Las Vegas Weekly

May 22, 2009 · 1:02 PM

Strip Scribbles: Peter Max, Santana, UFC and Memorial Day weekend calendar

By Robin Leach

Peter Max and Maria Cuomo Cole with the Help USA painting.

Photo: Courtesy

Artist Peter Max flies into Las Vegas this Memorial Day weekend not only to unveil an exhibition of his newest art, but also to install a veterans exhibit at the Peter Max Gallery in the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace. My longtime friend Peter will be at his gallery from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday to present an original painting and unveil a fundraising initiative to benefit Help USA Las Vegas.

Maria Cuomo Cole, who is the chairwoman of the parent Help USA organization that supports U.S. veterans, helped select a collection of Peter’s paintings for the showcase. It will be on display until July 4, and a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the patriotic paintings will benefit the charity. During his visit, Peter will inscribe a personal dedication along with his autograph on the back of any purchased paintings.

*We’re now less than a week away from legendary guitarist Carlos Santana starting his new residency at The Rogue Joint in the Hard Rock Hotel. On the season finale of American Idol, Carlos rocked the house performing “Black Magic Woman” and “Smooth” with the 13 American Idol finalists. Santana kicks off his Supernatural Santana: A Trip Through the Hits on Wednesday, and the Hard Rock is the only place west of the Mississippi that fans can see Santana play live through 2010.

*This weekend is positive proof of the power of pool parties in Las Vegas, and all of them are now open. Reggae legend Eek-A-Mouse kicked off the poolside concert series at the Hard Rock and played to an appreciative and packed house. Tonight, Ozomatli continues the summer pool series with its concoction of Latin salsa, jazz funk and hip-hop.

Star surveillance

In advance of tomorrow’s UFC 98, UFC President Dana White was in a group of four at N9NE Steakhouse in the Palms. The group shared the signature rock shrimp as an appetizer, and Dana had filet mignon with a baked potato and sour cream and Fiji water. … TV sportscaster Bob Costas, who has been on the air for NBC since the 1980s, enjoyed dinner at Wolfgang Puck’s Postrio in The Venetian and then walked down the Strip with his wife to watch comedy star George Wallace at the Flamingo.

*He’s known as “The Dean of Mean,” and MMA fighter Keith Jardine will pack his own punch with an autograph session at Champs Sports over the Saturday lunch hour at Planet Hollywood. He’ll also pose for fan photos before attending the UFC 98 battle at MGM Grand that evening.

So now it’s time for us to deliver a knockout of our own with a grand slam of highlights this four-day holiday weekend that we’ve wrapped up in a title-winning package known affectionately around here as the Royal Robin Rundown:

Friday, May 22

*You normally find Whoopi Goldberg alongside Barbara Walters and The View’s co-hosts on ABC, but she becomes the first comedy star to take to the stage at the Encore Theater after the death of Danny Gans. Whoopi starred for Steve Wynn way back when at his downtown Golden Nugget. … Comedian and actor Dane Cook, who released his DVD/CD Isolated Incident this week, showcases his comedy at The Pearl in the Palms in three weekend performances. … UFC color commentator Joe Rogan puts on his comedy hat for a standup performance at the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay.

*For smooth jazz and beautiful music, it’s a double-header of sax on sax with Gerald Albright and Kirk Whalum at Boulder Station. … Rocker Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots fame is solo at Aliante Station. … Kool and the Gang play the summertime hits at the Silverton Lodge Casino. … Clint Holmes kicks off a three-night run at the Suncoast. … James Darren recaptures the hits of yesteryear for two nights at South Point. … The Crystal Method brings its Divided by Night Tour to the House of Blues. … Left Standing and Slow to Surface rock at Carey Hart’s Wasted Space in the Hard Rock.

*The “Summer of ’69: Vegas or Bust” series is kicked off by our Merry Mayor of Mirth Oscar Goodman at a noon party at the Fremont Street Experience. A custom-painted hippie vintage school bus becomes a psychedelic ride with artist John Van Hamersveld, known for his Beatles Magical Mystery Tour album cover. There will be free concerts from ’60s stars on the downtown stages all summer long.

Party patrol

Dancing With the Stars pro Cheryl Burke proves her fancy footwork when she dances into Lavo at the Palazzo to celebrate her birthday. … The Girls Next Door star Kendra Wilkinson hosts a Wet Republic pool party at the MGM Grand to kick off the weekend in sexy swimsuit style. … The girls from Huntington Ink host the weekly “Ditch Fridays” party poolside at the Palms. … April and May 2009 Playmates Hope Dworaczyk and Crystal McCahill host at Rok Vegas.

Saturday, May 23

*It’s the big battle between “Sugar” Rashad Evans and Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida in UFC 98 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Win or lose, the official Lyoto after-party is set for Studio 54 at MGM, and Rashad throws his official after-party at Rok Vegas.

*Suzanne Somers lectures on great sex, great health and how to live to be 100 for two afternoons in Barry Manilow’s theater at the Las Vegas Hilton. Click HERE for our exclusive interview with Suzanne posted yesterday.

*Tonight is the first night of the Human Nature show set for a yearlong run at the Imperial Palace. Motown legend Smokey Robinson presents the dynamic harmonies of Australian singers Toby Allen, Phil Burton and Andrew and Michael Tierney as they perform the ultimate celebration of Motor Town’s greatest hits.

