T I C K E T S & V I P R E S E R V A T I O N S | O M N I A N I G H T C L U B . C O M | 7 0 2 . 7 8 5 . 6 2 0 0

T U E S D A Y & T H U R S D A Y – S U N D A Y | 1 0 P M

N O W O P E N

T I C K E T S & V I P R E S E R V A T I O N S | O M N I A N I G H T C L U B . C O M | 7 0 2 . 7 8 5 . 6 2 0 0

T U E S D A Y & T H U R S D A Y – S U N D A Y | 1 0 P M

N O W O P E N

M A R T I N G A R R I XS A T U R D A Y M A R C H 1 4

C A L V I N H A R R I ST H U R S D A Y M A R C H 1 2

F R I D A Y M A R C H 1 3

M A R T I N G A R R I XS A T U R D A Y M A R C H 1 4

C A L V I N H A R R I ST H U R S D A Y M A R C H 1 2

F R I D A Y M A R C H 1 3

S U N D A Y M A R C H 1 5

C H U C K I E

O M N I A N I G H T C L U B . C O M |

I N D U S T R Y T U E S D A Y L A U N C HT U E S D A Y M A R C H 1 7

N E R V O

F R I D A Y M A R C H 2 0

K R E W E L L A

S A T U R D A Y M A R C H 2 1

A F R O J A C K

T I C K E T S & V I P R E S E R V A T I O N S | O M N I A N I G H T C L U B . C O M | 7 0 2 . 7 8 5 . 6 2 0 0 |

T U E S D A Y M A R C H 2 4

A F R O J A C K

F R I D A Y M A R C H 2 7

A R M I N V A N B U U R E N

S A T U R D A Y M A R C H 2 8

S H O W T E K

T I C K E T S & V I P R E S E R V A T I O N S | O M N I A N I G H T C L U B . C O M | 7 0 2 . 7 8 5 . 6 2 0 0 |

AXS.COM | 888-9-AXS-TIX | HARDROCKHOTEL.COM/THEJOINT

FOR VIP PACKAGES & RESERVATIONS CONTACT JOINTVIP@HRHVEGAS.COM OR 702.693.5220

MAR 19, 20 & 21 ........................................TOURNAMENT MADNESS VIEWING PARTY APR 10 .......................................................SIXX:A.M. WITH SPECIAL GUESTS APOCALYPTICA, VAMPS AND FEVER RED

APR 17 .......................................................THREE DAYS GRACE WITH SPECIAL GUESTS POP EVIL & BRAVE BLACK SEA

APR 18 .......................................................PAT BENATAR & NEIL GIRALDOAPR 29 - MAY 16 .....................................JOURNEYMAY 22 ......................................................NOEL GALLAGHER’S HIGH FLYING BIRDS

WITH SPECIAL GUEST RUSTY MAPLES

MAY 28 ......................................................GIPSY KINGS FEATURING NICOLAS REYES AND TONINO BALIARDO

JUN 4 ..........................................................WHITESNAKE WITH SPECIAL GUEST DIAMANTE

JUL 11 ...........................................................THIRD EYE BLIND & DASHBOARD CONFESSIONAL ON SALE MAR 13

JUL 30 ........................................................JUANES ON SALE MAR 13 LOCO DE AMOR US TOUR - SPECIAL GUEST XIMENA SARIÑANA

JUL 31 ..........................................................BRIT FLOYD ON SALE MAR 13 SPACE & TIME WORLD TOUR 2015 - THE WORLD’S GREATEST PINK FLOYD SHOW

AUG 22 ......................................................GRAMMY WINNER PETER FRAMPTON & JUST ADDED CHEAP TRICK

FINAL 2 SHOWS 3/13 & 3/14

RASCAL FLATTS

VEGAS RIOT!WITH SPECIAL GUEST CRAIG WAYNE BOYD

MARCH 27 & 28

WIDESPREAD PANIC

FRIDAY WITH SPECIAL GUEST KARL DENSON’S TINY UNIVERSE

SATURDAY WITH SPECIAL GUEST THE CHRIS

ROBINSON BROTHERHOOD

APRIL 3 & 4

KENNYCHESNEY

THE BIG REVIVAL TOUR

APRIL 13

alt-J WITH SPECIAL GUEST

JUNGLE

*TAXES & FEES NOT INCLUDED. TICKETS ARE PER PERSON, PER DAY. MUST BE 21 OR OLDER TO ATTEND.

IN THE JOINT

MARCH 19-21BOTTOMLESS BUD LIGHT DRAFT BEER

• UNLIMITED SOFT DRINKS • GIANT VIEWING SCREENS$75 P E R P E RS O N *

TICKETS AVAILABLE AT AXS.COM OR CALLING 888-929-7849

ULTIMATE VIP SUITE & TABLE PACKAGES AVAILABLE

CONTACT JOINTVIP@HRHVEGAS.COM OR 702.693.5220

13

Ma

rch

12–

18, 2

015

| V

egas

Sev

en.c

om

PH

OT

O B

Y A

NT

HO

NY

MA

IR

18 | THE LATEST“Ready to Roll,” by Lissa Townsend Rodgers.As the county’s first medical marijuana dispensary inches closer to opening, you probably have questions. We have answers.Plus, Three Questions on a 2.8-million-year-old find, Ask a Native and The Deal.

20 | Sports “Wide Open Shot,” by Mike Grimala. The Mountain West Conference tournament figures to be as unpredictable as the regular season.

22 | Green Felt Journal “Score One for Nevada?” by David G. Schwartz. Repealing an antiquated federal tax on sports betting seems long overdue.

24 | COVER “Look Good, Feel Good, Play Good,” by Mike Grimala. On the field and off, Bryce Harper goes about his business in style. Plus, this spring’s women’s collections summon the ’70s, and seven great dates from one side of the Valley to the other.

33 | NIGHTLIFE “Stronger Together,” by David Morris. The H.Wood Group’s John Terzian talks about what will make Heart of Omnia tick. Plus, a Q&A with Dannic, Steve Angello lights a fire at Life, a St. Patrick’s Day cheat sheet and photos from the week’s hottest parties.

57 | DININGAl Mancini on Fish ’N’ Bowl. Plus, soups for the soul, Dishing With Grace and the Grape Nut.

63 | A&E“Survivor’s Tale,” by Kurt C. Rice. A Las Vegas-born documentary offers one girl’s story of intestinal fortitude.Plus, Punk’s Salad days documented, The Hit List, Tour Buzz, and a review of Talib Kweli in concert.

68 | Old Lady in a Mosh PitLissa Townsend Rodgers on the seven best metal movies.

70 | MoviesThe Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and our weekly movie capsules.

88 | Seven QuestionsComedian George Lopez on the immigration debate, ethnic diversity on television and Erik Estrada’s day-old bread.

DEPARTMENTS

15 | Event

16 | Vegas Moment

19 | Seven Days

38 | Seven Nights

69 | Showstopper

ON THE COVER

Photo by Anthony MairSee page 27 for clothing credits.

24

PUBLISHED IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE OBSERVER MEDIA GROUP

Vegas Seven, 888-792-5877, 3070 West Post Road, Las Vegas, NV 89118

Vegas Seven is distributed each Thursday throughout Southern Nevada

c 2015 Vegas Seven, LLC. Reproduction in whole or in part without the permission of Vegas Seven, LLC is prohibited.

LETTERS AND STORY IDEAS Comments@VegasSeven.com

ADVERTISING Sales@VegasSeven.com

DISTRIBUTION Distribution@VegasSeven.com

P UBL ISHERMichael Skenandore

EDI T ORI A LEDITOR Matt Jacob

SENIOR EDITORS Paul Szydelko, Xania Woodman

A&E EDITOR Cindi Reed

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Camille Cannon

SENIOR WRITERS Steve Bornfeld, Geoff Carter, Lissa Townsend Rodgers

SENIOR CON T RIBU T ING EDI T ORMelinda Sheckells (style)

CON T RIBU T ING EDI T ORSMichael Green (politics), Al Mancini (dining),

David G. Schwartz (gaming/hospitality)

A R TCREATIVE DIRECTOR Ryan Olbrysh

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Jon Estrada, Cierra Pedro

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Anthony Mair

V EGASSE V EN.COMDIRECTOR OF DIGITAL MEDIA Nicole Ely

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Herbert Akinyele

ENGAGEMENT EDITOR Zoneil Maharaj

SENIOR WRITER, RUNREBS.COM Mike Grimala

ASSISTANT WEB PRODUCER Amber Sampson

PRODUC T ION / DIS T RIBU T IONDIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION/DISTRIBUTION Marc Barrington

ADVERTISING MANAGER Jimmy Bearse

DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR Jasen Ono

S A L ESBUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Christy Corda

DIGITAL SALES MANAGER Nicole Scherer

ACCOUNT MANAGER Brittany Quintana

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Alyse Britt, Robyn Weiss

IN T ERNS

James Cale, Matt Fraser, Aric Lairmore, Angeline Ramirez, Danny Webster

Ryan T. Doherty | Justin Weniger

PRESIDENT Michael Skenandore

VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING AND EVENTS Kyle Markman

DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS Michael Uriarte

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Sherwin Yumul

MARKETING MANAGER Maureen Hank

FIN A NCEVICE PRESIDENT Rey Alberto

ASSISTANT CONTROLLER Donna Nolls

SENIOR ACCOUNTANT Linda Nash

HUMAN RESOURCES COORDINATOR Kara Dennis

LAS VEGAS’ WEEKLY CITY MAGAZINE | FOUNDED FEBRUARY 2010

15

Ma

rch

12–

18, 2

015

| V

egas

Sev

en.c

om

AN EVENING OF HOPEWhen it comes to dealing with cancer, hope is a

very powerful thing. That’s something that was

celebrated March 6 as Candlelighters Childhood

Cancer Foundation of Nevada held its seventh

annual An Evening of Hope fundraiser at World

Market Center. More than 300 guests raised more

than $140,000 to aid families of children with

cancer and afford 20 kids the opportunity to attend

the Camp Independent Firefly summer program.

Highlights included a performance by Firefly camp

kids and a gallery of children’s art created in col-

laboration with artists such as Michael Godard,

which raised $10,000.

UPCOMING EVENTS • April 4 Easter Seals Walk With Me [WalkWithMe.org/LasVegas] • April 19 AFAN AIDS Walk [AFANLV.org]

EVEN

TP

HO

TO

S B

Y J

OE

FU

RY

VE

GA

S M

OM

EN

T

Have you taken a photo that captures

the spirit of Las Vegas this week?

Share it with us at Moment@VegasSeven.com.

Wait ... Am I Next?Photo by Mike Stotts

Look, you don’t understand: This thick head of hair didn’t just sprout overnight. It’s taken a lot of time and effort to grow these locks. They, along with my pinchable cheeks, are the reason I’m a chick magnet—whether it’s the old lady in the grocery store produce aisle or little Suzy on the playground blacktop, this head turns heads. So while I certainly admire what y’all are doing (voluntarily shaving your domes in support of the St. Bal-drick’s Foundation, which funds re-search to fnd cures for childhood cancers), and while I’m tickled to learn this March 7 event at RíRá Irish pub raised more than $11,000, I’m gonna have to sit this one out. ... What’s that? Suzy’s got a soft spot for charitable dudes? OK, I’m in.

17

Ma

rch

12–

18, 2

015

| V

egas

Sev

en.c

om

18

Ma

rch

12–

18, 2

015

| V

egas

Sev

en.c

om

NEVADA LEGISLATORS FIRST APPROVED medicinal marijuana use way back in 2001, yet it wasn’t until late 2014 that the state licensed its frst dispensary. So it should come as no surprise that getting the product into the hands of patients hasn’t been quick or easy. However, with just a few more logistical hurdles to clear, it’s likely that the frst dispensary will open sometime in the spring. In the meantime, here’s an up-date on some key issues relevant to the local medical marijuana movement:

➜ State offcials are navigating what should be the fnal roadblock as they attempt to determine a list of ap-proved pesticides and heavy-metal limits, which must be in place before dispensaries open. The Division of Public and Behavioral Health estab-lished an Independent Laboratory Ad-visory Committee to “provide recom-

mendations to the Division regarding the testing of medical marijuana,” as well as help create a testing-policy manual. The committee met March 4 but still has not issued offcial guide-lines. Although additional meetings are expected, none were scheduled at press time.

➜ No matter if you’re peddling cotton balls or cannabis, business begins with customers. The good news for local dispensaries is their potential customer base has risen signifcantly over the last year: From January 2014 to January 2015, the number of medical marijuana cardholders in Clark County increased by nearly 75 percent, from 3,544 to 6,195.

➜ Speaking of dispensaries, they’re f-nally closing in on opening their doors, with one outpost—Euphoria Wellness

on South Jones Boulevard—hoping to be in business by early April, if not sooner, pending approval of the aforemen-tioned pesticide-testing guidelines. “We’re about to get our business license, the medicine is all arranged and we are prepared to be up and running with the full gamut of products,” says Jim Ferrence, a representative for Euphoria.

The Grove Wellness Center has dispensaries in Las Vegas (on Paradise Road) and Pahrump, and Grove CEO Demetri Kouretas says he expects both to be open no later than sum-mer. Kouretas adds that Grove is also working on opening its own growing facilities. “We should be able to sell [our] own cultivated product in our dispensaries by frst quarter 2016,” he says. “We will have complete prod-uct quality control, and the ability to manage the overall cost, which gets passed on to the patients.”

➜ Anything medicinal or consumable needs to be tested, and marijuana is no exception. Steep Hill Halent Lab has cannabis-testing facilities in three states and soon will be opening its frst Nevada offce in Las Vegas. Steep Hill CEO David Lampach explains that testing is about “health and safety, quality assurance and knowing what’s in your product.”

Steep Hill tests for potency, as well as mold, solvents, pesticides and other adulterants. “We’re serving the industry and serving patients on both sides of the counter,” he says. Steep Hill’s Las Vegas lab is tentatively set to open April 20, but Lampach says that may change if they’re not fully prepared for the “thousands of samples a week” they anticipate.

➜ As the industry fnds its place in the community, education and information are vital. Enter Elevate NV: The Medical Marijuana Monthly. “I’m not trying to portray the hippie stoner,” says pub-lisher Guy Bertuzzi. “The idea is kind of removing the stigma. … If we do it right, we do it educated and we do it classy, it can help move the conversation for-ward.” Bertuzzi says Elevate NV will con-centrate on medical, legal and industry stories, as well as providing a dispensary fnder. Fittingly, the magazine expects to launch April 20.

➜ As with any startup, employees, suppliers and other staffers require training. This is where Oaksterdam University comes in. The Oakland-based cannabis education institu-tion recently offered horticulture seminars in Las Vegas, and will return in June with more classes and a job fair. Aseem Sapaal, dean of faculty at Oaksterdam, says the school offers a “horticulture-specifc” program, as well as a more comprehensive course that covers topics such as politics, his-tory, science, economics, the law (local and federal), and even cooking with cannabis. “We have 18-year-olds, we have 80-year-olds—doctors and law-yers taking our class sitting right next to high school graduates,” Sapaal says.

Oaksterdam has graduated 20,000 students since 2007 from its brick-and-mortar facility in California, as well as traveling seminars, and Sapaal says they’re eying Las Vegas and Denver for additional permanent campuses. “We model ourselves no differently than any other educational institution or university,” he says. “The only thing that’s different is our content.”

News, sports and the great oyster bargain hunt

“The Revenue Act was never designed to bring in a

steady new federal revenue stream; it was merely

one more club to use against organized crime.”

GREEN FELT JOURNAL {PAGE 22}

PH

OT

O B

Y J

ES

SE

J S

UT

HE

RL

AN

D

Ready to RollAs the county’s frst medical marijuana dispensary inches closer to opening,

you probably have questions. We have answers.

