Carlos Santana's part-time residency at Hard Rock's new Joint has officially begun and it will be interesting to see how it plays out. While the concept of headliners playing several weeks straight at a venue, taking a break for a month or so and then returning for another round seems to work for Caesars Palace (Elton John, Cher, Bette Midler) but the artists involved either have a large catalog of hit songs or put on a Vegasy type of show that appeals to a broad base (or both).

While Santana has had a few popular songs over the past couple of decades and his "Supernatural" album has sold more than 15 million copies, he's always been a spiritual, counter-culture, anti-record company kinda guy who prefers to put his soul into a unique, jam session-like performance while on stage (a 10-minute version of "Smooth", for example). This makes for a great concert but will it work for 72 Joint concerts over two years? This is the question the Hard Rock is wondering right now...

The LowLife listing for "Supernatural Santana – A Trip Through the Hits"

Las Vegas is a haven for Mixed Martial Arts fighters with not only the UFC based here but also a lower level organization called Tuff-N-Uff. Tuff-N-Uff has an all-day fight card going on at the Orleans Arena today (Saturday 5/30) with "stars of tomorrow" fighting during the day in two rings and then, at 8 p.m., things get serious with the more experienced fighters including a a former Playboy Bunny named LaTasha Marzolla.

While Marzolla is a hot-looking chick, she has been a feisty one for awhile as she participated on her junior varsity wrestling team at Las Vegas High School. She then went on to learn Muay Thai and while she hasn't actually fought in three years (baby, injury) she should be a crowd favorite.

I know that we will be rooting for them, I mean, her...

The Tuff-N-Uff daytime fights and evening bouts listings (when LaTasha fights).

When we wrote the blurb on President Obama's Vegas visit yesterday, we thought we had made a mistake on the size of the Caesars Palace suite he stayed in. Surely 22,000 square feet couldn't be right, could it?!

I mean, 2,200 sq ft. sounds more like it, doesn't it, as that's the size of a standard-size home. But no, when I did some quick fact-checking the sources all said 22,000 so I let it ride. But we still wondered about if it was a typo as that's a huge space--heck, Green Door is "only" 18,000 sq. feet.

A writer for the R-J probably wondered the same thing as he did some research on the suite and even took a video tour. The suite, as it turns out, is for celebs and extreme high-rollers. If you gambled a measly $100,000 at Caesars you wouldn't get the suite. A cool million might do the trick unless you are on par with celeb A-listers such as Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas, Bette Midler, Cher, Jennifer Lopez and heads of state.

Here's the article on Prez' stay at Caesars and here's the video tour of the incredible suite.

And yes, Caesars is thinking of putting up a plaque in the room mentioning the "Obama Slept Here" fact. We have one in our home so why not? (I can't tell ya much about the li'l party we had except Michelle is absolutely wild and Barack is more of a sub. Anything more than that and the Secret Service will knock on our door and remove both the plaque and us.)

It's official: “There's nothing like a quick trip to Vegas in the middle of the week.”

That quote, my friends, came from none other than the big cheese himself, President Barack Obama, during his recent visit to Sin City. So, while some local bigwigs weren't 100% satisfied with Obama's response (after that "don't use bail-out money to go to Vegas" quote a few months ago), we think y'all should listen to the Prez and visit Vegas mid-week ASAP.

While you may not get the same 22,000 sq ft. suite at Caesars Palace that Obama did and they may not shut down Caesars' massive Qua Baths and Spa for you to work out in (like they did for Barack) and you may not get a personal tour of North America's largest solar power facility (at Nellis A.F.B.) like the main man did, you should still consider dropping everything and making a quick mid-week trip to Sin City.

Hey, our president strongly suggests it, ok?

"I love Vegas because of the hotels. You can see the world without ever leaving the desert and it's better than the actual place. You can see the pyramids of Egypt, with air-conditioning, New York without getting stabbed, and Paris and there's no French people."
Alex Reymundo -- Harrah's Improv

"What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas -- except herpes."
Arte Lange

"The Venetian hotel was paid for by one man -- Sheldon Adelson. He and his wife honeymooned in Venice, Italy, and she fell in love with the city. So, as a surprise, he built her The Venetian hotel. Thank God they didn't go to Newark."
David Brenner

"I went to a dentist in Las Vegas because I had a cavity, and he wanted to wait until I had three in a row."
Rita Rudner

With the closing of "Folies Bergere" after 49 years and the opening of "The Lion King", the NY Times thinks they have Las Vegas pegged. Perhaps they do.

