Playing favorites: Las Vegas Weekly’s culture picks from the fairly fabulous year of 2024

Brock Radke

Managing Editor

Concert: Usher’s Super Bowl Halftime Show, February 11 astatine Allegiant Stadium

No, I did not witnesser this lawsuit successful person, but you didn’t request to beryllium successful the stands astatine Allegiant to admit that all-around elite entertainer Usher, connected the heels of his groundbreaking R&B residency shows astatine Caesars Palace and Park MGM, was the cleanable prime to spice up the archetypal Super Bowl successful Las Vegas. In sports bars and surviving rooms crossed the country, a ample colonisation of women (and men) who don’t usually ticker the large game—and whitethorn person tuned successful chiefly to drawback a glimpse of Taylor Swift—screamed similar adolescents erstwhile Usher took disconnected some his shirts during “U Got It Bad.” When’s the past clip the halftime amusement elicited that response?

Song: “Die With a Smile” by Bruno Mars & Lady Gaga

We garbage to judge this perfectly calibrated, Grammy-nominated popular anthem with rocket-powered harmonies was not calved retired of the information that some Bruno and Gaga person been Dolby Live nonmigratory headliners for years. And we support rewatching the YouTube video of the duo’s unannounced August show of the opus astatine their Strip home, some to reenforce the Vegasness of “Die With a Smile” and due to the fact that we’re moving connected it for karaoke.

Sports event: A’ja Wilson’s MVP

The Las Vegas Aces whitethorn person fallen abbreviated of an historical three-peat this year, but thing could instrumentality distant from Wilson’s once-in-a-lifetime play that saw the superstar interruption each kinds of statistical records and triumph an Olympic golden medal. Grabbing the WNBA MVP grant that should person been hers past play was the icing connected the cake.

Shannon Miller

Editor

Strip show: Lady Gaga: Jazz & Piano

One of the highlights of my twelvemonth was watching Lady Gaga sing “Fly Me to the Moon” sans mic. Her dependable filled the 6,400-seat Dolby Live theater, captivating each and each 1 of us. What besides made that amusement truthful peculiar was that it was the past scheduled installment of the popular star’s Jazz & Piano amusement aft it had been moving for 5 years. Shortly aft the finale, rumors dispersed that Gaga mightiness determination into the Sphere adjacent time. One mode oregon another, let’s anticipation she gambles connected Vegas again.

Concert: Missy Elliott, July 13 astatine T-Mobile Arena

Missy Elliott’s archetypal (you heard it—FIRST) headlining tour, Out of This World, deed the Strip this twelvemonth and though we benignant of knew what to expect from the hip-hop legend, thing could person prepared america for what we witnessed. Openers Timbaland, Busta Rhymes and Ciara would person been capable connected their own, but erstwhile Misdemeanor took the stage, she transported fans to the acold reaches of her galaxy. From “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” to “Lose Control,” we got to unrecorded retired the euphony and choreography successful Missy’s universe, if lone for 1 night.

Concert: Sleater-Kinney, February 29 astatine Brooklyn Bowl

As Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein, amended known arsenic Sleater-Kinney, were cutting their medium Little Rope, Brownstein’s parent and stepfather died successful a car crash. “There’s a batch of themes of nonaccomplishment and of being older, and feelings of failure. …Weekly earlier the band’s Brooklyn Bowl show. While anyone other mightiness person folded nether the value of specified a tragedy, Sleater-Kinney followed up the medium with a earthy and electrical unrecorded performance. I’m inactive swooning implicit Brownstein’s guitar solo during “Jumpers.”But we approached it with a consciousness of playfulness … utilizing melody and wit successful the medium to marque it not conscionable dark, but besides light,” Tucker told the

Theater production: Cluelesque

In the committee crippled Clue, players shed clues arsenic to who the slayer is. And successful burlesque, dancers shed clothes. Combine the two, and what bash you get? A naughty murder-mystery striptease wherever the performers were conscionable arsenic successful the acheronian arsenic the assemblage erstwhile it comes to the individuality of the murderer. Cluelesque creator Simone Skold wrote antithetic endings for antithetic performances. After launching successful January, the accumulation returned successful May, and we’re hoping Vegas Theatre Company resurrects it again.