By Lissa Townsend Rodgers

Higher education: At Oaksterdam

University, students learn the business

of cannabis.

By Bob Whitby

THURSDAY, MARCH 12: Few things say

“Las Vegas” like the Mint 400.

Off-road racing, parties, parades,

all that heavy-duty machinery

and (of course) the Miss Mint

400 contest add up to an iconic

weekend. The actual race is Sat-

urday, but the festivities began

March 11. TheMint400.com.

FRIDAY, MARCH 13: St. Patrick’s Day isn’t

until the 17th, but who wants to party like

the Irish on a Tuesday? Henderson has you covered

this weekend with the 49th annual St. Patrick’s Day

Festival and Parade, 5:30 p.m. today through Sun-

day. Games parades, crafts and food are all on tap in

that other downtown. CityofHenderson.com.

SATURDAY, MARCH 14: Experienced garage-sale shop-

pers know: Size absolutely matters. The bigger the

sale, the better the chances of scoring something

really cool. Which is why the Great Garage &

Antique Sale, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Silverton, is

a good bet. It’s like 100 neighborhood sales in one

convenient location. SilvertonCasino.com.

SUNDAY, MARCH 15: Seen a good lacrosse match

lately? If not, this is your lucky weekend,

as the UNLV women’s lacrosse team is

hosting its annual Desert Lacrosse

Tournament, Friday through today

at the Thunderbird Sports Com-

plex (6105 N. Durango Dr.). Teams

from north and south gather here,

with today’s games at 9 a.m. and 11

a.m. UNLV.edu.

MONDAY, MARCH 16: A few weeks back

we mentioned that Springs Preserve’s

annual photo contest was accepting entries.

That deadline has passed, but now you can see what

area photographers came up with at the Springs

Preserve Photo Contest Exhibition, through June

21. The theme of this year’s show: Celebrations and

Traditions. SpringsPreserve.org.

TUESDAY, MARCH 17: If Henderson’s St. Paddy’s Day

throw down didn’t satisfy your need for good,

green fun, here’s another opportunity: the St. Pat-

rick’s Day Parade and Firefighter Fun Challenge

at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center. The

parade starts at noon, followed by six challenges of

firefighter physical prowess. DLVEC.com.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18: We’re going to get all

avant-garde on you today with two

short films by video artist Dale Hoyt.

Farm and The Complete Anne

Frank are both psychedelic and

slightly freaky pieces by an artist

whose work is in the perma-

nent collections of the Museum

of Modern Art and the Getty

Contemporary. Should be a mind-

bending evening. 6 p.m. at UNLV’s

Marjorie Barrick Museum; UNLV.edu.

VIL

LM

OA

RE

BY

AA

RO

N M

AY

ES

/U

NLV

PH

OT

O S

ER

VIC

ES

lately? If not, this is your lucky weekend,

as the UNLV women’s lacrosse team is

A few weeks back

we mentioned that Springs Preserve’s

short films by video artist Dale Hoyt.

Marjorie Barrick Museum; UNLV.edu.

Few things say

St. Patrick’s Day isn’t

until the 17th, but who wants to party like

Las Vegas frequently makes the news, but rarely for academic or scientifc achievement. However, UNLV anthropologist Brian Villmoare and his team have recently been in headlines from Anaheim to Australia following their discovery of the oldest human fossil yet: a 2.8-million-year-old jawbone, which was discovered in northeastern Ethiopia and offers new insights into how we became “us.”

Why is the jawbone you found scientifically

important?

Because it’s the oldest member of our genus. We’re the genus Homo. There’s Homo erectus and Homo habilus. This [fossil is from] long before that, and it’s probably right at the stem of where Homo split off from Australopithecus.

We have a good fossil record older than 3 million years. And those animals are all very apelike: Long arms, lived in the forest, fruit eaters, mostly arboreal. And then we also have a good fossil record after 2 million years. They are much more human-like: Large brains, using stone tools, eating meat. But in between [we’ve found] very little, and nothing older than 2.5 million years. … This shows that the adaptive shift toward becoming “us” happened pretty early.

How long have you been looking for this?

We’ve been trying to fnd fossils in this time period for more than 10 years. There’s no other way to do it than just getting out on your feet. You can’t use remote sensors or anything, so it just takes a lot of time to cover all the territory. And we knew [what it was] as soon as we saw it. A human mouth looks nothing like any animal’s, so we knew right away what it was, and we were jumping up and down on the side of the hill.

What will you search for next?

We’ll probably look for other areas that preserve the same interval, because, to my mind, it’s the most interesting in all of human evolution. There was a whole other branch [of the species] that split off and—instead of solving the problem of a dry environment with tools and large brains—responded by essentially becoming a bipedal cow: huge chewing teeth in the back, huge jawbone, huge chewing muscles. … There’s a lot about that we don’t know. We don’t know when that split happened. It would have been equally satisfying to fnd one of those. – Lissa Townsend Rodgers

★ UNLV ★

BURGERS ARE EVERYWHERE

IN VEGAS THESE DAYS, BUT

WHERE CAN I GET A GREAT

MONTE CRISTO?

My favorite decadent sandwich adventure was once a staple of casino coffee shops. And why not? Loaded with turkey, ham and Swiss cheese, dipped in egg batter, fried (either in a pan with butter or in a deep fryer), dusted with pow-dered sugar, and served hot with a tart jam to foil the richness, it’s a meat-stuffed mash-up with the sweetness of French toast. Break-fast, lunch and dessert in every bite—#yumz!

I discovered the Monte Cristo as a kid, and scarfed them down in my teens during summer Saturday jaunts down the Strip. Memories of those times recently led me to UNLV Special Collections, where a database search of old casino restaurant menus left me baffled. I saw the “Pancake Sandwich” on several old menus, including this

55-cent special from the old Silver Slipper: crisp bacon, nestled in egg, between two golden brown pan-cakes, dripping in melted butter and melted syrup, served with our deli-cious coffee. But that is neither a Monte Cristo nor a sandwich. Who knew a simple question would spawn a fool’s errand?

I kept looking. UNLV’s collection isn’t comprehensive, and the Sands Garden Room was the only one confirming the existence of the sandwich on the Strip: It was the Monte Cristo Delight, which suf-fered the unfortunate addition of tomato, but I’ll take what I can get.

Fast-forward to today. With the help of a dialing partner (and fel-low native), we phoned about two dozen restaurants—from casino coffee shops to “French café” type places, such as Mon Ami Gabi at Paris—searching for the sandwich. We were certain that at least three of the restaurants offered them: Jerry’s Nugget’s coffee shop, Du-par’s at the Golden Gate and the Peppermill. Jerry’s and Du-par’s list a Monte Cristo on their online menu, but Jerry’s has actually stopped frying

them up, while Du-par’s, in a weird twist, serves them only in their non-Vegas locations. What about the Peppermill? An employee there in-sisted they have never served them.

So, to answer your question—where can I find a great Monte Cristo?—the only place I discov-ered is the suburban breakfast joint the Cracked Egg, which has five Valley locations. Problem is, this Monte Cristo is merely good, not “great” (my critique: not enough powdered sugar, wrongly served with syrup instead of jam).

Perhaps in the coming weeks, our readers can solve this little mystery. In the meantime, I’ll con-tinue trying to figure out what city I live in, because this sure isn’t the Vegas I remember.

Questions? AskaNative@

VegasSeven.com.

J A M E S P . R E Z A

at least

Have an event you want considered for Seven

Days? Email VegasSevenDays@Gmail.com.

20

Ma

rch

12–

18, 2

015

| V

egas

Sev

en.c

om

IT’S BEEN A STRANGE BASKETBALL SEASON IN the Mountain West Conference, as noteam emerged as head and shoulders above the pack. Yes, San Diego State and Boise State are virtual locks to make the NCAA tournament regard-less of their performance in the 10-team Mountain West tourney that runs through March 14 at the Thomas & Mack Center. Still, there are a hand-ful of other squads capable of getting hot, cutting down the nets and steal-ing the conference’s automatic bid to the Big Dance. Let’s break down the feld according to the odds (courtesy of the Westgate Las Vegas):

THE CONTENDERS

San Diego StateRecord: 24-7 (14-4 in conference)Why they can win: Have you met San Diego State’s defense? As usual, the Aztecs are death to score against, with Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year Skylar Spencer leading a unit that allowed just 52.7 points per game in conference play, more than fve points better than the next-best D.Potential kryptonite: Boise State. The Broncos are the team best equipped to score on SDSU, which they proved twice this season in sweeping both meetings, allowing the Broncos to claim the regular-season crown and No. 1 seed in this tournament.Odds to win tourney: 9/4

Boise StateRecord: 24-7 (14-4)Why they can win: Here’s how good the Broncos are: They lost their best player to a season-ending injury seven games into the schedule and still won the league, not missing a beat offen-sively. Senior guard Derrick Marks has been torching opponents this season (19.6 ppg, 46 percent on 3s), and the team ranks in the Top 20 nationally in 3-point shooting (39.4 percent). Tough to beat that.Potential kryptonite: Colorado State. Few teams can win a shootout with Boise, but CSU qualifes, as the Rams averaged a league-best 72.8 points per game in conference play. The teams split two close games this year, each winning on its home court.Odds: 9/4

THE PRETENDERS

Colorado StateRecord: 26-5 (13-5)Why they can win: The Rams have perfected their inside-out scheme. Senior forward J.J. Avila (16.9 ppg) is unstoppable in the paint—46.3 percent of his shot attempts come at the rim, and he’s making an absurd 71.1 percent of them—and he’s surrounded by ca-pable 3-point shooters in Stanton Kidd (40 percent), John Gillon (39.7) and Joe De Ciman (38.5).Potential kryptonite: Wyoming. The Cowboys have a good counter for Avila in senior forward Larry Nance, and they held Colorado State to 5-of-39 from 3-point range in two games this season—both Wyoming wins.Odds: 5/2

UNLVRecord: 17-14 (8-10)Why they can win: The Rebels have had their ups and downs this season, but when they are fully healthy, no other MWC team can match their tal-ent level. Unfortunately, they're not fully healthy this week: While freshman guard Patrick McCaw (concussion) has been cleared to return to action, fellow freshman guard Rashad Vaughn (knee) remains out. With both in the lineup,

UNLV could take down any opponent on any given day. Without Vaughn, it's going to be an uphill battle.Potential kryptonite: UNR. Conven-tional wisdom would be SDSU or Boise, both of whom swept UNLV this season. But the Rebels actually played both teams tough and actually could've won all four games. The Wolf Pack, on the other hand, give the Rebels fts because their big strength (offensive rebound-ing) runs counter to UNLV’s biggest weak spot (defensive rebounding).Odds: 6/1

THE DARK HORSES

WyomingRecord: 22-9 (11-7)Why they can win: Now that Nance (16.1 points, 7.4 rebounds) is back after a mid-season bout with mononucleosis side-lined him for four games, the Cowboys have to be considered a threat. Nance is arguably the league’s best player, and after closing the season with two straight 21-point performances, it looks like he’s operating at close to 100 percent.Potential kryptonite: San Diego State. With or without Nance, Wyoming had major trouble scoring against SDSU this season, producing 52 and 41 points in two meetings.Odds: 12/1

Utah StateRecord: 18-12 (11-7)Why they can win: The Aggies’ long-range shooting is terrifying, as they have four players shooting better than 38 percent from 3-point range. That keeps opposing coaches up at night.Potential kryptonite: SDSU. Like most teams, Utah State didn’t generate many open looks in its 62-42 loss to SDSU on Jan. 31, shooting 29.2 percent.Odds: 25/1

New MexicoRecord: 15-15 (7-11)Why they can win: Hmm, well, the Lobos fnished the season by losing eight of their last nine, so maybe you could say they are due? But with-out injured guard Cullen Neal, New Mexico just can’t get the ball through the hoop.Potential kryptonite: Boise State. New Mexico doesn’t have the frepower to keep up, as its two regular-season losses to the Broncos proved.Odds: 25/1

THE LONG SHOT

Fresno StateRecord: 15-16 (10-8)Why they can win: The Bulldogs will have trouble scoring against good de-fenses, but their backcourt is experi-enced, which is always an advantage in tournament play.Potential kryptonite: UNLV. In the teams’ only meeting this season, the Rebels beat Fresno 73-61, holding the Bulldogs to 37 percent shooting.Odds: 60/1

THE SUCKER BETS

Air ForceRecord: 13-16 (6-12)Why they can win: The Falcons are capable of catching fre from long dis-tance (37.2 percent on 3-pointers), but it’s diffcult to see them sustaining such a hot streak for more than one game.Potential kryptonite: Boise State. Air Force allowed the Broncos to shoot 51.6 percent from the foor in two games this season—both convincing Boise victories.Odds: 200/1

UNRRecord: 9-21 (5-13)Why they can win: Any made basket by UNR is cause for celebration, as the Wolf Pack shoot just 38.4 percent as a team, which ranks 342nd out of 351 Division I teams. But they make up for it (well, al-most) with strong offensive rebounding.Worst opponent: Utah State. With the way the Aggies shoot the 3-ball, UNR’s pop-gun offense has no chance.Odds: 300/1

For Mike Grimala's complete

coverage of the Mountain West

Conference tournament—and for a list of

players with local ties competing this week

in the Mountain West and Pac-12 tourna-

ments—visit RunRebs.com. PH

OT

OS

BY

JO

SH

ME

TZ

TH

E L

AT

ES

T

Wide Open Shot

Mountain West Conference

tournament fgures to be

as unpredictable as the

regular season

By Mike Grimala

SPORTS

Clockwise from top: UNLV's Patrick McCaw,

Boise State's Derrick Marks and San Diego

State's Skylar Spencer.

Vegas’ Downtown

SLOTZILLA // VIVA VISION // ENTERTAINMENT // FOOD & DRINK

BINION’S // CAL IFORNIA // THE D // FOUR QUEENS

FREMONT // GOLDEN GATE // GOLDEN NUGGET

MAIN STREET STATION

MARCH

13-17

LA VATION (U2 tribute band)

VEGAS U2 (U2 tribute band)

Celtic Rockers

Darby O’Gill and the Little People

80’s Station

Finnegan’s Wake

Luck of the Spandex (Nation)

Monroy

Remix

Sham-Rock Rising

Tempest

The Angry Brian’s (1916)

Darby O’Gill and the Little PeopleLA VATION (U2 tribute band)

VEGAS U2 (U2 tribute band)

FIVE DAYS OF

LIVE MUSIC

22

Ma

rch

12–

18, 2

015

| V

egas

Sev

en.c

om

LAST YEAR, NEVADA’S SPORTSBOOKS accepted a little more than $3.9 billion in wagers. After paying out winners, they kept about $227 million for themselves, and paid about $15 million in taxes to the state. But they also sent a $9.8million check to Uncle Sam, in compliance with a federal tax law on sports-betting handle, a levy that’s been on the books for more than 60 years—and one that U.S. Representative Dina Titus, D-Nev., is fghting to get repealed.

Like so much else in the history of Nevada gaming, the tax is linked to the Kefauver Committee, the early 1950s U.S. Senate body that investi-gated organized crime throughout America. Chaired by maverick Tennessee Democrat Estes Ke-fauver, the committee found that organized crime was indeed a na-tional problem—a problem chiefy fueled by income from gambling operations. With state and local authorities unable (or unwilling) to prosecute gambling entrepreneurs to its satisfaction, Congress decided to fx the problem itself.

That included passing the Johnson Act, a law that forbade the interstate transportation of slot machines. (Nevada’s Congressional delegation was able to add a rider to the bill that permitted slots to be transported to states in which they were legal.) A second piece of legis-lation, the Revenue Act of 1951, tar-geted sports betting, which Nevada casinos offered but which was not, at the time, a major moneymaker.