Maybe it's just New York-centric thinking in saying that the Broadway experience is where it's at right now in Sin City but with the previous long run of "Mamma Mia", the current popularity of "Jersey Boys" and "Phantom" and the possible--most are saying probable--success of "The Lion King", maybe the the Times is right.

In the current Las Vegas economy, it's tough to take a chance on something unknonwn so maybe a Broadway show with a strong track record of attracting audiences is the safest bet.

However, there have been so many exceptions to this theory in the past--"Hairspray" and "Avenue Q" come to mind--that we gotta wonder if it isn't just wishful thinking on the Times part. It's one of the reasons we're pulling for a show in a more Vegasy style like "Peepshow"...

Every now and then Las Vegas offers some strange and off-beat entertainment options that might be fun to take in during one of those looking-for-something-different moods. While a show as extreme as the weirdness of "Freaks" at O'Shea's might not do the trick, perhaps a 400 pound Elvis impersonator will satisfy.

44-year old Pete Vallee, a.k.a. "Big Elvis", has a show on the Strip--actually a bunch of shows--afternoons at Bill's Gambling Hall (formerly Barbary Coast). While his 400 pounds of girth is certainly eye-catching, his kick-ass voice is more than ear-catching, causing double takes from the unsuspecting gamblers at Bill's.

Pete has an interesting story--an extremely heavy one--as he used to weigh an astounding 960 pounds! Check him out Monday-Friday at 3, 5 and 6:30 at Bill's.

Two time Mr. Olympia and Las Vegas resident Jay Cutler was at MGM's Wet Republic pool over the weekend showing off his incredibly huge bi's and tri's.

He may not be able to tie his own tie or even pick his own nose but he's certainly able to attract skinny blondes with big boobies...

It actually happens on a fairly regular basis but when one is a celebrity it makes headlines. The combination of alcohol and lots of sunshine (and maybe partying the night before) often causes a bad case of dehydration, so bad that ya pass out.

That's what sources say happened to New Orleans Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey while partying with a bunch of other NFL players at the Hard Rock's now-legendary Rehab pool party yesterday (5/24). Shockey was found unconscious around 2 in the afternoon and was wheeled out by paramedics on a stretcher. He was rushed to a hospital and was treated for dehydration.

There's a lesson to be learned here. When you party hard in Vegas and hang out in the hot, dry climate, make sure you rotate in a few waters among the adult beverages now and then (even if the water does cost an arm and a leg) so you'll be able to continue the party mode into the evening...

Due to Cirque du Soleil's popularity in Las Vegas, the French-Canadian entertainment giant hasn't done a whole lot of large-scale discounting of their show tickets. NY NY's Zumanity, the Cirque show unlike other Cirque shows, has run frequent discount programs over the years and MGM's Ka--a slightly less popular Cirque, has had a few--but overall, Cirque hasn't had to slash their prices to attract crowds (although there are rumors that the Luxor was paying people to see Criss Angel's Believe but that's only a rumor...that we just started).

Cirque has, from time to time, run "locals discount" programs during traditionally slow visitor periods (around the Christmas holidays in particular) but they've resisted the urge to follow the lead of other Strip shows who discount regularly.

But now, even the almighty Cirque is feeling the pain of the economic woes affecting the rest of us and are joining the discount-for-all game. Under the guise of a 25th Anniversary promotion, everyone--not just locals--can get the second ticket of a pair of tix for just $25. The "Summer Promotion" starts now and is good on all Vegas shows – Mystere, Love, KA, Believe, Zumanity and even the flagship O (although the O deal doesn't start until August).

Here's the website link (although Cirque's site seems to be down as I write this).

Due to our proximity to Los Angeles, as far as professional basketball is concerned, Las Vegas has always been somewhat of a Laker town. There are lots of L.A. ex-pats around and it's a fairly common sight to see someone at a mall or in the gym wearing their Lakers gear. Plus, the annual Lakers pre-season basketball game played every year at the Thomas & Mack has usually drawn quite a number of fans.

Above and beyond being a Lakers town, however, this is certainly a UNLV Running Rebels town so it might not be unusual, this year at least, to have lots of Vegans rooting for the Laker's current foe in the NBA playoffs--the Denver Nuggets--simply because the current Nuggets team has so many connections to the Rebels glory teams of old.

