Normally temperatures never reach 100 degrees until the month of June...but this year has been a bit...well, let's just say unique. We had some record high temperatures in May followed by a winter-type storm...a little rollercoaster-ish. I have no idea what to expect for June...typically, it will be hot, and it is true, it is a dry heat; and yes, that does make it more tolerable. While many parts of the country have humidity levels in the 70, 80, and 90 percent range; Las Vegas usually has a percentage around 7. This is good and bad---it is standing in a convection oven, rather than a sauna. Without lotion, the dry air will suck out any moisture that you may have in your body, and you will burn faster here than a day at the beach. Summer in Vegas is hot...pools and parties are the main tour de force for the season, and the entertainment usually brings a lot of wonderful surprises throughout the few months ahead. It will be interesting to see if more people stay home rather than pay the $4.00 a gallon for the gas to get here. Will it have an impact on our economy, which depends on tourists? Schools are out all over the country. College-aged persons will come to Vegas and try to emulate the commercials and the mystique of this town---usually without the success and panache for which they would hope. Sometimes these folks think that normal rules of society don't apply to this town...trust me though; drunk and disorderly and drunk driving will still get you thrown in jail. Families will come in, have a good time, but will complain that there "seems" to be less and less that the entire family can do on the Strip. (Actually, there are a lot of things that the family can do, but most tourists don't venture away from the casinos to find them.)

Las Vegas is my home. It is known as a party town, as Sin City, as the Mecca of gambling, as the Entertainment Capital of the World, as the oasis in the desert...but as a whole, it is a town like any other. The rest of it is good PR that gets you to come here and spend tourist dollars. People don't seem to understand that. I have been asked in which hotel I live (as if houses were not a part of the overall landscape of the city.) I am often questioned how I could possibly raise a daughter here. I have been asked if drinking and gambling are a part of my daily life.

The corridor of gambling is centered on the Strip, and the Strip (while formidable) is only a small part of a much bigger city. Like most people, I live in a house in a real neighborhood, and this is a great place to be raising my daughter because she has more opportunities to see art, artist, theatre, and entertainment here, than almost anywhere else on the planet; she is surrounded by interesting people and interesting things, and no, I'm not a gambler.

But I digress...
Entertainment abounds in Las Vegas, and June is a busy month...

Tom Dane has just opened his headline show at the Steve Wyrick Theatre. Tom performs there on Friday nights. He is a musical virtuoso...not only does he sing, but he plays just about every instrument there is.

Toni Braxton's show at the Flamingo has ended...initially, she had cancelled a couple of shows for health reasons, but a couple of shows turned into a couple of weeks, and now...she has just cancelled the rest of the run. Tickets are refundable, but I'm sorry that there was no send off.

CineVegas will be holding its annual film festival at the Palms again this year from the 12th to the 21th. This even has grown every year, and draws some of the top names in the entertainment industry to Vegas. It has become one of the major "Hollywood" events here in Las Vegas.

The Greatest show on Earth is once again in town, the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus will be at the Orleans Hotel from the 19th to the 22nd. It is a great event for everyone.
 

Tickets are now on sale for preview and regular performances of CRISS ANGEL BelieveTM, the new Cirque du Soleil production set to open at Luxor Las Vegas. CRISS ANGEL Believe starring Criss Angel will open for preview performances September 1 and hold its Gala Premiere September 12, 2008. Criss Angel is recognized as one of the most provocative artists in the world today. "With CRISS ANGEL Believe, we are aiming to bring magic into a new realm. Currently in this creation process we feel as playful and excited as children in a gigantic toy store," explained Serge Denoncourt, Director and Co-Writer of CRISS ANGEL Believe. The stunning illusions in CRISS ANGEL Believe will not be presented as standalone elements, but as interdependent components using heightened imagery, fantastical creatures and impossible feats of legerdemain, all of which will be integrated into the dazzling, colorful fabric of the story.

