COMEDIAN CARLOS MENCIA TO PERFORM AT THE PEARL MAY 24

Latino superstar comedian Carlos Mencia will bring his rare gift of insightful observation to subjects including ethnic stereotypes, racism, politics, religion and society in a blunt and politically incorrect manner to the Pearl at the Palms on Saturday, May 24 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $58 and $78, call 702-474-4000.

This past year was a huge success for Mencia, who experienced sold-out performances throughout the United States and renewed his hit show Mind of Mencia.  The show, which is ranked one of Comedy Central’s three top-rated original shows in prime time, has been extended for a fourth season.  Mind of Mencia - Uncensored Season 3 is now available on DVD nationwide.

KANYE WEST KICKS OFF SUMMER CONCERT SERIES AT RED ROCK RESORT

Grammy award-winning artist Kanye West is set to perform his Glow in the Dark Tour at the northwest valley Red Rock Resort as it launches its second summer outdoor concert series on Friday, April 25, at 7:30 p.m. Opening the show for West will be rapper Lupe Fiasco as well as funk/rock group N.E.R.D.  Tickets are $70, call 702-547-5300. 

While the concert was always scheduled for the Red Rock, the production needs grew following West’s four Grammy wins at the 2008 awards ceremony.  Station Casinos is accommodating the production requirements with a new temporary venue located outdoors.  

The 2008 summer concert series will feature a diverse lineup, starting with West.

Country music singer-songwriter Dierks Bentley, who has been on the mainstream scene for only five years, has charted five No. 1 hit singles.  He is slated to release his greatest hits album just days after his Red Rock concert on Friday, May 2.

On Friday, June 20, the legendary folk rock trio Crosby, Stills and Nash whose hit songs include Our House, Ohio and Suite: Judy Blue Eyes will headline.

On Friday, July 11, celebrated British classic rock singer and guitarist Peter Frampton          

will return to the Red Rock Resort.  Frampton is well-known for the hit songs Baby I Love Your Way and Show Me the Way, in addition to Do You Feel Like We Do that featured his famed talk-box guitar effect.

The pop-reggae rockers UB40 will take the stage on Saturday, Aug. 9.  The British band hit it big in the United States with songs such as Red, Red Wine and a reggae cover of the famous Elvis song Can’t Help Falling in Love.

DOS CAMINOS OPENS IN THE NEW PALAZZO RESORT

Located in the new Palazzo Resort on the Strip, Dos Camino Las Vegas is the fourth outpost of a Mexican cuisine mecca centered in Manhattan, offering authentic,

inventive fare and made-to-order guacamole.  The menu includes signature items with modern flair created exclusively for Las Vegas by Corporate Executive Chef Scott Linquist, who has overseen the brand's expansion and co-authored the Dos Caminos cookbook, Mod Mex.

The SALA lounge offers DJ stylings, bottle service, VIP tables, private cabanas, 35 unique tequilas with custom-flavored salts, and a late-night tasting menu.  There are also imaginative margaritas like a Frozen Prickly Pear, sangria and the expansive tequila menu, including a carefully selected “flight” tasting option.  The design and décor with nods to different aspects of life in Mexico encompasses a 700-seat space divided into themed rooms.

WORLD SERIES OF GOLF® RETURNS MAY 12-15

The World Series of Golf® will return to Las Vegas May 12-15 and be played at the Paiute Golf Resort.  The tournament combines the skill of golf with the wagering format of Texas Hold ‘Em poker and gives up to 125 amateur players the opportunity to compete for a top prize of $250,000 on national television.

Played in a patent-pending method of play, the World Series of Golf allows for high stakes to ride on each and every shot of the tournament.  Similar to poker, players must ante up before teeing off at each hole.  Depending on the outcome of the tee shots, the player can then raise, call, check or fold on subsequent shots, with the winner of the hole collecting the pot.  The result is a dramatic competition in which every shot counts, and wagering strategy is just as important as skill.  As in poker, when a player no longer has any chips to ante up, that player is eliminated.  The winner of each group moves onto the next round until the final group yields the golfer who is crowned the champion of the World Series of Golf. 