Cocktail: Espresso Martini astatine Las Vegas Distillery

The drinks astatine Las Vegas Distillery are stiff, and the contention for which 1 you should portion is stiffer. But successful our estimation, the espresso martini rises to the top. The prima of the show, the java liqueur, is crafted from LVD’s achromatic rum and features anaerobic-processed java beans roasted and cold-brewed by Henderson’s Dark Moon Coffee Roasters. It’s enhanced with Belizean cacao, Mexican vanilla and unrefined Louisiana cane sugar—but not excessively much. Throw successful immoderate LVD vodka and espresso, and you person a perfectly balanced after-dinner drink.

Neighborhood restaurant: Shanghai Taste Southwest

Chef Jimmy Li has earned the respect of the section assemblage and the James Beard Awards, which nominated him arsenic a semifinalist successful 2023 and 2024. His edifice Shanghai Taste, primitively opened successful 2019 successful the bustling Shanghai Plaza, is simply a blistery spot for Chinese customers, locals and tourists—so blistery that it outgrew its room and needed a 2nd location. That’s wherever Shanghai Taste Southwest came in, different vicinity spot to bask the accepted flavors Las Vegas has travel to love—and much quadrate footage successful which to unbend and bask Li’s celebrated xiao agelong bao steamed dumplings.

Amber Sampson

Staff Writer

Concert: Julia Jacklin, April 18 astatine the Beverly Theater

I knew I loved this Aussie from the infinitesimal she took the stage—and forgot her guitar. We were treated to a backstage and personable evening with Julia Jacklin, who could’ve launched a mini residency anywhere. The information that she picked a spot arsenic locally loved arsenic the Bev—and with opening enactment Shamir—speaks to her dedication of doing Vegas right. The nighttime felt each spot similar a fireside chat with Jacklin, who, betwixt songs, shared anecdotes from her trips to Vegas. Towards the end, she invited fans retired of their seats for her last songs. And we’d gladly invited her back.

Concert: Nas with the Las Vegas Philharmonic, August 29 at Encore Theater

The unrecorded symphony honored each syllable of this masterful show of Illmatic, magnifying Nas’ memoir of the projects with woodwinds and whisking violins. Meanwhile, the rapper muscled done his tongue-twisting catalog with stamina lone a fable of his magnitude could muster.

Album: The Life I Stole by Lennon Roach

This Southern rocker blew successful from Alabama a fewer years ago, fitting successful astir instantly with the section euphony scene. Roach, who dedicated 20 years of his beingness to the military, vowed to make an medium chronicling that acquisition and its struggles. The Life I Stole is the pinnacle of that. Recorded astatine the beloved Sonic Rodeo, it serves arsenic a swan opus of Roach’s erstwhile life, twanging with crisp licks and his distinctive vocal power.

Strip show: Colin Cloud: Mastermind

Living up to his estimation arsenic the “closest happening to a real-life Sherlock Holmes,” Colin Cloud casually blew a fewer twelve minds astatine his debut Strip amusement astatine Harrah’s. The maestro mentalist is simply a keen country reader, capable to decipher assemblage connection and unlock the precise mysteries of your caput if fixed the opportunity.

Nightlife event: The opening of Bruno Mars’ Pinky Ring astatine Bellagio

I can’t beryllium the lone 1 who experienced a small “24K Magic” astatine Mars’ caller cocktail lounge. Pinky Ring’s nary cellphone argumentation gave maine a sensation of what Las Vegas lounges utilized to beryllium like. It’s astonishing what tin hap erstwhile a roomful of radical aren’t acrophobic with trying to movie the cleanable reel. We drank, we danced, we talked, and Mars’ touring band, the Hooligans, besides made surviving successful the infinitesimal rather easy.

Nightlife event: The opening of Las Vegas’ archetypal non-tribal cannabis lounges

Now that the fume has cleared, I tin confidently accidental adding Thrive’s Smoke & Mirrors and Planet 13’s Dazed to our rotation has been wonderful. As younger generations portion little and fume more, these lounges person opened caller avenues of nightlife. Mixologists person gotten much originative with THC-infused mocktails and antithetic forms of unrecorded amusement person recovered caller homes—and we’ve got precocious hopes for the future.

Strip show: Belle De Nuit

New York’s Studio 54 experienced a glorious rebirth with this glittering accumulation astatine Venetian. Belle De Nuit checked each the boxes of cinematic, disco-dotted manner burlesque arsenic dancers pranced the catwalk of Voltaire successful couture that would marque Grace Jones gasp.

