Top 10 things to do in Las Vegas this week
MOVIES
‘Elvis’
Genre-bending director Baz Luhrmann (“Moulin Rouge,” “The Great Gatsby”) looks at the changing landscape of America through the eyes of Elvis Presley (Austin Butler) and his controversial manager, longtime Las Vegan Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks), in the flashy biopic “Elvis.” It’s only in theaters.
Christopher Lawrence
MUSIC
Primus
It’s “Xanadu” for prog rock heads: Rush’s 1977 opus “A Farewell to Kings” remains a standard bearer of a genre predicated upon absurdly high levels of musicianship and the occasional tune about Hobbits. On their current “A Tribute to Kings” tour, alt-rock square pegs Primus are playing the album in its entirety, in addition to a sampling of their own left-field repertoire. Time to crack open “Cygnus X-1: Book I,” dudes. See Primus at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. Tickets start at $29; axs.com.
Jason Bracelin
COMEDY
Steven Wright
There’s a deadpan comedy delivery, and then there’s Steven Wright’s (rigor mortis-pan, maybe?). With a wit as dry as the driest thing you can think of — let’s go with a desert inside a giant hairdryer — Wright’s inimitable onstage mumble remains as singular as his heady, irony-mining comedy itself. See him at 8 p.m. Saturday at The Orleans. Tickets start at $39; ticketmaster.com.
Jason Bracelin
MIXED MARTIAL ARTS
UFC Hall of Fame ceremony
Watch as fan favorites including Daniel Cormier and Khabib Nurmagomedov are honored for their achievements in the octagon at the 2022 UFC Hall of Fame induction ceremony, joining mixed martial arts icons such as Randy Couture, Chuck Liddell and Ronda Rousey. The ceremony begins at 7 p.m. Thursday at T-Mobile Arena. General admission tickets start at $25; axs.com.
Maria Staubs
FOR A GOOD CAUSE
Wine Walk
Spend Saturday night embracing the life of a wine connoisseur, sipping, strolling and socializing among over 18 tasting stations featuring an eclectic mix of wine. Downtown Summerlin’s Wine Walk takes place from 7 to 10 p.m., and all proceeds benefit local nonprofit New Vista Charities, which supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Tickets are $40 in advance and $50 the day of; eventbrite.com.
Maria Staubs
SUMMER DISHES
Seafood to steak tartare
Stop by Beauty & Essex in The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas to try six new summer dishes from chef Chris Santos on the restaurant’s globally influenced menu. The dishes range from yellowtail aguachile, Peruvian salmon ceviche and brown butter scallops to sesame-crusted salmon, spicy cavatelli and steak tartare, with prices from $23 to 45. Details: cosmopolitanlasvegas.com/restaurants/beauty-essex.
Johnathan L. Wright
LITERATURE
Poet laureate event
Enjoy an evening of poetry as Angela M. Brommel is introduced as Clark County’s new poet laureate Thursday at the Winchester Dondero Cultural Center. Brommel, whose debut full-length poetry collection, “Mojave in July,” was published in 2019, will serve a two-year term. The event runs from 6 to 7:30 p.m., and featured poets will include Elizabeth Quiñones-Zaldana, Erica Vital-Lazare and Rodney Lee.
Maria Staubs
SPORTS
Ferrari Las Vegas Polo Classic
The closest most of us will ever get to polo is that Ralph Lauren logo, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Spend some time with the ponies and settle in for a few chukkers this weekend during the Ferrari Las Vegas Polo Classic. There’s a match and brunch at 11 a.m. Saturday, followed by the more formal Denim and Diamonds match and dinner at 6 p.m., at the South Point Arena. Tickets start at $150 at poloamerica.com/ferrari-las-vegas-polo-classic.
Christopher Lawrence
MUSIC
‘Gimme Gimme Disco’
Unleash your inner “Dancing Queen” at this party inspired by the music of celebrated Swedish popsters ABBA. And can you imagine bowling to “Bang-A-Boomerang”? Every roll would most assuredly be a strike. Yes, you can do both here when the fun starts at 9 p.m. Saturday at Brooklyn Bowl at The Linq. Tickets start at $17; ticketweb.com.
Jason Bracelin
WINE & MUSIC
Flight School and after-party
You are cleared to land at funky StarBase on Friday for an immersive Flight School tasting session with sommelier Matthew-Loren Lindsey; the focus is on summer vintages. Tickets include four styles, cheese pairings, and a lapel pin-custom flight board keepsake. A free after-party with France’s Gold Lemonade concludes the voyage. Flights at 8 and 9 p.m.; $40; more info at starbaselv.com.
Greg Thilmont