2024-04-11-Las-Vegas-Weekly

Saturday, May 4 | Resorts World Las Vegas

Enjoy an evening of exceptional wines from the world’s best wine-growing regions at Wine Spectator magazine’s Grand Tour wine-tasting presented by the Wine Spectator California Scholarship Foundation. Meet the winemakers, enjoy a delicious selection of food and take home a souvenir Riedel™ wine glass.

Use Promo Code LasVegas100

April 1-30

EARN $25 IN SLOT POINTSAND REDEEM FOR A $50 GIFT CARD

CHOOSE BETWEEN CHEVRON GAS CARDS OR WALMART GIFT CARDS

Mix and Match

Mix and Match–Earn up to 10 Cards! $1

SUPERGUIDE

THURSDAY APR 11

SCORPIONS

8 p.m., & 4/13, Bakkt Theater, ticketmaster.com

BRONX WANDERERS 6:30 p.m., South Point Showroom, ticketmaster.com

TOM KEIFER & LA GUNS 7 p.m., Westgate International Theater, ticket master.com

SAYAKA ALESSANDRONI 5:30 p.m., One Steakhouse, onesteakhouselv. com

DON LUCE, DEAR DONNA, RHAINA, YASMIN, MAEJOY 8 p.m., Sand Dollar Downtown, thesanddollarlv. com

SKATING POLLY With Ponty’s Revenge, Pure Sport, 7 p.m., SoulBelly BBQ, dice.fm

LAS VEGAS AVIATORS VS.

SALT LAKE BEES

Thru 4/13, 7 p.m. (& 4/14, noon), Las Vegas Ballpark, ticket master.com

DREAM TEAM TIME MACHINE 11 a.m., & 4/12, Fergusons Downtown, fergusons downtown.com

FOLLIES

Thru 4/14, times vary, Access Showroom at Aliante Casino, ticketmaster.com

UNLV WIND ORCHESTRA: DANZA REBELDE 7:30 p.m., Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall, unlv.edu

UNLV DANCE: LIGHT AND SHADOW 7:30 p.m., Alta Ham Fine Arts Dance Studio One, unlv.edu

HEKTOR MASS 10:30 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zoukgrouplv.com

SOFI TUKKER 10:30 p.m., Hakkasan Nightclub, taogroup. com

ALLEYCVT With Deadset, Jruuski, 10 p.m., We All Scream, seetickets.us

SEXTILE

After a three-year hiatus following the tragic death of original member and synth player Eddie Wuebeen, LA’s underground party-provoking band Sextile returns to the stage revitalized and with every intention of making the masses dance. The band’s current lineup is made up of founding members Melissa Scaduto and Brady Keehn, along with its newest synth addition, Cameron Michel. Their latest album Push is appropriately named for its movement-friendly songs, enhanced by higher BPMs, darker allure, and a raw, experimental post-punk energy. If you feel exhausted and sticky by the end of the show, you did it right.

With Donzii, Evelyn Scythe. 8 p.m., $20+, Backstage Bar & Billiards, seetickets.us. –Gabriela Rodriguez

PLAN YOUR WEEK AHEAD

FRIDAY APR 12

( Courtesy )

RAIDING THE EMO VAULT

MARIAH CAREY

8 p.m., & 4/13, 4/17, Dolby Live, ticketmaster.com

IFPA PINBALL TOURNAMENT

7 p.m., Asylum Bar & Arcade at Area15, area15. com

THE OFFSPRING TAKEOVER

Thru 4/14, times & events vary, Punk Rock Museum, thepunk rockmuseum.com

DANCING AT LUGHNASA

7 p.m., & 4/13 (& 4/14, 2 p.m.), Vegas Theatre Company, apublicfit.org

PEPPY PIPER’S PLAYPEN

Thru 4/14, times vary, LVLT Black Box, poor richards.vegas

VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS VS. MINNESOTA WILD

7 p.m., T-Mobile Arena, axs.com

VEGAS KNIGHT HAWKS VS. SAN ANTONIO GUNSLINGERS

7 p.m., Lee’s Family Forum, axs. com

NHRA 4-WIDE NATIONALS

Thru 4/14, times vary, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, lvms.com

HERBIE HANCOCK

8 p.m., Pearl Concert Theater, ticketmaster.com

ALIEN ANT FARM With The Ataris, 9 p.m., Fremont Street Experience, vegasexperience. com

CHRISTINA AGUILERA

9:30 p.m., & 4/13, Voltaire, ticketmaster.com

THE B-52S

8:30 p.m., & 4/13, 4/17, Venetian Theatre, ticket master.com

TESLA

7:30 p.m., & 4/13, House of Blues, concerts. livenation.com

DESTROYER OF LIGHT

With Sonolith, Psalm, Blast Flashes, 8 p.m., the Usual Place, tickettailor.com

MR. BILL

9 p.m., the Wall at Area15, area15. com

JERRY SEINFELD

8 p.m., & 4/13, the Colosseum, ticket master.com

RAY ROMANO

8:30 p.m., & 4/13, Summit Showroom, ticketmaster.com

JAY MOHR & DARRELL

HAMMOND

Thru 4/14, 7:30 p.m., South Point Showroom, ticketmaster.com

DEADMAU5

10:30 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zoukgrouplv.com

DAVIDE

MENTESANA

With Sigi, Faceto, Beef, Neco, Gorsiee, 10 p.m., Discopussy, discopussydtlv. com

GALO

With Alec Andrew, Aldo Alvaro, Bojado, Fvlcon, Wet Willy, 10 p.m., La Mona Rosa, posh.vip

Raiding the Rock Vault is one of the greatest Vegas music tribute shows, perhaps a bit overlooked after a decade of performances because it stays in smaller, club-style venues—an intentional move to recall the days when its famous music was performed by up-and-coming bands at LA bars and other divey spots. But it’s always been a ton of fun, and now producer Sir Harry Cowell is ready to expand on his model with Raiding the Emo Vault, featuring the coolall-over-again sounds of My Chemical Romance, Panic! At the Disco, Paramore and others. And this show debut is perfectly placed at the Hard Rock Cafe on the Strip (near Showcase Mall), which makes us think it’ll stick around for a while, just like it’s hard-rocking predecessor. 8 p.m., $49-$69, Hard Rock Live, universe.com. –Brock Radke

( Courtesy/Sam Jones )

SUPERGUIDE

SATURDAY APR 13

Bluegrass fans, this one’s for you. The City of Las Vegas is hosting its annual Bluegrass Festival in Centennial Hills showcasing “some of the best bluegrass and Americana bands in the nation.” The Kody Norris Show will serve up a classic interpretation of the genre, complete with rhinestones and fringe. The Blue Canyon Boys will bring their high-octane Colorado bluegrass to the stage. And more will perform before Grammy-winning Queen of Bluegrass Rhonda Vincent closes out the day-long event. Plus, festival-goers can browse folk art, jewelry, and other items in the artisan marketplace. Food also will be available for purchase. Don’t forget to bring your low-back chairs and blankets! 11 a.m., free, Centennial Hills Park, lasvegasnevada.gov/bluegrass. –Shannon Miller

9 a.m., & 4/14, Craig Ranch Park, lasvegas celticsociety.org.

SOCIAL DISTORTION & BAD RELIGION

7 p.m., Theater at Virgin, axs.com

GODSMACK

8 p.m., the Chelsea, ticketmaster.com

OPIUO With Thought Process, 8 p.m., the Portal & the Wall at Area15, area15.com

TONIGHT’S CONVERSATION

8 p.m., Pearl Concert Theater, ticketmaster.com

DON’T TELL COMEDY

7 p.m., Fergusons Downtown, donttellcomedy. com

UFC 300 3 p.m., T-Mobile Arena, axs.com

HENDERSON

SILVER KNIGHTS VS. ONTARIO REIGN

7 p.m., Lee’s Family Forum, axs.com

LAS VEGAS DESERT DOGS VS. COLORADO

MAMMOTH

7 p.m., Michelob Ultra Arena, axs.com

DAVID GUETTA Noon, Encore Beach Club, wynnsocial.com

MEDUZA Noon, Ayu Dayclub, zoukgrouplv.com

STEVE ANGELLO

10:30 p.m., XS Nightclub, wynnsocial.com

2 CHAINZ Noon, Drai’s Beachclub, draisgroup.com

ALESSO

11 a.m., Tao Beach Dayclub, taogroup.com.

METRO BOOMIN

10:30 p.m., LIV Nightclub, livnightclub.com.

LUDACRIS

10:30 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zoukgrouplv.com.

DABABY

10 p.m., Drai’s Nightclub, draisgroup.com

LAS VEGAS BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL

LAS VEGAS CELTIC FESTIVAL & HIGHLAND GAMES

PLAN YOUR WEEK AHEAD

SUNDAY APR 14

NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON 2 & 7 p.m., Reynolds Hall, thesmithcenter.com.

MONDAY APR 15

VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS VS. COLORADO AVALANCHE 12:30 p.m., T-Mobile Arena, axs.com.

NELLY With Justin Credible, 11 a.m., Tao Beach Dayclub, taogroup.com.

BRANDI CYRUS Noon, Encore Beach Club, wynn social.com.

HARDROCK

7 p.m., the Wall at Area15, area15.com.

EARLY MOODS With Haxa, Plague Doctor, 8 p.m., Dive Bar, dice.fm.

(Courtesy/Chris Cassidy/Photo Illustration)

(Courtesy/Travis Shinn)

MONDAYS DARK 8 p.m., the Space, thespacelv.com

ERIK KNOWLES With Agostino Zoida, thru 4/21, 8 p.m., LA Comedy Club, bestvegascomedy. com

GREG MORTON With Jim Flannigan, Luca Ferro, thru 4/21, 8 p.m., Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club, mgmgrand. mgmresorts.com

KRANTZ With Tim Sorbs, The Out There, 10 p.m., Sand Dollar Lounge, thesanddollarlv.com

NICHOLAS KING & SETH SIKES

7 p.m., Maxan Jazz, maxanjazz.com

SUPERGUIDE

TUESDAY APR 16 WEDNESDAY APR 17

FAYE WEBSTER

VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS VS. CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS 7 p.m., T-Mobile Arena, axs.com

LAS VEGAS AVIATORS VS. TACOMA RAINIERS

Thru 4/20, 7 p.m. (&4/21, 12 p.m.), Las Vegas Ballpark, ticketmaster.com

THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS

Thru 4/18, 6:30 p.m., South Point Showroom, ticketmaster.com

BAR ITALIA With Host Family, 7 p.m., the Wall at Area15, area15.com.

