Kats’ Cool Hangs
Looking for the coolest hangs in Las Vegas? They’re not always where you think. John Katsilometes has you covered with the hippest spots in town, on and off the beaten path. See below for Kats’ newest and most righteous suggestions:
Check out “Mavericks’ at Plaza Showroom
Column fave Amy Saunders is offering free tickets to her manic variety show “Mavericks” at Plaza Showroom from Thursday through Saturday. These ducats are dealt to Strip employees experiencing a loss of hours due to F1 shutting down business. Just present a current or recent pay stub, employee ID or badge at the box office outside the showroom. Go to mavericksdtlv.com for additional intel.
Nerd Halen set to perform
On the Van Halen vibe, parody tribute band Nerd Halen is playing 8 p.m.-11 p.m. Friday and 10 p.m.-1 a.m. Saturday at The Shag Room and Virgin Hotel. Mirth-some, yet musically sound, the outfit rocks Van Halen classics while donning nerd attire. Comic-musician Hal Sparks is the front man. No cover. And the cradle will rock …
Mondays at the International Bar
International Bar at Westgate is rife — rife, I tell you! — with consistently high-caliber, no-cover entertainment. Monday it’s the fantastic rock vocalist Kelly Christian, followed by two-man tandem Jamit on Tuesday, Sidney Patrick on Wednesday and cover outfit High Rocktane on Thursday. The place is usually teeming with groovers, just off the main casino entrance. Walk in, make a right, and you can’t go wrong. Hit westgateresorts.com for intel.
“Mavericks” at Plaza Showroom
“Mavericks” at Plaza Showroom has added ticket sales into March. The show is also putting up a 9:30 p.m. show on New Year’s Eve with no holiday season price increases. The variety show hosted by Miss Behave creator Amy Saunders is a very cool throwback variety production. “Flirty, filthy and fabulous,” as Saunders says. “The outpouring of love for Mavericks has been spectacular, which is why we want to make New Year’s Eve a wild night, not a pricey one,” Sauders reiterates. “We can’t wait to keep the fun and chaos rolling into 2025.” Tickets are $35 for locals, $49 for not-locals (no fees, to please), with an affordable bar menu and no-price parking. I usually walk there. Either way, make it happen.
‘Lounge Sessions’ at Virgin Hotel
“Lounge Sessions” at One Steakhouse at Virgin Hotel continue with Yasmeen Babico on Thursday, Megan Wallace on Friday, and Serena Isabelli on Saturday. Enter through entrance (where else?) and the artists and piano are on the right. Performances are no-cover, from 5:30-9:30 p.m. on select Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. If you have three hours to kill, ask the Dean of Las Vegas Bartenders, Johnny O’Donnell, about his golf game.
Trio of musicians blow into Breeze Bar
Keyboardist Dan Ellis, guitarist Steven Lee and bassist John Belzaguy have a new gig at Treasure Island’s Breeze Bar from 5 to 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Excellent music, no cover and free parking. This is a steal, a steal I tell you! Go go treasureisland.com (then dig for the treasure trove of intel).
Skye Dee Miles at The Venetian
From 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Sundays, “Skye Dee Miles Presents Peacock Jazz” is featured at Juliet Cocktail Room at The Venetian. Miles always delivers, vocally and stylistically. No cover. Pretty scene.
Mencia to perform at Composers Room
Carlos Mencia’s “The Mic of Mencia” karaoke show runs 9 p.m. until “late” Sundays at The Composers Room at Historic Commercial Center. Singing, comedy, beverages, no cover, free parking. Set it to music.
Check out Midnight Bleau at Fontainebleau
Nowhere at Fontainebleau is a sweet, swanky hang. Jennifer Keith is back Saturday, with Midnight Bleau on Sunday-Monday and Mikalah Gordon from Tuesday through Thursday. Hours are 8 p.m.- 12 a.m. Sundays through Thursdays, and 9 p.m. – 1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. No cover, but reservations encouraged; go to fontainebleaulasvegas.com … And know that you can “join in an impromptu game of billiards,” say those who run the joint.
Chase Brown at Notoriety Live
Chase Brown continues to kick it up at Notoriety Live at 7 p.m. Fridays. Brown has a fervent — fervent, I tell you! — following, singing country hits in his leather vest and matching jacket. He brings the multi-mirrored “Disco Ladder,” and does his best to commiserate with the his tip-wielding fans. Go to notorietylive.com for intel.