The Revenue Act played on the fact that illegal bookmakers were more afraid of the IRS than the FBI. The threat of prison hadn’t deterred bookies; but perhaps, Congress thought, fnancial sanctions would. Under the Revenue Act, bookmak-ers were forced to pay $50 for an “occupational stamp” and identify

themselves, their place of residence, and the names and addresses of their customers. The law also required bookmakers to pay a 10 percent excise tax on their handle (the total amount of money they re-ceived in wagers). A well-run sports-betting operation averages about a 5 percent proft margin—last year, Nevada’s margin was 5.8 percent—so this new 10 percent provision would essentially guarantee bookies net losses, driving them out of business.

Worse yet for bookmakers, if they were to provide the informa-tion required by law, they’d open themselves up to prosecution for running an illegal gambling opera-tion. Thus, nobody really expected bookies to readily put their necks in a noose. But failure to register and pay the excise made them subject to penalties of up to $10,000 per vi-olation and fve years in prison—in addition to forfeiture of all unpaid taxes, as calculated by the IRS post-arrest. In other words, the Revenue Act was never designed to bring in a steady new federal revenue stream; it was merely one more club to use against organized crime.

Of course, the law didn’t stop illegal bookmakers—there were per-haps 300,000 of them by 1960—but it drove legitimate Nevada casinos out of sports betting. In their absence, independent “turf clubs,” which were maybe a bit less fastidious with their record keeping, sprang up, with a gentleman’s agreement in which turf club owners promised not to offer other forms of gambling

and casinos promised to stay out of the bookmaking business.

All this changed in 1974, when U.S. Senator Howard Cannon, D-Nev., succeeded in passing a bill that reduced the 10 percent excise tax to 2 percent, which provided an opening for casinos to get back in the sports-betting game. Legend-ary oddsmakers Bob Martin at the Union Plaza and Frank Rosenthal at the Stardust wasted little time in opening sportsbooks, and within a decade, turf clubs were out and sports betting was a casino fxture.

Since a 2 percent tax on a 5 percent business was still onerous, Congress in 1982 lowered the tax on legal Nevada sportsbooks to 0.25 percent, but kept intact the 2 percent levy on illegal bookmaking operations (a law that remains on the books to this day).

Which brings us to Titus’ recent letter to House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Paul Ryan and ranking member Sander Levin asking for a full repeal of the bill. Titus argues that, in 2015, the tax does not produce much in the way of funds and places an “undue burden” on law-abiding Nevada businesses.

Without the Revenue Tax, Ne-vada would have been denied the colorful era of turf clubs. However, applying a 1951 anti-gambling law—one that serves no signifcant revenue function for the federal government—to 21st-century busi-nesses is the kind of anachronism that sensible legislation removes.

If Titus is successful in convincing Congress to abolish the law, it will do two things: save the state some cash, and push the legitimization of gambling in the United States that much closer to the goal line.

David G. Schwartz is the director of UNLV’s Center for Gaming Research.

TH

E L

AT

ES

T

OYSTERS ON THE CHEAP (WITH A SIDE OF BREW)There aren’t many foods that you can get in

Las Vegas that cost less than other cities, but

oysters is one of them. And surprisingly, most

of the best deals are outside of the casinos.

As you read the following list of low-priced

oyster options, it’s important to take note of the

type of oyster served. The Gulf oysters are big

and meaty, and a dozen can fill you up, but some

oyster aficionados look down on them for qual-

ity. On the other hand, the higher-rated varieties

can be very small, making even a dollar-apiece

price seem distinctly un-bargain-like.

Two places offer daily service: Rhythm

Kitchen (6435 S. Decatur Blvd.) and the Crab

Corner (6485 S. Rainbow Blvd). Rhythm

Kitchen serves Louisiana Gulf oysters for

$15 a dozen ($1.25 apiece) from 4 to 6:30

p.m. seven days a week, and until closing on

Mondays. They also come charbroiled or baked

Rockefeller-style if you prefer. The Crab Corner

mixes it up, but usually serves a Virginia Beach

variety called Skipjacks from 2 to 6 p.m. and

again from 10 p.m. to close.

Oysters are $1.25 at District One (3400

S. Jones Blvd.) from 3 to 7 p.m. Mon-Fri and

midnight to 3 a.m. Sun-Thu. They serve smallish

Kusshi oysters (imported from Washington state)

in the coolest atmosphere of all on this list.

South Point’s Big Sur Oyster Bar is the

low-price leader at $10.50 per dozen (88 cents

apiece) for big Gulf oysters from noon to 4 p.m.

Sun-Thu. This is a good option if your friends

aren’t oyster fans, as several other seafood

specials run during this time.

McCormick & Schmick’s (335 Hughes

Center Dr.) does raw oysters for $1 on Wednes-

days, beginning at 5 p.m. They were New York

Duck Islands when I last tried.

On Thursdays, the two Shucks Taverns (9338

W. Flamingo Rd.; 7155 N. Durango Rd.) serve $1

Gulf oysters all day. If you prefer cooked oysters,

there are three preparations for $1.50 each.

On Sundays, the aforementioned Crab Cor-

ner, along with the original Crab Corner (4161

S. Eastern Ave.), serves dollar oysters all day.

Bottom line: I’m aware of eight places where

you can get oysters for $1.25 or less, with a

minimum of three choices every day of the

week. There are five options on Wednesday

and six on Thursday. The toughest day is

Saturday, with only two choices.

Of course, beer often comes into the picture

when you’re talking raw oysters. Except for

Shucks and South Point, all these deals are part

of a bigger happy hour that includes reduced beer

prices. The best ride-along beer special is Crab

Corner’s $2 draft Primo from Hawaii. Rhythm

Kitchen has $3 beers and half-price wine by the

glass. As for South Point, you don’t need a happy

hour to get inexpensive beers at one of their bars.

Anthony Curtis is the publisher of the Las

Vegas Advisor and LasVegasAdvisor.com.

Score One for Nevada?Repealing an antiquated federal tax on sports betting seems long overdue

Downtown at Fremont Street Experience

theD.com

EVERYONE’S IRISH ON ST. PATRICK’S DAY AND THE PARTY STARTS AT the D!

TUESDAY, MARCH 17JOIN US FOR ONE OF THE BIGGEST,

LUCKIEST PARTIES OF THE YEAR.

GET A FREE “I GOT LUCKY” T-SHIRTBY PLAYING ANY ONE OF THREE WAYS:EARN 100 POINTS ON SLOTSBUY IN FOR $100 ON TABLE GAMESWAGER $100 ON LIVE KENOSee Club D for details.

LUCKIEST PARTIES OF THE YEAR.LUCKIEST PARTIES OF THE YEAR.LUCKIEST PARTIES OF THE YEAR.LUCKIEST PARTIES OF THE YEAR.

24

Ma

rch

12–

18, 2

015

| V

egas

Sev

en.c

om

➜ bryce harper’s casual days are long behind him. The Major League Baseball star and Las Vegas native no longer just “throws on” an outft—despite a locker-room culture that typically eschews high fashion, he’s all about the sophisticated look that comes with a European-cut suit and designer shoes. Ask him, and he strug-gles to remember the last time he went out in anything less than a three-piece. And this is a 22-year-old ballplayer.

It’s been nearly fve years since the Washington Nationals selected Harper with the No. 1 pick in the MLB amateur draft—a milestone that occurred ex-actly one year after a Sports Illustrated cover story dubbed the then-16-year-old “Baseball’s Chosen One.” After signing a record $10 million contract, Harper left Las Vegas for the minor leagues, eventually making his debut with the Nationals on April 28, 2012. Since then, Harper has gone from top prospect to Rookie of the Year (2012) to two-time National League All-Star (2012, 2013) to postseason hero; the only thing evolving as quickly as his game is his sense of style.

Just before departing for spring training last month, Harper returned to his hometown to pose for our Spring Fashion issue. And while he enthusiastically prepped for his mo-ment in front of the camera, we asked him about his personal style, how he stays fresh on the feld and his expec-tations for the upcoming season.

When did you start

to take an interest in

fashion? Probably my frst year in the big leagues. I thought about it, and I really wanted to look good every day I went into the clubhouse, every day I had an interview. It’s a lot of fun to be able to dress up. It’s like on Sundays when you go to church, you want to wear your Sunday best, and during the season I try to do that. Every day is like Sunday. And I enjoy the offseason, because of what I can do with photo shoots and things like that.

Do the Nationals have a dress code? During the season, of course when we travel we wear suits. I usually wear a suit and tie no matter what. Some guys will just wear a shirt, no tie. I wear all the accessories—the tie, the three-piece suit. I want to look good and have some fun doing it.

Have any other athletes influenced your

style? [NBA All-Star] Chris Paul is one of the guys I really look at. He has a great style. He’s different from everybody. He’ll wear a hoodie with just a regular

jacket, or with a suit jacket. That’s pretty different. I love the short suit—you know with the shorts and a regular [jacket]. Some people will say they don’t like it, but I think that’s awesome. So it’s fun to look at other people and see what they do, how they do it and learn a little bit.

How do your teammates

respond when you take a

fashion risk? Baseball is a traditional sport, so people will say, “What are you wear-ing that for?” It’s like, that’s what’s in right

now, and that’s what I want to wear. So I’ll do certain things like that, and guys will just say, “That’s weird,” or whatever. But that’s me.

If you’re going out for a night in Las Vegas,

what are you wearing? I don’t really go out much, but if I’m going to dinner or something, I love being in a suit. I love that kind of look. If I could live in the 1950s and be suited up every day, I would. I really think suited-up [men], with girls in their dresses, is a really cool look. When we’re doing Old Timers' Day at the park, I wish they’d make fans dress in suits to

watch us like in the old days.

What’s your go-to spot if you’re looking for

a suit? Stitched [at the Cosmopolitan] is great. To be able to go there and sit down and go through fabrics, it’s a lot of fun. In the offseason I love going in and picking out the suits I want to wear … for the season. I want to be different. I don’t want to show up with the same suits as everyone else. I want to show up and have everyone else be like, “Wow, where did you get your suit from? Who made that for you?”

As a baseball player, you have to wear

a uniform 162 days out of the year. How

can you customize that to show off your

unique style? I try to be different as much as I can on the feld. I try to have stuff that nobody else does. With my batting gloves and my cleats and my arm sleeves, wristbands and things like that, Under Armour and all the other companies do a great job for me.

People will walk by my locker and see 15 different pairs of cleats, and they’ll say, “What size do you wear?” And I’ll say, “My size. Don’t worry about it, because you’re not going to get a chance to wear them.” You look good, you feel good, you smell good, you play good. That’s one of the mottos I’ve always lived by.

You’ve played three seasons in the majors

now. What is your mentality heading into

2015? I still feel like I have the same mentality of trying to win and doing

On the field and off, hometown hero B R Y C E H A R P E R goes about his business in style

ByM I K E G R I M A L APhotography

A N T H O N Y M A I RStyling

R O N A L D S M I T HStitched Lifestyle

GroomingN A T A S H A

C H A M B E R L I Nusing MAC Cosmetics

Shot on location at the

Hammargren Home

of Nevada History

F E G O O DE L

L O O K OG O D

P L A Y G O DO

25

Ma

rch

12–

18, 2

015

| V

egas

Sev

en.c

om

STITCHED XXXX Custom 1 of 1 Collection three-piece suit in Scabal fabric. ETON

slim-fit shirt. STITCHED

XXXX Collection Black Label tie and socks.

EDWARD ARMAH pocket square. SEBASTIAN CRUZ

knit lapel flower. DI BIANCO Monk Strap Brogue.

LEATHER ISLAND Righello belt. TAG HEUER Carrera

43mm Chronograph with rose gold markers.

26

Ma

rch

12–

18, 2

015

| V

egas

Sev

en.c

om

All looks available at STITCHED LIFESTYLE in the Cosmopolitan, 702-698-7630, StitchedLifestyle.com.

TAG HEUER the Shops at Crystals, 702-380-2820, TagHeuer.com. TOM FORD the Shops at Crystals,

702-740-2940, TomFord.com. AG ADRIANO GOLDSCHMIED Fashion Show, 702-433-5875,

AGJeans.com. JOE’S JEANS Fashion Show, 702-690-3046, JoesJeans.com

AG ADRIANO GOLDSCHMIED men’s Commute Shallow V-neck T-shirt. JOE’S

JEANS Quest slim joggers. SWIMS

sport loafer.

Whereto Buy

everything I can to bring a ring to D.C. We have a great organization and the best fans. We have one of the best teams and defnitely the best pitching staff in all of baseball. Adding [former Cy Young Award-winning pitcher] Max Scherzer is something I’m very, very happy about. He’s an absolute stud. Add-ing him to an already phenomenal staff is a great thing.

For me personally, I just want to play a little bit smarter. Play hard of course, but play smart and stay on the feld for 162 games and really try to enjoy this year. I always have fun playing ball. It’s not a job for me. I’ve always said when it gets to be a job, I’ll quit and fnd something else to do. I’m excited for this year and we’ll see where it goes.

The 2014 Nationals made the playoffs for

the second time in your three seasons.

What have you learned from your post-

season experiences? Two of the past three years we’ve won the NL East, and both of those years we should have won the World Series—having the team that we had, the best team in baseball all year long, we should have won. But woulda, shoulda, coulda. We’ve got to get the job done this year. We’ve got a great manager [former UNLV star Matt Williams], we’ve got a great team. Everyone is healthy. … We’re going to go in and work hard and hopefully hold that trophy at the end.

It looks like Las Vegas is on the verge

of getting an NHL franchise. Can you

envision an MLB team here? I hope so. That would be awesome. It would be great for this city. My parents were born and raised here. We’ve had three generations of people in our family who have been born and raised here. You don’t see that much. So many [Las Vegas residents] are from California, Arizona, East Coast, West Coast—they’re all coming here and rooting for different teams.

I think the NHL will thrive if they get a team here. They’ll get so many fans from other places who come to Vegas. You can imagine how much revenue you can generate from something like that.

You seem to take a lot of pride in being

from Las Vegas. Why is that? I went to Las Vegas High School. Being able to come from a high school that’s named after the city is special. I love this place. It’s a working town and seeing people work hard, I want to work hard for them and be a good person on and off the feld. I want to be that guy who’s from Las Vegas and people say, “They’ve got good people coming out of Las Vegas.”

I love coming back here in the offseason. The people in this town really take me under their wings and root for me and have a lot of pride for me. I love being able to say I’m from the 702.

27

Ma

rch

12–

18, 2

015

| V

egas

Sev

en.c

om

STITCHED XXXX Custom 1 of 1 Collection sport coat in Scabal fabric. ETON slim fit dress shirt. SEBASTIAN CRUZ pocket square. JOE’S JEANS Brixton in Warbucks. SWIMS sport loafer. TAG HEUER Carrera 43mm Chronograph on black alligator strap.

28

Ma

rch

12–

18, 2

015

| V

egas

Sev

en.c

om

Checked OutIt seems the retro picnic-blanket pattern has gone

less chintz and more “sexy cool girl.” Wear as an A-line summer skirt with loafers to modernize, or

keep it girlie with a thigh-high slit dress. If you’re not feeling the country love, ease in with a simple shirt—there’s no need to turn into Dorothy for this trend!

Color BlockA pop of color is welcome after endless neutral shades of seasons past. Primary-color looks were memorable parts of every runway presentation. Don’t be afraid to

stand out—we won’t judge you.

’70s SuedeI’m not sure if I’m lusting after suede because I’m “oh-so on-trend” or because I’ve been infuenced by its liberal

use on the spring/summer runways as this season’s “fab-ric of the moment” (along with it came 1970s-inspired

looks). I want everything in suede right now: boots, jack-ets, bags, pants or dresses. Luckily I’ve been heard.

