Top 10 things to do in Las Vegas this week
METAL
1. Metallica
Among Metallica frontman James Hetfield’s many, many talents is his unrivaled ability to turn “yeah” into an 18-syllable word. Hetfield bellows it often — in song and on stage — a throaty yowl that encapsulates the primal revelry of a Metallica gig. Forty years in, they’re one of the few metal bands who can still fill stadiums, their sound evolving from primitive thrash to polished, radio-friendly heaviness to somewhere in between on their latest album, the impressively energized “Hardwired … To Self-Destruct.” See them at 6 p.m. Friday at Allegiant Stadium. Show is sold out; resale tickets are available at ticketmaster.com.
— Jason Bracelin
PIANO
2. Billy Joel
If your response to the words “Billy” and “Joel” used together is OK, Boomer, well, nothing this blurb can say — about showmanship, songcraft or a vast back catalog of songs that flit around the edges of your cultural memory — will change your mind. On the other hand, if this is still rock ’n’ roll to you, smash that ticket-purchase button: $69-$179 for the Saturday, 8 p.m. show at Allegiant Stadium. Info: allegiantstadium.com
— Scott Dickensheets
FAMILY
3. Harlem Globetrotters
Yes, they’re still around, still mixing basketball, mad skills, physical comedy and sheer whimsy in a potent, family-friendly razzle-dazzle that reminds us games are meant to be fun. Tuesday, 7 p.m., at UNLV’s Thomas & Mack Center. Tickets are $31 to $366; unlvtickets.com
— Scott Dickensheets
THEATER
4. ‘The Hard Row’
This original stage drama by UNLV film prof Sean Clark is set in 1897 and is built on an intriguing premise: Two fishermen build a boat and sail it across the Atlantic in search of freedom. In a cultural moment when “freedom” has become a cheap decal we reflexively stick on our pet causes, this story of struggling to achieve a larger idea of freedom might just be a bracing corrective. March 3-5 at 7 p.m., with a 2 p.m. showing on March 5 at Winchester-Dondero Cultural Center, 3130 McLeod Drive. Tickets are $10. Info: clarkcountynv.gov/winchester
— Scott Dickensheets
R&B
5. Silk Sonic
When Bootsy Collins names your band, your funk bonafides instantly become bulletproof. Yes, the Parliament Funkadelic bassist gave this pairing of R&B prime movers Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak their moniker after hearing their debut, “An Evening With Silk Sonic.” It’s no wonder Collins was impressed: Silk Sonic’s throwback sound is rooted in ’70s soul, when Collins first came on the scene, though updated with modern-day hip-hop flourishes and Mars’ mars-sized charisma. “Leave the Door Open” at 9 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Wednesday when Silk Sonic kicks off their residency at Dolby Live at Park MGM. Tickets start at $165; ticketmaster.com.
— Jason Bracelin
ANIME AND ESPORTS
6. LVL Up Expo
Wrestling and robots, esports and anime — fantasy becomes reality at the LVL Up Expo. Learn how to build cosplay armor, participate in a voice-acting competition, meet the voices behind “Teen Titans” or get your Pomeranian a sweet samurai outfit at the Furbae Factory booth. Why wait for Halloween? Dress up as your favorite “Aqua Teen Hunger Force” character and get after it at noon Friday-Sunday at the Las Vegas Convention Center, 3150 S. Paradise Road. Tickets start at $30; lvlupexpo.com
— Jason Bracelin
MUSIC
7. ‘The Music of James Bond 007’
You may know David Perrico Pop Strings Orchestra as the house band for the Raiders. Now, you can get to know another side of the group as it tackles some of the most iconic songs in movie history. “The Music of James Bond 007” features vocalists Lily Arce, Serena Henry, Jaclyn McSpadden, Laura Wright and Fletch Walcott performing classic theme songs. See it at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Myron’s at The Smith Center. Tickets start at $29. Info: thesmithcenter.com
— Christopher Lawrence
READING
8. Axie Oh and Kat Cho
Las Vegas author Oh’s new teen fable, “The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea,”is billed as a feminist retelling of a classic Korean folk tale: Mina, whose homeland has been ravaged by killer storms, flings herself into the ocean to learn why the Sea God has forsaken her people. A posse of “demons, gods and spirits” forms around Mina as she adventures toward the truth. Oh will be joined onstage by best-selling YA author Cho. Saturday at 7 p.m. at The Writer’s Block, 519 S. Sixth St., free, thewritersblock.org
— Scott Dickensheets
FANDOM
9. ‘Supernatural’ convention
The boys are back in town. “Supernatural” may have come to an end in 2020 after an astounding 15 seasons going all the way back to the former WB network, but that doesn’t mean the annual convention has to stop. Series stars Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki and Misha Collins, along with plenty of co-stars and recurring actors, will take part in the four-day convention that includes panels, autograph sessions and photo opportunities. It will take over Bally’s from Thursday to March 6. Single-day tickets start at $50-$145.
— Christopher Lawrence
MOVIES
10. Lucky Sevens Film Challenge
The results of the Lucky Sevens Film Challenge, in which local filmmakers shot a feature film in seven days on a $7,000 budget with seven crew members, will premiere in a series of charity screenings. One hundred percent of ticket sales will benefit the filmmaker’s charity of choice. Dale Neven’s time travel mystery “House in Time” (5:30 p.m. Saturday) will benefit Hookers for Jesus. Brenda Daly’s female-driven revenge thriller “Rogue Angel” (8 p.m. Saturday) will support Project 150. Mike Conway’s survival horror movie “Drone Down” (5:30 p.m. Sunday) will aid Heaven Can Wait Animal Society. All screenings are at Galaxy Theatres Boulevard Mall. Tickets are $10 and available at brownpapertickets.com.
— Christopher Lawrence