Laughs and more at South Point
A double-dip from South Point. The rollicking ’80s tribute band (and really, a whole experience) The Spazmatics play the showroom at 10:30 p.m. Saturdays. Get in the depeche mood for Depeche Mode, as we say. The “Dirty at 12:30” comedy showcase plays Fridays, doors at midnight. It’s $10 to Spaz out; no cover for the funny. Go to southpointcasino.com for intel.
Hear Saxman Duo at Harrah’s
Keeping in the Caesars family with The Saxman Duo at Harrah’s Piano Bar from 3 to 6 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Soothing sounds. No cover.
Here come the ladies at Rouge Room
Staying on the Red Rock scene, Rouge Room is offering a Ladies’ Night from 7 p.m.-close beginning July 5. DJ Maria Romano hosts the opener. Rouge Star Karaoke runs 7-10 p.m. Thursdays, starting July 25. This is Karaoke ZX, backed by houses band The Busker Kings, featuring Ben Carey, the former bassist for Lifehouse; and Gigi Gonaway, former tour drummer for Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. Go to RedRockResort.com for intel.
Check out ‘Piano Show’ at M Resort
The “Chris & James Piano Show” plays 7 p.m.-10 p.m. Thursdays at Amp’d at M Resort. Chris Mavridis and James Hill co-star. No cover, 21-over, requests and gratuities welcome.
Mermaid music at Silverton
Live music in Mermaid Lounge at Silverton is on from 8 p.m.-11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. The series is dubbed “Mermaid Lounge Live!” with acoustic tunes from an array of Vegas artists. No cover, must by 21-over. It’s a fine time, and a fin time, go to Silvertoncasino.com for intel.
Share some laughs at Wiseguys
Organically inspired comedy is on display from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Tuesdays with “Bucket List” open-mic at Wiseguys at 1511 Main Street. Find the building with Pauly Shore, Don Rickles, Richard Pryor and Joan Rivers painted on the exterior. Cost is $5 (a mere pittance); go to wiseguyscomedy.com for intel.
Dancin’ at Grandview
Deja Vu Dance & Show Band (haven’t I seen this act before?) plays South Point’s Grandview Lounge at 6 p.m. Wednesdays. Tickets are $10 — a mere pittance — available at Ticketmaster.com.
Craig Canter at Grape Street Wine Bar Cafe
Veteran showman Craig Canter is up 5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Thursdays at the Grape Street Wine Bar Cafe in Downtown Summerlin. The set list is ’60s and ’70s, food gets good reviews. You might see the odd celeb, too. No cover.
Piano show hits the notes at M Resort
The Chris & James Piano Show plays 7 p.m.-10 p.m. Thursdays at Amp’d at M Resort. These guys have proven a popular draw in a crowded dueling-pianos field. Chris Mavridis and James Hill are the stars, and Amp’d is a very cool lounge-showroom hang. No cover, 21-over, requests and gratuities welcome.
Wes Winters at Grandview Lounge
On the topic of classic entertainment, piano great Wes Winters plays at 6 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays at Grandview Lounge at the South Point. No cover. Stage at the front, bar in the back, 21-and-over.
Perrico band playing Shag Room
David Perrico’s “Pop 40” band plays the Shag Room at Virgin Hotel from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Saturdays. The vocally dexterous Lily Arce on the mic. The place thumps. No cover, but gotta be 21-over.
Goin ‘Late’ at S Bar
The “Late Affair” dining and entertainment at scene at S Bar at Mandalay Bay runs 9 p.m. Saturdays. This is a mix of fine noshes, cocktails (including zero-proof libations and FizzyWater) and entertainment in a swanky lounge hang. We need to make a return to this hovel ASAP (S Bar was once Red Square, the place personally famous as my first triple-digit bar tab ever in Las Vegas). Go to mandalaybay.mgmresorts.com for the intel.
Twins ongoing at Piano Bar
The Twins dueling piano show at the Piano Bar at Harrah’s runs 9 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays. Kimberly and Tamara Pinegar’s festival of sing-alongs packs the place. Slip them a request, and also a tip. No cover.
Pete Vallee at Harrah’s Piano Bar
The Pete Vallee juggernaut continues at Harrah’s Piano Bar. Valle’s Big Elvis show plays 2 p.m., 3:30 and 5 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Vallee has been singing as The King for some 25 years. No cover. Maybe you’ll be called up as “Little Elvis.” I know I have.
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John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.