Top 10 things to do in Las Vegas this week
MUSIC
U2
It’s the beginning of the end for U2 at the Sphere. The boys from Dublin are returning from their holiday break for their last run of shows in the technological marvel. If you still haven’t found what you’re looking for when it comes to tickets, you’d better get a move on: The last performance of “U2:UV Achtung Baby Live” is scheduled for March 2. See it at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Sphere. Tickets are available on resale sites.
Christopher Lawrence
DANCE
Nevada Ballet Theatre
Who doesn’t love a deal? You can get three ballets for the price of one when Nevada Ballet Theatre presents “Balanchine & Robbins.” The evening will begin with “Concerto Barocco,” set to Bach’s “Concerto in D Minor for Two Violins” and choreographed by George Balanchine. The world premiere of “Ghost Light (Ripples in the fabric of existence)” by Alexis Ochin and Arnaud Boursain is described as “a poetic expression of the eternal dance between science and art.” Jerome Robbins’ “The Concert,” featuring the music of Frederic Chopin, will round out the performance. See it at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday in Reynolds Hall at The Smith Center. Tickets start at $30.95; thesmithcenter.com.
Christopher Lawrence
FOOD & DRINK
Flavor of the Year menu
On Feb. 1, Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer in The Venetian is debuting limited-time dishes that showcase tamarind, McCormick’s Flavor of the Year, by incorporating the company’s Tamarind & Pasilla Chile Seasoning. Look for tamarind chile cocoa churro shake, tamarind and pasilla chile fries, and tamarind chile-jam burger.
Johnathan L. Wright
MUSIC
Music from ‘Bridgerton’
You’ll have to wait until May to head back to Regency-era England with the third season of “Bridgerton.” You can satisfy some cravings, though, when Vitamin String Quartet performs music from the Netflix sensation. The quartet provided the show with classical covers of pop songs, including Ariana Grande’s “Thank U, Next” for Season 1 and Nirvana’s “Stay Away” for Season 2. See Vitamin String Quartet at 7 p.m. Feb. 1 in Myron’s at The Smith Center. Tickets start at $39; thesmithcenter.com.
Christopher Lawrence
EDUCATION
Skull identification workshop
You never know what you’ll find at the library. Sometimes it’s a rare book. Maybe a beloved DVD. This weekend it’s a workshop on skull identification. Educators with the Nevada Department of Wildlife will help participants learn to recognize different types of animal skulls, as well as how to identify their diet and habitat, through hands-on teaching with replica and real skulls. The program is scheduled for 3 p.m. Saturday in the Centennial Hills Library multipurpose room, 6711 N. Buffalo Drive. Admission is free.
Christopher Lawrence
FOOD
Hawaii Style Breakfast
Ai Pono Café in Eat Your Heart Out food hall in Durango resort recently launched its weekend Hawaii Style Breakfast menu, with service from 7 to 11 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Among the dishes are Portuguese sausage or Spam with eggs and rice, loco moco, kimchee fried rice, Hawaiian sweet bread French toast, and macadamia nut-banana buttermilk pancakes.
Johnathan L. Wright
MUSIC
Styx
Thank Mr. Roboto in person when rockers Styx return to town for plenty of synth-driven hits and power ballads destined to get your Bic in the air. “Come Sail Away” once more at 8:30 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Wednesday and Feb. 2 and 3 at the Venetian Theatre. Tickets start at $41.28; ticketmaster.com.
Jason Bracelin
MARKET
Food trucks, music and more
From noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Arizona Charlie’s Decatur is joining with 702 Night Market to host a market in the property’s north parking lot. The free-to-attend event features art, crafts, food trucks, live music and more.
Johnathan L. Wright
MUSIC
Planet Desert Rock Weekend
The only thing more outsize than the guitar riffs is the loaded lineup for the return of Planet Desert Rock Weekend. The Brant Bjork Trio headlines Friday’s festivities at Count’s Vamp’d, 6750 W. Sahara Ave., which also feature a reunion show from Bay Area rockers Spiralarms, Italian psych rockers Black Elephant, Houston’s Warlung and Joshua Tree’s Flames of Durga. The show starts at 6 p.m.; tickets are $40 in advance, $45 day of show; eventbrite.com. On Saturday, the action resumes at The Usual Place, 100 S. Maryland Parkway, where Poland’s Space Slug makes its U.S. debut alongside Freedom Hawk, Borracho and more on a can’t-miss bill for hard rockers off all stripes. The show starts at 6 p.m.; tickets are $40 in advance, $45 day of show; eventbrite.com.
Jason Bracelin
MUSIC
‘G3 Reunion Tour’
Invest in a wrist brace for all the air guitar you’ll be playing when shredders Steve Vai, Joe Satriani and Eric Johnson team up for a guitar triple bill for the ages when the “G3 Reunion Tour” hits town at 7 p.m. Saturday at the International Theater at the Westgate. Tickets start at $65; ticketmaster.com.
Jason Bracelin