S P R I N G ' S M A N I F E S T OThis spring’s collections pay a free-spirited nod to the 1970s, with prints and textures including lace, gingham and suede.

Fashion blogger Claire Wigglesworth from StyleConviction.com gives her picks on what to shop for right now.

TOP TO BOTTOM:

Altuzarra,

Diane von

Furstenberg,

Oscar de la Renta

TOP TO BOTTOM:

Topshop Unique,

Peter Pilotto,

Dsquared2

TOP TO BOTTOM:

Jason Wu,

Chanel,

Zara

29

Ma

rch

12–

18, 2

015

| V

egas

Sev

en.c

om

A BLOG WE LOVE

ThoseBlondes.comDo you obsess over beauty, fashion, traveling, doing well and having fun? Well, we know two blondes who do: Ashley Corley and Dani Capps. These life-o-holic native Angelenos (Capps now lives in Las Vegas) publish reviews on products suchas Sephora’s Buxom Full-On Lip Polish; examine trends such as the comeback of the denim skirt; and take trips to such coolcities as Scottsdale and Austin. They do all this quite stereotypically, while having a lot more fun than the rest of us. – Aric Lairmore

The Next Generation in FashionBy Sam Mendoza

The Forum Shops at Caesars will

soon add three stores to its collection

favored by millennials, who account

for about $200 billion in spending

power … if you haven’t noticed:

ALEXIS BITTAR Filled with bold feminine items,

stones and modern metals, the

jewelry of Alexis Bittar is all about

making a statement—and hard to

believe that Alexis is a dude who

really knows how to make a woman

feel beautiful with jewelry. Check

out the Moonlight Resting Panther

hinged bracelet, Jagged Diamond

collar necklace and Desert Jasmine

Bee stud earring.

CHARLOTTE OLYMPIAThe London-based luxury accesso-

ries designer is known for her witty

collections inspired by old Hol-

lywood glamour. Must-haves from

the Cruise 2015 collection include

the Kitty Flats, Pom Pom Pandora

Clutch and the bold Taquera Bag.

ZADIG-ET-VOLTAIREThe spring 2015 collection has an

edgy laid-back feel with a rocker

vibe. When they open, be sure to

snap up the V1747 women’s sneak-

ers, Bobo backpack mat bag and

the perfect-for-summer Steva hat.

G O -T O D O W N T O W N B O U T I Q U E G E T S A FA C E - L I F T  Things are on the move at Fremont East’s Coterie, where manager Hannibal Nisperos says the store is finally undergoing a

build-out that has been in the works since it opened nearly three years ago. New in the “Coterie lounge” will be a denim bar, arcade games and a big TV. On the apparel front, the store is

launching new lines including SO SO Happy, For Love & Lemons, Y.R.U., Mishka, Circolo, CC skye, and Jungmaven. Also, there’s a great emphasis in 2015 to promote Coterie as an events

space as well as a chic place to shop. “We are featuring a local artist each month,” he says. “The artist will have a gallery opening every first Saturday, and their art will be displayed on

the Coterie walls.” In addition, Coterie will continue to serve as the artist lounge for the Las Vegas Film Festival. 515 Fremont St., 702-685-7741; Co-Te-Rie.com. – Melinda Sheckells

DESIGUAL Miracle Mile Shops, 702-735-9440; Desigual.comSpanish retailer Desigual opens its sec-ond Las Vegas store. Known for breaking the rules with textile and pattern mixing, its fashions encourage men and women to take a stand against the conventional.

THE GRAND BAZAAR SHOPSGrandBazaarShops.comThe Grand Bazaar Shops at Bally’s debuts with retailers such as Honolulu Cookie Company, Havaianas, Martin & MacArthur, Swarovski, Hammitt and Superdry, among many others. At its centerpiece are the Swarovski Crystal “Starburst” and Mid-

night Celebration, a nightly sound and light show that is meant to welcome a new day. With more than 900 custom-cut Swarovskicrystal spheres, the Starburst features 1,800 points of LED light, choreographed to an original score.

ALEX AND ANIGrand Canal Shoppes in the Venetian and the Palazzo, 702-478-9180; AlexAndAni.comAlex and Ani brings good vibes with every delicate bangle, neck-lace and charm—many bearing motivational symbols and mes-sages. Trendy, wear-able and sustainably designed, Alex and Ani is a good stop for both a great gift and the perfect accessory.

GIORGIO ARMANIThe Forum Shops at Caesars, 702-904-7741; Armani.comGiorgio Armani con-tinues to reign as one of the kings of high fashion with a new namesake boutique at the Forum Shops highlighting ready-to-wear and accessory collections for women and men.

MONCLERThe Forum Shops at Caesars, 702-323-7129; eng.moncler.comA favorite of the ce-lebrity set including Rihanna, Blake Lively and Salma Hayek, the French-Italian ap-parel manufacturer, known for down jack-ets and sportswear, opens its frst Las Ve-gas boutique.

NOW OPEN! New places to shopBy Stephanie Rivers and Genesis Gonzalez

TH

E G

RIF

FIN

BY

JO

N E

ST

RA

DA

; S

UR

LA

TA

BL

E B

Y E

RIC

BE

LL

30

Ma

rch

12–

18, 2

015

| V

egas

Sev

en.c

om

THE FEEDING FRENZY

For food lovers and those who want to explore new restaurants without committing to a full dinner, newcomer Lip Smacking Foodie Tours offers a three-hour Savors of the Strip guided excursion on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Small groups (a dozen or less) can sample six or more signature dishes from a variety of restaurants. Since all the planning and guesswork is done by the experts, all you have to do is keep up with the group and sample to your belly’s content. VegasFoodieTour.com. – Melinda Sheckells

THE DOWNTOWN THROW DOWN

Because some of the best dates happen after the witching hour, head Downtown to the Fremont East Entertainment District, where the personalities of the bars are as diverse as the patrons who frequent them. Drinkers can plan a mini bar crawl—we suggest starting with a classic American cocktail made by the mixologists at Vanguard Lounge—while nondrinkers can enjoy the

cozy freplaces at the Griffn or the classic arcade games at Insert Coin(s). Vanguard Lounge, 516 Fremont St., 702-868-7800, VanguardLV.com; the Griffn, 511 Fremont St., 702-382-0577; Insert Coin(s), 512 Fremont St., 702-477-2525, InsertCoinsLV.com. – Ian Caramanzana

THE NEW DINNER AND A MOVIE

Downtown Summerlin is quickly becoming a popular date destination on the west side. But rather than having someone cook your meal for you, go the do-it-yourself route by taking part in a cooking class at Sur La Table. Spend two hours learning how to prepare the perfect seafood or pasta dish, then taste the results. After getting your Puck on, stroll over to the Regal 5 theaters—fagship of the chain’s luxury brand—where you’ll fnd a full menu (in case you’re still hungry), full-service bar and oversize recliner seats. Gone are the days of sneaking bottles of Champagne into the theater to pair with hot buttered popcorn—now the booze is out in the open for everyone to enjoy. Sur La

Table, 1980 Festival Plaza Dr., 702-448-8611; SurLaTable.com; Regal, 2070 Park Center Dr., 844-462-7342; RegMovies.com – Aric Lairmore

THE VEGAN ADVENTURE

Thanks to a slew of new restaurants, it’s becoming easier to live the vegan lifestyle in Las Vegas. Look no further than Chinatown for some animal–free culinary delights. Start at all-vegetarian restaurant Veggie House, which offers a vegan-friendly menu as well. Sample such dishes as Chef Kenny’s Spicy Crispy Beef or Veggie Fish (you read that right) with a spicy bean sauce, then head down the street for dessert at Tea Station for an almond or coconut milk tea (with boba, of course). Veggie House, 5115 Spring Mountain Rd., 702-431-5802, VeggieHouseVegas.com; Tea Station, 4355 Spring Mountain Rd., 702-889-9989, TeaStationUSA.com. – IC

THE BLAST FROM THE PAST

There’s nothing more gratifying than walking out of a casino with a pocket

full of cash—and it doesn’t matter if that pocket is flled with a bunch of Abe Lincolns rather than Ben Franklins. So hit up the $5 single-deck blackjack tables at El Cortez, where you’ll enjoy the rare occasion of the odds actually being in your favor (ever-so-slightly, anyway). After cashing out, keep with the casino vibe and walk over to the Mob Museum and sign up for the Casino tour. Hosted by former mobster Frank Cullotta, you’ll visit sites made famous by both history and Martin Scorsese’s flm, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Finish off the evening with a martini at Piero’s Monkey Bar, the Las Vegas Convention Center-adjacent restaurant that had a cameo in the flm. Show up on the right night, and none other than Pia Zadora—who performs regularly in the lounge—just might serenade you. El Cortez, 600 Fremont St., 702-385-5200, ElCortezHotelCasino.com; Mob Museum, 300 Stewart Ave., 702-229-2734, TheMobMuseum.org; Piero’s Italian Cuisine, 355 Convention Center Dr., 702-369-2305, PierosCuisine.com. – MS

It’s a Date!Maybe you just met last night. Or maybe you’re tired of the same-old Saturday night routine. Either way, kick-start your relationship with these 7 GREAT DATES that will take you from one end of the Valley to the other.

Have the bartender at the Griffin mix your cocktail of choice, or go the DIY

route with a cooking class at Sur La Table (below).

TO

P O

F T

HE

WO

RL

D A

ND

PIE

RO

'S B

Y J

ON

ES

TR

AD

A;

AL

I B

AB

A C

OU

RT

ES

Y L

EIL

A S

AS

31

Ma

rch

12–

18, 2

015

| V

egas

Sev

en.c

om

THE HIGH TIMES

Whether you’ve been married for 10 years or are embarking on your frst date, there’s never a bad time to get a little adventurous. So check out Refuge Climbing & Fitness and take a 90-minute class that teaches the basics of indoor rock climbing. If scaling faux rocks isn't your thing, get your gravity-defying fx at SkyZone, where you can show off that double backfip while bouncing on their wall-to-wall trampolines. Either way, you’re going to work up a bit of an appetite, so keep reaching for the stars with dinner at the Stratosphere’s Top of the World restaurant. The spectacular view of the Valley will surely take your breath away—as will watching people pay for the privilege of bungee jumping off the tower. Refuge, 6283 S. Valley View Blvd., Suite C, 702-383-0175, ClimbRefuge.com; SkyZone, 7440 Dean Martin Dr., Suite 201, 702-560-5900, SkyZone.com; Top of the World, 702-380-7711, TopOfTheWorldLV.com – AL

THE WORLD

ACCORDING TO VEGAS

It's a great big world in this here Valley, so why not step out of your American comfort zone and explore other cultures? Start off in Germany, with a visit to the German-American Social Club, which showcases jazz music at 6:30 p.m every Tuesday. When the melodies get you in dem gute Laune (the good mood), travel to the Middle East for some belly dancing and baba ghanoush at Ali Baba. Continue your world tour with a taste of the Far East at Izakaya Cocokala (affectionately known as the poor man’s Raku), where you’ll indulge in delicious skewers of meat, pork and vegetables, as well as sushi and sashimi. Finally, head next door to the chic J Sake Bar and sip until the sun rises over Vegas (and Tokyo). German-American Social Club, 1110 E. Lake Mead Blvd., 702-649-8503, GermanAmericanClubNV.com; Ali Baba, 8826 S. Eastern Ave., 702-688-4182, AliBabaLasVegas.com; Izakaya Cocokala, 4449 W. Flamingo Rd., 702-538-9556, Cocokala-LasVegas.com; J Sake Bar, 4459 W. Flamingo Rd., 702-701-8515. – AL

The sky's the limit at Top of the World restaurant at the Stratosphere; below, enjoy a post mob-tour nightcap at the

legendary Monkey Bar at Piero's, or try some belly dancing at Ali Baba.

Because sometimes "just the two of us" isn't enough, we've crafted some unique nights on the town for the entire family or a group of friends. For details, visit VegasSeven.com/GreatDates2015.

33

Ma

rch

12–

18, 2

015

| V

egas

Sev

en.c

om

NIGHTLIFEYour city after dark, photos from the week’s hottest parties and nightlife’s golden boy, Dannic

Stronger Together

The H.Wood Group’s John Terzian talks about

what will make Heart of Omnia tick

By David Morris

A rendering of Heart of Omnia.

WITHOUT A DOUBT, the Hakkasan

Group is Las Vegas’ fastest growing

nightlife organization. Not only has it ac-

quired the Light Group locally, but it has also added Brian Malarkey’s San

Diego-based restaurant empire to its portfolio and partnered with John

Terzian, who operates the H.Wood Group. Terzian, a prolifc Los Angeles-

based entrepreneur, has made a name for himself in the entertainment

sphere for operating some of that city’s hottest restaurants (The Nice Guy),

clubs (Hooray Henry’s, Bootsy Bellows), lounges (Blind Dragon) and bars

(SHOREbar) as well as curating some of the world’s most exclusive events

(think Vanity Fair’s Oscar bash). We caught up with the busy Angeleno to

chat about his next project, Heart of Omnia in Omnia Nightclub at Cae-

sars Palace, and to learn what this impresario’s arrival means for the city.

34

Ma

rch

12–

18, 2

015

| V

egas

Sev

en.c

om

NIGH

TLIFE

When you partnered with Hakkasan

Group, did you know you would soon

be operating venues in Las Vegas?

I didn’t go in thinking that, but Hak-kasan’s strong presence in Vegas was a major bonus for me. Having a club in Vegas has always been a goal, but I would never open in Las Vegas if it wasn’t done right, and there is not a better company than Hakkasan in Ve-gas to work with. I did not expect to be as excited as I am for Vegas, but I am—especially with the type of program-ming that we have coming up.

What can you tell us about that

programming?

I’m utilizing my L.A. and New York contacts in Vegas. For example, [Jus-tin] Bieber’s 21st birthday [March 14 at Omnia] and the [upcoming] W Magazine party are good examples. Our group has cultivated these rela-tionships, and I’m excited to integrate these relationships into the Vegas community. As far as music program-ming goes, the emphasis will be on open format, which includes a fair amount of hip-hop these days.

It’s no secret that you’re friendly with

Bieber’s manager, Scooter Braun.

Will the Bieb’s party be in the main room

or in Heart of Omnia?

He’s having the party at Heart of Om-nia, and he’ll absolutely be in the main room as well. He’s friends with Martin Garrix whom Scooter also manages. It’s one big family, which is great—ex-actly what I want.

Now that you’re coming to Las Vegas,

what’s your long-term plan?

We want to open Bootsy Bellows in Ve-gas. The reason why Heart of Omnia makes sense for us is that it’s a frst step for us to be there and to become integrated within the city. Hakkasan is the operator and owner, and they’re the best at what they do. We’re pretty solid at our marketing and our crowd and our clients and the way we handle them, so it’s just a great recipe. We will only get stronger together.

Bootsy Bellows has always been

known as the proverbial “hard door”

in L.A. Will Heart of Omnia’s door

be as difficult to get through?

Our goal is to be exclusive, but not in a too-cool way. It will cater to locals, because we want our regulars there.

It’s not just about celebrities and taste-makers, it’s about people who are go-ing to be there week in, week out and those people are the locals. Body Eng-lish is a good example. It’s been a long time since someone has achieved what they did, so that’s what we’re going to try to do. My partners Brian [Toll], David [Arquette, yes that David Ar-quette] and I will live there the open-ing month, and then we will be there physically—one of us or all of us—every weekend for a while. We’re [also] going to have our promoters and doormen handling the door. This isn’t a fake show for a launch. We are committed to making a place that is a safe haven for celebrities and tastemakers, as well as catering to our regulars and locals.

Will Heart have a separate

entrance from Omnia?

Heart has a separate entrance once inside [Omnia].

Will anyone be able to get in?

