Go: Where to Go, What to Do & Why

By James P. Reza

Clubbing may not be the worldwide draw it was during the '90s, but that doesn't mean the clubs are dying. They are just reinventing themselves. Or, in the case of many popular clubs and lounges, they are revisiting the past with a vengeance. This was no more true than at last Thursday's one-year anniversary of Risqué.

Overlooking the Strip from the second floor of the Paris resort, Risqué threw down a VIP soiree that hosted nightlife hipsters, A-listers, B-listers and anyone-who-could-get-on-the-listers. All were invited to drink, dance and schmooze while Risqué's sexy Vamps burlesque troupe shimmied and stretched themselves into positions about which the FCC can only dream. When the Vamps weren't vamping, special guest spinner DJ Reach (of Carson Daly's "Last Call") was busy getting guests to sing along to Lynyrd Skynyrd, AC/DC and Joan Jett one minute, A Tribe Called Quest, Beastie Boys and Run-DMC the next.

Naturally, everyone was having a great time, but when the songs started repeating after 11 p.m., it became clear just how shallow and undirected the club scene has become. We know "You Shook Me All Night Long" and "Walk This Way" are great tunes, but if we wanted to hear them twice in three hours in a drunken sing-along, we could have rolled into any neighborhood bar with a jukebox.

Clubbing holidaze

Memorial Day weekend has traditionally signaled the early launch of the summer season in Vegas, and clubs remain a big part of the youngish crowd that comes looking for a little sunnin' and sinnin'. Everything kicks off Friday at the Aladdin, where John Huntington's One Night Stand overtakes the Curve Ultralounge (785-5555). Also Friday, Naked LA presents Love Festival at Ra (262-4000), the only club in town where trance addicts can reliably get their fix.

When Saturday hits, clubgoers will have plenty of options, ranging from DJ Skribble (MTV, etc.) at Ra (262-4000), to trance master Armin van Buuren (of Godskitchen) at Ice (699-5528). Looking for something on the path less chosen? Check out DJ Sam Popat spinning while a lingerie show struts at Little Buddha in the Palms (942-7778). Popat was the DJ who mixed Little Buddha's first signature disc of electro-exotica, similar to the Buddha Bar mixes that hit so hard in the late '90s.

Sunday, the Hard Rock's Rehab (693-5000) goes off at noon with that very thing in mind, returning after a week off for a summer packed with poolside relaxation. And then on Tuesday, blind-since-birth DJ Touchstone spins at Rich, the weekly jam at Ice featuring hip hop, R&B, old school and reggae. Touchstone is one of a dying breed of DJs who still mixes and scratches using vinyl records instead of CD mixers, and has performed with Kid Capri, Grandmaster Flash and others.

Die laughing

There's a whole lot of funny going down in Sin City this week, ranging from an original FCC nemesis in George Carlin, whose "seven dirty words" have been multiplied into an Encyclopedia Profannica, to America's favorite middle-of-the-road funnyman, Jay Leno, who returns to Vegas to do standup shortly after taping a week's worth of "The Tonight Show" here. Carlin will appear at the MGM Grand Hollywood Theater (though June 2, 9 p.m. except Saturday, 7:30 & 10 p.m.; 891-1111), while Leno will wax poetically and utterly non-threateningly from the Mirage's Danny Gans Theater (May 28, 9 p.m., May 29-30, 10:30 p.m.; 791-1111).

If you're like us, you prefer a little more oomph in your oratory (We swear, there's nothing obscene about that. Please don't picket.). Along comes Comedy Central's Lewis Black, a social and political satirist so tightly wound he may just split a vein on stage (think Mort Sahl on one hour of sleep and 14 Frappuccinos). Black is energetic and funny, and few things escape his dry, biting wit; we can only hope he avoids the pitfalls of Dennis Miller. See Black at the House of Blues Friday and Saturday (May 28-29, 8 p.m.; 632-7600).

Poppin' and rockin'

We remember when LeAnn Rimes was just another overly made-up teenager assaulting our pop sensibilities. Now 22, the singer has emerged as a top country vocalist--still a little overdone but possessing a vocal style hauntingly similar to Patsy Cline. Rimes comes to the Las Vegas Hilton this week, joined by Phil Vassar (May 29-30; 732-5111).

Not long ago, the artist once again known as Prince played two essentially unannounced shows at the House of Blues. The Purple One is back, now on tour and playing his hits (he says) for the very last time, with two shows in-the-round at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. Saturday, Prince headlines Tiger Woods' charity Tiger Jam VII, while Sunday, Prince carries the Musicology tour to his fans at the same venue (May 29-30; 632-7777). Internet chat boards weigh heavy with discussions of whether Prince will self-censor his old songs, which he is performing live for the first time since becoming a Jehovah's Witness in 2001. We can't imagine what he will do with "Erotic City."

Nor can we imagine what the band Orgy would do if they found themselves at the doorway to religious conversion (perhaps become the Band Formerly Known as Orgy?). The theatrical alt.metal/electro outfit (think Marilyn Manson meets Stabbing Westward) comes to the House of Blues on Sunday with Godhead, Society One and Grade 8 (May 30; 632-7600).

Somehow, the word "orgy" makes us think of the inescapable Dido. Top 40, adult alternative, satellite radio, the funky fresh produce section at Trader Joe's...oh, wait, she just looks like Dido. Once the vocalist for trip-hop outfit Faithless, the cute Londoner with the velvet voice has turned that experience into a pop-friendly electro/singer-songwriter gig that everyone loves. Check her out at the Hard Rock's Joint Sunday (May 30; 693-5000).

And finally...we opened this week with reinvention, and that's how we'll go out. Yes, you can still get tickets to see Madonna's two-day Re-Invention romp at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Saturday and Sunday (May 29-30; 891-1111). At press time, tickets were still available from the resort's box office. Britney, if you're in Vegas this weekend, score yourself a seat. This semester of Pop Stardom & The Mother/Slut Syndrome is in session, and you are about to get schooled.

Native Las Vegan James P. Reza thinks the FCC should go - - - - itself. E-mail him at jpreza@cox.net.