CAULDRON NOIR: HALFWAY TO HALLOWEEN 7 p.m., Commonwealth, tixr.com

TERNION SOUND 10 p.m., Discopussy, posh. vip

It’s easy to underestimate Atlanta singer-songwriter Faye Webster. She’s a willowy, 26-year-old girl with a guitar, and yet her musicianship transcends everything you think you know about indie folk rock. Webster’s last three albums are as lyrically direct as they come, but the presence of violin arrangements, pedal steel guitar, percussion, R&B and autotune— especially on 2024’s Underdressed at the Symphony enriches her catalog with a sophistication beyond her years. Underdressed is a slow-burning masterpiece, set to the speed of Webster’s languid, almost jazz-like rhythms. It’s meditative in its own right, healing even, and definitely worth the time. With Upchuck.7:30 p.m., $45, Brooklyn Bowl, ticketmaster.com. –Amber Sampson

CIRCLES AROUND THE SUN

7:30 p.m., the Wall at Area15, area15.com.

SHANDA & THE HOWLERS

10 p.m., Sand Dollar Lounge, thesanddollarlv. com

VEGAS THRILL VS. COLUMBUS

FURY

7 p.m., Lee’s Family Forum, axs.com

MICHAEL YO

7:30 p.m., Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club, ticketmaster. com

MADDS

10:30 p.m., XS Nightclub, wynnsocial.com

(Courtesy/Michael Tyrone Delaney)

UNLV’s annual series featuring nationally and internationally known guest lecturers

Earvin "Magic" Johnson

On Business and Basketball

Thursday, April 18, 2024 7:30 p.m.

Cox Pavilion

Tickets ONLY available at the Thomas & Mack Center Box Office, Monday–Friday 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

For information, call (702) 739-FANS, but tickets cannot be reserved by phone.

UNLV Faculty, Staff and Students may obtain tickets beginning at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, March 27. A valid UNLV Rebelcard is required.

The General Public may obtain tickets beginning at 10 a.m. on Friday, March 29.

SICK NEW WORLD SIDESHOW FT.

STATIC-X & SEVENDUST

WITH DOPE & LINES OF LOYALTY

FRIDAY | APRIL 26

CARLOS BALLARTA

TLATOANI

FRIDAY | MAY 3

ZZ TOP

WITH MIKE "THE DRIFTER" FLANGIN

SATURDAY | MAY 4

KOUNTRY WAYNE

SATURDAY | MAY 11

BY AMBER SAMPSON AND GABRIELA RODRIGUEZ

The women that make up the Las Vegas music scene are no monolith. They’re the electrifying frontwomen commanding the stage. They’re the beatmakers and crate-digging DJs that control the sonic experience. They’re resident performers and residency execs. They’re the promoters and bookers behind the best shows. They’re the fresh faces driving new trends in the nightclubs. ¶ Some are regarded in the community as musical veterans; others represent the next generation. Regardless, each woman highlighted here contributes something special to the scene—and they’re certainly not the only ones. Our Valley is chock full of talented femmes bringing their talents to the table. These are just 13 of Las Vegas’ women in music, and their skill sets run the gamut.

CINDY ESPINOSA

BASSIST/SYNTH PLAYER FOR VIAJE NAHUAL

For all the flavor and spice Latin psychedelic rock act Viaje Nahual offers, Cindy Espinosa still stands out as the secret ingredient. The 34-yearold is a triple threat in the rising local band, leading on bass, synths and vocals whenever the mood strikes.

“Music, for me, it has that spark. It makes me feel alive,” Cindy says. “And I’m sure it’s the same feeling for everyone. You just have to pick up the instrument and start jamming.”

It’s not a coincidence that both Cindy and her sister Randy, drummer of the doom metal band Häxa, gravitate to these more rhythmic roles. They’re daughters of dancers, after all.

“Dance is one of the highlights in our music history for Randy and me,” she says. “We would listen to other kinds of music like blues and stuff that’s more chill, but dance music was mainly the thing that kept us cool.”

The Espinosa sisters forged a dance-surf

band called The Koroks years before, but their differing tastes led them to join their own respective bands. And they couldn’t be any more different. Cindy still thinks about her first real influence, the radiant neo-psych of French indie project Melody’s Echo Chamber and how that style, along with the versatile palettes of King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Café Tacvba and Bomba Estéreo have shaped her artistry.

Seeing women in local bands used to be a rarity, but Cindy has noticed “women are definitely shining a bit brighter now,” and she’s proud to be able to point to frontwomen like Dama Vicke and Gabbi Fisher of Elevated Undergrounds in the scene. Of course, her sister Randy will still be her No. 1.

“I just like to support her,” she says. “I like to show up and be there for her and her band. We share the same love for music.” –AS

RANDY ESPINOSA

DRUMMER FOR HÄXA

It’s hard to believe that drummer Randy Espinosa is shy—she’s the only girl in the five-piece doom metal band Häxa; she rides motorcycles, wears fringe jackets adorned with band pins and dons black cowboy hats. These aspects alone challenge “feminine” stereotypes, but for this shy rocker, they’re the product of being inspired by the confident women around her, especially her sister Cindy. “A lot of females give it their all and I think it’s awesome that they’re out there, and I need to learn from them,” says Randy. “I get nervous and overthink—I even look at Cindy and I know she’s nervous too, but she’s out there just being authentically herself.”

Raised on a diverse musical diet spanning from ‘60s rock classics to Latin essentials, Randy’s upbringing in a musically inclined family laid the foundation for her eclectic tastes. Naturally, the Espinosa sisters began to discover musical genres of their own.

Randy had an early affinity for classical music, and now plays in a doom metal band. How did she go from one end of the spectrum to the other? “Metal is basically like Beethoven but with electric guitars,” she says.

Her early metal influences include Deep Purple’s Machine Head and Mercyful Fate’s Don’t Break The Oath. Poetic lyricism is another factor that draws Randy into the realm of this genre. Its darker themes and elements have a profound effect on her.

In the early days, the two sisters would jam together and lean into their gift of rhythm. “When we would make music together, I feel like it was very easy, and I don’t have the same relationship with musicians,” Randy says. And although they play in different sectors, the two still find ways to support and learn from each other. “We have different ideas and [play] different genres but she doesn’t understand how good she is,” she says. –GR

(Wade Vandervort/Staff)

ZOE THRALL

DIRECTOR OF STUDIO OPERATIONS AT THE HIDEOUT

To Zoe Thrall, the current state of the music industry is one with abundant opportunities for women to become involved beyond direct musicianship. With over 40 years of experience in the industry, her perspective comes from the frontlines of music production. As the director of studio operations at prominent local commercial recording studio The Hideout, Thrall’s role involves overseeing the entire business, from day-to-day operations to direct client interaction, negotiating deals, staff management and more.

“I think any woman who wants to enter the audio industry has great opportunities available to them,” says Thrall. “Whether it be purely on the technology side, working for an audio manufacturer, or equipment manufacturer, or on the creative side, being a musician or a record producer, there’s great opportunities.”

Thrall is considered a trailblazer in her industry. Her career is packed with decades of experience, spanning from engineering, to studio management at NYC’s Power Station Studios, to touring with Steven Van Zandt’s band, the Disciples of Soul.

Her love for music stems from childhood, where she tried out various instruments, and her interest in audio engineering was sparked during her college years. Even today, her interest and admiration for all aspects of sound influence her.

“Being in an environment with a lot of creative people, whether it’s strictly from the artists perspective, or from a producer’s perspective and engineers perspective, that’s what influences me on a day to day basis,” says Thrall. “I love the creative process. Even the way that we make records; I love the technology.”

When asked about promoting diversity and representation in the music industry, Zoe highlights the importance of organizations like Women in Music, She Is the Music and Women’s Audio Mission, which create spaces for female musical creators to thrive. She also spotlights local artists like Ellie Smith, whose latest single “Everybody Loves Me” is making waves, and Harmony Shay, with her captivating song “Wreckage.”

“I like the diversity—from country to classical to jazz, pop, hip-hop, R&B. Vegas is just an amazing place to make music,” says Thrall. –GR

(Wade Vandervort/Staff)

NATALIE BURGE

Natalie Burge has had a lifetime of great gigs. The booking manager of Red Dwarf and Fat Cat, two distinctively different bars rooted in their respective realms of punk rock and jazz and blues, entered the spotlight as a singer on the first season of American Idol. She eventually went on to study artist management in the blues mecca of Chicago, where she met legendary guitarist Earl Slick and became his artist manager, touring with him regularly.

“I fully own and accept with great honor and joy that I am a blues broad,” Burge says. “My whole life has been in rock ’n’ roll and blues.”

Moving in those circles as a woman hasn’t always been friction-free, “but one thing I have found consistently powerful, and always makes it to the end, is accountability, ownership of yourself,” Burge says. “You can absolutely be graceful and take no f*cks.”

Burge had every intention of leaving the music business behind when she moved to Las Vegas, but

after meeting Red Dwarf owner Russell Gardner during the pandemic, she discovered her calling wasn’t quite over just yet.

“I believe that my life has taken me from participating in the creation of music to nurturing the people who create music. It’s extraordinarily powerful to see human beings come together that may have never come together otherwise,” she says.

Live music is the lifeblood of both bars, and Burge intentionally fosters a scene where touring bands, such as the badass women of South Africa’s The SoapGirls and Sacramento’s Dog Party, can thrive and local artists can play the originals they adore.

“It blows my mind how many unreal musicians are here that don’t get paid to play what’s in their heart. They’re never asked,” she says. “My whole idea is do your gig that you pay your mortgage with. Then come to our space where you feed your soul.” –AS

DJ Maybelline’s gravitation to music is an innate, magnetic force that’s drawn her and generations of her family to its embrace for years. Her mother constantly played records in her childhood home in Long Beach; her father sang in bandas, a genre of Mexican music that’s native to their roots in Sinaloa; and her various relatives play instruments and contribute to their own bands.

“We actually moved to Vegas because my dad got a job at a radio station,” she recalls. “He was a DJ at one of the Mexican stations here in town.”

She admits that her interest in becoming a disc jockey strengthened when she started going to her brother’s gigs. Her younger brother Will Lizarraga fronts his own high frequency rockabilly band, Will & The Hi-Rollers. She jokes, “I noticed that in between the bands they’d have a house DJ, and I thought ‘Eh, this kind of sucks. I wish they’d play cooler stuff.’”

Taking matters into her own hands, she began collecting records with the intention of playing them at shows—while simultaneously

getting deeper into swing dancing. She began spinning alongside DJ El Gallo Negro at Henderson’s Gold Mine Tavern in 2006, and has since seen those Water Street nights snowball into a DJ career that has landed her opportunities to go on tour and spin in other countries.

Rockabilly’s global relevance is holding steady, but DJ Maybelline says the local rockabilly scene is niche and dwindling away. In the past, one of her favorite nights at the Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend showcased special performances by musicians from the 1950s and 1960s.

