Penn & Teller Grand Funk Railroad

Thursday, June 26, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Mercury

Go: Where to Go, What to Do & Why

By James P. Reza

By the time you read this, Las Vegas will be baking under the oppressive heat of the Mojave Desert sun, as summertime rolls over you like a wave of hot lava smelling of Marlboros and cheap perfume. Lucky for me, I'll be someplace where the temperatures are about 66 percent of the highs expected here--breathing normally and selling off my stock in Arrid Extra Dry. Lucky for you, the new downtown scene addition, the Ice House Lounge at Main Street and Bonneville Avenue, will already be open and serving martinis on an ice-topped bar. Worry not, angry Las Vegans, this native hasn't forsaken you or Sin City. I'll be back sipping Bombay Sapphire with the mayor quicker than you can say, "That asshole is on an island somewhere."

Digging deeply

In preparation for the long Independence Day weekend, many venues are quiet this week, forcing us to look at Vegas' long-running shows and, for the most part, turning away in fear for our taste. Two that don't have us grasping desperately at memories of the Rat Pack are the genuinely entertaining, refreshingly anti-middlebrow antics of the Amazing Johnathan and Penn & Teller. Johnathan, an energetic comedian who uses props and faux magic as a set-up for his hilariously filthy remarks, never lets the energy level drop. About midway through the 90-minute show, you begin to wonder if the guy chews caffeinated gum, quaffs caffeinated water and does a double shot of Starbucks' best every 30 minutes. Penn & Teller, on the other hand, are considerably more subdued--particularly since Teller never speaks a word. Unsuspecting tourists expecting Siegfried & Roy will be horrified at the pair's demonstrative, comedic irreverence to just about everything--religion and fellow "magicians" included--as they deconstruct magic to the point of performance art. The Amazing Johnathan plays the Flamingo nightly at 10 p.m. (733-3333) and the odd couple of magic are at the Rio (Wed-Mon, 9 p.m.; 777-7777).

Rhythm and melody

Can't somebody get smart and stage some outdoor concerts in, say, October, when the weather is nice? When the calendar says "summer" elsewhere, it says "hell on earth" in Las Vegas, but that does nothing to slow the bookings of outdoor events. This week, it's old-school boogie rock from Grand Funk Railroad at the Sunset Station Amphitheater on Friday (June 27, 8 p.m.; 547-7969). Making a name and earning a following for themselves in the 1970s, GFR--like the Grateful Dead--relied on the strength of its live shows to sell albums to a public that couldn't (and still can't) hear them on the radio.

Equally hard to find on the radio is Michael Franks; about the only place you'll occasionally hear this jazz-lite artist is on KUNV--an irony of the cruelest kind considering what kind of pioneering college rock station KUNV was in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Franks' smooth jazz vocal stylings have earned him plenty of fans among the SUV-to-the-art-fair set, enough to support the recording of 17 albums. See Franks perform Saturday at Boulder Station (June 28, 8 p.m.; 432-7777).

As if you didn't know, it's definitely getting hot in here--hot enough for Nelly to return to Vegas with alt.rap quintet the St. Lunatics for a show at the Palms on Sunday (June 29, 8 p.m.; 942-7777). Similar to the Fresh Prince Will Smith, who came long before him, Nelly has a knack for writing and recording catchy summer hip hop hits (try as you might, you won't forget "Hot in Herre" as long as you live), so enjoy the show while it's still hot and Nelly still matters.

Different strokes

Comedy/music duo Tenacious D is like the Smothers Brothers of the 21st century...sort of. Featuring actors Jack Black and Kyle Gass, Tenacious D has set out to become a multimedia superstar, capitalizing on the ridiculous, sublime success of its efforts with television shows, videos and even film (Yes, a Tenacious D movie is in the works). But this isn't about Tenacious D, it's about Trainwreck, another bizarre comedy band featuring Kyle Gass that covers songs like Loverboy's "Working for the Weekend" and Kenny Loggins' "Footloose." Don't ask us; we have no idea. Trainwreck will be at the House of Blues on Saturday (June 28, 8 p.m.; 632-7580).

If you long to get back to the simple pleasures of spectator sports, long before corked bats and multimillion-dollar salaries drove fans to madness, you can check out two events this week. Skaters will be seriously shredding at the Boost Mobile Pro of Skateboarding at the Hard Rock--two days of professional skate competitions on Saturday and Sunday (June 28-29, 6:30 p.m.; 693-5066). And the Las Vegas 51s, the triple-A farm team of the L.A. Dodgers, gets going at Cashman Field this week with a series of games against the Tucson Sidewinders (June 26-29) and the Fresno Grizzlies (June 29-July 3). Call 386-7100 for tickets and info, and try to stay in the shade, compañeros.

James P. Reza is the editor of the Best Places-Las Vegas guidebook. E-mail nightlife, cultural event & dining tips to jpreza@cox.net. Deadline is the Saturday prior to publishing.