Jail guard using hip-hop concert to fund his dream project for youths

By Jerry Fink

Friday, July 25, 2008 | 2 a.m.

Metro Corrections Officer Darry Lighten is putting on a hip-hop concert to raise money to fund his dream.

Lighten, a former R&B musician who works at the county jail, wants to produce a syndicated TV show by and for teenagers with young people talking to one another about issues that concern them.

“My whole life I’ve been concerned about kids,” he says. “The world is getting worse. I’ve seen some of the problems they’ve gone through — all the craziness that we didn’t have to deal with when we were growing up.

“I’ve listened to them talking to each other — and they talk about some really deep things, things that people need to hear.”

To raise money for the project, Lighten is producing Jam 0808 at Planet Hollywood.

The hip-hop concert will feature artists Baby Bash, Colby O’Donis, C Side, DJ Unk, Huey, Sergio and Dre Day. Troy “Ghost Host” Rawlings is the host.

Details: 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 1; Planet Hollywood; $19 to $59; 474-4000, ticketmaster.com

Leave ’em laughing

Legendary comedian George Carlin, who died June 22, left behind at least one last tribute to his genius.

Carlin’s Eardrum Records is to release “It’s Bad for Ya” on Tuesday. It’s from a March 1 concert that became his 14th special for HBO. The disc is available at laugh.com.

It was a point of pride for Carlin to create an hour of new material every two years.

“I can’t do old material,” he said. “I would feel like a failure.”

The last time I saw him was June 7 at the Orleans — scruffy, bearded, thinning gray hair pulled back tightly, clad in sneakers, black slacks and black pullover sweater, his anti-establishment persona fully developed after 50 years in the business. He also performed at the showroom later that month, his last shows before his death.

‘Caveman’ deal for locals

Eight must be a lucky number for Neanderthals. “Defending the Caveman” is offering a deal for locals for the show at 8 p.m. Aug. 8, 2008. Tickets are just $8.88 for that show.

It’s a commemoration of the 8 million fans who producers estimate have seen the show since it debuted in San Francisco in 1991. It also ran for 2 1/2 years on Broadway.

The production starring Kevin Burke came to the Golden Nugget in June 2007. Burke recently took the show to the Golden Nugget in Laughlin for a test run, and it was so successful producers plan to open with a second company there in October.

Details: 8 p.m. Aug. 8; the Golden Nugget; $8.88 for Nevada residents; $46.95 to $57.95 for tourists; 386-8100

Around town

Soloists including Mary-Genevieve White, Leah Woods and Lindsay Lamb will play with the Las Vegas Youth Camerata Orchestra on Saturday at the Winchester Cultural Center. Argentine violinist Oscar Carrescia founded the orchestra in 1986. The program includes works by Vivaldi, Beethoven and Saint-Saens. (2 p.m. Saturday; Winchester Cultural Center, 3130 S. McLeod Drive; $10, $7 for seniors and students; 455-7340) ... Love Shack, a longtime Vegas favorite, gets nostalgic for the ’70s and ’80s at Fiesta Rancho’s Club Tequila. (9 p.m. Fridays; $5 cover for men, free for women) ... The Tommy Thompson Trio is hot — with gigs at the Panevino Italian restaurant tonight, Tuesday and Aug. 1.