The 2007 inaugural World Series of Golf event was hosted by the Mirage, which is the host again this year, and aired on NBC Sports in June.  It was watched by more than two-million people.  Registration is now open at www.worldseriesofgolf.com.  The tournament buy-in is $10,000, which is immediately won back by every player who wins their initial pairing and advances to the second round.  Due to the large purse of the event, and the unique method of play, participants must go through an accreditation process to substantiate their golf handicap.  This ensures an even playing field.

‘EXTREME THING’ IS A SPORTS AND MUSIC FESTIVAL ON MARCH 29

Local BMX professional and course creator Ricardo Laguna has put the “extreme” into Findlay Chevrolet’s Extreme Thing sports and music festival for the last four years.  At 13, the festival has entered its teen years, which means the Ricardo Laguna Pro BMX Dirt Jump Competition will pull more gravity defying tricks than ever before.  The challenge will take place on a specially-designed course from 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 29.  The festival is from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.  All events take place at Desert Breeze Skate Park, 8275 Spring Mountain Road at Durango Drive.  Tickets are $17 in advance, call 702-474-4000, and $20 day of show.

Only a personal bottle of water can be brought to the festival along with still cameras, sunscreen and cash.  Food will be for sale.

Elite riders from around the world will compete in the season’s first national dirt contest of the year and showcase their latest stunts in preparation for the upcoming season.

In addition to extreme sports, this year’s festival will feature bands Pennywise, Chiodos, Escape the Fate, Nonpoint, Streetlight Manifesto, In This Moment, Scary Kids Scaring Kids and Alesana, professional wrestling by Adrenaline Unleashed, and the Vegas AmJam Skate and BMX amateur competition.  The XPOZ Zone also will welcome seven local bands performing in the smoke-free zone promoting the www.smokefreescene.com.

GODARD ART STORE OPENS AT NEW TOWN SQUARE MALL

The Godard Art Store has opened in New Town Square Mall on the South Las Vegas Strip It’s located in one of the mall’s 300-square-foot gazebos in the center square and next to the musical event area.  The store features the full line of Michael Godard’s art, from Limited Editions to finely framed prints, t-shirts, poker sets, watches, humidors and more.

This is the store’s second location in the Las Vegas area, the other being in the Galleria at Sunset in Henderson. A couple art pieces to check out are his newest releases The Olive Bunnies done in collaboration with Playboy and We Olive a Shelby, a collaboration work that is also signed by 85-year-old racing legend Carroll Shelby. Godard will be visiting Town Square on May 10 to perform his art and meet and greet.  He’ll be bringing his friend JR Richards, formerly the lead singer of the Rock Band Dishwalla, to perform as well.

Known as The Rock Star of the Art World because of his appearance, musical prowess and rock-world associations, Godard is America’s Best Selling Artist of limited edition art.  He resides and paints in Las Vegas. 

MGM’S ‘CRAZY HORSE PARIS’ ANNOUNCES FIRST EVER AMERICAN AUDITION WINNERS        

More than 50 dancers recently vied for a spot in the MGM Grand’s elite dance troupe Crazy Horse Paris, and four women were chosen to join the Crazy Horse Paris family.  The winners from left to right are: Krystle Richeson from Virginia Beach, Va.; guest judge Dita Von Teese; Elena Lee Rodriguez from Miami, Fla.; Polina Volchek from Las Vegas; and Kara McKinney from Roanoke, Va. The winners will be flown to Paris, France, where they will receive formal training for two months before joining the show. McKinney recently graduated from college with a double major in International Studies and Film and Photography and with no professional dance background.  Richeson’s resume includes a three-year stint as a Radio City Music Hall Rockette.  Rodriguez is originally from Barcelona, Spain, and is half Korean and half Spanish.  Volchek, who is a native of Moscow, Russia, is a competitive rhythmic gymnast and can be seen performing a variety act in the upcoming season of America’s Got Talent.      