Cirque du Soleil has also announced tickets for LOVE Tapis Rouge™, an exclusive virtual behind-the-scenes psychedelic experience. Tapis Rouge patrons will be introduced to the world of The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil, while immersed in the ultimate VIP sensory experience at The Beatles REVOLUTION Lounge. Tapis Rouge™ will begin each night 90 minutes before the 7 pm and 10 pm performances, Thursday through Monday inside The Beatles REVOLUTION Lounge, which is located just steps away from the LOVE Theatre. French for "red carpet," the "Tapis Rouge" concept was originally developed in 1999 for Cirque du Soleil's touring production, Dralion, was officially named Tapis Rouge™ in 2002 for Varekai, and remains the name coined for the VIP package of Cirque du Soleil's Touring Shows Division as a whole. The Tapis Rouge™ package for LOVE is the first permanent show with such an experience, and will introduce fans to a uniquely designed contemporary behind-the-scenes look at LOVE, available only in Las Vegas.

Madame Meg's Find Your Sexy in Las Vegas and Take it Home with You will premiere at Ivan Kane's Forty Deuce at Mandalay Bay on Friday June 13. The show features Madame Meg's positive and inspirational comedy and playful burlesque routine. Kellie Karl, the beautiful and talented hypnotist, who plays Tony Soprano's sexy psychiatrist in the Soprano's Last Supper, will perform her entertaining act. Emily Lauren will delight the audience with her hysterically funny burlesque showgirl routine, and Steve Dacri will dazzle and amaze the attendees with his mystifying close-up magical feats.

On May 11th, Fan Yang's GAZILLION BUBBLE SHOW ended its run at the Steve Wyrick Theatre in Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, which began on February 2, 2008. The New York production of the GAZILLION BUBBLE SHOW it will continue to entertain families throughout the summer and holiday season at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street). This production has been an Off-Broadway hit for well over a year and 700 performances. The show currently stars Ana Yang (Fan's wife). Gazillion Bubble Show is also announcing its world tour, which will begin in Shanghai later this summer, and travel to Morocco, Tokyo, India and Moscow.

Terry Fator, winner of NBC's "America's Got Talent," and The Mirage announced Fator signed a five-year deal, with an option for an additional five years, to perform at the resort. The Mirage, which has been home to the city's most celebrated entertainment over the years, including world-famous illusionists Siegfried & Roy, The Beatles™ LOVE™ by Cirque du Soleil® and Danny Gans, will launch a new era with the introduction of Terry Fator. Fator will perform five shows a week in the 1,265-seat Terry Fator Theatre (currently the Danny Gans Theatre) beginning in February 2009. The comic impersonator, along with his cast of seven puppets, combines the art of ventriloquism with celebrity impressions. Fator and his puppets, Cowboy Walter, Emma Taylor and Winston the Impersonating Turtle, effortlessly perform the singing styles of an eclectic group of stars including Elvis, Maroon Five, Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole, James Blunt and Marvin Gaye.

The Burlesque Hall of Fame's annual All-Star Burlesque Weekend will take place Thursday, June 5---Sunday, June 8 at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. A four-day celebration of the once-lost art's thriving "renaissance," Burlesque Weekend attracts top-flight entertainers, of both the exotic and mainstream variety. Far from your average "strip show," Burlesque Weekend is where the old school meets new: where wide-eyed enthusiasts and aspiring starlets can bump and grind alongside the few surviving superstars who made their names back in burlesque's heyday, over 50 years ago

As far as headliners and concerts this month...

The first week of the month...