“If you’re trying to get into Viva now you won’t see any of that— there’s Brian Setzer and a handful of others but before, Chuck Berry was there, Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis,” she says. “Those are legendary acts, but it’s just not possible anymore.”

Yet DJ Maybelline remains undeterred. As she navigates a changing musical landscape, her dedication to her craft and to the tight-knit group of rockabilly enthusiasts around her keep the records spinning. –GR

BOOKING MANAGER FOR RED DWARF AND FAT CAT

(Wade Vandervort/Staff)

(Brian Ramos/Staff)

TURCHESE PANTANI

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND ENTERTAINMENT AT DRAI’S MANAGEMENT GROUP

Drai’s Live moved the needle with its full-length concert performances, spotlighting the top talent in hip-hop and R&B and inspiring other clubs to follow suit. As director of marketing and entertainment for Drai’s Management Group, Turchese Pantani has been integral to getting that concert series off the ground and keeping it at the top of everyone’s itinerary.

“We had Megan Thee Stallion perform before she was who she is right now because we recognized the talent and how big she was going to be,” says Pantani. “We’ve definitely had talks about how we want to bring more female artists here because they’re blooming. Obviously, we look at artists who are at the forefront of what they’re doing, and women are. And it’s great to see.”

The Italian-born Pantani originally aspired to be a nurse, but marketing felt more naturally aligned with her love for entertainment. Those who know the story of film producer and nightlife vet Victor Drai know she couldn’t have picked a better place to

pursue that. At Drai’s, Pantani’s job has its pinch-me moments, from watching Chance the Rapper surprise 50 Cent and Jeezy onstage to hosting celebrities like Travis Scott, Ciara and Cardi B.

“We put a lot of emphasis on these live shows and making sure you see this full production element behind it,” she says. “From the moment you walk into Drai’s, we have dancers. We have some artists who bring their full band. We created a custom full-build stage for Chris Brown just because he envisioned his show at Drai’s in a certain way.”

Being a woman in nightlife still has its frustrations (“I was playing tennis and trying to explain what I did, and the person just kept asking, ‘So yeah, you’re a bottle girl, right?’”) but Pantani says it’s getting better every day.

“[Drai’s] really has made it a priority to have strong female leads in managing positions. Obviously, it’s a boys’ club in nightlife in general, but I think that’s changing because we have such strong females that want to take charge.” –AS

WOMEN

When Live Nation opened its Las Vegas office in 2015, it did so with a team of two. That challenge proved to be no match for Amanda Moore-Saunders. As senior vice president of Las Vegas residencies at Live Nation, Moore-Saunders has launched some of the biggest Strip residencies, including for Garth Brooks, Usher and the Backstreet Boys.

“I have a baby now, but I always used to say my babies were my residencies,” she says. “I do approach it from an almost maternal way, in terms of not just how much I care about it, but also the sense of responsibility I have to the artists.”

Moore-Saunders, who got her start at a record label in radio promotions and A&R more than 20 years ago, has essentially watched these artists grow up. She vividly remembers the Backstreet Boys’ nine-show residency becoming an 80-plus run. It’s also still surreal to think she promoted Usher’s hit single “Yeah!” well before he ever had a residency—let alone two.

“I’ve never met a person who works harder than Usher. So to see

all of that hard work, and that brilliant creativity and talent, to see all of that be received the way that it was, to see all of the opportunities that evolved from him taking advantage of this opportunity, it was so powerful,” Moore-Saunders says. “I definitely cried through all of the Super Bowl performance. I was so proud of him and so proud to be a part of it.”

Like many women in music, Moore-Saunders still faces discrimination. And in a networking profession like hers, it’s difficult not to feel left out at times. “You think about the dinner or drink hangs that you don’t get invited to, and all of those are relationship builders, the golf games,” she says. “There are different barriers of entry, and you have to find ways to still stand out and that’s through your quality of work.”

Last year alone, Live Nation promoted more than 600 residency concerts. It’s impossible not to stand out with numbers like that. “I’m fortunate that I have this arsenal of expertise, but it’s a hybrid of many different facets of the music industry,” she says. “I sort of found that unicorn role for me.” –AS

(Courtesy)

(Wade

MICHELLE JOHNSON

SINGER, FOUNDER OF DIVA LAS VEGAS PRODUCTIONS

Michelle Johnson, known as Vegas’ “First Lady of Jazz,” boasts a rich musical career spanning genres. Raised across various countries due to her father’s diplomatic career, Johnson’s multicultural upbringing influenced her multilingual vocal prowess.

“My father worked as the Liberian ambassador to Egypt. I lived in different countries, including Hong Kong and Egypt,” she says. Arriving in Las Vegas in 1995, Johnson embraced the city’s vibrant music scene. “When I moved here, one of the things that struck me was the camaraderie and the family-like energy— that has not changed.”

Despite the changes brought on by social media, Johnson cherishes face-to-face interactions and fostering authentic connections among fellow musicians. Specializing in jazz standards, Johnson’s passion for the genre stems from a love for the 1930s and 1940s era, influenced by legends like Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald. She stresses the importance of authenticity over trends, urging artists to find their unique voice and message.

Beyond performing, Johnson’s Diva Las Vegas Productions provides a platform for Black female producers and champions diversity in entertainment. “I wanted to get a piece of that corporate event pie,” says Johnson. With a focus on tailored entertainment, the company crafts shows based on client preferences.

A regular at Myron’s at the Smith Center, Johnson enchants audiences with her well-designed performances, blending captivating vocals with true connection.

“What I want to be known for is my cabaret work and my artistry of being able to make people feel comfortable in an intimate setting. I’m the storyteller, and that’s my theater background coming through,” she says. –GR

Vandervort/Staff/Shot on location at Myron’s at the Smith Center)

SHANA SALAZAR

PROMOTER FOR BLACK SHEEP BOOKING, BASSIST FOR MSMRS

Since she started Black Sheep Booking in 2022, Shana Salazar has been on an intentional mission: Keep the music scene alive. She’s organized more than 120 shows, collaborated with female-led showcases like Desert Honeypot, debuted a local music fest called SunCan and has plans to launch another with Pigeon Hat Collective this April. And this isn’t even her day job.

“I work full time, then I do law school in the evening, and then I do Black Sheep by myself on top of that,” says Salazar. “I’ve got time management down now to a T.” Did we mention she also plays bass in the alt-rock, post-hardcore band Msmrs?

Early into managing a local band, Salazar noticed there were more shows happening in the scene than

there were promoters. Eager to fix that, and to create more opportunities for up-and-comers, she created Black Sheep Booking.

Her love for Pixies and Interpol may have swayed early Black Sheep bills to feature more alt-rock acts, but Salazar’s shows have become an eclectic experiment in discovery. On any given night, you might hear the wayward dance punk of Spring Breeding, the jangly pop of The Patterns, or Hunter’s Briefcase’s wavy psych rock. It’s a tasteful representation of the scene, no matter the bill.

“One of my favorite things is seeing bands progress. I’ve seen bands go from playing a show to 10 people, to now packing an entire room,” Salazar says. “The Dollheads, they’ve been on

a bunch of Black Sheep shows, and seeing their growth, it’s just absolutely amazing.”

The promoter leverages her platform for the community. At the SunCan festival, she collected six cars’ worth of canned goods for The Solidarity Fridge. She’s also an out-andproud advocate for harm reduction, with organizations like End Overdose present at her events.

Mentors like Danielle O’Hara of Nevermore Productions have helped shape Salazar as a promoter. “I definitely think there is some sort of sisterhood, especially because there’s not really that many female-presenting venue owners,” she says. “It’s nice to have other women around in the scene.” –AS

(Steve Marcus/Staff)

DAN PEREIRA PROMOTER/MUSICIAN

If there was a poster child for the modern riot grrrl, it would depict Dan Pereira. She’s typically sporting her long jet black hair, razor-sharp graphic eyeliner, a ripped-up band tee and one or two metal chains. But her dedication to heavy music goes beyond her looks—it’s become her entire life.

At 8 years old, her metal-adjacent mom Pam Pereira enrolled her in Girls Rock Vegas where she picked up playing the guitar, drums and bass. At 13 she began going to local punk shows, eventually beginning to write her own music. Currently, she plays in three bands.

Swamp Brain is Pereira’s baby, a sludge violence group that started as a solo project; She wrote all the parts for its demo, sang and played the drums and bass. It’s since grown into a twopiece. Additionally, she plays bass in the hardcore punk band Klorine and guitar in Sakura, a Spanish D-beat band. Influenced by acts like Bikini Kill, Hole and Alice Bag, Pereria’s sound pays homage to their raw femme fury.

“I gravitated towards pretty much any angry woman scream-

ing at the top of her lungs and playing a guitar,” says Pereira. “When I was younger, I would dream of doing the same thing.”

Today, she’s the operations lead at the Punk Rock Museum, where she not only ensures smooth daily ops and visitor satisfaction, but regularly throws DJ nights, organizes events and books local bands. In her free time she’s a promoter for local booking group 1-800-Deadass Productions, alongside her mom and her mom’s boyfriend Daniel Isch, where she works towards highlighting people of color in the music scene while curating a femme-protected space. These efforts are inspired by personal adolescent experiences, where womanhood was a second thought in the heavily masculine punk world. It’s safe to say that if not for Pereira’s hard work, the scene could potentially be deprived of some sick acts.

“A woman’s presence on stage can be more powerful,” says Pereira. “I love when a girl comes out super decked out wearing chains and armor, like a f*cking warrior.” –GR

MARIAH BALDWIN

FRONTWOMAN OF

MOJAVE SUN, CREATOR OF DESERT HONEYPOT SHOWCASE

Mojave Sun’s leading lady of blues-rock entangles a mesh of musical influences from her youth to create the mesmerizing Miss Desert Honey seen onstage. Growing up in the small town of Crystal Lake, Illinois, Mariah Baldwin fondly looks back on blasting AC/DC in car rides with her dad. Baldwin’s uncle also drummed for the ’90s alt-rock band Ednaswap, and a chance encounter with the band’s frontwoman, Anne Preven, left a lasting impression on her, as did hanging out at Kingston Mines, Chicago’s legendary blues club.

“I saw these old-school blues players, they had to be in their 60s or 70s, and they were just singing with their soul, pretty much yowling and crying, and I just loved that,” Baldwin says. “I loved seeing so much emotion evoked on the stage.”

Since 2022, the singer has also spearheaded Desert Honeypot, a female-led music showcase that’s operated as a safe space for networking, creativity and camaraderie. The Honeypot represents a place of empowerment, for both the

women involved and the showcase’s founder.

Early into her career, Baldwin wrestled with being sexualized as a performer. But not only is she happy to see that changing, she’s vowed to be a part of the solution by supporting nonprofits like The Embracing Project, which advocates for young survivors of trafficking and abuse.

