Go: What to Do, Where to Go & Why

By James P. Reza

It hardly seems possible that less than three months ago Las Vegas was blanketed by snowfall, everyone sporting gloves and scarves as though our little slice of the desert suddenly was New York on a good day. Fast forward to last week, when near-record highs shattered any residual images of that fleeting postcard moment. Instead, the Strip looked more like the Fort Lauderdale of the early 1990s, spring breakers packing the walkways and nightclubs sporting few inhibitions and seemingly less clothing. That skin-baring trend will likely continue as spring break rages in the weeks leading up to Easter.

Few of those underdressed young'uns were in attendance at the Aladdin Theatre's engagement of Rent. Despite expectations of high ticket sales, the well-executed rendition of the celebrated Broadway musical managed to fill only a third of the seats at Friday's performance. It's the third show we've seen there recently that sold fewer seats than should have been expected at what was once the city's premier performance venue (and graduation hall for area high school students).

Most likely, the bookings (Michelle Branch and Grease included) simply haven't been strong enough for the 6,000-seat arena. Rent, a powerhouse of the 1990s, is saddled by that very decade, one of a slowly emerging list of pop culture artifacts coming to define "the '90s" (Lollapalooza, "The X-Files," electronica...). Grease was far below par, and Michelle Branch's brand of alt.rock channeled through a diminutive folky persona would have played better at--and likely sold out--the House of Blues. A peek at the venue's upcoming roster (42nd Street, Peter Frampton, Cats) seems to betray a pattern of booking acts that were, at one time, immensely popular--a standard for mid-sized venues, but certainly not the only (or best) way to sell seats. There are plenty of currently popular artists too big for the House of Blues or the Joint but too small for the Thomas & Mack who could do well here. Only Christina Aguilera's May 21 show promises to sell well enough to keep the performers from being swallowed whole by the venue.

Musiq makes the people

One trend of the late '80s-early '90s making a welcome resurgence is alt.rap, a social and political genre that, for a brief time, upended the thug life/bling bling themes prevalent to this day. Spearheaded by a Tribe Called Quest and built by De La Soul, Arrested Development and the Fugees, alt.rap (and its cousin, neo-soul) has been pursued by contemporary artists and fans eager for its thoughtful, honest and uplifting sensibility.

On that tip, Philly's star neo-soul singer Musiq (think Erykah Badu meets Stevie Wonder and soulchild results) joins with rising star Goapele Thursday at the House of Blues (March 25, 8 p.m.; 632-7600). Born to a politically active Oakland family, Goapele has toured with Michael Franti's critically acclaimed Spearhead. The following night, many of the same fans will check out N.E.R.D. and Black Eyed Peas at the Hard Rock's Joint (March 26, 8 p.m.; 693-5000) for a similar, yet considerably different show. N.E.R.D. (The Neptunes plus vocalist Shay) make obvious overtures to the "alternative" of alt.rap, cite Steely Dan and the Beatles as influences, and have been compared to everyone from Beck to Outkast. Black Eyed Peas are more direct products of the alt.rap movement, however, with obvious musical connections to De La Soul and the Fugees. Either show offers a timely alternative when political dissatisfaction is on the rise and music of most genres comes off as predictable and unsatisfying.

Still standing

Perhaps recognizing that sense of social and political unease, '60s folk rocker Janis Ian is back for her fourth rebirth following the 2003 release of her 22nd album, the well-received Billie's Bones. Ian, who has enjoyed a series of mid-decade popular successes followed by letdowns and withdrawals since the 1960s, brings her earthy folk rock to the Whiskey Pete's showroom at Primm (a 40-minute drive south of Vegas) on Thursday (March 25; 851-1703).

Meanwhile, Elton John wraps up his current cyclical stint of re-energizing the Caesars Palace Colosseum (March 26-31; 731-7110), reaping continued praises as the performer who did for the Strip exactly what Celine Dion, Zumanity and others merely hoped: Usher it into the 21st century.

Gen Xtreme

It could be worse; KXTE 107.5-FM's annual Extreme Thing one-day festival at Desert Breeze Park on Saturday (March 27, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; 889-5100) could be 12 hours of nothing but grind metal and angry middle-class kids sporting sideways trucker caps. There will be those things too, but there also will be a whole mess of ska, punk, hardcore, alt.rock and hip hop from local and national acts, including Bowling for Soup, Reel Big Fish, Buck O Nine, Planet Asia and 12 Volt Sex, back and better than ever. Skating and BMX competitions, vendors, food...the whole lollapalooza.

Speaking of the '90s, Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan's post-grunge "side project" A Perfect Circle makes the kind of artful noize the music critics love to stroke. In the case of A Perfect Circle, the velvet handjob is well-deserved. Jane's Addiction addicts see more than a hint of their favorite band in APC, but that's okay; if you are an art-metal band looking for influences, you can't do much better than Jane's. Drummer Josh Freese (Vandals, Guns 'n Roses) keeps the beats while the quintet crushes out the sound Monday at the Hard Rock (March 29, 8 p.m.; 693-5000).

Mo' stuff

As usual, we're running out of space but not things to say, so here's a quick rundown: Saturday at the Clark County Government Center Amphitheater comes Vegas Unites Against Domestic Violence, a benefit concert for Safe Nest featuring an afternoon of entertainers including The Gypsy Moths, Killian's Angels and Franky Perez (March 27, 12-6 p.m.; 839-4327). UNLV's Ten Minute Play Festival wraps this week at the Paul Harris Theatre (March 25-28; 8-10:30 p.m.; 895-2787), and the campus Charles Vanda Master Series welcomes classical flutists Sir James Galway and Lady Jeanne Galway to the Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall on Friday (March 26, 8 p.m.; 895-2787). Galway is responsible for definitive treatments of masterworks by Bach, Vivaldi and other classical composers, but the coolest thing: He appeared with the Muppets. The Muppets!

Native Las Vegan James P. Reza never wanted to run away and join the Jim Rose Circus Side Show, but he enjoyed watching it. E-mail him at jpreza@cox.net.