GOLDEN NUGGET WILL HOST MONTEL WILLIAMS’ POKER TOURNAMENT BENEFITING MS

The Golden Nugget along with Montel Williams will be hosting a celebrity poker tournament to benefit the Montel Williams MS Foundation on June 6.  This tournament entitled Cards, Celebrities and a Cause - A Montel Williams Poker Tournament benefiting MS will kick off The Grand Poker Series, a month-long event featuring daily tournaments in the Golden Nugget’s new event center, The Grand. This charity tournament is open to the public up to a capacity of 600 players.  For this tournament, half of the $1,000 per-person prize pool will benefit the Montel Williams MS Foundation, while the other half will be distributed to winning tournament players.  As of March 1, the Golden Nugget Poker Room is hosting 24/7 Sit & Go Satellite Tournaments, where players can win their seat in this charity event.  To register, call John Colville at 702-386-8164 or e-mail him at  jcolville@goldennugget.com

PALMS PLACE AND LA SUNSET TAN ARE NOW OPEN

Palms Place, the multimillion-dollar, 47-story hotel, condo and spa that features 599 units is now open.  In addition, the LA Sunset Tan is now open inside of Palms Place.  The upscale tanning salons, known internationally from the hit E! reality show, are located throughout Southern California and now in Las Vegas.  The owners have made their sixth location at Palms Place and it’s their most lavish salon to date.

SOPHIE MILMAN RETURNS TO HENDERSON TO DEBUT MUSIC FROM HER NEW ALBUM

Jazz singing sensation, Sophie Milman will return to the Henderson Events Plaza, Nevada’s first public outdoor events plaza that she opened in 2006, on Friday, April 11 at 7 p.m.  Milman will debut material from her new album, Make Someone Happy. The 24-year-old Russian-born Milman has earned international acclaim beginning in 2004 as her self-titled debut album hit the Billboard Top 5 in Canada and the Top 15 in the United States.  She has topped the iTunes jazz charts in five territories as well as sold out shows in Canada, United States, Japan and Europe. She has also been nominated twice for the prestigious Juno Award.  Most recently, Milman was nominated for a Canadian Independent Music Award and her song Make Someone Happy, from the album with the same name, was listed second on iTunes Best Song of The Year for the jazz category.

QUICK CLIPS

The provocative adult show, “X” Burlesque at the Flamingo is commemorating its one-year anniversary with various new acts and plenty of seduction presented by six beautiful dancers.  The 75-minute show combines imaginative choreography with multi-media video projections and outrageous props such as bungee cords, bathtubs and beds. The sexy production is housed in the intimate 180-seat Flamingo Second City Theatre, allowing audiences to get up close and personal. Crystal Woods as Diana Ross, Frank Marino as Joan Rivers along with Steven Wayne as Cher were selected as judges recently for the Food Network's next big show Next Best Food Star to begin airing this coming August and September.  The gentlemen from An Evening at La Cage at the Riviera judge the finale held in Las Vegas by taste testing the various dishes. Hooters hotel/casino is being sold for $180 million.  The new owners will give the resort a name change and makeover.  This is one property that has had many makeovers from the Treasury to San Remo.

Psychic Sylvia Browne known for her regular appearances on Montel Williams TV show is booked at the Excalibur every month this year for 10 days at a time.  Psychics must be popular because John Edward, best known for his Sci-Fi Channel series Crossing Over with John Edward, is booked at the Flamingo on April 13 and May 25.

For National Reading Month, Harrah’s headlining comedy magician Mac King will host a book signing and magic show at the Barnes & Noble Booksellers store in Summerlin on March 30 from 1 to 3 p.m.  King will be signing copies and performing magic tricks from his newest book, Mac King’s Magic in a Minute Great Big Ol’ Book-O-Magic.   With the recent time change, summer hours are going into effect for some outdoor shows.  Dancing into their fourth year, the Sirens of TI are performing nightly at 7, 8:30, 10 and 11:30 p.m.  Another free show is the canopy light show downtown at the Fremont Street Experience. The first Viva Vision Show now begins at 7:30 p.m. with shows following at 8, 9, 10, 11 p.m. and midnight. Foot Locker, the world’s leading retailer of athletic footwear and apparel, is now open inside Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood. Foot Locker was first introduced to the retail marketplace in 1974 and has since grown to more than 2,000 stores worldwide. The city’s newest shopping destination Town Square, will present the Bunny Boogie: Hop and Shop event on March 22.  The Easter Bunny and other spring characters will be available for meet and greets as children enjoy the day’s festivities.  Egg hunts are scheduled for 1 p.m. for ages 1 to 3; 2 p.m. for ages 4 to 6; and 3 p.m. for ages 7 to 10 in Town Square Park.  There will also be face painting, live entertainment from community groups, balloon art and more.  The Nevada SPCA will be on-site with bunnies to adopt. This event is free, call 702-455-8200 for information.