“I want to give these girls examples of women being in their true essence and not having to be like ‘I’m just a body,’” Baldwin says. “I’m more than a body. I am a voice. I am a story. I am a person.”

With Desert Honeypot, Baldwin aspires to make that message even clearer. She’s currently seeking sponsors for a festivalized version of the showcase and has booked more touring bands to foster networking with local acts—anything to help the frontwomen of the future.

“I’m very excited about all the women that I see putting out new music and stepping in and out of Vegas and being proud of who they are,” she says. “I just want to give them the message to keep going.” –AS

(Christopher DeVargas/Staff)

(Wade Vandervort/Staff)

PIPER FERRARI

VOCALIST FOR ROMAN CANDLE

For vocalist, graphic and clothing designer Piper Ferrari, her incessant need to create is often fueled by spite. A few years ago, that drive prompted Ferrari to leave her 9-to-5 and pursue her passion. Now, the 24-year-old’s relentless dedication has paid off. She’s established herself as a self-reliant powerhouse constantly pushing her band and brand to new heights.

Ferrari’s early band Sowithout, an experimental screamo group, was just a glimpse into the capacity of her voice. “When I was in Sowithout, I was the only girl in a hardcore band in the entire [local] scene, which was crazy,” recalls Ferrari. “Now there’s a bunch of women playing in bands—people aren’t looking at gender as much.”

Her current project Roman Candle hit the ground running in 2023 with EP Discount Fireworks. The mere 14-minute, 5-track record revolves around themes that require screaming to truly get the message across. In “Gaslighting Isn’t

Real (You’re Just Crazy),” Ferrari confronts the complexities of loss and self-doubt. She grapples with accepting one’s exit from her life while struggling to piece together the remnants of a fractured relationship. Her delivery oscillates between introspective rumination and bold declaration.

“There’s something different about feminine rage,” says Ferrari. “Girls will come up to me after shows and say I’m their inspiration to be in a band, design or to do whatever it is that they want to do, and that’s really cool to me.”

Not long after an initial fandom formed, Roman Candle hopped on a couple of tours including one with Portland’s own female-fronted metalcore band Dying Wish and got signed to a management company and booking agency. And though the band has recently faced adversity and undergone a couple lineup changes, Ferrari remains steadfast in her commitment to her craft and vision. –GR

(Courtesy/Ashleigh Dozier)

TSVETELINA STEFANOVA

FOUNDER OF BAD MOON BOOKING, KEYBOARDS & VOCALIST FOR SAME SEX MARY

Tsvetelina Stefanova stands as an early pioneer of one of the best eras of local music history—when the Bunkhouse reigned supreme and garage and psych-rock bands were at the forefront of the scene. Her transfixing performances as the keyboardist and vocalist of Same Sex Mary give audiences something to remember, but she’s known for doing much more. As founder of Bad Moon Booking, she’s the driving force behind the organization’s mission to promote emerging talent and foster a sense of community within the valley’s music scene. As her own band’s manager, Stefanova delved into music marketing and promotions, and by booking her own bands tours and gigs, she forged a network of connections.

Bad Moon Booking was born out of necessity in 2015, fueled by Stefanova’s abundance of do-it-yourself spirit. It put on local shows and festivals, including Boulder City’s Dillinger Block Party and the beloved Life is Sh*t Festival—an all-day art and music extravaganza, held at Maryland Parkway’s Dive Bar, that provides crusty punk counterprogramming to the similarly-named, hyper-optimistic giant music fest held Downtown at the same time.

“[Bad Moon Booking] definitely didn’t turn out to be a super big moneymaker as everyone knows, especially in the way that we run our agency. That is kind of like the DIY mindset,” says Stefanova. “Many independent artists are painfully aware of what it takes, and we’ve got to help each other out.”

Bad Moon’s focus has shifted to curating gigs and tours for select bands. Last year, it organized a tour for instrumental space rockers Peaceful Retreat and facilitated LA’s Pearl Earl’s East Coast summer tour. But besides the bands her agency assists directly, Stefanova notes Sunday Mourning, the Sundogs and Elevated Undergrounds—all femme-fronted—as her current favorite local bands.

Stefanova notes the growing presence of women-led concert booking organizations and observes a renewed energy in the music scene post-pandemic, with younger individuals becoming actively involved. She loves to see it. “Vegas has a lot of heart, and we all work hard to cultivate culture— it’s going in a good direction,” she says. –GR

(Wade Vandervort/Staff)

NEWS IN THE

AI IN HEALTH CARE

Nevada’s state health insurance marketplace, Nevada Health Link, became the first state marketplace to be approved by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service (CMS) to use AI interactive virtual agents to enhance the customer experience.

PLANET 13 CELEBRATES GRAND OPENING OF CONSUMPTION LOUNGE

Cannabis lovers have had high expectations for Planet 13’s new consumption lounge, Dazed, since the mega dispensary announced plans for it in 2022. This month, Planet 13 celebrated the grand opening with cannabis-infused specialty cocktails, a “Dazed N’ Blazed Buffet” and a la carte prerolls, flower and live resin to boot.

“Since the inception of Planet 13, we’ve been driven by the conviction that cannabis should be more than just a product, it should be an immersive experience,” Planet 13 co-CEO Larry Scheffler said in a statement.

Dazed brings an eccentricity and

playfulness to the cannabis lounge scene, from its vintage phone booth entrance (don’t forget to dial 420!) to interior walls that drip with colorful floral and pop art murals. The lounge features several VIP private rooms for large parties and hosts a bevy of cannabis options and strains for every kind of consumer.

Dazed’s use of “potent pairings,” which package different nonalcoholic canna-cocktails, flower and more together, offer a prix-fixe experience for cannabis lovers. A round-theclock DJ and arcade games round out the venue’s entertainment offerings. –Amber Sampson

PROPOSED RULE WOULD PUT STRICT LIMITS ON STREET VENDORS

A proposal to regulate street vending in Clark County was met with backlash at a commissioners’ meeting by allies of the industry who say the added regulations would “threaten the very existence of our vendors’ businesses.”

The proposal would complement an initial ordinance passed last October that prevented sellers from setting up shop within 1,500 feet of a resort or event facility with a seating capacity of at least 20,000, such as Allegiant Stadium and T-Mobile Arena.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING SOLUTION

Gov. Joe Lombardo endorsed Democratic Rep. Susie Lee’s Accelerating Appraisals and Conservation Efforts Act, which would make it easier to make public lands available for affordable housing development. Nevada has the worst affordable housing shortage in the nation.

“My concern is that they won’t let us sell near the schools and parks, and the truth is that I get my rent from here and what is left over is to feed my family,” said vendor Jorge Reyes Hernandez in a statement to the county that was translated from Spanish to English. “The truth is that I don’t know where they are going to let us sell.”

Commissioners will vote on the proposal at 10 a.m. on April 16.

The new proposal would also restrict vendors from selling within 500 feet of a pedestrian mall or entertainment district. Vendors also couldn’t sell at a community center unless contracted by the county, or “the extreme outside perimeter” of any school property or childcare facility.

–Grace Da Rocha

THE CLARK COUNTY DIVISION OF AIR QUALITY’S ANNUAL SEASONAL ADVISORY FOR OZONE AND WILDFIRE SMOKE WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL SEPTEMBER 30.

HENDERSON CHEF RECOGNIZED

Steve Kestler from Aroma Latin American Cocina in Henderson was named a finalist for the 2024 James Beard Awards in the Best Chef: Southwest category. Award winners will be announced June 10 in Chicago.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING CONCEPT FILLING NICHE

Cherry Development’s first substantial project was a residential high rise in downtown Las Vegas more than two decades ago, which CEO Sam Cherry said was the first of its kind in the city.

The company went on to pursue similar projects, until feedback from the community set it on a different path.

“We saw when we were building the high rises—they were condos—and we heard loud and clear from people that were working in the retail space, on the ground floor, working in the area, that they’re being priced out,” said Cherry, who grew up in Las Vegas. “And that wasn’t the product that we wanted to really build.”

The solution was ShareDowntown, apartments with a price point in line with workforce housing, Cherry said, particularly people working in the bars, restaurants, retail shops and casinos that make up the heart of Downtown Las Vegas.

Another goal was to provide people who work in the area with the ability to save on cars, gas or commutes, and instead “live, work (and) play” by walking from their apartment to wherever they need to go, Cherry said.

Because these apartments are “urban infill projects,” meaning they’re built on small pieces of land or half-acre lots in Downtown areas, Cherry Development is limited by space when it comes to the amenities it provides tenants.

But, Cherry emphasized, whatever ShareDowntown properties may lack in amenities, they make up for in community.

The ShareDowntown properties encourage residents to participate in twice-monthly community events—one in which they all gather to eat food, purchased from a local business, hang out and listen to music, and another in which they all go out together to a local business. –Katie Ann McCarver

LAST SHOW FOR BEATLES LOVE ENTERTAINMENT

Cirque du Soleil has announced that The Beatles Love will conclude its 18-year run July 7. The announcement comes as the Mirage transitions into the new Hard Rock Las Vegas. Tickets to performances through June 29 are on sale at cirquedusoleil.com/ beatles-love. Tickets for the final week of performances in July will be available in the coming weeks.

$465,000

Local home prices are on the rise after a “sluggish 2023,” Las Vegas Realtors president Merri Perry said April 9. The median sale price was $465,000 for existing single-family homes and $282,500 for condos and townhomes in March. That’s an increase of 9.4% and just under 9%, respectively, from the same time last year. Perry pointed to elevated mortgage interest rates and a tight housing supply as causes for the slow market in 2023.

Students from Silvestri Junior High performed “Prince Ali” from Aladdin Jr. at the Smith Center on April 3, part of a celebration of local students and educators from five Las Vegas schools to close out this year’s Disney Musicals in Schools program. (Courtesy/Geri Kodey) HOT SHOT

Atomic Golf, a new entertainment venue, opened March 22 at 1850 S. Main Street in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Staff)

SACRED SPACES

BY SHANNON MILLER

For the first time in U.S. history, a tribe is managing land with the National Park Service. In March, the Yurok Tribe of California signed a historic memorandum of understanding with the National Park Service and California State Parks, thereby returning 125 acres of Yurok ancestral territory to the tribe, to be co-managed with the National Park Service.

The land, called ‘O Rew in the Yurok language, was stolen by

settlers in the gold rush of the mid-1800s and now serves as a gateway to Redwood National and State Parks in Northern California, according to The Guardian To Tammi Tiger, co-founder and treasurer of UNLV’s Native American Alumni Club and director of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Tribal Education Initiative, such an arrangement marks a small step toward “reconciliation” for the U.S. government and

its historic treatment of Native Americans.

“There’s the phrase ‘land back.’ We feel like the best reconciliation is returning the land to the tribe or the tribes that are part of that area [and] also have governance in place to co-manage with the U.S. government and have it protected under that national [monument] designation,” Tiger says.