*The Beach Boys led by Mike Love start two nights of surf rock on the outdoor stage at Mandalay Bay Beach. Advance word is that John Stamos will be a guest performer with the band. … Taylor Swift stays indoors for her country music show at the Mandalay Bay Events Center with Kellie Pickler as the opening act. … Smokey Robinson will romp through all his Detroit hits at the Star of the Desert Arena in Primm. … Carey Hart has a three-pack of rock at his Wasted Space with Youth Group and special guests The Shys and Lazystars.

*Bong! Comedy kings Cheech & Chong light up at The Pearl with 40 years of smokin’ hot humor. … Lewis Black delves deep into self-analysis for his comedy at The Mirage for two nights. … What to make of the New Zealand folk comedy duo who are Flight of the Conchords and special guest Arj Barker at the The Rogue Joint?

*“Summer of ’69: Vegas or Bust” gets underway downtown on the Fremont Street Experience stage with the Guess Who, and the show is free! This salute continues all summer, so follow the Royal Robin Rundown carefully so as not to miss any of the free concerts with everybody from Bill Haley’s Comets to Blood, Sweat and Tears.

*They are one of the wildest female punk rockers of all time, and the Deadly Seven will spill blood, tear their fishnet stockings and shred their sexy clothing while performing at the House of Blues.

*R&B sensation Maxwell is returning to The Pearl, and tickets go on sale today for the June 26 concert. His single “Pretty Wings” has just been released off Black Summers Night, a trilogy being released July 7, then another later in the year and the third in 2010!

Party patrol

The sexy XXX-rated porn princesses from Vivid host at the Venus European Pool at Caesars Palace, so we know who will definitely be taking off their tops. … MMA fighters George Roop and David Kaplan host a UFC 98 after-party at Hawaiian Tropic Zone in Planet Hollywood in tandem with MMA model Shanda Panda showing off her assets in the MMA Sports magazine release. Then Pittsburgh Slim will perform live on the Strip-side patio. … DJ Paul Oakenfold twists the turntables at Rain in the Palms as part of his resident Perfecto Saturdays. … Method Man and Redman will perform live at Pure in Caesars Palace. … Soulja Boy Tell ’Em performs at Jet in The Mirage. … Maxim model Natalie Marie and Playboy Playmate Jessie Parsons host a Vavoom Bikini fashion show party at VooDoo Lounge in The Rio.

Sunday, May 24

*This weekend marks the official groundbreaking of the Smith Center for the Performing Arts at the newly named Symphony Park downtown, and to celebrate three days of festivities, a Mobile Bell Foundry has been set up to cast a brass bell. First up this morning is the ingot ceremony, where children from across the valley toss bronze ingots into the furnace to be heated to 2,200 degrees. Then at 6:30 p.m., the molten metal is poured into a custom mold.

*For 40 years, the Allman Brothers Band has been touring, and the group celebrates the milestone in concert on the sandy beach up at Red Rock Resort. Back in 1971 before the motorcycle fatality of leader Duane Allman, the band produced its second album At Fillmore East, which is part of Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Albums of all time.

*Girls, girls, girls! They promote the Sapphire Pool at The Rio as the world’s largest topless pool, and Frenchy from Rock of Love and Arian from Tough Love will host the bikini contest and happily demonstrate what the girls must do to win. … The porn princesses from Vivid show their charms and assets when they host at Pure as part of TheDirty.com’s party.

*Three-time Grammy Award- and five-time Latin Grammy Award-winning Mexican singer-songwriter Joan Sebastian will draw on his hundreds of pop compositions for his Mandalay Bay show. The showbiz veteran also is a huge favorite throughout Latin America for his telenovelas.

*Baby Bash and Frankie J headline at the House of Blues and have Paula DeAnda on board as their special guest.

*DJ Paul Van Dyk is behind the wheels of steel at Rain in the Palms. … DJ TV Rock is the star spinner at Sunset Sessions at Tao Beach in The Venetian before DJ Eric Morillo spins through the night at Tao nightclub below. … DJ Tiesto twists the turntable with his sensational sets at Jet in The Mirage. Joel Madden of Good Charlotte will host the event and will spin a set, too.

*NFL bad boy Terrell Owens, now of the Buffalo Bills, hosts at Rok Vegas.

Monday, May 25

*The groundbreaking events for the Smith Center for the Performing Arts at Symphony Park downtown continue with the “Bell Breakout.” The mold will be shattered after a night of cooling off, and a brilliant new bell will be produced. Tomorrow, the bell will be polished and will ring with the ceremonial first peals as the official groundbreaking takes place. Talk about ringing in a new era!

*DJ Tiesto spins the wheels of steel in the Bank at Bellagio.

Tuesday’s teases

It’s the day that President Obama comes to town for the Bette Midler and Sheryl Crowe-headlined fundraising concert at The Colosseum in Caesars Palace, and we’ll have all the advance coverage. … We’ll also have the full wrap up of the entire weekend’s party scene with all the stars at play. Later in the week, our hysterical and exclusive conversation with comedian Richard Lewis as he gets ready for his new run of shows at The Venetian.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

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