As long as we can accommodate lo-cals and hotel guests we will. But it’s a small room, so we have to be careful. We can’t be overcrowded; we want people to feel safe and happy in there.

How much autonomy has Hakkasan

Group given you?

I couldn’t ask for a better partner. Hakkasan has been amazing to us. It’s hand in hand. I don’t even know if it’s autonomy. I don’t really want it to be autonomy with them. When it comes to Heart, it’s our activation, it’s our ideas, it’s our everything, but they’re involved in every step. They back me, they know the market, they know the infrastructure, they know the people—so we lean on them for a lot of aspects.

You sound pretty confident about your

ability to succeed in Las Vegas. Are you?

I’ve seen a lot of operators go into Ve-gas over the past 10 years thinking that they can just invade and take over. That’s not possible, nor do I want that to be possible. Vegas is its own living, breathing, unique place. When people are there, they want to be immersed in Vegas. I want to create that experi-ence, create that fun, and the only difference with me is the way we oper-ate and take care of clients, regulars and people. We try to convey an extra sense of warmth and love. That’s what is sometimes lacking and what we’re going to attempt to bring here.

A rendering of Omnia.

38

Ma

rch

12–

18, 2

015

| V

egas

Sev

en.c

om

THU 12Tell us three reasons why you don’t like bingo and we’ll give you twice as many why you’ll love Rock Shot Bingo at Green Valley Ranch. The all-electronic game requires no messy daubers. Winners are rewarded with shots, plus cash prizes up to $1,000. The highest scorer also snags a pie from Pizza Rock (!) and more goodies from Slice House. There’s even trippy lighting and a DJ rolling out the jams. You’ll feel like you’re in a nightclub, but the tables aren’t roped off, your shoes are com-fortable and the air is sweet with the scent of tomato sauce. (In Green Valley Ranch, 8 p.m., GreenValleyRanch.SCLV.com.)

FRI 13Who says you have to wait for Halloween (or EDC) to dress like a scantily clad monster? In honor of Friday the 13th, Revolver hosts a Dancing

Dead party where the scari-est zombie attire wins $500. (In Santa Fe Station, 8 p.m., SantaFeStation.SCLV.com.) After a few years under the radar, rapper Ludacris is back in a big way. The Southern spitter will release Ludaversal, his frst full-length album in fve years, on March 31. (Listen to the fame throwing on lead single “Call Ya Bluff” if ya haven’t al-ready.) On April 3, he’ll hit the silver screen again in Furious 7. But before all that, you can catch him delivering rhymes at Surrender. (In Encore, 10:30 p.m., EncoreBeachClub.com.) Cure your insatiable itch for club bangers with Skratchy at Tryst. (In Wynn, 10:30 p.m., TrystLasVegas.com.)

SAT 14So you missed the opening night of Las Vegas’ newest nightclub, Omnia, on March 12? Fret not, party animals. The space formerly known as Pure in Caesars Palace is

bringing in the big—possibly photoshopped—guns of Justin Bieber tonight. The soon-to-be-roasted singing sensation rings in his 21st birthday inside the ultra lounge, Heart of Om-nia, while DJ Ruckus spins and Martin Garrix holds down the main room. Will there be shenanigans? Prob-ably. Will you want to be there? Defnitely. Those waxing nostalgic for the pre-antic era Bieber will just have to watch the 2011 pop-umentary Never Say Never, which we defnitely never saw in 3-D on opening weekend. (In Caesars Palace, 10 p.m., OmniaLasVegas.com.)

SUN 15Marquee Dayclub opened its doors for the season on March 6. The season preview is March 21 with Cash Cash and Kourtney Kardashian. But the pre-opening party is today with Porter Robinson in the booth. It’s a little confus-ing, but hey, we’re not ones

to complain about a party. (At the Cosmopolitan, 11 a.m., MarqueeLasVegas.com.) For the under-21 set, there’s a whole lot of drum and bass blowing up Downtown Spaces. Celebrat-ing its 25th Anniversary, the British pioneers at Formation Records bring DJ SS, Crissy Criss, Prototypes and more to two stages—one at the Spaces studio and one at Hard Hat Lounge for those 21-and-up. (1675 Industrial Rd., 8 p.m., Facebook.com/ EventBrite.com.)

MON 16Indulge in some after-work revelry at Champagne’s Café. The cozy bar does Karaoke every Monday (and Friday and Saturday.) Actor Elijah Wood—who's flming The Trust with Nic Cage and Jerry Lewis—was spotted here on a recent weekend. The chance to sing alongside Frodo is too good to pass up. (3557 S. Maryland Pkwy., 10 p.m., 702-737-1699.)

TUE 17Drink with purpose and join the St. Patty’s Stumble pub-crawl to beneft Grant a Gift Autism Foundation. Starting at Stitch Factory, the tour de booze includes stops and specials at Gold Spike, Nacho Daddy, Banger Brewing Co., Commonwealth and Bunkhouse. (300 Las Vegas Blvd. North, 6:30 p.m., StitchFac-tory.com.) Keep it classic at O’Sheas where purchasing a pint gets you entered to win

a trip for two to Ireland. The Linq will be bustling with bagpipers, beer trucks and general tomfoolery. (At the Linq, Caesars.com/Linq.) Join Miami house DJ Patrick M for Cymatic Sessions at Downtown Cocktail Room (111 Las Vegas Blvd. South, 10 p.m., Facebook.com/CymaticSessions) and see more St. Paddy’s sug-gestions on Page 52.

WED 18 It’s time again for Baauer’s monthly rager, Studio B, at Light. (In Mandalay Bay, 10:30 p.m., TheLightVegas.com.) The wonderfully rowdy Down & Derby skate party rolls into Gold Spike for its triumphant Las Vegas return. Skate rental is free, but we suggest you ar-rive early … we’re predicting a packed rink. DJs Shr3d and Supra supply the beats. (217 Las Vegas Blvd. North, 9 p.m., Sk8party.com.)

ByCamilleCannon

NIGH

TLIFE

Ludacris.

Porter

Robinson.

Justin Bieber.Justin Bieber.

42

Ma

rch

12–

18, 2

015

| V

egas

Sev

en.c

om

DANNIC RECENTLY MADE HIS RESIDENCY debut at rooftop club, Drai’s. While the Dutchman is inspired by his fans around the world, he still comes home to road race his new whip to unwind. Catch up with Dannic—if you can—at Drai’s on March 21.

What do you do in your free time

on the road?

I’m always working on music. When I have downtime, I open up my laptop and work on new edits or new tracks.

Are you more creative when you’re

on your laptop on the road or

when you get to sit down in an

actual studio?

When I’m on the road. My biggest inspiration comes from the DJ shows I do. I get to read the crowd and see what they react to. There’s so much inspiration in that. It’s so hard to force being creative when you’re at home in the studio. You just have to imagine how it would sound on the dance foor. [On tour], it’s really easy to make something and then test it the same night.

What’s your favorite part about

going to different cities?

Touring is great, but I don’t like the traveling part. I see a lot of hotels and airports and stuff. But what I do like is meeting new people and play-ing different crowds every night.

Has there been something that has

happened on tour that made it all

especially satisfying?

In December, I was playing at a club in Korea and we did a meet-and-greet backstage. When I met the people, they started crying because they saw me. It was something really strange, but it was nice to see people who are that into your music and who really appreciate what you’re doing. It was a surprise, but cool.

Do you get to relax and hang out

when you play Las Vegas?

Yeah. I love Vegas. Some people hate it, some people love it. It’s cool just to walk around and see crazy people doing crazy stuff. P

HO

TO

BY

GE

RA

RD

HE

NN

ING

ER

NIGH

TLIFE

Golden Heart

DJ/producer Dannic has

a love of fast cars and

devoted fans

By Kat Boehrer

Did you get to see Drai’s prior to your residency debut?

This last year I was at Light, which was really cool as well. But I heard a lot of stories about Drai’s from my fellow colleagues and when I was off, I had a quick look around; I was there for a half an hour, and it really blew my mind. It was so crazy production-wise and the whole setup. The DJ is right in the middle, and it has a big general-admission dance foor, so the fans can enjoy the shows.

What types of songs do you usually like to play in your sets?

Right now, defnitely “Wait for You,” my own song with Shermanology. I have a bunch of unreleased tracks that I’m playing right now that are doing well. I can’t talk much about it, but I have a collaboration with Lucky Date coming up and HRRSN. That one was released on March 7. And obviously,

the edit for “Golden Hearts” that I just released. I always try to play a lot of my own tracks. Like 80 to 90 percent [of my set] is my own material.

In an interview, you once said you’d race cars like in The Fast

and the Furious if you could. Are you a speedy driver?

Oh, yes. I just bought a new car, and this one’s pretty fast. It took me just one day to get a speeding ticket.

What did you get?

An Audi.

What’s your dream car?

Defnitely a Ferrari. And it has to be red. A Ferrari always has to be red.

See more photos from this gallery at SPYONvegas.com

NIGH

TLIFE

PARTIES

46

Ma

rch

12–

18, 2

015

| V

egas

Sev

en.c

om

PH

OT

OS

BY

TO

NY

TR

AN

AN

D B

OB

BY

JA

ME

IDA

R;

AN

GE

LLO

BY

BR

EN

TO

N H

O

MARQUEEThe Cosmopolitan

[ UPCOMING ]

March 13 Lema spins

March 14 Cedric Gervais spins

March 16 Carnage in Black & White

SET THE NIGHT ON FIREGiving new meaning to the term ‘hot spot,’ Steve Angello is the first DJ to incorporate fire into an indoor nightclub production on the Strip, making Life Night-club in SLS figuratively, if not literally, the hottest spot in town.

Angello says the music made him to do it. “There is an aspect of danger found in the music that the flames enhance,” he says. “When you see them, it instills a sense of fear and excitement, and many parts of the music speak to that. They make you feel alive.”

The flames are dispersed via a three-tier ladder truss that runs off a single propane line behind the DJ booth. The result is a wall that shoots flames in time with the music. The vessels are known as FirePixels, and they are the invention of San Francis-co-based company LiveSpark.

While Angello employs the standard nightlife bells and whistles, such as LED lights and confetti, during his production, he knows that the fire is what people will remember most about his visuals. “Flames bring the rawness and intensity found in the music to life,” he says. “It breathes and explodes—just like fire.” - Ian Caramanzana

Catch fire with Steve Angello

at Life Nightclub in SLS on

March 14, April 4 and April 24;

SLSLasVegas.com.

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

TICKETS & RESERVATIONS REHAB@HRHVEGAS · 702.693.5555 · HARDROCKHOTEL.COM

/REHABLV #REHABLV

NASHVILLE RECORDING ARTIST

MARCH 13 & 14 MARCH 15 MARCH 21 MARCH 22

See more photos from this gallery at SPYONvegas.com

NIGH

TLIFE

PARTIES

52

Ma

rch

12–

18, 2

015

| V

egas

Sev

en.c

om

PH

OT

OS

BY

BO

BB

Y J

AM

EID

AR

SAYERS CLUBSLS

[ UPCOMING ]

March 12 White Label Thursdays with Karma

March 13 Sessions

SEEING GREEN: A ST. PATRICK’S DAY CHEAT SHEETHappy St. Paddy’s Day! Yes, you read that correctly; it’s spelled P-A-D-D-Y, not Patty. In Ireland, “Paddy” is short for Patrick. While we’re setting the record straight, contrary to popular belief, St. Patrick’s Day in Dublin is an epic party, and makes anywhere else feel like bingo night at Palace Station. Last year, during an 11-month trek around the world, I decided to make a pit stop in Ireland for St. Patrick’s Day. That day turned into one of the messi-est drinking days of my life.

It began at noon in the Temple Bar area of Dublin. I kept pour-ing Guinness down my throat, but I drew the line at hard liquor. However, after my fifth pint of Guinness, I was ordering shots of Jameson for myself and any lad or lassie standing next to me, while yelling, “Woohoo! What hap-pens in Ireland stays in Ireland!” So much for that.

Having taken this one for the U.S. team, I suggest you stick to these local St. Paddy’s hot spots:

➜ Sip a $6 Baileys Irish Float during the St. Paddy’s Day bar burner at Made L.V. (450 S. Ram-part Blvd., 5 p.m., Made-LV.com.)

➜ Score a free T-shirt—plus Guinness in beef, brats and mugs—at Sean Patrick’s. (Multiple locations, 5 p.m., PTEGLV.com.)

➜ Compete in the Wear’n O’ the Green costume contest at Remedy’s, Elixir and Distill. (Multiple locations, 7 p.m., DistillBar.com.)

➜ Cheer on your favorite half-naked firefighter at Commonwealth’s Men in Kilts charity competition. (525 Fremont St., 6 p.m., CommonwealthLV.com.)

➜ Get politically incorrect at Fremont Country Club’s Leprechaun Smackdown, a three-round fight between two competitors less than 5 feet tall. (601 Fremont St., 8 p.m., SmashMagazine.com.) – Matthew Fraser

57

Ma

rch

12–

18, 2

015

| V

egas

Sev

en.c

om

DINING

PH

OT

O B

Y J

ON

ES

TR

AD

A

Restaurant reviews, news and hunting for unicorns in the Napa Valley

“In order not to overstate the obvious, I skipped

the truffle artichoke soup at Guy Savoy, which is

considered by most serious foodies to be the gold

standard of soup.” {PAGE 60}

Bowled Over

Sushi’s just the start at

new-school Japanese

spot Fish ’N’ Bowl

By Al Mancini

NO ETHNIC CUISINE OFFERED IN LAS VEGAS is as diverse as our selection of Japa-nese restaurants. We have izakayas, robata grills, sushi bars, teppanyaki houses, fusion spots, curry restau-rants and ramen shops just to name a few. And yet, every few months I walk into a new Japanese restaurant that’s doing things unlike any of the others. Case in point: Fish ’N’ Bowl, a tiny spot in a strip mall on the southwest side of town. It isn’t that chef Howard Choi (a veteran of RM Seafood, among other spots) is re-inventing the wheel in what is, essentially, a sushi restaurant. But he is putting enough creative twists on his cuisine to make the menu stand out from the rest.

That said, the proffered menu at Fish ’N’ Bowl is just a starting point. Nearly half the dishes in Choi’s repertoire appear on various chalkboards and other signs scat-tered throughout the dining room. Options start with basic sushi and sashimi made from high quality fish and expertly cut. But you’ll also find five types of poke tacos, hot and cold appetizers, various flavors of edamame, and several rice bowl and salad bowls.

One of the more interesting dishes, a trio of uni preparations, is listed on a sign behind the sushi bar. It features the sea urchin on a spoon, in a dumpling and in a hand roll. The spoon version is sadly over-shadowed by a heavy dose of lemon juice and a bit of grated wasabi. That’s a shame, especially since uni is most delicately favored during the cold-weather months that are drawing to a close, and this prepara-tion fails to highlight that fact. The chef’s use of it in the fried dumpling and the roll, however, is spot on,

A selection of dishes including a salmon poke

salad bowl, tuna poke tacos, crispy rice with yellowtail

tartare, Warm Springs roll, assorted sashimi plate and

barbecue pork belly.

58

Ma

rch

12–

18, 2

015

| V

egas

Sev

en.c

om

PH

OT

OS

BY

JO

N E

ST

RA

DA

DIN

IN

G

Get the latest on local restaurant openings and closings, interviews with top chefs, cocktail recipes, menu previews and more in our weekly “Sips and Bites” newsletter. Subscribe at VegasSeven.com/SipsAndBites.

Al’s Menu Picks

Uni trio ($15), Double E bowl

($9.50), crispy rice with

yellowtail ($5.50).

The Double E bowl is made with eel and shredded sweet egg; chef

Howard Choi.