She points to Avi Kwa Ame National Monument in Nevada

Native Americans promote land protection at Powwow for the Planet

as an example of a tribe and the federal government sharing the responsibility for land stewardship. The 500,000-acre area northwest of Laughlin surrounding Spirit Mountain is considered sacred to Yuman tribes. According to President Biden’s March 2023 proclamation establishing the national monument, the Secretary of the Interior is required to “meaningfully engage the Tribal Nations with historical and spiri-

A spring is visible at Bahsahwahbee near Ely on November 13, 2023. The lush, high desert oasis is what attracted Native Americans here for millennia, a stark contrast to the killing field it became in the 1800s when white settlers attacked Native people on the sacred land on several occasions. (AP

)

Photo/Rick Bowmer

tual connections to the monument lands in the development of the management plan and management of the monument.”

Local Native Americans rallied around the designation of the Avi Kwa Ame National Monument at the first Powwow for the Planet in 2022. At this year’s powwow, April 19-20 at UNLV, they’re raising awareness about three sacred sites in Nevada—the proposed East Las Vegas National Monument, the Ruby Mountains in northeastern Nevada, and Bahsahwahbee, also known as Swamp Cedars, near Great Basin National Park. •••••

Free and open to the public, the social powwow is not only an opportunity for Native Americans to convene and connect with their culture, but also for the wider community to learn about Native Americans’ issues.

“We can really talk about these issues and learn more about them, so that we can inform others—not even just the Native community, but the community within UNLV [and] within Las Vegas,” says UNLV junior and Native American Student Association president Elena Marcos.

It’s important for the continuation of traditions as well as survival, says Shelly Herrera-White, a Powwow for the Planet organizer and Native American Alumni Club member.

“It’s our obligation today to make sure the next seven generations have what they need to survive. Land protection is a huge part of that,” Herrera-White says. “We look at, politically, what initiatives different tribes are asking for. And it’s a great opportunity for us to bring awareness to that, move beyond a land acknowledgment and actually let people know they can support these initiatives by contacting political leaders in Congress to get these acts passed.”

There already is legislation in the works to protect the Ruby Mountains. In May 2023, the Ruby Mountains Protection Act, introduced by Sen. Catherine Cortez

Masto (D-NV) passed out of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. If passed by Congress, the legislation would withdraw approximately 450,000 acres of National Forest System land from any eligibility for oil and gas leasing. It now awaits a vote on the Senate floor.

“I grew up hiking in the Ruby Mountains. That’s how we traveled, hunted, fished. There are beautiful lakes up there,” says Herrera-White, a member of the Te-Moak Tribe of the Western Shoshone. “We’re just trying to protect it from fracking and all the studies being done in Northern Nevada to find natural resources. We don’t want them to … find something and then it be Thacker Pass all over.”

In 2023, Powwow for the Planet organizers advocated for the protection of Peehee Mu’huh, also known as Thacker Pass, as the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony, Burns Paiute Tribe and Summit Lake Paiute Tribe sued the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in attempt to stop a lithium mine from moving forward on the land. Despite their efforts, judges sided with the BLM, and the developer has begun construction of a lithium mine on a sacred site where U.S. soldiers massacred the tribes’ ancestors in 1865.

Herrera-White adds that “clean en-

ergy” projects like utility-scale solar and wind power and electric vehicles (which use lithium batteries) can actually present a threat to some of the sacred places that Nevada tribes want to protect. “It’s ‘clean energy,’ but it’s not what they make it out to seem. You don’t hear about mining and the destruction that occurs to get that lithium,” Herrera-White says.

Tiger adds that more than 80% of Nevada’s land is federally managed, leaving the land open to energy developments.

“As more opportunities for development happen in Nevada … there’s just a need to help support the tribes in their stewardship and protection of these places that they hold sacred so that they don’t get caught up in those development activities,” Tiger says.

The 40-square mile Bahsahwahbee area was threatened in the early 2000s when the Southern Nevada Water Authority pushed to build a pipeline that scientists said would have drained the water table that feeds the “swamp cedars,” or Rocky Mountain junipers, that are sacred to Great Basin tribes.

“The Natives believe [the trees] are growing from our ancestors, out of the spirit of our ancestors, or the graves of our ancestors. So, they definitely want it protected,” says Herrera-White.

Ultimately, in 2020, a district court judge ruled that the state’s water law did not support the project, and the water authority shelved it indefinitely.

In a statement to the Weekly, Cortez Masto said she is working on legislation to create the Bahsahwahbee National Monument. The senator is also pushing the Biden administration to designate the site as a national monument through executive order.

“I’m continuing to work with tribes in Nevada and the administration to create the Bahsahwahbee National Monument. This is about protecting this sacred site and honoring the memory of their ancestors who were killed during three separate massacres,” she said in a statement.

Of the three sites that Powwow for the Planet is advocating for, the proposed East Las Vegas National Monument is the newest campaign. In 2021, state and county lawmakers passed resolutions to protect the 32,000-acre area, which includes Sunrise Mountain, Frenchman Mountain and Rainbow Gardens.

“One of the places under that proposed monument is Gypsum Cave, which is sacred to the Southern Paiute people,” Tiger says.

Marcos adds that the area is not only culturally significant, but “It’s important from an ecological perspective as well,” she says.

“There’s actually a population of Bearpoppies and those are an endangered species. They only grow in gypsum-rich soils. And as gypsum has been mined and the destruction of their habitat, they’re now vulnerable to extinction.”

Herrera-White says it’s important to listen to Native American perspectives in land stewardship, since they’ve observed the land for generations and have traditional knowledge of how to take care of it.

“People are up in arms if a developer tries to develop on a graveyard,” she says. “It’s no different. It’s sacred land.”

Dancers at last year’s Powwow for the Planet on April 22 at UNLV. (Courtesy)

Embracing eco-friendly style +

Fast fashion may compel consumers with its a ordable nature and accessibility, but the cost to the environment is substantial. The Resource Recycling Systems noted that the growth of textile waste in the United States is outpacing every other major category of waste, including plastics, and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation reported that clothing production doubled from 2000 to 2015. And it’s not just the clothing waste tossed in land lls causing problems—textile and clothing manufacturers are some of the worst environmental polluters. Add to it a history of labor concerns within the global garment industry, and it’s hard to argue in favor of fast fashion. Enter: thrift shopping, an eco-friendly way to nd a ordable, on-trend styles.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates the average person throws away 81 pounds of clothing per year in the U.S., which contributes an estimated 11.3 million tons of textile waste to our landfills. Many synthetic textiles, such as polyester and nylon, can take 30 to 40 years to decompose. Cotton and wool take months to years, depending on conditions, and silk requires more than four years to decompose. The fashion industry is also the secondlargest polluter in the world after the oil industry. Clothing and textile production require huge amounts of water, power and other resources, many of which also result in harmful waste.

The amount of clothing that ends up in landfills annually. Goodwill diverted 3 billion pounds from this fate in one year alone. The more shoppers utilize thrift stores, the narrower this margin can become.

ADVERTORIAL PRESENTED BY GOODWILL OF SOUTHERN NEVADA

For Southern Nevadans, water waste is often top of mind. We’re thoughtful about watering schedules, have converted unusable grass to turf, and look for other sustainable water-use options. However, we may not be thinking about the amount of water wasted during clothing production. The World Wildlife Fund reported that 713 gallons of water are used to produce a single cotton T-shirt, which is enough water to sustain a single person for about 900 days.

One of the best ways to help combat the environmental e ects of clothing overproduction is extending the lifecycle of your garments. Clothing and textiles are nearly 100% recyclable—whether you’re using a product as-is or converting a product into something else. The most sustainable way to shop is to buy clothes from thrift stores, which gives garments a second life and avoids unnecessary landfill waste. It’s also a ordable, often on-trend, and guarantees special, unique items. There are few places better for vintage looks and inexpensive designer finds than your local thrift store. Consider upcycling your thrifted goods, or simply upcycling what you have at home. Textiles can be used for many things, and with a little cutting, sewing or tweaking, you can repurpose garments into something totally new.

If you can’t avoid buying new, consider how many times you’ll wear the garment, and choose clothing that you plan to wear more than 30 times. Look for brands that produce high-quality items to extend garments’ lifespans and avoid fast-fashion retailers. Be sure to consider retailers that use sustainable production methods.

As the fashion industry is tasked with moving toward a sustainable model and consumers are more conscious of their buying habits, the market for thrifted and sustainable clothing continues to grow and thrive. Thrifting o ers shoppers a truly ethical approach to style.

SMOKE HOUR

Locals can light up or drink up at consumption lounge

Smoke and Mirrors

RIGHT

BELOW

Inside Las Vegas’ first state-regulated, non-tribal cannabis consumption lounge, Smoke and Mirrors. The lounge is located inside Thrive Cannabis Marketplace on Sammy Davis Jr. Drive.

(Photographs by Brian Ramos/Staff)

The historic first sale made at Smoke and Mirrors was to Clark County Commissioner and longtime advocate for adult-use cannabis Tick Segerblom, on February 23, 2024. A drink on the menu is named “The Godfather” in his honor.

BY GEOFF CARTER

The first question you may ask yourself about adult consumption marijuana lounges is why? Why go somewhere to consume cannabis where you might mix with tourists? Why even leave home when your weed, your snacks and your streaming services are all within arm’s reach? But Smoke and Mirrors, a consumption lounge recently opened inside Thrive Cannabis Marketplace on Sammy Davis Jr. Drive—behind Resorts World, roughly speaking—rises to answer those why questions with smartly-executed whats To begin with, the feel of Smoke and Mirrors isn’t innately tourist. Rather, it feels like an industry bar, and looking around, it’s pretty evident that’s the crowd it draws— locals, some still in their work clothes, rolling in after a long, stressful day to toke the edge off. Some get tables and engage in relaxed conversation; some sit at the bar where they can watch the bartender and DJ, both of whom are mixing diligently. The décor is handsome and understated, with bright flourishes like the starburst lighting fixtures and the spots of greenery behind the bar. Smoke eaters keep the air clear and fresh. One side of the menu at Smoke and Mirrors is straightforward, offering infused pre-rolls, dabs (with a Huni Badger provided for consumption), and flower in 1 gram or 1/8-ounce servings, accompanied by papers, pipe or bong. The prices are good: flower ranges from $20 to $75, and 1 gram pre-rolls and dabs are $20 a pop. It’s a terrific way to sample strains you haven’t yet tried, whether that’s Cheech & Chong’s Love Machine, Cannavative’s Vader OG Mini Motivator, Green & Gold’s Wedding Stomper or one of a couple dozen others. Everything must be consumed in the

lounge, so follow the menu’s advice to “start low and go slow.” If you want something to take home, the dispensary is just steps away.