Fans of the Rebel's 1990 NCAA national championship team will remember names like Stacy Augmon, Mark Warkentien, and Tim Grgurich. All of them are now part of the Denver Nugget organization so can expect to run across a born-again Nugget fan in Las Vegas this season. Even former long-time UNLV should-be hall-of-famer coach Jerry Tarkanian is pulling for the Denver team.

Let's go, Denver Rebels!

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority says that an estimated 296,000 visitors will be in Las Vegas this weekend--about the same as last year--but they expect y'all to spend about 6% less (down to $178.5 mil.).

While Vegas visitors are spending less on things like gambling and food, part of the lower total is due to the least expensive room rates in years. And that's especially remarkable because many of the cheap rooms (New Frontier, Stardust) have been replaced by luxury lodging (Wynn, Encore, Trump, Palazzo) so visitors are getting better rooms for less cash. Suite!

When home town musical talents are mentioned, the Killers are rightfully at the top of the list. But another group we're proud of began their career several years prior and are still going strong.

Ken Jordan, of the electronic dance music duo Crystal Method, was a student at UNLV back in the early '80's when he became involved in UNLV's university radio station, KUNV. Jordan had fallen in love with the new music scene that was happening in cities like London, New York and L.A.--everywhere, it seemed, except Las Vegas--where bands like the Talking Heads, Blondie, Sex Pistols, X, Depeche Mode, etc. (i.e. "new wave", "punk", that sort of thing) were all the rage.

Back then, Vegas radio seemed to be stuck in a funk, offering up selections from Kansas, Styx, REO Speedwagon and the like, seemingly refusing to notice what was going on in music markets around them.

More on Ken Jordan, KUNV (more)

OK, we could "deal" with dealerless poker, I guess, but we're really not enthralled with the idea of sitting--yes, sitting--around a table playing craps--which is bad enough--but playing craps without dice--you are dealt cards from a 324 card deck--just seems, well, so not craps.

But that's the latest version of a casino game being tested in field trials in and around Las Vegas, including Rampart Casino and Eureka Casino in Mesquite.

The Nevada Gaming Control Board has approved the game but I gotta wonder if players will take to the new-fangled version. Half the fun of craps is the electric environment of a hot dice-thrower getting on a roll. Of course, there will be fewer spilled drinks and no errant dice rocketing off the table but that's just part of the overall experience.

A high-roller from Nebraska owes Harrah's Entertainment $14.7 million in gambling debts and, while he doesn't dispute that fact, he still doesn't think he should have to pay it back. His reason? The casinos got him drunk and fed him a constant supply of prescription painkillers.

The businessman actually lost a lot more than $14 mil.--an astounding $112 million, in fact!--but paid most of it back already. Now he's in court disputing the remainder of the debt. We're not sure how the guy would figure that $100 million of the debt was legit while $14 mil. occurred in an alcohol and Lortab-induced haze but that's the defense the dude is using.

Hopefully, he'll win his case so that we can use the precedence to clear up a few markers around town...

Coming on the heels of the announcement that Playboy Bunny and Las Vegas spokeswoman Holly Madison will be replacing Kelly Monaco in Planet Hollywood's sexy Peepshow (beginning June 22), the word on the Strip is that Playboy mag fave Carmen Electra will be making a guest appearance in Crazy Horse Paris over at the MGM in July.

Crazy Horse Paris last had a guest dancer in April of 2007 when Dita Von Teese, estranged wife of singer Marilyn Manson, performed her "bathtub act" in April of 2007. While we'd like to see Ms. Electra in the bathtub, too, there's no word yet on exactly what dance routines she will be performing in the sexy Parisian revue, although judging by the photo to the left, something involving feathers would be nice...

Are ya worried about the security of the photos you post on AmericanLowLife.com? I would be, too, if I had anything to lose. It's not that ALL is any less secure than other sites regarding your profile pictures--you've probably noticed we disabled the "right click and save" feature from day 1--it's just that anything that shows up on most any computer screen is able to be copied as long as you have one of the common graphics programs (like PhotoShop).

However, Microsoft is about to make that process a lot easier and available to the masses. Just thought we'd warn you...

Win-7's Screen Capture Program Called "Snipping Tool" (more)

It's always good to hear some positive news releases coming out of our fair city. This one was particularly pleasing: "Peepshow" is officially topless now. The Planet Hollywood burlesque review has "lost a lot of the pasties" worn on opening night, confirmed show spokeswoman Kate Whitely.