WHAT TO EAT ON THE BEST DRINKING DAY OF THE YEARIn the U.S., St. Patrick’s Day may be a

drunken, green-beer-fueled day of parades

and revelry, but in Ireland itself, up until the

mid-’90s, the national public holiday was

actually a somber one. So it’s possible to

celebrate your Irishness (or lack thereof) in

a manner that doesn’t require you to get fall-

down drunk (more about that on Page 52).

The monthly Farm-to-Table dinner at Honey

Salt (1031 S. Rampart Blvd., 702-445-6100)

on March 16 pays tribute to traditional fare

through four courses, beginning with the

classic bubble and squeak, a fried mish-mash

usually made with leftover roasted vegetables

from Sunday dinner, along with shaved

corned beef, horseradish and soda bread. The

family-style main course features braised

lamb shanks glazed with Guinness, served

with boiled vegetables and roasted potatoes,

and paired with the Irish stout itself. This obvi-

ously isn’t a teetotaler meal—there’s plenty of

Jameson, Bushmills and Baileys Irish coffee to

keep you in the spirit.

Irish nachos are a delicacy I learned while

cooking at a bar in college: waffle fries topped

with melted cheese, bacon and jalapeños,

then topped with a dollop of sour cream and

chopped scallions. It seems that Shake Shack

(in New York-New York, 725-222-6730) has

perfected the dish just in time for St. Patrick’s

Day with its playful When Irish Fries Are

Smiling: Crinkle-cut fries are topped with

horseradish cream, scallions and all-natural

applewood smoked bacon. All that’s missing

to make it a proper holiday meal are a few

slices of corned beef and cabbage. I’d suggest

that chocolate Guinness be the frozen custard

flavor of the week from March 16-22, but the

Mast Brothers mint chocolate will do nicely.

New York-New York also happens to be home

to one of the biggest St. Paddy’s day celebra-

tions on the Strip, Celtic Feis on March 17.

I’ve got to have corned beef and cabbage

on St. Patrick’s Day if I’m going to manage

the marathon of drinking, but occasionally

it’s fun to go beyond the hunk of boiled beef

and potatoes. Holsteins (in the Cosmopolitan,

702-698-7940) agrees. They put all the usual

Irish suspects on the Luck O’ the Irish: shaved

corned beef, Swiss cheese, braised green

cabbage and Thousand Island dressing, all

served on a beef patty. It’s like combining a

burger and a Reuben into one fortifying mega

sandwich that will shore you up to celebrate

this holiday properly. And it of course comes

with french fried potatoes. Because Ireland.

– Grace Bascos

Grace Bascos eats, sleeps, raves and repeats.

Read more from Grace at VegasSeven.com/

DishingWithGrace, as well as on her dining-

and-music blog, FoodPlusTechno.com.

truly showcasing its natural citrus-tinged briny favor.

Of the rice bowls, I’ve had the Double E, made with eel and shredded sweet egg. The rice was cooked to perfection, and the seafood was lean and tasty. Other excellent dishes include crispy-but-chewy rice cakes, which can be topped with tuna, yellowtail or salmon tartare and then adorned with avocado and jalapeño slices.

But what truly sets Fish ’N’ Bowl apart from other sushi restau-rants, are the rice-free rolls. I’m generally not a fan of American-ized sushi rolls, with multiple types of fsh, assorted sauces and all of those other bells and whistles. But I know many people love them. And unlike nigiri fans such as myself, who can eliminate the rice and just have sashimi, fans of those rolls are usually hard-pressed to fnd an alternative if they’re looking to cut back on rice.

Fish ’N’ Bowl, however, employs some interest-ing techniques to do just that. The Warm Springs, for example, consists of soft-shell crab, spicy tuna, spicy crab, shrimp tem-pura and avocado wrapped in thin translucent rice paper and topped with a trio of sauces. The Rock ’N’ Roll wraps cucumber skin around tuna, salmon, snapper, crab stick and avocado. And even more creatively, in the Tuna Flower the chef uses slices of tuna as the wrapper around a flling of spicy crab, spicy scallop and pomegranate molasses. It’s almost more beautiful than it is delicious. Of course, those who want the familiar rolls of rice and nori have plenty of options as well.

With a diverse menu, high-quality product and an extremely friendly staff, Fish ’N’ Bowl is yet another nice addition to our city’s Japanese cuisine offerings. And if you save room for dessert, make sure to walk

a few doors down to Suzuya Pastries & Crepes, which happens to be one of my favorite local bakeries.

FISH ’N’ BOWL

7225 S. Durango Rd.,

702-739-3474. Open for lunch

and dinner, 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Sun-

Mon; 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Fri-Sat.

Dinner for two, $20–$50.

60

Ma

rch

12–

18, 2

015

| V

egas

Sev

en.c

om

IN THE MID-1970S, Campbell’s Soup introduced the slogan “Soup Is Good Food.” In 1975, the Dead Kennedys

opened their landmark album Frankenchrist with a song called “Soup Is Good Food.” As someone whose grand-

mother worked for Campbell’s and who idolizes Jello Biafra, I’m not one to argue with that simple sentiment.

So in recognition of Grandmom and Biafra, I recently set out to explore the Valley’s most intriguing bowls. (In

order not to overstate the obvious, I skipped the truffe artichoke soup at Guy Savoy, which is considered by

most serious foodies to be the gold standard of soup.) Here are a few of my favorite new discoveries. PH

OT

OS

BY

JO

N E

ST

RA

DA

DIN

IN

G

Ladle to CraveSipping the Valley’s most sensational soups

By Al Mancini

CROSSING

THE BRIDGE

Ku Noodles

José Andrés’ SLS noodle shop has several great soups. But for the best overall experience, I recom-mend Crossing the Bridge. The simple chicken stock arrives at your table unadorned. But your server quickly rectifes that by adding raw striped bass, slices of Virginia ham and a freshly cracked egg. It’s then topped with bean sprouts, scal-lions and rice noodle vermicelli. The meat provides hints of salt, while the fsh gives a nice seafood touch and the other items offer great texture. If you want some heat, toss in a dash of chili paste. According to one story, this soup got its name from a woman who would take soup to her husband, who was studying for an exam on an island. Frustrated that by the time she crossed a winding footbridge, his meal would be cold and soggy, she used a layer of oil and fat to keep the broth warm, so she could then add noodles and meat on her ar-rival, cooking them to perfection. $19.88, in SLS, 702-761-7615.

NEWCASTLE

BROWN ALE AND

CHEDDAR SOUP

The Pub at Monte Carlo

This soup isn’t much to look at. But how can you go wrong with anything that includes both beer and cheese? The chef also tosses in some potatoes and broccoli, so you can pretend it’s nutritious. With more than 100 beers with which to pair it, and what-ever game you want to watch on one of the many big screens, this is comfort food to the max! $9, 702-730-7420.

LE CHAMPIGNON

Joël Robuchon

When the Chef of the Century does soup, you know he’s not messing around. What arrives at your table is a helping of Paris

mushrooms stuffed with veal in ravi-oli style, topped with shaved black truffes. The veal and matsutake mushroom broth is added tableside, pro-ducing one of the most sensational soups in this town or any other. The broth itself is simple and delicate, but the meat, mush-rooms and truffes are packed with earthy favor, while providing strikingly different textures. $50, in MGM Grand, 702-891-7125.

CHEF CARLOS’

GUMBO

The Country Club

Las Vegas is blessed to have several great Louisiana chefs cook-ing in our kitchens. And Wynn is fortunate to have one of the best. Carlos Guia is a veteran of New Orleans’ famed Commander’s Palace. So if you’re looking for quality gumbo, this is your spot. His version is packed with favor, thanks to generous portions of house-smoked Andouille sausage, shrimp and crawfsh—and just the right amount of New Orleans heat. Between that and the chef's equally excellent shrimp and grits, every day is Mardi Gras at Wynn. $18, in Wynn, 702- 770-3315.

CHILLED

VICHYSSOISE AND

TOMATO SOUP

Alizé

If you like your soup cold, André Rochat is offering an elegant two-for-one bowl atop the Palms. The left side of the bowl is chilled tomato. The right is chilled potato. They’re both topped with crispy bits of potato, minced chive and a touch of truffe oil. Either of these soups could stand alone as perfect repre-sentations of familiar classics. Together, they’re a smooth and rich feast for all the senses, served in a dining room with one of the best views in the city. $14, in the Palms, 702-951-7000.

Clockwise from above: Crossing the Bridge, chilled vichyssoise and tomato

and Le Champignon.

61

Ma

rch

12–

18, 2

015

| V

egas

Sev

en.c

om

➜ AN ISLAND OF ACTIVITY IN THE SEA OF CALM that is Napa in winter, Premiere Napa Valley (PremiereNapaWines.com) is a long weekend of tastings, parties and more tastings in February. But at its core, it’s an annual barrel auction of epic proportions. Proceeds support Napa Valley Vintners, a nonproft trade as-sociation, in promoting, protecting and enhancing the Napa Valley appellation.

The wines previewed and then live-auctioned before an invite-only audience of licensed wine buyers are utterly unique, not only from any other wine that the specifc winery produces, but also from year to year. It might be a blend or an isolation of a clone or vineyard, a stunning vintage or a clever assembly of sub-appella-tions or unexpected varietals.

But these wines (as few as 60 bottles and never more than 240), can never be replicated—they are the unicorns of the wine world. Some of the wines are thoroughbreds, most appealing because of their makers’ reputation, while others are dark horses, whose ul-

timate value is only revealed when the auctioneer’s gavel strikes—“Sold!” This was my frst time at Premiere Napa Valley, and it proved intoxicating.

I arrived late Thursday night on Feb-ruary 19, just in time to ride (and imme-diately be tossed from) the mechanical bull at Page Wine Cellars’ “Not Our First Rodeo” party with Emerson Brown and FlyWine. “There’s a reason the bids get up to $50,000, even $100,000: These wines are one of a kind!” said Kale An-derson, winemaker for Pahlmeyer. That winery’s 60-bottle lot of “Raison d’Etre” 2013 Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon would sell for a tidy $30,000 two days later. But there would be much labori-ous networking, pouring and tasting before that would happen.

It started early the next day at a 9 a.m. blind tasting of 34 Napa cabs from 2003 through 2009 at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone. This was followed by a blind tasting of 2010, 2011 and 2012 cabs from 12 winemakers. Both were selected by a prestigious jury and largely varied only by degrees from

“great” to “really great” to “incredibly great.” By 11 a.m. my palate was stripped, my tongue chaffed, my lips purple and raw from spitting—still think this job is glamorous? With my fnal notes reading “tastes like fermented grape juice,” I retreated to the ladies room for a luxuriously protracted teeth-brushing session.

That afternoon the Valley came alive with preview parties. From Napa Town to Calistoga, Howell Mountain to Spring Mountain, the Pre-miere Napa Valley wines were poured along with current and future releases, in the hopes of attracting buzz. Can you believe that Mekerra sauvi-gnon blanc by Melka? Did you try the Fairchild Sigaro —it’s a Melka. One name kept coming up.

Legendary winemaker Philippe Melka’s portrait dots the auction book 11 times—like the kid in the high school

THE GRAPE NUT

The scene in the barrel tasting room prior to the Premiere Napa Valley wine auction.

Unicorn Hunting in NapaPremiere Napa Valley rolls out one-of-a-kind barrels for annual auction weekend

By Xania Woodman

yearbook who was in every club. At an unoffcial portfolio tasting later that day, I found out why.

I say ‘unoffcial’ only because it was not an event set up by Napa Valley Vintners. But any event held at Meado-wood Resort, with its three-Michelin-starred restaurant, is offcial on my itinerary. In a breezy meeting space opening onto the lawn—where just a few years earlier I had learned to sabre sparkling wine bottles with the team from Schramsberg Vineyards—we clustered around tasting tables to meet Melka’s numerous clients. His business model as a consulting winemaker is as unique as his auction lots; with degrees in geology, agronomy and enology, Melka is the total package. “In the ’90s, I came with a different perspective than other winemakers,” he said, seated in the garden. “Plus, all my education came from Bordeaux, where I was very lucky to work with some of the best: Château Haut Brion and [Christian] Moueix of Petrus and Dominus.” Lucky, indeed.

Saturday started out foggy, keeping the barrel-tasting room cold and damp until there were enough bodies to warm it. But the sun burned through in time for the main event. Every seat in the auction room was flled. Numbered paddles doubled as fans while we wait-ed for auctioneers David Elswood and Fritz Hatton to take up the gavel. And once they did, they kept a miraculously steady pace with an average of one minute, seven seconds per lot, 225 lots in all. There were some surprises, such as an incredible $32,000 for debuting FlyWine (high-end wines in TSA-com-

pliant bottles) and a $70,000 starting bid for Continuum’s lot. Melka’s wines showed well, with furious bidding for his BRAND Napa Valley label’s 60-bottle lot, which sold for the day’s high of $115,000; a total of $6 million was raised.

But I was not the only Las Vegan in the room! Del-

monico Steakhouse wine director Kevin Vogt was there, paddle 68 in hand. In all, he put that paddle up for more than 20 lots. “For me, it’s a balance between wanting to support the Napa Valley Vintners as-sociation and [the wine] also needs to be sellable in the restaurant and to at least cover the expense,” Vogt said after the gavel’s last fall.

In the end, Delmo-nico didn’t bring home any lots, but the top bidder of the day was reportedly Total Wine & More. So perhaps we’ll see a unicorn in

Las Vegas after all.

63

Ma

rch

12–

18, 2

015

| V

egas

Sev

en.c

om

A&EMovies, music, art and some rocking books

“Few—if any—Vegas headliners leave it all on the stage

the way he does, every drop of blood and sweat.”

SHOWSTOPPER {PAGE 69}

Survivor’s TaleA Las Vegas-born documentary ofers

one girl’s story of intestinal fortitude

By Kurt C. Rice

ANYONE WHO HAS SPENT TIME WATCHING LOCAL TV over the last few years

has probably seen ubiquitous lawyer Ed Bernstein and his daughter,

Dana Marshall-Bernstein, pitching the Rock ’n’ Roll Marathon and

its association with fundraising for the Crohn’s and Colitis Founda-

tion of America. Dana is one of an estimated 700,000 Americans who

suffer from Crohn’s. While that puts her in an exclusive club, what

makes Dana unique is the fact that she is the star of a documentary.

Her story is framed in Las Vegas producer-director Robin Greens-

pun’s flm Semicolon; The Adventures of Ostomy Girl.

Dana Marshall-Bernstein's

openness and charm lightens this otherwise

serious film.

64

Ma

rch

12–

18, 2

015

| V

egas

Sev

en.c

om

The flm, which premieres in Las Vegas at Brendan Theatres at the Palms on March 15, follows Dana and her family as she works toward a life-altering decision and deals with Dana’s day-to-day pain and uncertainty. In Semicolon, Dana faces a tough choice: An intestinal transplant now or pos-sible liver failure and additional trans-plants later.

Crohn’s has been a lifelong battle for the 26-year-old, who was diagnosed at age 4. Her mother, Cari Marshall, says Dana has spent half of her life in hos-pital beds and undergone more than 20 major surgeries, one of which led to an almost-fatal infection. Without a functioning digestive tract, Dana must get nutrition intravenously and elimi-nate waste her body generates through an ostomy bag attached to a stoma in her abdomen.

Despite her literally gut-wrenching situation, this isn’t one of those victim tales. Dana has a glowing spirit and joie de vivre that pulls the viewer in, easing the audience through the tough topic. According to Greenspun, Dana is a natural. “She could be a talk show host,” Greenspun says. “She is so well spoken, so confdent. She is so willing to put herself out there. And she is do-ing it specifcally in hopes of helping others with her disease.”

