Go: Where to Go, What to Do & Why

By James P. Reza

Wind blows. Especially in our desert valley, where it stirs up dirt and turns what could have been a smooth day into a nightmare of gritty skin, battered eardrums and, for those of you who care, mussed locks. It's hard to pull off that diva-in-a-bikini-and-heels thing when you're chewing sand-covered hair, but the go-go dancers at Green Valley Ranch Station's inaugural Whiskey Beach spiritual hip hop series did a fine job last Friday, boldly balancing themselves on floating platforms and shaking their money-makers while a DJ spun hip hop from back in the day. (Pharcyde? A Tribe Called Quest? Beastie Boys? Word.)

Despite the breezy conditions and the fact that headlining act the Black Eyed Peas ran much later than their scheduled 10 p.m. start time (a gig in San Diego held them up), the crowd (including Howard Stern and galpal Beth Otrosky, Lance Bass, Cindy Crawford and Whiskey-hubby Rande Gerber) behaved themselves and enjoyed the fabulous poolside ambiance. Black Eyed Peas finally (and, to their credit, apologetically) took the stage around 11:30 p.m., offering a seriously energetic performance and style at which their hit "Where Is the Love?" only hints.

Staying with the hip-hop tip, the Beastie Boys are enjoying renewed interest with the upcoming release of To the 5 Boroughs, the trio's first album of new material in five years. With Cypress Hill offering a nod to the Beasties with "Busted in the Hood" (a moderately reworked version of the Boys' 1986 classic "Paul Revere") and a pop culture interest in the '80s continuing, the Beasties are primed to return to Vegas for their first true headlining performance since a mid-1990s Lollapalooza at Sam Boyd Stadium. That return comes in the form of MTV2's $2 Bill Concert Series, on which the Beastie Boys will drop their science June 9 at the Huntridge Theatre. You can win tix from KXTE 107.5-FM, and the less lucky have a chance at a (very) limited number of seats that will be available at 9 a.m. June 9 for a mere $2.

Yee-haw!

When it comes to country music, we'll take Patsy Cline over the Dixie Chicks any day. But when pressed, we can admit it: We likes us some SHeDAISY. That hot little trio is enough to make us trade in our Diesel on a dozen pairs of Wranglers. Sadly, SHeDAISY aren't scheduled to perform at Wednesday's 39th annual Academy of Country Music Awards at Mandalay Bay (May 26; 632-7777). But attendees will see Clint Black, Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney & Uncle Kracker, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith, Loretta Lynn & Vince Gill, Reba McEntire...and the list goes on.

The night before, early arrivals can catch Tuesday's performance of Sherrie Austin, Ashley Gearing, Craig Morgan, Rushlow and Chalee Tennison at Mandalay's House of Blues (May 25; 632-7600).

Boyz in da 'hood

Cypress Hill's new album, Till Death Do Us Part, is heavily tinged with reggae and ragga influences. Eek-A-Mouse is scheduled to play a reggae-fest at downtown's Clark County Amphitheater on June 12. And now Pepper, an alt.rock band sporting plenty of classic reggae influences, is coming to the House of Blues on Wednesday (May 26; 632-7600). We told you reggae was poised for a comeback; wouldn't it be great if the long-lost Fremont Street Reggae & Blues club was still open? (You may recall that FSR&B was demolished to make way for the oh-so-successful Neonopolis.) Joining Pepper are locals Happy Campers and Face Shot.

Also this week, Xtreme Radio's local rock show, "It Hurts When I Pee," is holding a benefit concert for local singer Cody Chloe (of Time Spent Burning), Friday at the Huntridge (May 21; 678-6800). The show will feature locals Ill Figures, Kid Deposit Triumph, Brown Eyed Deception, Rich Tradition and Plumm. Tickets are $5 and proceeds directly assist Chloe with medical bills resulting from Crohn's Disease.

Where you'll find us

There's a lot going down this week; too much for the average, overtaxed, hard-working citizen of Las Vegas to decipher. Here, then, are the things you absolutely need to know: Despite the repetition of the message by ravers L.A. Style, James Brown is not, in fact, dead. Rather, he is alive and still kicking, as it were, and performing Friday at the House of Blues (May 21; 632-7600). After Brown's show, funny-ass comedian Dave Chappelle takes the HOB stage for late laughs launching five shows through Sunday (May 21-23; 632-7600). Get your tickets now; three of the shows by the Comedy Central darling were already sold out at press time.

Old-school hip hop continues to be a theme this week as DJ Biz Markie spins a set at Ra on Wednesday (May 26; 262-4000), and the legendary Sugar Hill Gang get down at the Palms' Skin pool party series on Friday (May 21; 942-7777).

We're hoping Don Henley at least took a peek at the McSweeney's website (www.mcsweeneys.net) for John Moe's hilarious list of modernizations made to the Hotel California ("Encourage nightman to be less cryptic when talking to guests," "Clearly mark passage back to places guests have been before"). We think the Eagles vocalist would find it as funny as we do, and we're fans. The quintessential California rockers re-up their Vegas fan base with a show at the MGM Grand on Saturday (May 22; 891-1111). As long as Joe Walsh can sing, "Life's Been Good," we're happy.

All the rest

Quickly now; we have breakdance moves to perfect...Hal Holbrook presents the most successful one-man show in American theater history, "Mark Twain Tonight!," Saturday only at UNLV's Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall (May 22; 895-2787)...Mike Gurciullo & His Las Vegas Lab Band continue Clark County's Jazz in the Park series at the downtown amphitheater on Saturday night (May 22; 455-8242)...Proving again that Las Vegas is a city of expats, Saturday's Creole Heritage Festival celebrates Louisiana heritage at Sunset Park (May 22, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; 455-8200). There will be plenty of zydeco bands and jumpin'-hot jambalaya, crawfish, barbecue and dirty rice, gaw-rown-tee...And finally, the Hard Rock's sexy Sunday pool party Rehab is on break this week, returning with a tan-and-toned vengeance Memorial Day weekend. You have been granted a reprieve, paleface. Use it to good measure.

Native Las Vegan James P. Reza is old enough to remember "Licensed to Ill" but young enough to still like it. E-mail him at jpreza@cox.net.