Cultural event: The Killers residency

The Killers person been connected the tally for immoderate time, playing sold-out arena tours astir the world. But this August, our hometown heroes yet came location to the Colosseum astatine Caesars Palace. The Killers locked successful their bequest with this one.

Neighborhood restaurant: Summer House

From the infinitesimal you locomotion in, Summer House places you connected an extended vacation. The country itself gorgeously amplifies that feeling with earthy beams of sunlight and its coastal California cuisine drives it home.

Dish: Fat Banh Mi-Ki at Fat Sal’s

Fat Sal’s magnum opus of sandos is arsenic analyzable arsenic they come. A rotation connected a accepted banh-mi, the Fat Banh Mi-Ki packs connected Szechuan slaw, Vietnamese pickled veggies and thinly sliced ribeye, with the added bonus of mozzarella sticks. It’s spicy, it’s tangy, it’s extra. Most of all, it’s addictive.

Geoff Carter

Senior Editor

Concert: Jungle and LCD Soundsystem, September 27-28 astatine Life Is Beautiful’s Big Beautiful Block Party

The Block Party was a blistery ticket—literally; the Plaza’s outdoor events halfway was broiling. But that didn’t halt these 2 superpowered creation bands, playing back-to-back, from igniting a disco inferno. We danced until we got lightheaded, caught a enactment and resumed.

Concert: Hans Zimmer, September 29 astatine Resorts World Theatre

The Oscar-winning composer of The Lion King, Dune, Inception and much performed his matchless movie euphony with the assistance of a radical of virtuoso musicians the size of a tiny town. We were pinned to our seats by the spectacular show of their sound.

Nightlife event: London Elektricity astatine Discopussy

Rat-a-tat-a-tat-a-tat. Foundational drum-and-bass endowment Tony Colman paid a uncommon sojourn to Vegas, and Discopussy was the cleanable spot for his lightning-speed psyche music. If I didn’t representation lasers and a glowing octopus erstwhile I listened to London Elektricity before, I definite bash now.

Art exhibit: Poets and Saints Maybe by Shan Michael Evans

Shan’s crisp, colorful graphic style, usually seen astatine mural size, translated beautifully to tiny woody blocks. I bought a fewer of them, which I mean to usage to statesman gathering a much vivid, much caring world.

Art exhibit: Contemporary Ex-votos: Devotion Beyond Medium

This amusement of devotional creation was sweetener for the eyes and euphony for the soul. Put different way: When artworks by Justin Favela, Dan45 Hernandez, Daisy Quezada Ureña, Krystal Ramirez, Xochi Solis and much are hanging successful the aforesaid room, beryllium successful that room.

Strip show: DiscoShow

Spiegelworld’s newest accumulation takes the full disco era—the bully times, the dancing queens, the everlasting nighttime fever—and packs it into a high-tech container that bursts with energetic show and ocular dazzle. And the NYC-inspired diner adjacent doorway ain’t half-bad, either.

Downtown show: Miss Behave’s Mavericks

Amy Saunders’ “flirty, filthy and fabulous” assortment amusement moved from Cheapshot to the Plaza’s vintage Vegas showroom and instantly became this town’s implicit must-see … again. And there’s slayer discounts for locals, truthful you’ve nary bully excuse not to spot it. Go tonight.

Cultural event: The demolition of the Mirage volcano

In our hearts, the volcano is inactive there, inactive spewing gangly flames and coconut scent connected the hour. It was … no, no, we’re inactive not acceptable to speech astir it. This 1 chopped deep.

Cultural event: John Waters astatine the Las Vegas Book Festival

Ostensibly, the manager of Pink Flamingos and Hairspray came to Vegas to chat up his caller Liarmouth, but helium mostly talked astir smut, obscenity and self-indulgence—and however overmuch we request them, particularly now. It was glorious.

Neighborhood restaurant: Amari Italian Kitchen & Wine Shop

Went determination for the fresh-baked focaccia, pan-seared branzino and crispy eggplant pizza, but stayed for the amaro. Might really determination successful conscionable to beryllium adjacent to that partition of Italian liqueur.

Neighborhood restaurant: The caller determination of Esther’s Kitchen

The packed Arts District favourite moved into a larger abstraction portion keeping its intimacy and charm ... and, astir importantly, that overachieving room and bar.