This is Greenspun’s frst documen-tary. But she has been extensively in-volved in flmmaking, partnering with her husband, Danny, as well as Andrew Molasky and Scott Steindorff in 1998 to form Stone Village Pictures, where she was an executive producer on flm ad-aptations of literary works such as Love in the Time of Cholera and Empire Falls.

Despite a decadeslong friendship with Dana’s mother, Greenspun didn’t know any details of the illness.But then at lunch in November 2013, Greenspun asked Marshall how her daughter was doing. Marshall thought about it and told Greenspun, “You know, we should have a camera follow Dana around just so people could see what she goes through every day of her life. We should just make a docu-mentary about her.”

Greenspun had the background, connections and resources to make a documentary, but she needed one more thing: full approval from Dana, who would have to be open about her body in ways most of us prefer to keep private. “Dana really had to buy into it, because it’s not just about Dana; it is Dana,” Marshall says. “She had to be 100 percent willing to put herself out there, talking about a disease that no-body wants to talk about.”

As it turned out, Dana gave far more

than just her time and her story. De-spite the never-ending complications that often keep her hospitalized, Dana insisted on being a part of the full pro-cess. When Greenspun sketched out questions to ask doctors off-camera, Dana insisted she ask them in front of the camera and in her hospital room.

The flm can be uncomfortable at times. It doesn’t shy away from frank discussions or gallows toilet humor. It also documents the stress that chronic illness can have on re-lationships. Greenspun made sure to record the normal struggles of a mother-daughter relationship. “It’s stuff that I go through with my daughter, and I don’t have to deal with my daughter having a chronic illness,” Greenspun says. “They were really wonderful about allowing me to keep enough of it in there for me to really make that point.”

Semicolon was shot mostly in Cleve-land, where Dana now lives. The unpredictability of Crohn’s caused production challenges while flming in two cities. They had planned to start flming in early 2014, a month or two after the lunch that launched the proj-ect. But Greenspun says within weeks Dana had to return to the Cleveland hospital. “We had no time to do a full production schedule,” Greenspun says.

“It became real time. Whatever Dana was doing, we were there. We never knew what was happening.”

They had scheduled a camera crew in Cleveland for six weeks out, but be-cause Dana went back earlier, the crew wasn’t available. “The frst time we put anything with her on flm for this, it was shot by the media department at the Cleveland Clinic,” Greenspun says.

The forced speed of flming, Dana’s charm and her full involvement en-abled Semicolon to go from an idea to its flm festival submission just nine months later in August and its nation-wide premiere at the Sedona Interna-tional Film Festival in February.

Semicolon is the story of a smart, articulate young Las Vegan fghting for her life against a confusing and slippery disease whose symptoms are never the subject of polite din-ner conversation. The flm leaves you wanting to know more: More about Crohn’s, more about the progress of research, but mostly more about how Dana Marshall-Bernstein’s story will turn out. Fortunately, you can follow her progress: Greenspun, Marshall and Dana are planning to continue to document what happens next through social media. And after getting to know her in Semicolon, you wouldn’t expect anything less.

A&E

Mother and daughter share a quiet moment.

66

Ma

rch

12–

18, 2

015

| V

egas

Sev

en.c

om

A&E

MRAZ-MATAZZ Take laid-back

troubadour Jason Mraz, add Raining

Jane, an all-female quartet of indie

rockers, and you’ve got the makings of

last year’s acoustic masterpiece, YES!

They make it mellow at the Chelsea on

March 14 ($50-$125).

STARR POWER For anyone who doesn’t

think Ringo Starr is a big enough draw,

throw in multi-instrumentalist Todd

Rundgren, Steve Lukather (Toto) and

Gregg Rolie (Santana). Ringo Starr and

His All-Starr Band play the Pearl on

March 15 ($73-$153).

ON SALE NOW Much as I liked Jenny

Lewis in Rilo Kiley, she’s even better as

a solo act. Last year’s The Voyager was

produced by Ryan Adams (with help from

Beck, Johnathan Rice and Lewis herself).

Lewis plays Brooklyn Bowl on May 30

($28-$33) with special guest Nikki Lane.

KW

EL

I B

Y C

HA

SE

ST

EV

EN

S/K

AB

IK P

HO

TO

GR

OU

P

Talib Kweli Kept It HumbleBrooklyn Bowl, March 6

If you’ve ever wanted to see a Fresh

Prince go off, Brooklyn Bowl on Friday

night was the place to be. Talib Kweli

displayed the charisma of Will Smith’s

character in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,

and he had the looks to match. The

39-year-old Brooklyn emcee performed

tracks from nearly all of his albums

while sporting a Yankees cap, a dashiki

and Gucci sneakers. Kweli rapped and

jumped during the bone-shaking bass of

Reflection Eternal's “Move Somethin’” and

encouraged fans to sing along to the in-

fectious hook of Black Star’s “Definition.”

The veteran rapper ushered in a few of

hits with the songs from which they were

sampled—introducing “Lonely People”

with the Beatles’ “Eleanor Rigby” and

“Get By” with Nina Simone’s “Sinnerman.”

Unfortunately the rapper had trouble

keeping up with some of his material at

times and his signature machine-gun flow

turned into indecipherable mumbles. Still,

as Kweli shook hands with fans and posed

for pictures throughout his performance,

he displayed the humble spirit that turned

him into a hip-hop legend. ★★★✩✩

– Ian Caramanzana

CONCERT

[ VIDEOGRAPHY ]

Trade Voorhees goes psycho with ‘Norman’I really should’ve put Trade Voorhees in my Rappers

to Watch in 2015 list. If “Norman” is any indication,

his new album, Saturday the 14th (dropping March 14),

will be equally dark and brilliant. The song itself is a

nod to Hitchcock’s Psycho, with lyrics about … well,

what you’d expect. We also get to hear Voorhees

work his vocals by singing on the hook. I imagine

he’d have a ton of female fans if he made songs for

women instead of songs about murdering them, but

that’s never been his style. Accompanying the music

is director Rob Seher’s chilling video. It’s definitely

worth a watch and repeat listens. - Zoneil Maharaj

67

Ma

rch

12–

18, 2

015

| V

egas

Sev

en.c

om

[ READING ]

Kim Gordon Takes on the Rock MemoirWhen she played bass in Sonic Youth, Kim Gordon appeared quiet and straightfor-

ward. In her autobiography, Girl in a Band (Dey Street Books, $30) she maintains a

similar tone—from the no-frills title down to her plainspoken prose. One suspects

she might not have written anything at all had she not split with husband and band-

mate Thurston Moore in 2011, leaving her with bills to pay and no famous band to play

in. Compared to the memoirs of New York scenesters Patti Smith and Richard Hell,

Girl in a Band is downbeat and conflicted, more concerned with limitations than pos-

sibilities. It’s the book’s plaintive realism that will connect with the same generation

of punks, riot grrrls and grunge kids who connected to Gordon onstage. It’s not all

gloom: Gordon closes the book with an act of characteristic rebellion that gives the

impression that the past 30 years might just have been a prelude to something better.

Recommended by Chris Molnar of the Writer’s Block bookstore, 1020 Fremont St., 10 a.m.–8 p.m. Mon-Sat, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sun.

READ IT AND SPEAK

The Contemporary Arts Center is starting

a book club, and you’re invited! Join fellow

lit enthusiasts at the Writer’s Block at 2

p.m. March 14 for a discussion of Dave

Hickey’s Pirates and Farmers: Essays on

Taste. Hickey is a former art critic, former

Las Vegan and recipient of the prestigious

MacArthur Fellowship … just in case you

need a conversation starter. Facebook.com/

LasVegasCAC.

BOOKS AND BANDS

Author Michael T. Fournier will read from

his second novel, Swing State, at 8 p.m.

March 14 in Blackbird Studios. “A reading

in an art gallery,” you ask? Oh, yes, with

live music from local rockers Coastwest

Unrest and Dreaming of Lions to boot.

Consider this an integral part of your well-

balanced A&E diet. MichaelTFournier.Tumblr.

com/Readings.

EXTRA! EXTRA!

The Smith Center delivers Disney’s

Broadway musical Newsies March 17-22.

The 2012 Tony Award winner for Best

Score and Best Choreography is based

on the New York City Newsboys Strike

of 1899. We’re guessing there weren’t

musical outbreaks during the real deal, but

we can’t wait to be wowed by them now.

TheSmithCenter.com.

MUST WATCH

Inspire Theater’s Boozy Movie series

continues to impress. Screening March 18

is the 2002 Brazilian drama City of God,

a beautiful Oscar-nominated glimpse of

life in 1970s Rio de Janeiro that’ll make

you laugh, cry and think. As always,

entry is free with cocktail purchase.

InspireLasVegas.com.

The

HITLIST

TARGETING THIS WEEK'S

MOST-WANTED EVENTS

By Camille Cannon

NE

WS

IES

BY

DE

EN

VA

N M

EE

R

ALBUMS WE'RE BUYING1 Led Zeppelin,

Physical Graffiti

2 Big Sean, Dark

Sky Paradise

3 Steven Wilson, Hand. Cannot. Erase.

4 Brandi Carlile, The Firewatcher’s

Daughter

5 Purity Ring, Another Eternity

6 Imagine

Dragons, Smoke +

Mirrors

7 J. Cole, 2014

Forest Hills Drive

8 All That

Remains, The

Order of Things

9 UFO, A

Conspiracy of Stars

10 Marilyn

Manson, The Pale

Emperor (Explicit)

According to sales at Zia Record Exchange at 4503 W. Sahara Ave., March 2-8.

Newsies.

“It was like the island of misft toys, with all the weirdos and the smart kids. Once we found each other, it was like, ‘You’re not gonna fuck with us.’” That’s how Sab Grey of Iron Cross describes the early Washing-ton, D.C., hardcore scene chronicled in the new documentary, Salad Days: The DC Punk Revolution.

The flm spotlights the decade from 1980 to 1990 with interviews, photos and never-before-seen performanc-es. It took director/writer Scott Craw-ford four years and $50,000 from a Kickstarter campaign to make the flm, which includes footage of Bad Brains, Fugazi and Dag Nasty play-

ing before screaming, stage-diving crowds of D.C. teens. Interviews in-clude there-when-it-happened icons Ian MacKaye and Henry Rollins and an overwhelmed-by-the-memories Dave Grohl.

Rather like the hard-touring bands it immortalizes, Crawford has taken Salad Days on the road, where it has played a number of festivals, and a string of sold-out dates across Califor-nia. In Las Vegas, it will be screened 8 p.m. March 13 and 1 p.m. March 15 at a warehouse space (XOXO B Modern Events Venue, 9272 Tamarus St., Suite 110) rather than a conventional the-ater, adding to the DIY vibe.

PUNK’S SALAD DAYS ON FILMBy Lissa Townsend Rodgers

A view of the capital punk

scene.

MUSIC

SLAP THAT DVD INTO THE PLAYER AND THROW those devil horns in the air: It’s time for the Metal Edition of the Seven Best Music Movies!

This Is Spinal Tap (1984). Let’s put the inevitable frst. If you don’t know why it’s on here, get thee to a Netfix queue, stat. People are getting tired of that blank look on your face every time they say “it goes up to 11.”

Lemmy (2010). No one is more badass than Lemmy Kilmister. The leader of the mighty, mighty Motör-head has been playing heavy metal since before it had a name and is still “the Ace of Spades” at age 69. Musi-cians in bands such as Black Sabbath, The Clash, New Order and Guns N’ Roses discuss his infuence, both as a musician and as an icon somewhere between Captain Hook and Jesus. Lemmy himself plays bass, tells dirty jokes, drinks at L.A.’s Rainbow Bar and displays a surprisingly tender relationship with his son. Still, as one fan ecstatically slurs, “Rock ’n’ roll is Lemmy. Lemmy is rock ’n’ roll.”

Anvil! The Story of Anvil (2008). In a way, Anvil! is the fipside of Lemmy: It’s what happens when your heavy metal career leads not to legendary status, but to driving a delivery truck. The documentary follows the infu-ential yet obscure band as they pull it together for one more European tour and one last album. Things don’t exactly go as planned, but Anvil! turns into a weirdly touching story about artistic passion, lifelong friendship and not giving up on dreams.

KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park (1979). The opening sequence of a giant-size KISS jamming to “Rock and Roll All Nite” superimposed over roller coasters and Tilt-A-Whirls is rad, but things soon fall apart in this meeting of heavy metal and Hanna-

Barbera. Gene Simmons says he was told that the TV movie would be “a cross between Star Wars and A Hard Day’s Night,” but it’s more like live-action Scooby-Doo. Still, for fans of cult, schlock and KISS, KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park is an amusing ride.

Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey (2005). For an in-depth take on the genre, anthropologist and fan Sam Dunn went around the world to study the culture and history of heavy metal: From Norway to California, from Steppenwolf to Rage Against the Ma-chine, from Ronnie James Dio to Rob Zombie. Interviews with musicians, managers and even ministers tell the story of how, as Zombie says, “You just somehow end up being the weird kid and can’t fgure out how you got there. And metal is like that, except it’s all the weird kids in one place.”

Heavy Metal Parking Lot (1986). For the fans, by the fans, starring the fans, Heavy Metal Parking Lot docu-ments the tailgating scene outside a Judas Priest concert. It’s a cavalcade of shirtless dudes drinking tallboys next to muscle cars, chicks in leopard-print catsuits fashing devil horns, boom boxes and big hair. Dialogue includes “Let’s make a joint so big it stretches across America and everyone can smoke it!” and “See my scab?” Weirdly endearing, Heavy Metal Parking Lot has inspired music videos, trading cards and even a brief TV series.

Conan the Barbarian (1982). What’s more metal than getting drunk and swordfghting? Or launch-ing an assault on the Snake God’s palace with your wisecracking surfer buddy and breastplated, broadsword-swinging girlfriend in tow? Or “seeing your enemies crushed before you and hearing the lamentation of their women?” Nothing, that’s what!

[ OLD LADY IN A MOSH PIT ]

SEVEN BEST MUSIC MOVIES: METAL EDITION

By Lissa Townsend Rodgers

Still turning it up to 11: This Is Spinal Tap.

PH

OT

O B

Y J

OH

N K

NO

PF

VISUALIZE A RUNAWAY TRAIN PLOWING INTO a house on fre. Or visualize Frankie Moreno. Doesn’t matter which. They’re the same.

That’s where my disappointment and frustration lies.

Perhaps naively, I’d hoped Moreno—with more raw talent in his left pinkie than some global superstars can claim from head to toe—had taken even half a chill pill after his three-year Strato-sphere residency ended three months ago. Maybe he’d even embraced the no-tion that varying a show’s tempo with occasional slower, quieter moments would give audiences a fuller emotional experience, rather than bulldoze them into submission.

Alas, no, if his Vegas re-emer-gence—a one-night engagement at Red Rock Casino’s Rocks Lounge last week (to be repeated April 11)—is an indica-tor of what he’ll bring back to town when he announces (probably soon) a new permanent room for him and his rocket launcher of a band.

As a showman he’s all muscle and sinew, no subtlety and nuance. You’ve received emails from people who type in ALL CAPS? Moreno performs in ALL CAPS. That approach earned him undeniable success, but imagining what he could offer and doesn’t is disheartening.

At Rocks, on a 1-10 energy scale, Moreno kicks off at 32 and keeps ramping up, with essentially his same Stratosphere repertoire, from Billy Preston’s “Will It Go Round in Circles” and Stevie Wonder’s “I Wish” through originals including “Somebody,” “Biggest Fan,” “Tangerine Honey” and “Diva” (with ex-Dancing With the Stars frecracker Lacey Schwimmer gy-rating atop the piano). Trotting out a new tune, he sits alone at the

keyboard, and the feeting hope is for a refreshing downshift into refection on a song he says was inspired watch-ing a Sam Cooke documentary—but as he unleashes wall-rattling blues riffs, that hope is scuttled.