SMOKE AND MIRRORS

2975 S. Sammy Davis Jr. Drive, 702-776-4144, smokeand mirrorslv.com

Tuesday & Wednesday, 4 p.m.-midnight; Thursday-Sunday, noon-midnight.

The other side of the menu is where things get new and different. That’s where you’ll find the 2.5 milligram-infused, non-alcoholic beers, 2.5 mg espresso drinks, and most significantly, the 2.5 and 5 mg cannabis-infused, non-alcoholic cocktails, which may redefine your idea of the post-work bevvy. Recommended is the Higher Ground, a green tea concoction with Sobreo Tuscan Juniper, agave nectar, raspberries, lemon, rosemary and a splash of ginger beer, and The Godfather—so named for County Commissioner Tick Segerblom, one of adult consumption’s earliest and strongest Nevada advocates—which combines Sobreo Vietnamese Anise, blueberry puree, lime, vanilla, cinnamon and an apple slice into a near-perfect ambrosia.

The 2.5 mg infused cocktails are $19, the 5 mg $23. If you’re pursuing a strict sober tack, you can get any of Smoke and Mirrors’ drinks as a straight mocktail for $15, or an NA beer for $5. I had a pair of 2.5 drinks, which made me feel great, and then an additional 2.5 in the interest of research, which made me loopy. (I took a rideshare there and back; if you’re planning to make a night of it, it’s not the worst idea.) The high came on slowly and steadily, which was a nice change from what I’ve become accustomed to with most edibles: 30-45 minutes of nothing at all and then blam.

Local DJs like Crykit, Spydatek and Yo Yolie spin at Smoke and Mirrors regularly, adding flavor to the room and completing an experience that’s plainly intended to bring locals in, then bring them back. It’s the where we’ve been waiting for.

THE STRIP

New country spot Ole Red adds more local acts to the bill

BY AMBER SAMPSON

When Paige Overton sang with the cowpunk quartet The Clydesdale, she performed at Brooklyn Bowl and during the Neon Reverb fest, and seemingly every other local venue and event. She has played her share of stages, but few compare to the setup of Blake Shelton’s new country bar and restaurant Ole Red.

“This is definitely different from anything I’ve experienced in this town,” says Overton, who fronts outlaw country band Paige and the Overtones and duo Opal and Turq. “I feel like we’re all kids again. It’s this new, buzzy, fun place and there’s a lot of camaraderie there.”

Overton is one of several local musicians who’ve been invited to play the Strip venue, and the feedback has been resoundingly positive. From the professionally staffed sound and lighting teams to the sprawling stage and lightning-fast stage breakdowns, she regards Ole Red as a true concert venue.

OLE RED

to plant a flag and give country music a home, and give some of the folks who live here, who truly are authentically country, a place to shine,” he says.

A big part of that has been encouraging musicians to play original music rather than what may be popular with Strip crowds. To Feldman, Ole Red is “the proudest stepping stone anyone could have in their career,” and artists are taking that seriously.

Local musician Zach Ryan, who spent eight years in Nashville before returning to Vegas, can attest to that. He often performs his twangy brand of ’60s and ’90s country at Ole Red.

Grand Bazaar

Shops at Horseshoe Las Vegas, 725-303-1818, olered.com. Sunday-Wednesday, 11 a.m.-2 a.m.; Thursday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 a.m

This new, high-profile home for live performance at the heart of the Strip should impact the local country music community, which, despite the popularity of the genre, only plays in a few local venues. Stoney’s Rockin’ Country at Town Square, Gilley’s at Treasure Island and Losers Bar at MGM Grand are among Vegas’ most prominent country bars and lounges.

“I don’t even know if it’s the lack of country bands, but sometimes I think it’s the lack of places that they fit,” Overton says. “I know bands that there’s only a few and far places that really embrace [country] so they have to drive all the way out to Pioneer Saloon to play, or the LeDoux that’s all the way over by Lake Las Vegas.

“I think it may encourage people to step out a little bit, but also it’s a breath of fresh air for people who already play this type of music and have their own little spot in the sun now.”

Ole Red senior talent buyer Marc Feldman says that’s precisely what this venue has set out to do here.

“We’re really giving the opportunity

“They treat you there like you’re the talent,” says Ryan. “Some places I’ve played, they’re herding me around and don’t give any breaks. In Nashville, we played about three hours and 45 minutes with no breaks, so someone would have to jump on the drums, which was usually me, while the drummer went to the bathroom.”

Transitioning from the shotgun bars of Nashville to Ole Red has been a “real treat,” he says. “A place like that is a place where you can come as a casual music country fan or a real country fan. It felt a step above Nashville.”

Ryan views Ole Red’s arrival as a sign of the times. He points to Beyoncé releasing Cowboy Carter—“Country music is becoming relevant again, and it’s not your grandpa’s music anymore,” he says. “It’s something young people identify with because so much of it just is talking about everyday problems.”

It’s also incredibly versatile. At Ole Red, Overton can lay on the Waylon Jennings and the Loretta Lynn.

“Sometimes if I’m feeling crazy I’ll even do ‘Stand By Your Man’ from Tammy Wynette, which is sometimes a show suicide because it’s slow, but I don’t give a sh*t,” she says. “It’s fun, and people are usually really into it.

“I hope we see this as a step in the right direction to really embrace more of our musicians in this town,” Overton says. “Let’s get the people paid to play and let them do what they love.”

Paige and the Overtones at Ole Red on the Strip. (Christopher DeVargas/Staff)

LESS TALK, MORE ROCK

BY GABRIELLA RODRIGUEZ

Many bands say their music speaks for them. Bar Italia’s actually does.

Formed in 2020 by Nina Cristante, Sam Fenton and Jezmi Tarik Fehmi, the London-based trio swiftly mesmerized listeners with their debut album Quarrel. The band talked in woozy guitar riffs, languid yet effective percussion and haunting overlapping vocals. Their songcraft echoes ‘90s alt bedroom rock tinged with lo-fi shoegaze—put together by detuned guitars and an overarching sense of melancholy.

During their first few years, that’s how Bar Italia actually preferred to communicate. They turned away interview requests and refused to disclose their names and what they looked like, to keep fans focused on their music. Today, on a two-month U.S. tour for their latest album The Twits—stopping at Area15’s the Wall venue on its final leg the band is feeling just a little bit chatty, calling the Weekly from a soundcheck in Asheville, North Carolina. Today’s topic: The extreme lengths that fans will

sometimes go to pledge their allegiance to an artist, like getting a representative tattoo.

“It’s always a risk when you get a band tattoo, because you don’t know if that’s a phase or if you’re going to be into them 10 years later,” says Fenton.

“I saw a picture the other day of someone with a Lostprophets tattoo,” adds Fehmi with a laugh, as the group audibly cringed.

The message is clear: Let’s keep talking about the music. It’s easy to do, because their stuff is great. “Skylinny,” from their debut, is a standout. Recorded amidst a global pause, the track’s moody yet straightforward composition resonates in a hurry, just under 1 minute and 30 seconds. It hammers home the band’s longing to run away—an especially relatable sentiment during that time.

BAR ITALIA

April 16, 7 p.m., $23, the Wall at Area15, area15. com

London’s Bar Italia makes its Vegas debut by putting its music first

perimental ‘80s indie rocker. With its murmured vocals from all three members and jangly guitars, it deceives first-time listeners into believing that’s all they’re capable of. But “Real House Wibes (desperate house vibes),” from The Twits, will destroy that assumption. It sounds like someone put a distorting layer of fuzz over an early Cure song. Even if the natural reaction would be to stand cross-armed and stoned faced while mentally deconstructing the tune, you’ll eventually break into sway.

Bar Italia doesn’t quite know what to make of Vegas before their first-time visit. Cristante only knows it as a place “where you get married.” But they look forward to getting a little taste of home while they’re here.

A highlight from their first Matador Records release 2023’s Tracey Denim—“Punkt” sounds like it came straight from the basement of an ex-

“We’re staying at the Excalibur Hotel ... and that’s a place that is in English folklore,” Fenton says. “We’re really excited.”

(Courtesy/Steve Gullick)

(Courtesy/Megan Blair)

BIG CHEESE

Junior’s brings more than its famous cheesecake to Resorts World

BY GEOFF CARTER

Chuck Schumer goes big on the cheesecake. In 2020, an SEC ling revealed that the longtime New York senator dropped nearly $9,000 of his own money on Junior’s cheesecake over the course of a decade. “Guilty as charged,” he said. “It’s the best cheesecake in the world.”

He may be right. The Brooklyn-born Junior’s—which recently opened a location just o Resorts World’s casino oor—has a truly winning way with the classic dessert. The restaurant’s founder Harry Rosen worked with his baker Eigel Petersen to perfect it, and the proof is in every bite: It has a u ness you don’t normally associate with cheesecake, in part because it forgoes the usual tough cracker crust for one that’s closer to sponge cake, and the taste—sweet and creamy, yet unexpectedly airy and light—absolutely sings.

Multiple cheesecake varieties occupy the rst ten spots on the dessert menu, including carrot, chocolate mousse, red velvet, apple crumb, “fresh strawberry cheese pie” and more. But you really should begin with the original. And immediately after that—because who says

you can’t start with dessert?—you can ponder Junior’s many, many savory options, beginning with their hefty sandwiches.

Of special note are Junior’s reubens, which rate their own spot on the menu. The Combo Reuben ($23) piles a small mountain of corned beef and pastrami, grilled sauerkraut and Swiss cheese on spongy rye, with a ramekin of tangy dressing on the side. You could get it with a side of chopped liver, creamy cole slaw, potato salad or thick-cut fries for an additional $4, but—real talk here—you may not need ‘em. The sandwich is a beast, with st-sized mounds of cured beef. You could take part of your sandwich to go, but it’s unlikely to make it to your home refrigerator. Once you’ve tried it, you’ll want to keep picking at it.

The rest of Junior’s menu is rich with the kind of deli and diner staples that are worth a trip down even if, for some unfathomable reason, you elect to skip the cheesecake. Other sandwich options, ranging from $20 to $22, include baked Virginia ham, roast beef and an egg salad BLT. And the “sensational” sandwich portion of the menu features such tasty beasts

as the Something Di erent ($26), brisket piled on potato pancakes; the Grilled Chicken Deluxe ($24), with bacon and American cheese and served on a toasted challah roll; and the openfaced Nova Bagel, with smoked salmon, cream cheese, red onion, tomato and capers ($26).

Beyond sandwiches, Junior’s has enough chef’s specialties to satiate the cravings of several boroughs, like Hungarian beef goulash with egg noodles ($28); Romanian tenderloin steak with sauteed onions and your choice of potato ($40); gravy and mozzarella-smothered disco fries ($12); cheese blintzes ($20) with strawberry sauce and sour cream; Cobb salad ($26) that doesn’t hold back on the grilled chicken, red pepper, roasted corn, avocado, bacon, egg, blue cheese and tomato; and good old, reliable matzoh ball soup ($8-$12), which is a curative for most any abuse that city living can dish out.