The false modesty was originally the artistic choice of director Jerry Mitchell, based on the policy of his annual "Broadway Bares" in New York. But he has since yielded to local custom. However, the show's two stars, Mel B. and Kelly Monaco, are keeping theirs.

OK, I can take that one off the LowLife wishlist. ~Hmmm...let's see, Remove Pasties From Peepshow Boobies--check~ Now, if MGM can just finish CityCenter I can remove the other item on the list...

Mel B Looking Way, Way Hot!
I guess I didn't pay a whole of attention to her when she was Scary Spice (I can't remember which Spice Girl I thought was hot--maybe Posh Spice) but was pleasantly surprised to discover her personality wasn't so scary on Dancing With The Stars (rather charming, in fact), was slightly bewildered by Peepshow's choice of her as the "Peep Diva", became a believer when I saw her in those eye-opening lingerie ads and now, after seeing how hot she is in the Planet Hollywood tease show I gotta say, "Mel B, you rock!" See ample evidence below...

Pics of Mel B a.k.a. "Super Milf" (and a little Kelly, too!) (more)

When we travel for pleasure we generally try and maintain some semblance of our normal workout routine while on the road. Hitting the hotel gym or perhaps a jog on the beach helps us feel like we are doing something good for ourselves, even if we are simply making room for additional toxins to enter our body during the coming day and night.

We've been told it's a little more difficult to keep up the personal fitness regimen while in Las Vegas. The reasons vary but include either lack of a fitness facility or very expensive facilities, the very late-night nature of Las Vegas entertainment or the extremely hot outside temperatures such as the ones we're experiencing currently.

If you are a runner in Vegas you know that you had better hit the jogging path early in the day or risk getting over-heated (can't waste that partying energy, now can we?). However, jogging in the early morning on the Strip often brings one face to face with the late-night after-hours crowd stumbling their way back to their hotel room. This article takes a look at the early morning diversity of people on the Strip.

If you are a runner--visitor or local--here's a map of some trails that other locals have found to be runner-friendly.

We have quite a few Brits on American LowLife but it looks like we just might see more due to the recent announcement that British Airways will start direct flights between London and Las Vegas. Now, we already have direct flights to and from London with Virgin Atlantic but they use the smaller Gatwick Airport and BA uses Heathrow, the largest international airport in the world.

This means that not only will the British be coming but so will the French, Italians, Czechs, Swedes, etc., as it's now much easier to make a connection to get to Vegas. As an added benefit, Las Vegans will be able to get around Europe easier using BA, too, and perhaps cheaper--at least for now--as round trip flights to London and back are starting at $461.

So, if you start seeing a few more sexy Europeans on ALL beginning in October, you can thank British Airways for finally deciding to fly to Vegas (after years of fruitless discussions).

If you are heading to the Jimmy Buffet concert this evening and feel like getting a start on the actual show, there will be a street party kinda thing going on at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville Cafe from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. today (Saturday).

Get lubed up before heading over to the MGM arena and perhaps have a cheeseburger in paradise. Admission is free so even if you aren't going to the concert it might be a good place to hang for awhile...

Margaritaville opens out onto the Strip and is part of the Flamingo.

A dozen years ago, golfing superstar Tiger Woods began a charity event in Las Vegas that has raised millions of dollars for Las Vegas-based youth-driven charities (as well as the VH1 Save the Music Foundation, and the GRAMMY in the Schools program).

The star-studded event includes a charity auction and dinner and then a big-time concert which has featured such top-shelf stars as Sting, Prince, Bon Jovi (last year), The Eagles, Christina Aguilera and Seal.

This year's event is kinda special from a musical aspect, at least, as it marks the kick off of the first full-fledged tour of No Doubt--featuring li'l vixen Gwen Stefani--since 2004. No Doubt Bassist and songwriter Tony Kanal takes a look at the evolution of the band after Stefani decided to leave to pursue a solo career and her subsequent return to the team.

The concert takes place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. Here's the LowLife listing for Tiger Jam XII

Bikini Parade Update/Pictures! (below)

Should you be roaming the Las Vegas Strip today (Thursday, 5/14), you may get to witness the making of a Guinness Book of World Records record. While we have Guinness records for the most Elvises (Elvi?) and Santas in one place, this one will be an entry into the venerable book with quite a bit more pulchritude.