Even his “Eleanor Rigby”—repro-ducing the version he recorded with violinist Joshua Bell—abandons the poi-gnancy of the Beatles’ theme of loneli-ness as it crescendos into a wham-bam slam dance that’s all noisy melodrama. Wherever “all the lonely people” are, they’re not in this interpretation.

Although the crowd was clearly with him, Moreno never seemed satisfed with the energy coming back

at him—coaxing and cajoling for more-more-more, as if the woo-hoo! yelps over his leather-lunged power belting

weren’t enough to feed a Tasmanian Devil-level appetite.

Accepting Moreno as a manic spiri-tual son to Jerry Lee Lewis (complete with piano gymnastics) or grandson (OK, great-great-grandson) to Al Jolson is fattering and fair. Few—if any—Vegas headliners leave it all on the stage the way he does, every drop of blood and sweat.

What about the tears? The vulner-ability? The willingness to—in Roberta Flack’s words—kill us softly with a song?

Perhaps Freud would call this a fear of musical intimacy. Hopefully, in a series of concerts starting March 17 at The Smith Center’s Cabaret Jazz, the set list will reveal there’s no fear, just delayed engagement. Moreno bursts with passion. Turning some inward would touch us in a deeper, richer way.

C’mon, Frankie. Sing us a lullaby.

Got an entertainment tip? Email Steve.Bornfeld@VegasSeven.com.

STAGE

BIG BANG WEARYFrankie Moreno’s unfagging energy gives audiences

no chance to refect

70

Ma

rch

12–

18, 2

015

| V

egas

Sev

en.c

om

THREE YEARS AGO, ON A SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT scale, the success of the frst Best Exotic Marigold Hotel was weirdly akin to the success of the frst Avengers movie. Both relied on ensemble superhero-ics and charmingly fractious banter among movie stars. This year brings sequels to both flms. First up is The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, the one without the explosions.

Director John Madden’s easygoing

follow-up resembles a slightly scattered second season of a BBC sitcom. We’re back in the Jaipur, India, retirement hotel run by manic, ambitious Sonny Kapoor (Dev Patel), who plans to open a second establishment. The Maggie Smith character, a onetime Cockney rac-ist, has mellowed and become Sonny’s co-manager. The expat residents played by Bill Nighy and Judi Dench remain fast friends, and perhaps more. Already,

right there, add ’em up: Smith, Nighy and Dench, together again, lending many moons’ worth of relaxed authority to a wisp of a story. That’s more than enough for fans of the frst picture.

The rest of the gang returns as well, minus Tom Wilkinson (whose character died at the end of the frst one). Celia Imrie’s Madge, who tends bar at a local watering hole, is poised between two suitors. On the other hand, the way she eyes Richard Gere’s visiting novelist, who may be working undercover for the investor (David Strathairn) Sonny hopes to secure, the flm momentarily becomes more car-nal than anything in Fifty Shades of Grey.

This is 50 shades of another sort of gray, and there’s a tremendous box-offce appetite for it. Written by Ol Parker, Second Best offers little you couldn’t write yourself, but it does so with respectable level of craft. The appeal lies in the ensemble playing. I adore what Nighy can accomplish in

the minimalist double-take depart-ment, just as I admire the key scene late in the flm between Dench and Smith for its quiet simplicity. Too often in Madden’s flm the actors are stuck propping up the story of Sonny’s dithering crisis of confdence before his big wedding. But if you’ve seen the ads for the flm, you’ve seen the big wedding dance at the big wedding, so ... spoiler alert: The end is happy.

Imrie, a wonderful performer too little known in America, recently told the Daily Mail that The Second Best Exotic Mari-gold Hotel could never have been made in Hollywood, because in Hollywood “no-body has wrinkles.” The movie’s smooth to the point of blandness, but its faces really do tell a story. And having Gere’s silverly mane share the same flm with Strathairn’s is almost too much fabulous hair for one diversion.

The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (PG)  ★★★✩✩

SHORT REVIEWS By Tribune Media Services

LESS EXOTIC, NO LESS CHARMING

Confdent ensemble tries to overcome reservations

about this Marigold Hotel

By Michael Phillips Tribune Media Services

A&E

The Lazarus Effect (PG-13) ★★✩✩✩This is what happens when hip, smart actors

commit themselves to a horror movie. Mark

Duplass and Olivia Wilde ably play a scientist

couple whose work has led to a serum

that brings the dead back to life. And with

director David Gelb (Jiro Dreams of Sushi)

in charge, you can be sure this isn’t some

brain-munching zombie apocalypse. There’s

no point in overselling a conventional horror

picture that manages one good, cheap jolt

and a solid hour of dread. But Lazarus re-

minds us that a genre overwhelmed by junk

fare doesn’t need to be that way.

Focus (R) ★★✩✩✩Will Smith plays gentleman thief Nicky

Spurgeon, who runs a 30-person team of

pickpockets and scam artists. Margot Rob-

bie is the fatale-in-training Jess, looking for

a mentor in the con game. The best scene in

Focus, in which Smith engages in a series of

risky wagers with a high-roller (BD Wong)

at a football game, allows Smith to play

something other than Joe Cool. Robbie, an

Australian native, isn’t bad. Focus concludes

with a shot of two characters limping into

a hospital, and unfortunately that’s a meta-

phor for the movie itself.

Unfnished Business (R) ★★✩✩✩A comedy with its heart in the right place

and everything else bizarrely out of joint,

Unfinished Business finds director Ken

Scott following 2013’s Delivery Man with

another dubious attempt to sell audiences

on Vince Vaughn’s sensitive side. Playing

a down-on-his-luck family man who takes

an ill-advised business trip to Berlin with

two unfunny sidekicks (Tom Wilkinson and

Dave Franco), Vaughn is the least of the

movie’s worries. It’s hard to deliver a good

buddy comedy when two of the buddies in

question are narrative dead weights.

Chappie (PG-13) ✩✩✩✩✩Writer-director Neill Blomkamp’s latest sci-fi

outing is a misjudgment. Robotic law en-

forcement droids have improved crime stats,

but gang activity is on the run. The police

order up more robots from the weapons firm

run by Sigourney Weaver. The firm’s lead de-

signer (Dev Patel) cracks the code for a new

iteration of droid, one that is fully human in

its techno-makeup. Meantime, the designer’s

colleague/rival (Hugh Jackman) continues

to press for funding on a sinister droid. As

voiced by Blomkamp regular Sharlto Copley,

Chappie is a whining, dithering, bore.

MOVIES

The ensemble is back together for this fun sequel.

Kingsman: The Secret Service (R) ★★✩✩✩Silly, sadistic and finally a little galling,

Kingsman answers the question: What

would Colin Firth have been like if he’d

played James Bond? Firth portrays one of

the crack gentlemen-spies working for a

secret agency out to save the world from

a crackpot billionaire (Samuel L. Jackson).

As Firth’s beautifully tailored colleagues,

Michael Caine and Mark Strong offer un-

blinking gazes par excellence. In the leading

role, Taron Egerton is engaging as the

working-class miscreant “Eggsy.”

Fifty Shades of Grey (R) ★★✩✩✩Director Sam Taylor-Johnson remains

true to novelist E.L. James’ narrative about

Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson) and

Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan), up to and

including the abrupt cliffhanger ending

that doesn’t work in a stand-alone movie. I

expected either a camp hoot or a slavishly

faithful film. Instead, Fifty Shades turns out

to be roughly as pretty good as the first

Twilight—appropriate, since James wrote

Fifty Shades as sexed-up, loinzapoppin’

fan fiction paying tribute to the Twilight

best-sellers.

McFarland, USA (PG) ★★★✩✩Director Niki Caro has delivered a Kevin

Costner sports movie that works. Costner

plays Jim White, who in 1987 moves to

McFarland in central California. There, in a

largely Latino community, the aptly named

Whites are faced with finding their friends

and their place in this land of low-riders

and sun. Caro shot much of it on location

to strong advantage, for clues to character

and circumstance in a part of the nation too

rarely explored on screen. Also, if you’re

keeping score on Costner sports flicks:

McFarland is more rewarding than Draft Day.

The Last Five Years (PG-13) ★★★✩✩Director Richard LaGravenese’s film ver-

sion of the Jason Robert Brown stage show

deserves attention. Brown’s chronicle of

an ill-fated romance begins with struggling

musical-theater performer Cathy (Anna

Kendrick), still hurting from the end of her

five years with novelist Jamie (Jeremy

Jordan). Jamie’s scenes and songs proceed

in chronological order, from the start of the

affair; Cathy gives us the end and takes us

back through the middle, and on back to

the start. Brown’s musical has more than

structural cleverness in its corner.

The DUFF (PG-13) ★★✩✩✩The DUFF stands for “Designated Ugly Fat

Friend.” Kody Keplinger wrote the book when

she was 17. What happens in The DUFF could

be treated as a tragedy. Here, it’s handled as

a comedy of humiliation. Mae Whitman plays

Bianca, a high school senior and horror

movie geek full of life, and smarts, and zippy

comebacks. Because her best friends are

willowy, runway-ready creatures, our hero-

ine is treated as a dateless hag. The question

with every movie besieged by an army of

high school cliques is this: Does the movie

rise above clichés? This one does.

Hot Tub Time Machine 2 (R)  ★★✩✩✩John Cusack has been reduced to Z-grade

action comedies. And he still turned down

this half-baked sequel starring Craig Rob-

inson and Rob Corddry. In the first movie,

the guys travel back to a pivotal 1986 ski

weekend from their past in what appears

to be an electrical accident. But their trip

was no accident, Time Machine 2 tells us.

Whatever regrets Cusack may have for not

returning—he says he wasn’t even asked—

the proof is 93 minutes of a movie whose

closing credits have the most laughs.

M A R K E T P L A C E

M A R K E T P L A C E

M A R K E T P L A C E

M A R K E T P L A C E

ticketmaster.com // pearl box of ce // 702.944.3200 // palmspearl.com

palms.com ©2015 FP Holdings, L.P. dba Palms Casino Resort. All Rights Reserved.

THIS SUNDAY, MARCH 15!

SATURDAY

APRIL 11SATURDAY

JULY 18SATURDAY & SUNDAY

MARCH 21 & 22SATURDAY

APRIL 4SATURDAY

MARCH 28

ON SALEFRIDAY, MARCH 13 AT NOON

88

Ma

rch

12–

18, 2

015

| V

egas

Sev

en.c

om

SE

VE

N Q

UE

ST

IO

NS

PH

OT

O B

Y J

OH

NN

Y L

OU

IS/W

EN

N.C

OM

What is your stand on

illegal immigration?

There’s a need for a place where people can come and work. If you chase people by taking away things, we dam-age ourselves as a country. It’s easy to say illegal immi-gration is responsible for the economy and taxes. In Las Vegas, a lot of the people who clean those rooms are prob-ably undocumented. If that goes away, you’re not going

to pay 99 cents for a shrimp cocktail, you’re going to pay $12. You’re not going to get a room at Palace Station for $30 a night. Everything is go-ing to be $300 and up. The laws need to be changed. My grandfather was not a citi-zen—he was happy being a cit-izen of Mexico—but he had his green card and worked here for years and did things the right way. So there’s a place to meet in the middle.

Is it difficult to work immigration

into standup comedy for a broad

audience since it’s an incendiary

topic now?

You work it in by saying, “[Hispanics are] the largest-growing population in the United States, and everything you touch we touch frst. And we come to this country with love for this country, we’re not terrorists—we only terrorize family members, never strang-ers.”  Or when Donald Trump

says Mexico owes him money, well, “If you borrow money from a Latino, you don’t get it back all at the same time.” I do humor that’s socially relevant, but not to the point of grand-standing.

When your sitcom (George

Lopez, 2002-2007) was

canceled, you criticized ABC

for using racially motivated

reasons for its decision. Now

ABC airs Cristela, starring

Latina comedian Cristela Alonzo.

Has there been much change

for Latino representation on

television since 2007?

Things have gotten better in some places but not in others. When I said that—“television just got a bit whiter,” I think, was the quote—I sounded cra-zy that day. Now I don’t sound so crazy. I had everybody on my show—African-American people, Asian people, white people. When I do things, I like to keep them to how the country looks. Cristela does that, and that’s nice. But NCIS: Los Angeles, I don’t think any of the lead guys are Latinos. True Detective is coming to Los Angeles, and the people I’ve seen have not been Latinos. Better Call Saul is flming in New Mexico, and it looks like they’re shooting around us. The change has to come with the creators of the shows. When I was the creator, I made it look like things look.

Only a few comics—Bill Maher,

Tina Fey, Amy Poehler are

some—have joked about the

Bill Cosby sexual assault

allegations. Is that difficult

because he’s a member of the

comedians’ fraternity?

It wouldn’t be part of my com-edy anyway because I am in fa-vor of women, I love them and they should all be safe. I know Bill Cosby, but not only as a friend of Bill Cosby but as this is something legal that’s still going on, I don’t think there’s a place for me. Bill Maher I get because he’s Bill Maher. John Oliver as well. They’re the sati-rists of our day. But Eddie Mur-phy didn’t [impersonate Cosby] on Saturday Night Live [40th anniversary special]. It’s to our own judgment, and mine would be that I would not.

Has your approach to comedy

changed over the years?

When I started to do Arsenio in ’89, I was still very green. The ’90s were interesting. I got a

bit of a following, then it went away. Then there were four years that were really tough, like ’95-’99, being in the clubs all the time, not having a direc-tion yet. You always look at oth-er people and go, well, why are they doing that and how come I’m not doing it? The minute I stopped worrying about any-one else and why they had a show and I didn’t, everything turned around for me.

You’ve had a few public feuds

with other celebrities. Any

regrets about those?

I wouldn’t want to be a person who had something done to them and didn’t speak up. I don’t think anybody should be like that. The Eric Estrada thing continues because he continues to say he wants to fght me. [Backstory: A teenage Lopez met Estrada at the height of his CHiPs fame, and Estrada, Lopez said, refused to shake his hand]. All I wanted was an apology. All he wants is to an-tagonize me. Well, [Estrada] has 16,000 Twitter followers. I have access to 15 million people. It’s really not a fair fght. To bring it into the light only helps him, so I leave it in the dark. But I

went to Ralphs supermarket [in Los Angeles]. A guy who works there said, “I saw your buddy [Estrada] in here yesterday.” He’s laughing and says, “He

was in here looking at the day-old bread.” And I thought, “I’m winning right now.”

And Jay Leno, when I had my [kidney] transplant I got calls from a lot of people. And he was the only one who called me and wanted some-thing for himself. He wanted The Tonight Show to be the frst show I went on. Everybody else asked how I was doing, That didn’t sit right with me.

How did experiencing such a

severe illness change you?

When I had surgery in 2005, [I was] healthy for the frst time. My thought changed from instead of just wanting to get better and go on with my life, to it being a disservice to people who live sick every day to not go out and try to help them, so we started a foundation. I’ve raised a few million for kids with kidney issues and military people. It gave me a healthy life, but it also gave me a purpose to help other people and expect noth-ing back for myself.

George LopezThe comedian on the immigration debate, ethnic diversity on

television and Erik Estrada’s day-old bread

By Steve Bornfeld

GEORGE LOPEZ

10 p.m. March 13-14,

The Mirage, $60-$80,

702-792-7777,

Mirage.com.

M A R T I N G A R R I XS A T U R D A Y M A R C H 1 4

C A L V I N H A R R I ST H U R S D A Y M A R C H 1 2

F R I D A Y M A R C H 1 3

T I C K E T S & V I P R E S E R V A T I O N S | O M N I A N I G H T C L U B . C O M | 7 0 2 . 7 8 5 . 6 2 0 0

T U E S D A Y & T H U R S D A Y – S U N D A Y | 1 0 P M

N O W O P E N