10 best things to do in Las Vegas this weekend — March 9-11
Grab a bite
Bavette’s Steakhouse & Bar doesn’t fit the stereotypical Las Vegas image of glitz and glamour. The menu is pure steakhouse, but with a lot of updates. A 6-ounce petite filet ($41) is deeply flavored in a cool rare with a substantial char on the surface. The well-executed bearnaise sauce served with it would be an extra charge at most steakhouses — one of the few bargains among Bavette’s Strip prices. Read the full review of Bavette’s.
Get a drink
What makes the Electric Butterfly from downtown’s new Eureka electric isn’t the shocking purple color, which comes courtesy of butterfly pea tea. It’s actually housed in the “buzz button,” an edible Szechuan flower that mixologists use to shock your taste buds, literally changing the way you experience flavors. See how to make the Electric Butterfly yourself.
Rock out
Don’t look back in anger, Oasis fans: Those beloved Brit rockers are no more. But at least we have Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, who, in addition to kicking out their own feisty jams, tend to play around a half dozen Oasis tunes. “Go Let It Out” at 8 p.m. Friday at The Chelsea at Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. Tickets start at $32; call 702-698-7000.
See a show
If you’ve ever heard someone advocate “let the punishment fit the crime,” you’ve heard Gilbert and Sullivan. The troupe makes its Las Vegas debut Friday at UNLV’s Artemus Ham Hall with “The Pirates of Penzance.” With 23 singing (and dancing) cast members plus a 17-piece orchestra, this “Pirates” takes the Ham Hall stage under full sail. See more about “The Pirates of Penzance.”
Old Vegas
Revisit the glory of Old Vegas at five classic restaurants.
Pamplemousse is a former hot spot for Strip entertainers that offers the classic French cuisine and formal service that was once de rigueur in gourmet dining circles. It’s a culinary and cultural time capsule housed in a displaced French chateau. See more Old Vegas dining spots.
Neon Reverb
Time to take to the streets of downtown for the 13th incarnation of this multivenue hopscotch of awesomeness, which also doubles as the city’s best pub crawl. The Neon Reverb roster shines again with weirdo rippers No Age, lost-spaghetti-Western-soundtrackers Spindrift and scads more. Catch Neon Reverb Friday-Sunday in downtown Las Vegas. Find out more about Las Vegas music festivals.
Wax museum
Of all the adjectives to describe Steve Aoki, stationary would be near the bottom. The electronic-dance-music superstar is a study in kinetic energy — bobbing, bouncing and gyrating to his ultra-sensory EDM productions. But now, Aoki is the latest celebrity to be replicated in wax at Madame Tussauds at The Venetian. See more about Steve Aoki’s introduction to Madame Tussauds in Las Vegas.
Mint 400
Known as “The Great American Desert Race,” the iconic Mint 400 returns to Las Vegas, through Sunday, for its 50th anniversary. Racing will begin early Saturday morning with the limited-class racing, followed by the unlimited-class racing just after noon. See the history of the race in photos.
Stay in
Debuting in November 2015, “Jessica Jones” beat “Wonder Woman” to the feminist superhero punch by more than 18 months. Season 2 fully embraces the #MeToo era with revelations involving the childhood acting career of Jessica’s adoptive sister, Trish Walker (Rachael Taylor), as she becomes more involved in seeking justice for others. See the new season of “Jessica Jones” on Netflix. Read more about “Jessica Jones.”
Rocky Horror
It’s time to do the time warp, again. The live production of the cult classic film “Rocky Horror Picture Show” returns to the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay on Sunday. Showtime is 8 p.m. and tickets are $15; call 702-632-7600.