Beloved Las Vegas Mayor (and Martini King) Oscar Goodman will MC the so-called "World's Largest Bikini Parade" and will also declare that, despite what the calendar says, summer has officially arrived in Las Vegas, a month earlier than the rest of the Northern Hemisphere.

Playboy Bunny and Criss Angel ex, Holly Madison, was recruited by the Mayor to help launch a "Summer in Paradise" promotion in order to help drum up business for National Travel and Tourism Week. Another reason to celebrate is the 50th anniversary of the famous Las Vegas sign on the south end of the Strip.

Expect a traffic jam on LV Boulevard around lunchtime as at least 300 hot babes (recruited from Craig's List for $100 each) partake in the celebration.

UPDATE: Yes, we got a world record for the “World’s Largest Bikini Parade” -- ain't that cool? Our 281 women in bikinis beat the previous record of 250.

Photos From the Parade (more)

Siegfried & Roy sure know how to throw a party, I tell ya. The retired Las Vegas illusionists hosted a heckuva birthday party the other day for their five white tiger cubs who just turned 1 year old.

Since we were on the VIP list--of course--we attended the ritzy affair and rolled around with the playful birthday girls (Star, Celestial, Chakra, Cosmo) and boy (Svengali). My, my, my, those cats are sure getting big. When they were born last year they weighed 2 pounds and now they are up to 160! Kids grow up so fast these days...

Anyway, one of the many official LowLife staff photographers snapped a picture of one of the cats--Cosmo, I think--opening a birthday present which, if you've ever given your pet a present, is just the darn cutest thing to begin with but when a big 'ol white tiger cub does it, well, it's just something special.

Happy birthday, kids! Hope you enjoy the LowLife koozies we gave each of you. Always remember, your godfather loves you dearly...

(Editor's Note: In the interest of truth, justice and the American way, we feel the need to disclose that it's just possible the Know It All reporter may not have actually been invited nor attended the birthday party in question, that ALL may not really have "many" staff photographers, that the photo to the left probably wasn't taken by ALL or its affiliates and that the ALL columnist isn't, sadly enough, a godfather to anything living or dead. We also didn't send along LowLife koozies or any other presents, for that matter.

ALL makes every attempt to correct its errors, especially when caught in a lie. However, none of these minor issues should detract in any way from the fact that a white tiger cub opening a birthday present is just the cutest li'l thing, ain't it?)

According to Robin Leach's often reliable sources, Celine Dion will be making a return engagement at Caesars Palace, fitting in the rotation of Cher and Bette Midler.

But first, she's got some sex to partake in. According to her manager/husband, Rene Angelli, she needs to put out, get pregnant, pop out kid #2, and get back in shape, all in 13 months.

“First priority, though, at the moment is her attempt to have a new baby," said Angelli. "She is not pregnant yet, but she is trying really hard. Setting her return date 13 months out works perfectly with her plans for a new pregnancy. If it’s not meant to be, it still works, and she’ll have enjoyed a full-year hiatus.”

MGM Mirage is starting to see pretty good traffic at their resorts again--particularly on the weekends--so y'all can expect to see some slight increases in the rates of their hotel rooms over the coming weeks.

Rhil Ruffin, the new owner of the TI is doing the same thing. “I’m not going to give rooms away. That’s a heads-in-beds philosophy,” Ruffin said. “I don’t want the $50 customer.”

You can still make money — more money, in fact — by running at 70 to 90 percent occupancy and charging more for rooms, he said.

We've heard many visitors say that the lower room rates are what enticed them to come to Las Vegas during these tough economic times so we hope MGM's and TI's thinking won't mess up the minor surge in room occupancy we've seen on the Strip lately.

...so take off all your clothes.

With the thermometer rising and one of the hottest lifestyle events coming to town we've got the makings for some awfully fine scenery at the Alexis Park pool this weekend. Unfortunately for the LLive attendees, the resort doesn't allow nudity but you can expect to see some of the most amazing micro-bikinis for the event as temperatures just might break triple digits this weekend.

The forecast calls for rising temperatures beginning Thursday and the weatherman thinks we'll see our first 100 degree temperature this weekend. There is no rain in sight, either, and it'll probably remain so dry that high clouds can't form so there won't be a whole lot of relief from the burning rays.

