Go: Where to Go, What to Do & Why

Look, we're not grumpy expat wimps here at Mercury Tower. We're just saying that sitting outside and watching television when it's over 100 degrees borders on insanity. Still, that is exactly what hundreds of overdressed VIPs (and hundreds more regular, paying folks, wearing considerably less clothing) were asked to do last Friday at the Whiskey Beach premiere party for "American Casino."

Guests at Whiskey Sky were greeted, along with the onset of an oppressive heat wave and a troubling lack of food for such an early after-work party, by a dozen or so large projection surfaces screening the Discovery Channel broadcast. Meaning that yes, guests had to suffer commercials for "American Chopper" and Crest Whitening Strips when all they really wanted was comp drinks and the ass-shaking groove of De La Soul.

The new reality series, filmed almost entirely at Green Valley Ranch Station, plays like an aping of "The Restaurant," with set shots and employee voice-overs eerily similar to those seen and heard in NBC's train wreck of gastronomic entrepreneurship. So far, however, the worst thing to happen on "American Casino" was the collapse of a sugar sculpture created by the Green Valley Ranch pastry department for the Epicurean Awards--not exactly high drama.

Unlike the Black Eyed Peas, De La Soul took Whiskey Beach's awkward stage (almost) on time, hyping fans with hits both old and new. Unfortunately for those fondly recalling the trio's depth of production on debut 3 Feet High & Rising, the modern performance version of De La Soul strips everything to the bare bones of beats and rhymes, leaving the trio's trademark sound in the studio. That didn't stop former "Restaurant" waiter/dishwasher/comic Pete Giovine (now at the Beacher's Comedy Madhouse at the Hard Rock) from yanking off most of his clothes and jumping in the pool to get closer to the Soul.

Toast the MC

Judging from Giovine's very enthusiastic, very Nu Yawk reception to De La Soul, you might see him outside again this Friday, overcome with rhythm and throwing himself in the Palms' pool when Haitian hip hottie Wyclef Jean performs at Skin, the Palms' version of Whiskey Beach (June 11; 942-7777). The critically acclaimed alt.rapping former Fugee tours behind his fifth effort, Carnival.

The outdoor vibe also rocks downtown on Saturday evening, when the third annual Reggae in the Desert festival returns to a chorus of head-bobbing (June 12; 455-8200). Jamaican dancehall and toasting masters Eek-A-Mouse and Yellowman headline the show, with local talent support from openers GDB and Bonafide. The festival, on the comfortable grounds of the Clark County Amphitheater, also features vendors selling delicious regional foods such as jerked chicken, pork and fish, black eyed peas, plantains and fresh fruit smoothies, plus Caribbean crafts and clothing. Wow...it makes us all teary-eyed for the festival heyday of the '90s, so pack your hackysack and have a ball, mon.

Rock of ages

Try as we might, we're not ready to acknowledge the kitschy factor necessary to appreciate that Guns 'n Roses is now a tragically hip DJ cut used to split 50 Cent and Beyonce. That said, we are willing to give Velvet Revolver a chance, even if Scott Weiland is no Axl Rose. Essentially three-quarters of the original rock revival band, plus former Stone Temple Pilots rehabber Weiland and Wasted Youth axeman Dave Kushner, Velvet Revolver has an album (2004's cleverly named debut, Contraband) and a Saturday show at the Hard Rock (June 11; 693-5000). Afterward, you can bet the guys will be headed down to Body English, the club that replaced Baby's at the Hard Rock, for the Maxim-sponsored grand opening bash. We are so there, dude.

Sound like too much of a party for you? We've got your number, oh thoughtful one. Check out the Wallflowers at the Mandalay Bay Beach on Saturday (June 11; 632-7777). Jakob Dylan's critically acclaimed alt.roots rock band, one of the few around long enough to make the transition from alt.rock to adult alternative (oddly sad, innit?), is stopping in Vegas as part of a brief, two-week tour prior to recording its next album in July.

Much of that audience will be at the Hard Rock on Monday for a show by adult.alternative trio Jewel, Anne Heaton, and Ryan Cabrera. Jewel's recent stop at the Aladdin Theater was a bit of an overreach, but this triple bill should fill out the Joint nicely (June 13; 693-5000).

Screen, stage, bars

As much as we like it, the CineVegas International Film Festival still has the feel of a forced cultural anomaly, slightly out of step with itself. Maybe that's because it is held in the Palms casino resort instead of some yet-to-be-built urban arts campus. Maybe it's because, in the past, many stars avoided the festivities like a colonoscopy. Maybe it's because they hold the damn thing in June, like we live in the Rocky Mountains or something. All we know is that this year, they are screening Bright Young Things, Dig! and Eraserhead, among others. That's good enough for us (June 11-16; 507-1525).

All we know about Madame Butterfly we learned from Malcolm McLaren, so it's nice that the Nevada Opera Theatre is presenting one night of Madame Butterfly Saturday at UNLV (June 12; 895-2787). The show opened to mostly positive reviews in Reno in November, after being postponed from its original May 2003 opening date due to budget problems at the arts organization.

Off the opera stage and onto to the local rock stage, Stereo Quatro (featuring former members of 12 Volt Sex) aims to bring rock back to both downtown and to the kids at an all-ages show at Jillian's on Saturday (June 12; 759-0450). And, sardonic post-grunge duo Local H plays the Boston on Sunday (June 13, 368-0750), touring in support of What Ever Happened to P.J. Soles? If you must know, she's in the upcoming The Devil's Rejects: House of 1000 Corpses 2, but we always thought her work in Stripes and Halloween was superior. See? We know film.

Native Las Vegan James P. Reza listens to every artist he mentioned this week, so don't take it personally. E-mail him at jpreza@cox.net.