Go: Where to Go, What to Do & Why

By James P. Reza

A lot has happened at UNLV's Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall over the years. Constructed during the nation's bicentennial year with funds donated by graduate Artemus W. Ham Jr. and named for his father (himself a pioneering Las Vegas lawyer), the 1,885-seat theater has been praised for its acoustics and for helping to bring culture to the desert.

Four years earlier, the Judy Bayley Theatre--smaller at 550 seats, and with a proscenium stage--was built. Following in 1981, Claes Oldenburg's then-controversial $95,000 flashlight sculpture filled the space between the two facilities, essentially completing a plaza that has been the launching point for many a Southern Nevadan's first introduction to the arts, in what many otherwise (and unfairly) brand a cultural wasteland.

In the nearly 30 years since opening, Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall (simply Ham Hall to locals) has hosted everything and everyone from local elementary school field trips (my first visit was a 1970s trek via school bus to see Don Quixote) to violinist Itzhak Perlman to world-famous orchestras and touring companies. The hall was also the only local venue to stage touring alternative rock acts in the 1980s; from Morrissey to Jane's Addiction (opening, it must be noted, for Love & Rockets), from Echo & the Bunnymen to Gene Loves Jezebel, Ham Hall was the place to see them. Anyone who thought themselves part of Las Vegas's budding, pre-Lollapalooza alternative "scene" scored themselves seats to the shows here. Not for long, however, as a late 1980s concert by upstarts the Beastie Boys--one marred by vandalism perpetrated by the Boys and the rowdy audience--forever silenced rock shows at the hall. After that, the edgiest the venue would get was a mid-90s performance of piano grrl Tori Amos.

The Hall is also host to noted speaking engagements, including those of Ronald Reagan's Secretary of State Alexander Haig, former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and filmmaker Michael Moore, as well as the occasional comedy performance. Whether Mo Rocca's Thursday performance (March 10; 895-2787) falls under the umbrella of political commentary or comedy is to be decided by the listener, but he most certainly offers both. A frequent panelist on Peter Sagal's "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me" (leave it to NPR to carve out a current events radio quiz show that is both smart and funny), as well as host of Bravo's "Things I Hate About You," Rocca is likely most readily recognized as a former correspondent on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart." Here, Rocca's satirical aping of the stereotypical political news correspondent --bow tie and all--was a highlight of an already hilarious half-hour.

It's no more likely that Rocca will rip holes in his Artemus Ham dressing room than it is his fans will tear seats from the floor, but a good time is sure to be had by all who appreciate political satire. Full-time UNLV students get one ticket free; GA seats are a mere $10.

That '70s show

What is it with these guys from the British Isles? Even at 65, Tom Jones is still, uh, well-packaged and randy-ready. At least it seems that way. Frankly, we'd like to see him in a babe-baiting grudge match with fellow heartthrob Sean Connery, but that would sully our pleasant memories of Thunderball, the James Bond flick starring Connery and with a theme sung by Jones. See Jones swivel (again) at the MGM (through March 13; 891-1111).

If your Me Decade tastes run more towards the latter part of the '70s, rockers Foreigner try to get urgent again at the Boulder Station on Friday (March 11; 547-5300), while jazz rockers (and apparent Stardust house band) Chicago starts a four-night engagement Wednesday (March 16-19; 732-6325).

'80s ladies

Oh, Boy George--what a long, sad trip it has been. Almost single-handedly responsible for the phrase, "Have you seen your son lately?" seething from the lips of fathers across too-small dining tables from Biloxi to Boise, the former '80s star took David Bowie's androgyny on a high-speed MTV chase to the MAC counter. But underneath all that rouge, Boy George (and his band Culture Club) represented nothing less than a repackaging of the Blue Eyed Soul the Brits (and, evidently, Americans) love. Later on, Boy George--hold on--got messed up on drugs, was the subject of a VH-1 melodocudrama, and staged a short-lived comeback as a singer. These days, he's more of a house DJ than anything, which is good, because we all know there aren't any drugs in nightclubs. See/hear/watch/dance to Boy George at Club Rubber on Friday (March 11; 739-7744).

Okay, we admit it: We didn't fall too far from fop ourselves during the '80s, but at least dressing like Duran Duran got us chicks. You know, the ones who still sport that heavy, short bob 20 years later? Who waited in line for hours to sell out the band's Sunday show at the Hard Rock? Yeah, it's still a no-win proposition. Durannies notwithstanding, last year's comeback tour was actually enjoyable, so if you missed it, there are still tix available for Monday's second show (March 13-14; 693-5000).

Old begat new

From hair bands to, well, hair bands, after the '70s and '80s, society was ready for things to get back to basics...Back to a more conservative time when men were men and women were ass-props in a hip hop video. Well, not exactly. How about back to a time when gender roles were, at least, more understandable. One of our favorite back-to-basics movements of the 1990s was the return to classic vocal soul stylings (think Erykah Badu), and one of our faves is "old soul" Alicia Keys, who performs at the Hard Rock Friday (March 12; 693-5000).

Even rocker Michelle Branch is mining the vein of old-school sounds with her side-project The Wreckers, a rootsy Americana/singer-songwriter thing with Jessica Harp. You can check them out at the House of Blues in an 18+ show on Thursday (March 11; 632-7600). Despite all the heat Branch has taken from the alt.generation, she may very well be in her element with this Leann Rimes/SHeDAISY styled country rock.

Native Las Vegan James P. Reza is embarrassed to find himself saying "back in the day" way too often. E-mail the author at jpreza@cox.net.