Six Picks: Dana Carvey, Animal Collective, ‘Killer Joe,’ musical mash-up, ‘Wicked’ menu, Kaskade

Dana Carvey

Maybe the election season has you joining the groundswell of "not so bad after all" appreciation of the first George Bush. Maybe last weekend's season debut of "Saturday Night Live" has you nostalgic for the show's glory days. Either way, it "wouldn't be prudent" to miss Dana Carvey, back today and Saturday at The Orleans, 4500 W. Tropicana Ave. Tickets are $60.50-$88; call 365-7075.

- Mike Weatherford

Animal Collective

Animal Collective albums are like those big Crayola boxes of 64 crayons: so many colors contained in one package. The band maps the outer fringes of folk, electronica, psych pop, art rock and plenty more, often simultaneously. The fun is in trying to anticipate which direction they'll pivot toward next. See them at 7:15 p.m. Tuesday at the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. South. Tickets are $35 in advance, $38 day of show; call 632-7600.

- Jason Bracelin

'Killer Joe'

If "Killer Joe" doesn't make you uncomfortable, get thee to a police station or mental ward, ASAP. Adapted for the screen by playwright Tracy Letts and directed by William Friedkin ("The Exorcist"), it's the NC-17-rated story of a Dallas police detective (Matthew McConaughey), who moonlights as a contract killer, and his bizarre relationship with the desperate family who hires him. See it at Village Square, 9400 W. Sahara Ave.

- Christopher Lawrence

Musical mash-up

It's the musical mash-up of your dreams (or maybe your nightmares) when the cast of "Wicked" takes a break from The Smith Center for a staged concert performance of "The Wicked Rocky Horror Show" on the Strip. Proceeds will benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and Las Vegas-based Golden Rainbow, so "Don't Dream It - Be It" at 7:30 p.m. Monday in the showroom at the Tropicana, 3801 Las Vegas Blvd. South; tickets ($60-$125) are available by calling 739-2222 or clicking on www.troplv.com.

- Carol Cling

'Wicked' menu

Even more "Wicked" this way comes: Triple George Grill is offering a pre-theater "Wicked" menu through Oct. 7, to coincide with the run of the show at The Smith Center. The prix-fixe menu - with dishes based on the musical, such as Dragon Salad, Lobster Sisters and Wizard Wand desserts - is $69.95 and available beginning at 4 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. Triple George is at 201 N. Third St. For reservations, call 384-2761.

- Heidi Knapp Rinella

Kaskade

This weekend, clubs and pool parties feature massive DJ-producers (Calvin Harris, Deadmau5, Bob Sinclar, Gareth Emery, Paul Oakenfold, Steve Aoki). But Saturday afternoon, you can't go wrong with Kaskade at Marquee Dayclub. He is the man.

- Doug Elfman