Six Picks: Our experts pick their favorites for the week

Bill Maher

C'mon Vegas. Bill Maher in town right after the two conventions? How cool is that? Something tells me he will talk more about the first one, the one with Clint and the chair. But you don't know until you check out the political comedian and talk-show host at 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at The Orleans, 4500 W. Tropicana Ave. Tickets are $71.50-$99; call 365-7075.

- Mike Weatherford

Jane's Addiction

Their latest album, "The Great Escape Artist," is only so-so, but no such ambivalence is ever associated with experiencing Jane's Addiction live, as the band still comes on in an equally seductive and overpowering roar when they hit the stage. See the band at 8 p.m. today at the Boulevard Pool at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. South. Tickets are $50; call 698-7000.

- Jason Bracelin

'Chinatown'

It's one of the greatest screenplays ever written. It also offers a chance to see the work of Jack Nicholson before he became a caricature and Roman Polanski before he became a fugitive. Catch the 1974 classic mystery "Chinatown" at 2 and 7 p.m. Thursday at Sam's Town, Santa Fe Station, South Point and Suncoast.

- Christopher Lawrence

Drum ensemble

The power of the Taiko drum has been harnessed to heal areas of Japan after such disasters as last year's earthquake, tsunami and nuclear catastrophe. So perhaps the energy of drummer Shuichiro Ueda , leading a 13-piece Taiko ensemble, will help ease memories of the Sept. 11 attacks 11 years ago. At any rate, we're in for some dramatic Taiko drumming at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Winchester Cultural Center, 3130 S. McLeod Drive. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 the day of the concert; call 455-7340 for details.

- Carol Cling

San Gennaro Feast

If everybody's Irish on St. Patrick's Day, everyone's certainly Italian at the San Gennaro Feast, which kicks off Tuesday at the Silverton at 3333 Blue Diamond Road. Hours are 4-11 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 4 p.m.-midnight Sept. 14, 11 a.m.-midnight Sept. 15 and 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sept. 16. More than 70 food booths are on the menu. In memory of 9/11, admission for active military, veterans, law-enforcement officers and firefighters on Tuesday is $5 with ID; regular admission is $9 for adults, $8 for members of the military .

- Heidi Knapp Rinella

Dirty South

DJ-producer Dirty South kicks up electronic dance music on Sunday at Marquee Dayclub at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. The remix and performance pro is Serbian-Australian. Even cooler is his real name: Dragan Roganovic. He is a Dragan!

- Doug Elfman