Cocktail: Higher Ground astatine Smoke & Mirrors

This greenish beverage elixir—Sobreo matcha, agave nectar, greenish tea, jasmine citrus wedges, rosemary sprigs and ginger beer—is splendid adjacent without a 2.5 to 5 milligram cannabis infusion, and much truthful with it.

Corlene Byrd

Art Director

Cultural event: The Super Bowl takeover

We’ve seen large statues earlier and we’ve seen footballs before. Why was this truthful exciting? Colorful signs sprawling crossed the pedestrian bridges, the Bellagio fountain transforming into the CBS Sports broadcast stage, and the sides of the Strat and Caesars Palace lit up with projection-mapped question imagery ... I mean, really, they could beryllium showing movies connected those things each day. What’s stopping us? Get immoderate popcorn and nutrient trucks, and let’s bash this much often.

Concert: Tears for Fears, October 30 at BleauLive Theater

I can’t beryllium the lone 1 that feels a circumstantial consciousness of comfortableness and alleviation erstwhile the legends support legending. The visuals were similar oculus candy coming retired of a elephantine eyeball pouring consecutive into this huffy world. With their latest albums Songs For a Nervous Planet and The Tipping Point, Tears for Fears not lone inactive deed the close nervus with gorgeous memorable hooks, but it’s confirmed—I’m inactive caput implicit heels for these guys and I volition proceed to sow the seeds of my emotion for them. Take that, bucket list.

Cultural event: Goodbye to Mirage & Tropicana

We mislaid 2 paradises this year, the lone clip we tin truly accidental it plural. Did we truly request to get escaped of the Mirage landscape? Was that necessary? How did the repurpose and recycle craze not use here? Did anyone adjacent commencement a petition? I recognize we person respective hotels and resorts that are giving Brady Bunch Hawaiian vacation, but Mirage truly felt similar a paradise oracle, and we truly shouldn’t beryllium messing with oracles. It could beryllium atrocious luck. Tropicana was a spot much Gilligan’s Island-core, truthful arsenic overmuch arsenic I’ll miss it, I person religion that the skippers, millionaires, movie stars and professors volition resurface.

Gabriela Rodriguez

Staff Writer

Song: “Pain Elemental” by Khasm

“Pain Elemental” is simply a savage, gut-punching anthem from Khasm’s Theater of War—a blistering premix of sludge, hardcore and spiteful vigor that proves wherefore this section band’s unrelenting grind has earned its fandom.

Concert: Los Bukis, May 8 at Dolby Live

Los Bukis’ residency felt similar a idiosyncratic revelation. The archetypal each Spanish-speaking residency connected the Strip resonated heavy successful my bones and connected generations of families successful the crowd. Watching these legends execute the songs that shaped my puerility cracked maine unfastened and near my ma teary eyed. It was decades of past playing retired successful existent time.

Band: Post NC

Post NC has had a breakout year, from dropping a slayer EP to touring everywhere—Japan, San Antonio, Chicago and beyond. They’ve truly locked successful arsenic a superior set nary substance however meme-forward their societal media suggests. They proceed to blend improv jazz, mathematics stone and lo-fi chaos into their signature “nut-core” sound. From the archetypal clip I saw them astatine Huntridge Tavern past twelvemonth to their Swan Dive gig past month, I’ve ever near their sets mindblown.

Concert: Best Friends Forever Fest, October 11-13 astatine Downtown Las Vegas Events Center

At Best Friends Forever, a precise circumstantial receptor was treated to a clip capsule. The lineup, a blend of mid-’90s emo royalty—Cap’n Jazz, Sunny Day Real Estate, Braid—brought backmost the angst-filled teen despair we each thought was lost. Unwound and The Blood Brothers ruled the main signifier portion fresh-faced bands similar Pool Kids and Sweet Pill proved the genre’s heartbeat hasn’t died.

Album: Niteswimmer by Qnc Dayz

Qnc Dayz rolls heavy with Alchemist-esque samples, layering affluent dusty beats nether his smooth, soulful flow. This six-track jammer feels similar digging done crates and uncovering a treasure thorax of laid-back contented and raw, timeless funk—a refreshing escape.

Nightlife event: 2x4 Vinyl Nights astatine Hard Hat Lounge

Burgers, beers, records. What much does 1 request to fulfill a Friday nighttime outing? Started by grounds lovers Dalton Campbell and Christian Torres, 2x4 Vinyl Nights held each First Friday features a rotating lineup of section DJs spinning heavy cuts connected 4 decks, each homie-curated. It’s the cleanable premix of music, drinks and community.

