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Tom Donoghue/www.donoghuephotography.com
Mario Lopez at the 2010 Cosmo Bikini Bash at Planet Hollywood on May 24, 2010.
Friday, Sept. 14, 2012 | 9:36 a.m.
It’s a knockout weekend, and not just because of the huge sellout for boxing’s middleweight championship showdown between Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Sergio Martinez. Our Las Vegas Sun Sports colleagues reported that the 19,000+ seats make for a $3 million+ gate, the highest in the nearly 30-year history of UNLV’s Thomas & Mack Center.
Chavez enters with a record of 46-0-1, 32 KOs, and Martinez, 49-2-2, 28 KOs. Carlos Santana, Luis Miguel, Marc Anthony, Chayanne, Marco Solis, Alejandro Fernandez, Arturo Sandoval, Mana, Charo and Carlos Mencia are some of the stars making the weekend a big celebration. It’s a Mexican Independence Day Weekend with everybody shouting, “Ole!”
For those who won’t be joining the tequila-, taco- and tostada-infused traditions, Las Vegas has non-mariachi music covered with everybody from Silversun Pickups to Fiona Apple, Kung Fu String Girls Band to a long-delayed return of Adam Ant. Reggae and jazz are represented with festivals, and hip-hop hero Sean Paul is poolside at the Hard Rock Hotel.
Craig Ferguson and Wayne Brady lead the comedy lineup, and top-rated DJs Tiesto, Avicii, Bad Boy Bill and Lil Jon will keep our nightclubs hopping. Off-Strip, having seen “Wicked” for the first time at the Smith Center for the Performing Arts, it’s a great time for the family through Oct. 7.
Singer Cee Lo Green races into town for a private-party sneak preview of his February run of “Loberace” at Planet Hollywood. The demand for his talents is so big that he’s now agreed to do a public benefit Oct. 10 at the casino’s Peepshow Theater to benefit Keep Memory Alive and the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health. He’ll present past artists from NBC's "The Voice" (on which he’s a judge), songs from his Oct. 30 Christmas album and “Loberace.” The concert will be taped and run Nov. 26 on the Warner Sound YouTube channel.
Cee Lo Green
Be sure to check out our special Mexican Independence Day Weekend edition of the Weekend Celebrity Preview. Now settle back with a shot of Santana’s new Casa Noble tequila. Salud! Pesetas y amor y tiuempo para gozarlos (Cheers! Health, money, love and time to enjoy them). Strike up the band, and show your spirit with a bumper Royal Robin Rundown:
FRIDAY, SEPT. 14
MUSIC
Silversun Pickups with School of Seven Bells and Atlas Genius are at the Joint in the Hard Rock Hotel; Yellowman poolside at the Hard Rock; and Ed Kowalczyk of Live performs at “Bubbles and Chocolate” Rock ’N Roll Wine Amplified weekend at Moorea Beach Club in Mandalay Bay.
Plus, Johnny Rivers is at Aliante Station; Adam Ant on tour for the first time in 16 years at Hard Rock Cafe on the Strip; Kung Fu String Girls Band at Orleans; and Nashville Unplugged featuring Bobby Pinson and Travis Meadows at Red Rock Resort.
COMEDY
Craig Ferguson is at the Venetian for two nights; Carlos Mencia at Treasure Island; Bonkerz Comedy Club opens at Primm Valley featuring Dean Napolitano; and Peter Berman at Cabo Wabo Cantina all weekend at Planet Hollywood’s Miracle Mile Shops.
OF SPECIAL NOTE
Leche De Tigre is at Vinyl in the Hard Rock Hotel for Reggae Fest Weekend; Las Vegas Jazz Festival at J.W. Marriott all weekend; Las Vegas MMA Presents Regional Championships at LVH; the 33rd Annual San Gennaro Feast through Sunday at Silverton Casino Lodge; Stratosphere celebrates a Totally ’80s Weekend; and Prime chef Sean Griffin hosts an Epicurean Epicenter event at Tuscany Kitchen in the Bellagio.
Tickets go on sale for Cee Lo’s Oct. 10 benefit, Wiz Khalifa’s Nov. 15 performance with Taylor Gang, Juicy J, Lola Monroe and Chevy Woods at the Thomas & Mack; Jeff Dunham’s “Disorderly Conduct” on Dec. 13 at the Colosseum in Caesars Palace; and The Black Keys’ NYE performance with Divine Fits at the Joint.
PARTY PATROL
Tiesto is at Surrender in Steve Wynn’s Encore; Avicii at nearby XS; Maxim’s Hometown Hotties party hosted by 2011 winner Dominique Storelli at Lavo in the Palazzo; and DJ Bad Boy Bill on six turntables at once at Chateau Nightclub & Gardens in Paris.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 15
MUSIC
Fiona Apple with Blake Mills at the Joint; Matisyahu and Dirty Heads poolside; Mishka & Anuhea at Vinyl; Young the Giant at Rock ’N’ Roll Wine Weekend at Mandalay Beach; Foghat at Henderson Pavilion; Little Anthony & the Imperials at M Resort; andThe Abyssinians poolside at the Silverton.
COMEDY
Wayne Brady headlines at the Mirage.
OF SPECIAL NOTE
Freestyle Explosion is at Orleans Arena featuring Stevie B, Lisa Lisa, Trinere, Debbie Deb, Shannon, Connie, Pretty Poison, Stacey Q and Nocera; Chavez Jr. vs. Martinez at the Thomas & Mack; “Knockout Kings”: Canelo Alvarez vs. Josesito Lopez at MGM Grand Garden Arena; Fight Night at the Cannery; and Barrett-Jackson launches its upcoming three-day televised, collectibles and classics, under-the-hammer event with the Fifth Annual Cruise-In of antique vehicles at Gaudin Ford.
PARTY PATROL
Tiesto is at XS; Mario Lopez celebrates his bachelor party at Tao in the Venetian with the Top 10 reveal of Maxim’s Hometown Hotties; Marc Anthony celebrates his birthday at Tao; Jermaine Dupri at Tryst in the Wynn; Big Syphe at Chateau; Rye Rye at Gallery Nightclub in Planet Hollywood; and Canelo hosts his post-fight party at LAX in the Luxor.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 16
The Guilty Pleasures are at Vinyl, and a Salute to Our Veterans Show is at South Point.
PARTY PATROL
Sean Paul performs poolside at Rehab in the Hard Rock Hotel, Tiesto spins at Encore Beach Club, and Lil Jon is at the Nightswim party at XS.
Have a fantastic holiday weekend, whether you’re an amigo or a local -- or both! Check back over the weekend as we post the sights, sounds and spirits of Mexican Independence, and we’ll be back Monday with more coverage of the excitement. Stay safe, and have fun!
Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.
Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.
Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.
Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.
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