Six Picks: Our experts pick their favorites for the week

Moody Blues

Sure, the Moody Blues have a Christmas album ("December"). Doesn't every group that's been around 45 or more years? But you really don't need "December Snow" as long as you get "Nights in White Satin" from Justin Hayward and the lads. They play at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Palms; tickets are $69-$129 (944-3200).

- Mike Weatherford

The Dirty Panties

Santa's most badass helpers, Vegas femme punks The Dirty Panties, are hosting their seventh annual benefit show for needy children with a great lineup of fellow local ragers in The Quitters, Dead Hand, Holding Onto Sound and The Core at 10 p.m. today at the Sand Dollar, 3355 Spring Mountain Road. Tickets are $5 or an unwrapped toy; call 485-5401.

- Jason Bracelin

'Aida'

For the uninitiated, no, they didn't turn a Sarah McLachlan song into an opera. That was "Adia." The Metropolitan Opera's performance of Giuseppe Verdi's Egyptian-themed "Aida" is being broadcast live to selected movie theaters at 9:55 a.m. Saturday. See it at the Cannery, Colonnade, Orleans, Sam's Town, Santa Fe, South Point and Village Square.

- Christopher Lawrence

Art showcase

See the art, meet the artist. That's the exception rather than the rule - except at the three-day World of Art Showcase, which brings more than 2,000 artworks, and more than 70 artists (from "Alien" Oscar winner H.R. Giger to portraitist Nelson Shanks) to Wynn Las Vegas starting Thursday. The show continues Dec. 21-22, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Wynn, 3131 Las Vegas Blvd. South. For more information and tickets, call (877) 891-9861 or go to www.worldofartshowcase.com.

- Carol Cling

Tyler Florence

Want the recipe for Tyler Florence's black cod, sweet roasted eggplant, lemon aioli, sunflower and fig? It's one of many in his new cookbook, "Tyler Florence Fresh," which puts new spins on everyday foods, and you can get a signed copy between 2 and 4 p.m. Saturday at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. The chef and TV host will be signing copies of the book in the Queue Bar on the casino floor; the book is available at the hotel's EatDrink.

- Heidi Knapp Rinella

Steve Aoki

Steve Aoki performs tonight at Surrender just in time to play music from his new EP, "It's the End of the World as We Know It," which was released Tuesday.

- Doug Elfman