If you're coming to town from a northern climate and haven't had time to hit a tanning booth, don't get too ambitious with your Vegas swimming pool sessions right off the bat. Every year we see quite a few sunbathers who have their visit ruined by a debilitating sunburn. It's difficult to get too wild in bed with a beet-red back, isn't it?

While the new Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel has been receiving excellent reviews for concerts that have been held there since it opened last month (i.e. sight lines, sound quality), we wondered how the place would be for a boxing match. Our questions have been answered.

This past weekend, The Joint hosted the light heavyweight title fight between Chad Dawson and Antonio Tarver (Dawson won, btw) and, by all accounts, the it's a great place to see a fight.

You can expect many more mid-level fights to be held at The Joint in the future, including a bunch of MMA bouts...

Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers out there. Even if your kids are the four-legged kind it's a good time to celebrate with breakfast in bed, a flower or two and perhaps a mimosa.

Adding another mother to the bedroom is a traditional way lifestyle couples celebrate the holiday (it is around our house so I'm just assuming it's the same around yours...).

If you are actually getting out of bed to hit a nice brunch or dinner, here's a Mother's Day dining guide to check out for some ideas on Las Vegas offerings.

This is one day I don't mind being called a "mother fucker" (by the mother of our household, that is, as in "harder, mother fucker, harder!").

If you have tickets to see magician Lance Burton for any time during the next three weeks, you'll need to get a refund. Lance will be missing a show--19 shows actually--for the first time in the 15,000 shows Burton has been performing at the Monte Carlo.

The accident occurred 15 minutes into the show as Burton was preparing to do the "floating bird cage" routine with Elvis the bird. When Elvis flew into the audience, Burton left the stage and retrieved the animal. The injury took place when the entertainer twisted his right foot on his way up the steps.

Burton finished the show despite considerable pain but "not knowing anything was broken," said the magician's publicist.

Stop the insanity! First it was the Siegfried & Roy and now this. When will these performers learn that any time you use live animals in an act there's bound to be a tragedy eventually...

Are the signs real or is it simply wishful thinking? There are several new economic indicators which have spawned some positive reports that would lead one to think that maybe, just maybe, Las Vegas--and the rest of the Sunbelt, actually--could possibly be on the verge of a recovery.

It seems that not only are resort room occupancies stabilizing, advance bookings rising and convention traffic on the uptick--not to mention a jump in gaming stocks--but now Forbes Magazine is predicting that brighter days are on the horizon for the entire Southwest. Additionally, home sales in Las Vegas are booming (although most are bank-owned properties) which is another good sign.

But wait a minute... According to a UNLV economist Vegas will rebound slower than the rest of the country.

Damn, just when I was practicing my rendition of "Happy Days Are Here Again" for x-rated karaoke at Hush Club next Friday night...

In many ways, they are a present-day Grateful Dead. Many musicians inspire a cult-like following with ardent admirers traveling long distances to watch their fave bands, often taking in several on a tour. We've seen it recently in Las Vegas with the fans who attended the concerts of Britney Spears, Jimmy Buffet and even Cher over at Caesars Palace.

Spears and Cher and the like certainly have their loyal followers but without the fans-as-family feeling that the Grateful Dead had (although the drag queens who follow Cher are certainly a unique family of fans). While Jimmy Buffet draws the usual "parrot-heads" and is pretty much one big party with live entertainment in the background, The Dave Mathews Band takes the communal atmosphere of the old Dead tours and gives it a modern day spin.

The Grateful Dead used to have a highly successful multi-day tour in Las Vegas--usually around Memorial Day--and the Silver Bowl parking lot was filled partying tailgaters (and a number of the requisite brightly painted VW buses) and loads of vendors. The parking lot was almost a more important scene than the concert itself.

Since it's pretty tough to hang out in the MGM parking lot these days, there isn't that aspect of a DMB event (although the bars will be full of socializing DMB-Heads), but the fans do connect prior to the show using the internet--e-mailing bootleg songs is a big part of it--and the shows themselves have a Dead quality about them. As with Jerry Garcia's old band, you never know what songs you'll hear from one Mathews concert to the next and the recording of the performances is not only allowed but encouraged, which enables fans the world over to be part of each performance nearly instantly via the net.

Here's a look at the phenomenon known as a Dave Mathews Band concert.

