene that shows how simply nuclear testing was made known to the people of Las Vegas.

“In the beginning, the people of the testing zone were told nothing more than what was on that little poster tacked to bulletin boards and telephone poles,” Kirk says.

“They’d lived through W WII and didn’t ask too many questions.

But they weren’t fools, dupes or victims. Anyone who read that poster knew they were part of something huge and that it would include sacrifice.”

Everyone makes a chilling appearance in Doom Towns: J. Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic bomb; Sally McCloskey, a ballet dancer who did an interpretive dance to the DIXIE mushroom cloud as it came up; and even the Operation Doorstep mannequins arranged within houses on the Nevada Test Site as test dummies, dressed in “full sets of clothes donated by the local J.C. Penney Co.” There’s just something about the mix of fake plastic humans in targeted tract homes that casts an eerie spell.

“This book is titled Doom Towns, because these fake dwellings were surrounded by real cities,” Kirk says. “The whole point of these doom towns was to convince the American public for the need to be prepared for nuclear war and to remind them that, if it came to that, ordinary civilians would be the primary target.” 7

CONVERSATIONS

Lucky No.

We asked the Vegas Seven staff:

What is your dream Las Vegas residency?

Annie Lennox

All due respect to Sting, but when he and Annie Lennox took the stage together at MGM Grand Garden Arena in 2004, Lennox—an Officer of the Order of the British Empire—cleaned the floor with Gordon. Still kicking much ass at 61, imagine what she could do with a residency here on the Strip! –Xania Woodman, senior editor, dining, beverage and nightlife.

Broadway Bares

The mix of show tunes, over-the-top production and sexuality— all for a good cause. It has Vegas written all over it.

–Ben Ward, creative director

Louis C.K.

I’ve seen his FX series Louie and all of his comedy specials on Netflix at least five times each. His self-deprecating humor and latent positive outlook always cheer me up when I need a laugh. –Shannon Miller, editorial assistant

Duran Duran

Simon and the boys have had the whole “Vegas glitz” thing down for 30 years, and their catalog of hits play like an ’80s jukebox. (Plus, I don’t think The Smiths would do it). –Mike Grimala, senior writer, Run Rebs

Kendrick Lamar or Frank Ocean

They are two gods among men when it comes to R&B and hiphop music. Good looks paired with vocals of an angelic choir are always a winning combination.

–Ally Tatosian, editorial intern

Miley Cyrus

Ever since she went off the deep end and tarnished her Hannah Montana image, Cyrus’ concerts have been a raunchy and visually compelling mix. She would fit perfectly on the Las Vegas Strip.

–Ashley Miles, editorial intern

Iggy Pop

He’s an icon, and hopefully he’d bring in some of the folks he’s collaborated with over the years— Debbie Harry, Alice Cooper, Josh Homme, New Order, Green Day. He’d also be the most well-hung headliner since Sinatra! –Lissa Townsend Rodgers, senior writer

Photography Northfoto

November 10 -16, 2016 vegasseven.com

49

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