Point is, there are a lot of ways to get to the cheesecake, but get there you must. When the original Brooklyn Junior’s caught re in 1981, a crowd of New Yorkers gathered to implore re ghters to “save the cheesecake!” Today, you can nd out why.

BETTER GO BEAST-MODE TO HANDLE THIS BURGER

nThe sprawling arts and entertainment complex Area15 has always been a feast for the senses, even set against the backdrop of the Las Vegas Strip. Now its primary eatery is offering up a literal feast in the form of a seemingly insurmountable food challenge.

Aptly named foodie destination The Beast just rolled out new menu items including a brisket cheesesteak, buttermilk fried chicken, and colossal dishes for groups of visitors like a barbecue sampler and Junk Yard nachos layered with grilled chicken and beer cheese sauce. But it’s impossible to look past the new Feast at the Beast Challenge, a Godzilla-sized burger that’s free if you finish it and costs $88 if you don’t. Spoiler alert: You’re going to pay. The two-pound patty mounted on King’s Hawaiian bread loaf is equipped with one pound of bacon, one pound of American cheese, and handfuls of lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles and classic Thousand Island dressing. (Hold on: You’ve never had a handful of Thousand Island dressing, have you?) There’s also a pound of fries and four of the Beast’s signature Potato Tornadoes to get through, tasty bites in their own right. Are you ready to climb this food mountain? –Brock Radke

THE BEAST Area15, 725-210-5365, area15.com. Daily, noon-10 p.m.

(Courtesy/Mike Kirschbaum)

(Courtesy)

MILESTONE MOMENT

Why UFC 300 might be the most stacked

top-to-bottom card in promotion history

(AP Photo/Photo Illustration)

ALEX PEREIRA

JAMAHAL HILL

SPORTS

BY CASE KEEFER

UFC 300. ¶ White the night? That’s what UFC 300 is going to be.”

A slightly longer-than-usual wait has stretched between the UFC staging pay-per-view cards in its home venue, T-Mobile Arena, with four months having passed since UFC 296. ¶ But there’s a good reason for the gap, as UFC president Dana White explained shortly after Leon Edwards picked apart Colby Covington in the main event of the previous T-Mobile event last December. The drought is going to break in a major way come April 13, when the world’s largest mixed martial arts promotion presents “It’s going to be a ridiculous card,” White vowed back in December. “The way I see UFC 300 is when it comes out, people are going to be going, ‘Holy sh*t, that’s the rst (preliminary ght) of the night? That’s what UFC 300 is going to be.” ¶ White lived up to that promise. Although some fans have criticized UFC 300 for not having the announced blockbuster headliner of predecessors UFC 100 and UFC 200, no one can question the event’s depth. ¶ The 13 ghts contain some of the biggest names in the sport, so let’s run through all of them with a primer of why each is so signi cant.

Featherweight ESPN preliminary card opener: Sodiq Yusu vs. Diego Lopes

 In another crowd-pleasing matchup, Yusu and Lopes are known for throwing caution to the wind and rarely letting their ghts reach the judges’ scorecards.

Lightweight early preliminary card headliner: Jalin Turner vs. Renato Moicano

 Watch out for theatrics as “The Tarantula” Turner is known for his freakish reach and talking about his pet-spider collection while Moicano is renowned for a brawling style and comedic/viral post- ght speeches.

championship main event:

Alex Pereira vs. Jamahal Hill

 The technical kickboxer

Lightweight “BMF title” featured fight: Justin Gaethje vs. Max Holloway

 The UFC created the “BMF” belt as an excuse to pit its most fearless, fan-favorite ghters against each other, so expect this ght to have the loudest reaction and most haymakers—if it lasts long enough before a nish.

Light heavyweight ESPN preliminary card headliner: Jiří Procházka vs. Aleksandar Rakić

 Striking battles in the bigger weight classes still get the biggest crowd reactions, and with 34 knockout victories between the two of them, few ghters in the heaviest weight classes are more gifted in the stand-up than Procházka and Rakić.

Women’s strawweight early preliminary card featured fight: Jéssica Andrade vs. Marina Rodriguez

 The winner of this straight pick ’em ght between the fth-ranked (Andrade) and sixth-ranked (Rodriguez) strawweights in the world could be the next top contender to face the victor of the co-main event.

Pereira is the current 205-pound division’s champion, but the big-hitter Hill held the belt before him and never lost it in the cage. Hill willingly vacated the title after he tore his Achilles tendon last year and knew he would need to sit out an extended time to recover.

Lightweight pay-per-view bout: Charles Oliveira vs. Arman Tsarukyan

Women’s strawweight championship co-main event:

Zhang Weili vs. Yan Xiaonan

 The 34-year-old longtime champion Oliveira has the most nishes (20) and submissions (16) in UFC history, but comes into the ght as an underdog with the 27-year-old Tsarukyan ashing championship potential as he enters his prime.

Featherweight ESPN preliminary card featured fight: Calvin Kattar vs. Aljamain Sterling

Lightweight early preliminary card bout: Bobby Green vs. Jim Miller

 The iron-man Miller holds UFC records for ghts (43), wins (26) and submission attempts (43) and previously won ghts at both UFC 100 (over Mac Danzig) and UFC 200 (over Takanori Gomi).

 The UFC has made a major push to develop mixed martial arts further in China over the past decade, and there’s no better reection of its success than a pair of Beijing-based ghters squaring o for the ultimate prize.

Middleweight pay-per-view opener: Bo Nickal vs. Cody Brundage

 The undefeated Nickal is one of the brightest prospects in the history of mixed martial arts after winning three national wrestling championships while in college at Penn State.

 The former bantamweight champion Sterling, who trains in Las Vegas, moves up a weight class to challenge “The Boston Finisher” Kattar after losing his title to rising star Sean O’Malley last August.

Women’s bantamweight ESPN preliminary card bout: Holly Holm vs. Kayla Harrison

 The long-awaited octagon debut of the two-time Olympic judo gold-medalist Harrison comes against one of the most decorated female athletes in combat sports history in the former boxing and UFC champion Holm.

Bantamweight early preliminary card bout: Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Cody Garbrandt

 It’s the rst time in UFC history that two former champions open the card, as Figueiredo won the yweight title on three separate occasions while the Las Vegas-staple Garbrandt once held the belt at bantamweight.

Systems Administrator (Las Vegas, NV). Analyze, maintain, and modify computer and server hardware, operating systems, and auxiliary software packages required to support various information systems. Master’s in Computer Science, or related field; 2 years of IT experience, including some solid experience or academic coursework in each: project management; research design; peer reviewed publication; implementing relevant security measures; configuration and maintenance of enterprise network communications and infrastructure; relational database systems; information assurance principles; installation, configuration, and maintenance of MS Windows Server Operating System; Big Data; CSS; HTML; VMWARE.

Nora Aguirre (Courtesy)

HELPING TO BUILD MIDDLE CLASS IS LOCAL REALTOR’S AMERICAN DREAM

BY KATIE ANN MCCARVER VEGAS INC STAFF

Alongtime Las Vegas Realtor is now playing on a national stage.

Nora Aguirre, a local real estate agent of nearly 20 years and member of Las Vegas Realtors, has been installed as president of the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP), a nonpro t organization that advocates for homeownership in the Hispanic community.

“As an organization, we believe that homeownership is a gateway to the middle class,” Aguirre said. “And it is something that we de nitely want our community to participate in.”

Aguirre, who was born in Mexico and grew up in North Las Vegas, said she rst strayed into the world of real estate because she had to act as a translator for her parents when they purchased a house.

“I got my real estate license, and really didn’t think much of it—I actually was really hesitant to get it,” said Aguirre, who is also a veteran of the Nevada National Guard. “But slowly (and) surely, through the process of really helping the customers and seeing the process that it takes to get them prepared, I really fell in love with that part.”

She quickly realized there was a need for consumer advocacy in the real estate market, especially in the Spanish-speaking community, Aguirre said.

Aguirre leads the top team for Century 21 Americana in Nevada, and said she gives a lot of attention to rst-time home buyers, particularly within the Hispanic community. Her team is bilingual, she noted, and provides people preparing to buy a home with the education and resources they need to do so.

Her business is “in the trenches” with rst-time homebuyers every day, she emphasized. A real estate agent can help rst-time homebuyers negotiate their down payment and closing costs, Aguirre said, which makes their job “extremely crucial.”

“Through helping people buy their rst home, you can help them create wealth or put themselves on a path that they didn’t even realize could happen through real estate, which is having equity in a home,” she said. “So, it’s been a wonderful journey.”

Aguirre founded the Greater Las Vegas Chapter of NAHREP in 2017, according to the organization’s website.

Now, as the national president of NAHREP, Aguirre said, she has the opportunity to give real estate practitioners nationwide the tools and resources necessary to create more sustainable Hispanic homeownership.

The real estate industry is facing many challenges, Aguirre said, and a lot of the changes proposed within it are counterproductive for rst-time homebuyers. In her new role, she has the opportunity to be the voice of Hispanic real estate.

“At the end of the day, we’re going to push for our rst-time homebuyers to really have more opportunities,” Aguirre said. “We’ve seen the growth, but right now is a crucial time for us to really continue to stand strong and deliver and provide the resources rst-time home buyers need.”

Merri Perry, president of Las Vegas Realtors, said she can’t think of anyone better to lead NAHREP than Aguirre.

“It’s a de nite honor and a privilege to have a Las Vegas Realtor that is our National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals’ president,” said Perry, who emphasized that she considers Aguirre one of her best friends.

Las Vegas Realtors is a unique association compared with its peers, Aguirre said, because its leadership has really stepped up to support local real estate agents—including herself.

“Camaraderie, here locally, is really what has led me to be able to be on the national level and just feel like, ‘OK, this is de nitely somewhere where I could be,’ and knowing that I have the support on a local level,” she said. “So Vegas, we’re very united here.”

Hispanic homeownership is on the rise, Aguirre said, pointing to NAHREP’s 2023 State of Hispanic Homeownership Report, which shows there being 9.5 million Hispanic homeowners nationwide.

However, she said, barriers to homeownership remain.

“We’ve been growing gradually over the last nine years,” Aguirre said. “So, good news there, for sure, for our community— but we know there’s still quite a bit of work to be done.”

BY WALDON SWENSON

The need to increase affordable and general housing stock in Nevada is undeniable as we face a severe housing shortage and mounting affordability challenges. The term “affordable housing” may elicit a range of reactions: hope and urgency from individuals desperately seeking affordable living options to misunderstanding, or even direct resistance from residents who do not want new development in their neighborhoods, a stance often labeled as NIMBYism (“Not in My Back Yard”).