We wouldn't say that Las Vegas is done suffering but at least our much-needed convention business is showing signs of making a comeback. The overall economic problems severely slowed down future trade show bookings in general and then President Obama's off-handed remark a few months ago regarding frivolous business trips to Las Vegas caused several companies to cancel existing plans. Las Vegas lost $166 million from October of 2008 through mid-March because of conventions canceling, but this seems to be changing.

According to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, May is looking like a good convention month with at least 100,000 rooms booked. Conventions are big business for Las Vegas with the average delegate spending around $1,400 during the time they are here and major trade shows bring in big bucks. For example, a large convention that's in town right now, the Hardware Show, is expected to bring around $50 million to the Las Vegas economy.

(And no, the Hardware Show isn't for the sex toy industry or the BDSM-gear manufacturers but we love 'em just the same!)

It's just been announced that pop diva Beyonce will be performing at the Encore in an exclusive 4-night performance where her entire stage show from her North American tour will be reworked to fit the intimate 1,500 seat theater. The Las Vegas shows are scheduled for July 30-August 2nd.

Given the show will be different than the tour production, that it will be the last stop on the tour and that the Encore will be the smallest of the venues Beyonce will play on the "I Am...Yours" tour it's certain the show will be a sell out. Plus, the concerts will be videotaped and the footage used in an upcoming DVD release so the event will be even more special.

But wait, there's just one small catch: for almost all of the seats ya gotta buy a room at the Encore to get the tickets. Packages run from $250-$1000 which could leave some die-hard Beyonce fans out in the cold, especially locals, who may not want to purchase an overnight stay. We'll see how Wynn handles this situation--something that has the potential for some backlash if not played right. While Wynn/Encore is probably less dependent than most Vegas resorts on locals traffic, it's probably not a good idea to piss 'em off, especially during hard times like these.

While we understand the marketing concept of trying to fill rooms by dangling high-demand entertainment temptations as bait, we sure hope this trend doesn't catch on as it'll make attending top entertainment attractions much more difficult for residents and visitors on a budget alike.

If you're interested in "priority access to tickets, packages and concert information", Encore has set up a special sign-up page for you.

With the Swine, er, ah H1N1 flu running sorta rampant around Mexico and parts of the US, Las Vegas' annual Cinco de Mayo celebrations might take a bit of a hit. While the holiday is somewhat contrived--it's probably bigger in America than it is in Mexico--we usually have a grand ol' time doing shots of tequila and soaking up some Mexican culture anyway.

The drinks, parties and music will still be happening in town and here's a quick guide to some of the Cinco Celebrations going on in the local party spots.

Personally, we're pretty sure a good tequila kills the flu bug (a bad tequila does, too, but it also kills our stomachs) but we're going to avoid the pork tacos this year...

For the most part, Playboy kingpin Hugh Hefner announces the coveted title of Playmate of the Year from his So Cal mansion during a special luncheon. This year was different and many Las Vegans, including hotel owner George Maloof, are glad he chose to change things up a bit.

For the first time, the top Playboy Bunny award was announced in Las Vegas at Maloof's Palms Hotel which is only fitting since, besides having the only Playboy Club, Maloof himself has dated numerous Bunnies.

The winner was Tanzanian-born Ida Ljungqvist although the news wasn't a surprise as word of the winner had leaked more than a week prior to the event.

More than 50 former Playmates of the Month attended including Hef's (and Criss Angel's) ex, Holly Madison. While Hefner wants Madison to come back to the mansion, Holly has said no and has even had her bunny tattoo removed.

Anyway, we'll see what sort of ambassador for sexiness Ms. Ljungqvist will be in the upcoming year as she has said she is done taking off her clothes. A Playmate about to embark on her year-long tour who won't be posing nude again? Blasphemous, I tell ya...simply blasphemous...

The girls of "Crazy Girls", the long-running female revue at the Riviera, are known for their super-fine rear-ends as the famous "No Ifs, Ands or Butts..." billboard marketing campaign attests to. There's also a bronze statue of the girls in their famous pose at the resort (see below) where quite a few tourists have lined up and had their picture taken.

Besides the dancer's butt, however, the girls didn't used to be known for possessing either a she's-a-looker face or much of a rack to speak of. We weren't complaining as a killer derriere can go a long way but other girlie shows on the Strip, such as the babes in Crazy Horse Paris and Fantasy, always had the prettier females.

But now, Crazy Girls seems to be coming on strong with some sexy gals that have both the front and back covered (or uncovered, as the case might be). Perhaps it's the Crazy Girl movie (which I'm sure we've all seen) that caused the changes but, whatever the reason, there's been a hotness upgrade on the show and the new Crazy Girls website will bear that out.