Third Thursday ArtsWalk
Outdoors Southeast & Henderson - Dec 18, 2008
Every Third Thursday on Water Street in Henderson
Las Vegas 51s AAA Baseball
Cashman Center - Sep 1, 2008
Steve Dacri: Impossible Magic
SIX TABLES RESTAURANT | May 17, 2008 - Nov 30, 2008 | $300 plus tax
David Copperfield
MGM Grand Hotel - Jun 11, 2008
Steven Wright
Orleans Hotel May 30 - Jun 1
Tony Rock
South Point Casino May 30, 2008 - Jun 1
Tony Rock is a young New York comedian
Best In Show w/ John O'Hurley
Orleans Hotel Jun 1
The Animal Foundation's Sixth Annual "Best in Show"
Augie T
Cannery Casino Jun 3
Elton John - The Red Piano
Caesars Palace Jun 3 - Jun 22
Elton John's "The Red Piano" replaces the showy costumes and lavish sets with incredible video
Disney's High School Musical
Planet Hollywood Jun 4 - Jun 8
Disney's HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL is a contemporary musical comedy
Nonpoint w/ The Exies, Deepfield & Under the Flood
Mandalay Bay Jun 4
George Carlin
Orleans Hotel Jun 5 - Jun 8
Local H
Four Queens Jun 5
National Barrel Horse Association
South Point Casino Jun 5 - Jun 8
Bill Acosta with the Goldiggers
South Point Jun 6, 2008 - Jun 8
Creeping Death
Santa Fe Station Jun 6
Earth Wind & Fire
Las Vegas Hilton Jun 6 - Jun 7
Kenny Chesney w/ special guest LeAnn Rimes
MGM Grand Jun 6
Lit w/ special guest Alien Ant Farm
Hard Rock Hotel Jun 6
Lon Bronson Band
Boulder Station Jun 6 Free
Making the Band
Palms Casino Jun 6
P. Diddy and MTV presents "Making the Band 4 - The Tour."
Ray Romano & Kevin James
Mirage Jun 6 - Jun 7
The Lovin' Spoonful
Suncoast Hotel Jun 6 - Jun 8
Vegas Cruise
Fremont Street Experience Jun 6 - Jun 8
The 8th Annual Vegas Cruise will roll into downtown at the Fremont Street Experience
Dance Zone Dance Recital
Cashman Center Jun 7
Dethklok w/ Chimaira & Soilent Green
Mandalay Bay Jun 7
Jazz in the Park featuring Dee Dee Bridgewater
Clark County Amphitheater Jun 7 Free
L.A. Guns
Sunset Station Jun 7
Paul Rodgers with Bad Company
Cannery Casino Jun 7
Sex Pistols
Hard Rock Hotel Jun 7
The Rippingtons
Santa Fe Station Jun 7
Peter Murphy
Mandalay Bay Jun 8
Terry Fator
Las Vegas Hilton Jun 8 - Jun 10

The second week will have:

CineVegas Film Festival
Palms Casino Jun 12 - Jun 21
The CineVegas Film Festival will celebrate its 10th anniversary this year at the Palms Casino
George Carlin
Orleans Hotel Jun 12 - Jun 15
Rodney Carrington
MGM Grand Jun 12 - Jun 18
Stone Temple Pilots
Palms Casino Jun 12
An Evening with Erykah Badu
Mandalay Bay Jun 13
Day in the Life
Suncoast Hotel Jun 13 - Jun 15
John Lennon Anthology Concert
Everclear, Soul Asylum & Cracker
Sunset Station Jun 13
Johnny Mathis
Las Vegas Hilton Jun 13 - Jun 14
Kem
Boulder Station Jun 13
Marc Cohn
Green Valley Ranch Jun 13
Michael Grimm & Jeneane Marie
Cannery Casino Jun 13 Free
Panic at the Disco w/ the Motion City Soundtrack
Palms Casino Jun 13
Pyromania
Santa Fe Station Jun 13
Ron Stubbs - The Outrageous Rock & Roll Hypnotist
South Point Jun 13 - Jun 15
The Commodores
Texas Station Jun 13
U.S. Wrestling Olympic Team Trials
Thomas & Mack Center Jun 13 - Jun 15
Fans can witness history as the greatest wrestlers in the United States battle for gold and glory
Unwritten Law
Hard Rock Hotel Jun 13
Baby Time Expo
Cashman Center Jun 14 - Jun 15
Charlie Musselwhite, Walter Trout, Michael Grimm
Cannery Casino Jun 14
Blues, Brews & Barbeque
Golden Rainbow - Ribbon of Life
Paris Las Vegas Jun 14 - Jun 15
Don't miss this spectacular production that features a cast of 300 performers from all the shows
Grand Funk Railroad
Green Valley Ranch Jun 14
Las Vegas Philharmonic: Video Games Live
Henderson Pavilion Jun 14
Patty Smyth & Scandal
Boulder Station Jun 14
Ted Nugent
Mandalay Bay Jun 14

