Queen Latifah

Thursday, May 22, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Mercury

Go: Where to Go, What to Do & Why

By James P. Reza

Memorial Day Weekend is upon us, and three-day weekends in Las Vegas are perpetual spring break scenes, with barely dressed partiers making the rounds everywhere. There's so much happening that there's precious little space to waste recapping last week's events, so let's get right down to digging in the dirt and uncovering the fun stuff. Remember, as the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority wants you to know, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, so grab yourself a vacationing hottie and squeeze 'em dry.

Talk about pop music

"Girlfriend, it's time to get up, get dressed, and get out--the divas are back and we are having girls' night out! Woo hoo!" We have no idea how many times this shrill phrase has been heard throughout the valley since the annual VH1 Divas Duets concert was announced, but we're willing to bet more than a few Cosmo-laden arms were raised. The popular benefit concert will raise funds to support the Save the Music Foundation, and this year's lineup includes such crystal-shattering voices as Celine Dion and Whitney Houston, R&B stars Beyonce, Chaka Khan and the impressive Mary J. Blige, and pop grrrls Jewel and Lisa Marie Presley. Chicago star Queen Latifah will host Thursday's concert (May 22, 6 p.m.; 891-7777).

Though we can't quite put our finger on it, there is something about Hootie & The Blowfish that bugs us. Maybe it's the way a former bar band successfully co-opted the previously unapproachable (and therefore innately hip) blues-rock jam-band sound and smoothed it into gold-selling pop. Maybe it's the tribute album Scattered, Smothered & Covered, on which they present Smiths and Led Zeppelin re-dos. Maybe it's the smiley-faced open expressions the members all sport, as if they're trying so very hard to look like they are floating on weed. Or maybe it's that, try as we might, we can't purge that "only wanna be with you" chorus from our matrices. Whatever; see Hootie at the Stratosphere Saturday (May 24, 8 p.m.; 380-7711).

The swinging arts

Anyone who can cover Louis Prima, and do it well, is a friend of ours. Which is probably why, after most of the other swing revivalists have faded into SUV-land, the 13-year-old outfit Big Bad Voodoo Daddy still gets our lindy hopping. It seems to have a finger on the mythic Las Vegas aesthetic, playing the city several times a year, and this week, it comes to town in support of its fifth album (to be released in July), Save My Soul. Swing on over to the House of Blues on Friday and check it out (May 23, 8 p.m.; 632-7600).

Nothing says swing like classic jazz-pop vocalist Tony Bennett, who also graces Vegas several times a year. Owner of a voice that Frank Sinatra called the best in the business (Bennett recently passed on the compliment to K.D. Lang, with whom he recorded a duets album), Bennett is a metaphorical link to the swinging days of Vegas. Quite frankly, everyone should see him perform live once in a lifetime; you can do so Friday through Sunday at Paris (May 23-26, 9 p.m.; 946-4567).

If all that pricey jazz has you singing the blues, this is the time to pull out the Palm Pilot and clear your schedule for Saturday's free outdoor Jazz in the Park at the Clark County Government Amphitheater. Pack a picnic and enjoy big band jazz under the desert sky for free (May 24, 8 p.m.; 455-8200).

Stylin', profilin'

It's nearly summertime, and the livin's easy for those who cruise their way to KLUC's annual Summer Jam outdoor concert at Sam Boyd Stadium on Saturday (May 24, 3 p.m.; 739-3267). A showcase of laid-back hip hop and R&B, the fourth Jam features movie and rap star LL Cool J, Kelly Rowland, Solange and several others in a day-long concert.

There have been some cruel jokes to emerge from "Saturday Night Live" (the film Superstar, anyone?), but one joke that turned out to be real was the Blues Brothers. What started as a skit featuring Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi quickly turned into a recording contract and a cult-like following--not bad for a cover band. Despite several albums to its credit, the band is best enjoyed live, at the Aladdin Theatre, on Saturday (May 24, 8 p.m.; 736-0111). Be there, or be somewhere else.

Rockin' in the

free world

Sick of all the whining about there being nothing to do if you are under 21 and lacking in imagination? Frustrated that your fake I.D. is almost impossible to pass off in today's terrorized world? No worries, youth of Las Vegas. Two previously successful all-ages events return this week to the parking lot at the Smoothie King in Summerlin. Saturday evening, the second in a series of Lift Ticket shows goes down at 6 p.m. featuring local bands Extension 106, Chemical X, Inner Earth, New Movement, Time Spent Burning and Slow to Surface. Five bucks at the gate buys you an evening free of the hassles of The Man, as well as benefiting the Shade Tree Shelter. Call 639-6366 for info.

The next day, the free Artists Emporium sets up in the same space from 2-7 p.m. The all-ages event comes off as a sort of impromptu coffeehouse, with spoken word artists and poets, freestyle artists, acoustic performers, break dancers, taggers and visual artists. Science will be dropped live by hip hop crew The Mechanism, and DJ Aurugin will spin the joynts, yo. Call 429-5999.

The return of clubbing

Just when you thought clubbing was dead, along comes Memorial Day, traditionally one of the biggest clubbing weekends on the globe. Vegas gets clubbed in a big way this year, with multi-day events stretching the party into four days.

Get your mojo rising Thursday with Breathe at the stunning new venue Prana. Then Friday (May 23, 11 p.m.; 632-7600) the House of Blues welcomes the famous Deep Dish, showcasing 14 DJs, including Michael Fuller, Bill Spector and others. Also Friday, Risqué hosts the Tongue magazine party with DJs AM and Big Ben, which should prove a tantalizing preview of Saturday night's double header. First, from 6-11 p.m., there's Chillin' at the Playboy Mansion, a poolside romp starring Ivano Bellini and Michael Fuller. Then, the infamous Naked party takes over the struggling (bankrupt) Sevilla in the Aladdin--certain to be its biggest night ever. The weekend comes to a banging close on Sunday starting at the House of Blues with Tiesto (May 25, 11 p.m.; 632-7600), and wrapping up with a late-Sunday (May 26, 4 a.m.; 777-7777) after-hours at the Rio's Voodoo Lounge starring Sandra Collins, Portia Surreal, Steve Castro, Robert Oleysyck and Michaelangelo. Don't forget those sunglasses...

Corrections: Rob Wasserman no longer plays bass for Ratdog, Robin Sylvester does. Ratdog's studio LP? Evening Moods (2001). Rats!

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