Debates about housing assistance, and the push for more inclusive communities, include a wide array of viewpoints. What we can perhaps all agree on is that the affordable housing crisis is incredibly complex and growing by the year.

Nevada HAND has been developing and maintaining high-quality affordable housing in Southern Nevada for over three decades, observing in that time how it is critical to success and stability for thousands of low-income individuals as well as an essential support for the continued growth and economic sustainability of our entire region.

Keystone of Progress: Affordable Housing Defined

Affordable housing is more than just low-cost living spaces; it’s essential for maintaining a balanced household budget, improved quality of life, individual

Building the future: Affordable housing is a catalyst for sustainable economic growth in Southern Nevada

and community stability, and stimulation of local economies.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development defines housing as affordable when costs do not exceed 30% of a household’s gross monthly income. For example, a household with an annual income of $50,000 would strive to limit their combined housing costs, including rent or mortgage and utilities, to a maximum of $1,250 per month. For low- and extremely low-income households in Las Vegas, average annual household income is more typically around $24,000, and housing costs must accordingly be less than $700 a month to maintain a stable budget. This strategy not only secures financial well-being but also leads to improved health, wellness and educational outcomes, and fosters a deeper connection to and participation in the local community.

Fueling economic growth

In Nevada’s dynamic environment, affordable housing stands as a pivotal axis for development and a robust, thriving economy. The ripple effect of affordable housing on job creation is profound. The construction and maintenance of affordable housing units directly employs a wide range of professionals, from

architects and builders to tradespeople and service providers. This sector’s growth extends opportunities to local vendors and subcontractors, fostering an ecosystem of employment that supports families and fuels local economies. Residents of affordable housing include a diversely skilled workforce—ranging from education and medical care professionals to the hospitality and service sectors—that contributes to the state’s economic vibrancy, embodying the spirit of Nevada through their varied roles in our community.

Foundation for tomorrow’s leaders

Stable, affordable housing is more than a roof over one’s head; it’s a launchpad for academic success, nurturing future citizens, scholars and leaders. Housing location, quality, affordability and stability all affect educational performance. Multiple research studies show that children who grow up in stable housing are set on a path toward lifelong success, with better educational outcomes in the near term and better economic outcomes in the long term. Investing in affordable housing lays the foundation for the education and development of future professionals.

Empowering seniors

Affordable housing plays a critical role in supporting low-income seniors, enabling them to live with dignity and continue contributing to our local economy. With stable housing, seniors are healthier, happier and less reliant on emergency support systems, easing economic pressure on their families and the broader community. Seniors’ participation in local commerce, whether through part-time employment or as consumers, enriches the community fabric and stimulates economic activity.

Community vitality

The well-being of lower-income residents is deeply interconnected with the broader economic vitality and future growth prospects of our state. When all community members thrive, increased demand for goods and services—as well as improved future prospects for children and adults—are a catalyst for growth, generating widespread benefits. Our vibrant community, propelled by individual successes at all levels of income, becomes a magnet for new businesses, sparks innovation and elevates the quality of life across the board.

A call to action

As we celebrate continued and exciting growth in Las Vegas, affordable housing is a vital concern for individuals and entire communities. The housing shortage and affordability challenges underscore the pressing need to expand our options and design innovative, collaborative, growth-oriented solutions. When the term “affordable housing” comes up, we hope it evokes thoughts of stability, opportunity, and community and economic growth—for our neighbors and our region.

Waldon Swenson is vice president of corporate affairs at Nevada HAND, a nonprofit developer, builder and manager of affordable rental homes for seniors and working families.

GIVING NOTES

Local philanthropy making a difference

Special Olympics Nevada recently held an event at Allegiant Stadium to commemorate its achievement in becoming an independent entity in Nevada. Prior to successfully gaining independent status, Nevada was the only state not operating as its own Special Olympics chapter, instead operating under the umbrella of Special Olympics Northern California. Senate Bill 341 and Assembly Bill 525, both passed during the 2023 Nevada legislative session, provided $500,000 to assist the process.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Student Visionaries of the Year philanthropic competition brings together thousands of high school students from diverse backgrounds and experiences who are driven to fight blood cancer, a disease diagnosed every 180 seconds in the U.S. and has no current means of prevention. The society’s Desert Region announced the Student Visionaries of

the Year, presented by Golden Entertainment, are Ryan Arcana, 15, and Thalia Huygens, 17, of Bishop Gorman High School, who raised the most funds across the Las Vegas market. Arcana and Huygens secured five business sponsorships, built and led a team of 25 students, rallied over 500 donors to give, and held a “Climb and Jump for a Cure” event at the Strat to raise over $375,000 for blood cancer patients.

Rebels Give, the annual crowdfunding drive, is partnering with Makers & Finders, which offered a special Rebels Give menu throughout March, with $5 from every order going to the College of Liberal Arts and the UNLV Food Pantry. Since Rebels Give launched in 2018, nearly 10,000 gifts have resulted in $2.3 million, supporting causes across campus.

Local electronic table gaming developer Interblock kicked off the company’s phil-

JOB LISTING

Eid Nevada Critical Care, PLLC dba United Critical Care is seeking Critical Care Intensivists for Las Vegas, NV facility. Will diagnose & treat critical injuries &/or diseases of human internal organ systems & determine the nature & extent of the injury or disease. Reqs. Medical Degree (or foreign equivalent); Eligible for Nevada medical license; & Completion of Fellowship in Critical Care fellowship program. Qualified applicants send resume to: smurdock@unitedcriticalcare.com job code 001.

anthropic arm, Interblock Inspires, with a team of employees participating in the GiGiFIT Acceptance Challenge, a 5K organized by longtime charity partner GiGi’s Playhouse, whose mission is to increase positive awareness of Down syndrome.

Three Square Food Bank hosted its Agency Appreciation Breakfast to recognize its agency partners and their role in supporting hunger relief efforts. As part of the celebration, Three Square named New Hope Fellowship as Agency Partner of the Year. New Hope is one of Three Square’s rural partners, operating food rescue, the Emergency Food Assistance Program and home delivery programs in Pahrump. Additional award recipients included Communities in Schools of Nevada for Best in Childhood Nutrition Programs, HopeLink of Southern Nevada for the Golden Heart Award and Emergency Aid of Boulder City for Outstanding Community Partnership.

HELP WANTED

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JOB LISTING

Varian Medical Systems, Inc. seeks the following positions in Las Vegas, NV:

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PREMIER CROSSWORD HOROSCOPES “NBA PLAY” BY FRANK LONGO WEEK

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Now is a favorable time to make initial inquiries, ask for free samples and enjoy window shopping. You are in a prime position to attract and consider an array of possibilities, and for best results you should remain noncommittal for the foreseeable future.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Author Betty Bender said, “Anything I’ve ever done that ultimately was worthwhile initially scared me to death.” In the coming days, you may not have any more or less fear than usual. But you will be able to summon extra courage and willpower as you render the fear at least semi-irrelevant.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Richard the Lionheart, a medieval king of England, was imprisoned with a hungry lion. As the beast opened its maw to maul the future king, Richard thrust his arm down its throat and tore out its heart, killing it. I predict you will soon encounter a test that’s less extreme than Richard’s but equally solvable by bursts of creative ingenuity, similar boldness and the element of surprise.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): You’re becoming more comfortable with expressing your authentic self and less susceptible to the influence of people’s expectations. Every one of us is a unique genius in some ways, and you’re getting closer to inhabiting the fullness of yours.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): At least for now, help may not be available from the usual sources. I’m reminded of The Crystal Cave, a novel about the Arthurian legend. The king, Ambrosius Aurelianus, advises the magician Merlin, “Take power where it is offered.” In other words: not where you think or wish power would be, but from sources that are unexpected.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Be patient just a while longer. When full disclosure arrives, you will no longer have to guess about hidden agendas and simmering subtexts. Make sure you are thoroughly receptive to knowing the rest of the story. Assert your strong desire to dissolve ignorance.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Here are some blessings you should seek out: 1. vigorous support as you transform two oppositional forces into complementary influences; 2. extra money, time, and spaciousness as you convert a drawback into an asset; 3. kindness and understanding as you ripen an unripe aspect of yourself; 4. inspiration and advice as you make new connections that will serve your future goals.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Read the two help-wanted ads below. Meditate on which appeals to you more, and treat this choice as a metaphor for a personal decision you face. 1. “Pedestrian, predictable organization seeks humdrum people with low-grade ambitions. Interested in exploring mild passions?” 2. “Our high-octane conclave values the arts of playing while you work and working while you play. We love restless seekers who are never bored.”

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Be alert for the likelihood that cheap thrills will be superior to the expensive kind. Search for elegance and beauty in earthy locations that aren’t sleek and polished. Be receptive to the possibility that splendor and awe may be available to you at a low cost. Now may be one of those rare times when imperfect things are more sublime than the so-called perfect stuff.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In the third grade, I realized I wanted to be an unconventional writer when I grew up. What about you, Capricorn? When you were young, was there a comparable opening to your future? If so, now is a good phase to revisit it, commune with your memories of it, and invite it to inspire the next stage of its evolution in you.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Even when you are your regular, ordinary self, you have a knack and fondness for irregularity and originality. And these days, your affinity for what’s unprecedented and uncommon is even higher than usual. Please enjoy yourself profoundly as you experiment with nonstandard approaches. Be as idiosyncratic as you dare!

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Negative feelings are not necessarily truer and more profound than positive ones. Cynical opinions are not automatically more intelligent or well-founded than optimistic opinions. Agitation and anxiety can almost always be converted into creative energy.

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BACKSTORY

PARTIAL SOLAR ECLIPSE OVER LAS VEGAS | APRIL 8, 2024 At the apex of Monday’s solar eclipse over the Las Vegas Valley, the moon covered approximately 51% of the sun at most—which meant that if you wanted to view this celestial event, you needed a pinhole viewer to cast an image of the sun on the ground (I used a spaghetti strainer, which projected dozens of tiny crescents), or a pair of eclipse glasses with lenses adhering to an ISO 12312-2 standard. Weekly photographer Christopher DeVargas taped those approved shades to his lens and used an external monitor to line up this rare shot. –Geoff Carter

Celebrating 50 years of fun and flavor!

KENTUCKY DERBY EVENT

MAY 4 | 2PM - 5PM

Sound the trumpets, it’s time to run for the roses!

Grab your derby attire to cheer on your favorite jockeys with a mint julep in hand. From the moment the gates open, you’ll have a front row seat 60 floors above for the most exciting two minutes in sports.

SPRITZ & MINT JULEP BAR

DERBY HAT CONTEST

RACE VIEWING WITH FULL AUDIO

DERBY-INSPIRED BITES