Nightlife event: GrapHouse Wrestling

GrapHouse is no-holds-barred, pure, unfiltered mayhem. Fans assemblage ringside, dodging flying props, shouting praise for their favourite sweaty wrestler and stepping retired of the mode arsenic the endowment brings the lucifer extracurricular of the ring. It’s glorious, gritty, unpredictable fun.

Cultural event: Substance opens successful Downtown Las Vegas

Neonopolis is simply a smorgasbord of nightlife destinations but Substance takes the barroom arsenic this year’s premier spot for RVLTN’s electro gigs and Altura’s Latin nighttime parties. If you’re looking for a caller spot to bent and creation Downtown, spell here.

Theater production: Abandon

This was my archetypal instauration to section theatre and just, wow. The kinky fearfulness accumulation from Vegas Theatre Company tells the tales of the Marquis de Sade done speedy vignettes, and adjacent with a deficiency of dialogue, the show afloat shook maine to my halfway with a show of intelligence panic and bloody acts.

Dish: Fish and chips astatine the Codfather

If you’re craving golden, crispy goodness, look nary further than the Codfather. What began arsenic a hole-in-the-wall chippy expanded to a larger eatery this year, but the prime of the food and chips remains arsenic stellar and caller arsenic ever.

Theater production: Back to the Future: The Musical

The Back to the Future philharmonic astatine Reynolds Hall was a time-traveling dainty for anyone who grew up with the iconic film. With catchy songs, a visually stunning signifier setup and spot-on quality quirks, this adaptation delivered a dense dose of nostalgia.

Cultural event: 20th yearly Dam Short Film Fest

Boulder City’s Dam Short Film Fest continues to beryllium a designated taste hub for cinephiles and casual movie watchers. The thematic programme showed astir 150 abbreviated films with genres ranging from fearfulness to drama to documentary, and adjacent aft each that, we inactive wanted more.

Dish: Meatballs at Esther’s Kitchen

These standout, succulent beef and pork meatballs are laid connected a furniture of basil ricotta and served with 2 pieces of charred house-made sourdough. Simple perfection.

Ian Racoma

Senior Designer

Art Exhibit: Scripted Spaces by Eri King

Eri King introduced maine to the conception of endurance art, an enactment successful which the creator spends hundreds of hours connected methodical work. In Scripted Spaces at ASAP Gallery, King painstakingly paints dizzying patterns inspired by casino carpets, playing cards flowing successful unison (as if you had conscionable beaten solitaire connected Windows 95) and Roman architecture and statues. The constricted palette betwixt the works unifies the pieces, yet the puzzling patterns disorient the spectator and origin america to rotation aimlessly successful the gallery—the aforesaid optical manipulation casinos usage to support guests connected property. King demonstrates a deeper ocular knowing of Las Vegas and has made enactment that elevates the mostly overlooked, ignored and stepped on, yet subconsciously persistent, constituent successful the casinos of this city.

Cultural Event: 100% totality star eclipse

The word “eclipse chaser” refers to the thought that a idiosyncratic becomes truthful enamored, truthful awe-struck aft viewing an eclipse the archetypal time, they volition bash everything successful their powerfulness to spot it again. This year’s eclipse—which crossed from Mazatlán connected April 8 done Austin and Dallas, Texas, ending a small past Burlington, Vermont—will beryllium the past 1 to conveniently deed Central oregon North America for astatine slightest 20 years. With a tiny radical of friends, I started readying a twelvemonth and a fractional successful beforehand to spot it. We spent months deliberating connected a determination that would springiness america the champion accidental to spot it without clouds blocking the view. We decided connected Mexico, due to the fact that adjacent if determination were clouds, astatine slightest we would beryllium connected the beach.

The feelings of insignificance and nothingness lavation implicit you erstwhile you spot this cosmic event; you truly spot your spot successful the universe. Yet it is not hopelessness that you succumb to, alternatively feelings of gratitude that you person been blessed to beryllium calved connected this satellite and surrounded by radical that consciousness you are important capable to stock this acquisition with. Immediately aft it was over, a archetypal timer successful our radical shouted “Let’s spell to the adjacent one!” and a caller eclipse chaser was born.

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