The third week will have:

David Copperfield
MGM Grand Jun 19 - Jul 16
Ringling Brothers & Barnum & Bailey Circus
Orleans Hotel Jun 19 - Jun 22
Annual Green Living Expo
Cashman Center Jun 20 - Jun 21
Camila
Hard Rock Jun 20
Chuck Mangione
South Point Casino Jun 20 - Jun 22
Crosby, Stills & Nash
Red Rock Casino Jun 20
Lorna Luft - Songs My Mother Taught Me
Suncoast Hotel Jun 20 - Jun 22
Mel Tillis
Santa Fe Station Jun 20
Michael Bolton
Orleans Hotel Jun 20 - Jun 21
Pepper
Hard Rock Jun 20
Ray Romano & Kevin James
Mirage Jun 20 - Jun 21
Anita Baker
Buffalo Bill's Resort Jun 21
George Michael
MGM Grand Jun 21
Gnarls Barkley and Thievery Corporation
Mandalay Bay Jun 21
Jazz in the Park featuring Nick Colionne
Clark County Amphitheater Jun 21 Free
Marion Meadows
Santa Fe Station Jun 21
Rattle & Hum - U2 Tribute
Boulder Station Jun 21
Sarah Silverman
Hard Rock Hotel Jun 21
The Spinners
Cannery Casino Jun 21
The Ultimate Fighting 7 Finale
Palms Casino Jun 21
Tim McGraw w/ special guest Jason Aldean & Halfway to Hazard
Mandalay Bay Jun 21
Art of Dance Recital
Cashman Center Jun 22

And the last week of the month will include...

As I Lay Dying w/Norma Jean, Devil Wears Prada & August Burns Red
Hard Rock Jun 23
Ani DiFranco
Hard Rock Jun 24
Bette Midler
Caesars Palace Jun 24 - Jul 20
The Divine Miss 'M'
Snoop Dogg
Buffalo Bill's Resort Jun 25
Gold Rush Peruvian Horse Classic
South Point Casino Jun 26 - Jun 29 Free
Equestrian Event
Mark Knopfler
Hard Rock Jun 26
Mark Knopfler, acclaimed for his work with Dire Straits
A Tribute to the Diamonds
Suncoast Hotel Jun 27 - Jun 29
Bill Medley with Paul Revere & the Raiders
South Point Casino Jun 27 - Jun 29
Black Diamond - Kiss Tribute Band
Boulder Station Jun 27
Clint Black
Orleans Hotel Jun 27 - Jun 29
Gym Class Heroes
Hard Rock Jun 27
Mike Ness w/ the Horton Brothers
Mandalay Bay Jun 27
Peabo Bryson
Boulder Station Jun 27
Peace Frog - Tribute to the Doors
Cannery Casino Jun 27
Sammy Kershaw
Santa Fe Station Jun 27
Smash Mouth
Hard Rock Jun 27
Boston & Styx
Thomas & Mack Center Jun 28
Five Finger Death Punch w/ Kid Deposit Triumph and Kreep
Mandalay Bay Jun 28
Herman's Hermits, starring Peter Noone
Cannery Casino Jun 28
Oak Ridge Boys
Texas Station Jun 28
Ottmar Liebert
Boulder Station Jun 28
Alliance of Black Culinarians Gourmet Grazer
Cashman Center Jun 29