Check out "Jenny" and her (free) sexy pics on the site (scroll down for the good stuff). I think we can all agree that Jenny is crazy-hot!

More Crazy Girl Photos (more)

It's a two hour and twenty minute long Disney puppet show with some music by Elton John. It has an intermission and nary a naked breast. It's seen an extended run on Broadway and lots of people have viewed the production via the touring road shows. It's The Lion King and it has opened at the Mandalay.

Will it do as well as the show it replaced (Mamma Mia!--2,300 Vegas performances)? We'll find out soon if the non-Vegasy length, the years of public exposure or the down economy will inhibit a successful run.

For now, you can see the previews at a reduced price and, starting May 15, The Lion King officially opens.

For some reason, we're not overcome with a sense of impending glee over this one but maybe it'll grow on us (especially if we receive a couple of comps). At any rate, we'd like to welcome Lion King to Las Vegas. We have a distinct feeling it'll fare better than the previous most recent big-production MGM Mirage has attempted ("Believe" at the Luxor).

The Choreographer Says Something Nice About Vegas Talent (more)

Now this is our kind of band. I'm not talking about the music, per se (although if you like industrial metal they're pretty good), but rather the lead singer and his wife. Especially his wife.

Static-X is playing at the House of Blues on Sunday and the lead singer/guitarist/keyboardist for the band, Wayne Static, gave a local columnist an interview. When asked how he met his wife, former porn star Tera Wray, he said that she was a shot girl who brought the band their shots of whiskey on stage during Ozzfest '07. Wayne and Tera have been inseparable since they first met and, while she still brings the band their booze on stage, Tera has also become a prominent part of the band's album artwork and music videos.

OK, a metal rocker, a porn star/shot girl and a chance meeting on stage leading to a marriage--that's pretty cool. But what makes the story LowLife material? Well, first of all they were married in Las Vegas in January '08 so that's a good start. But the real kicker is that Ms. Static sounds like the perfect LowLife wife:

"I like girls, and I like sharing my husband with a cool hot chick," said Tera Wray Static. "It wouldn't be fair to just make him watch. Whoever said two's company but three's a crowd never had a threesome, obviously. Trust is important, but true love is what holds it together."

Tera, we like your attitude! So, if any of you single bi fems (or hall-passed partnered bi fems) are a "cool hot chick" and wanna take a crack at jumpin' in bed with a rocker and a porn star, head to the H.O.B. Sunday night and strut your stuff for the lead singer and the shot girl.

Good luck and let us know how it went...

Many women we know would love to get close to film star Hugh Jackman. This might be your only chance. Corresponding with the release of the movie “X-Men Origins: Wolverine", Madame Tussauds wax museum has unveiled a Jackman-as-Wolverine sculpture.

Hugh is here on a "limited engagement" so if you want to get your pic taken next to the super hero with the bad hairdo and in need of a manicure, ya had better hurry on over to the museum ASAP.

The LowLife listing for Madame Tussauds Las Vegas

This weekend's Ricky Hatton/Manny Pacquiao at the MGM will be one of the biggest fights of the year and couldn't have come at a better time as Las Vegas needs the financial shot in the arm. Most of the time the fighters are unapproachable and it's impossible to get to the pugilist due to their massive entourages and security.

However, British fighter Ricky Hatton is different. If you wanted to hang with the guy you should wander over to the Crown & Anchor British Pub. Heck, he might even play you in a round of darts...

The LowLife listing for the big fight and Hatton's official after-fight party at Studio 54 (wanna bet he ditches out as soon as he can and heads to Crown & Anchor?)

Holy shit. Danny Gans, the singer/impersonator who just moved over from the Mirage to the Encore died suddenly early today (Friday) of unknown causes ("died in his sleep" according to one report).

Gans was a former minor league baseball player who normally looked in very good shape. He was just 52 and according to all accounts, was a "clean-living, born-again Christian" so I would assume we're not going to see an alcohol & drug overdose report when the cause of death is finally posted.

Wow, ain't this a head-shaker? Guess it goes to show ya, life is short--play hard.

UPDATE from TMZ: "TMZ has learned a 911 call was made by a family member at 3:44 AM for a 52-year-old man who was "having trouble breathing." By the time medics arrived, Gans had already passed away."