Hear the Hits
Cue the Jeopardy! theme! Answer: “This band’s first single soared to the top of the charts—two years after its initial release.” Question:“Who are Tommy James & The Shondells, whose debut track ‘Hanky Panky’ was recorded in 1964 but didn’t become a national hit until May 1966?” A: “This band produced a pair of Top 5 singles in the late 1960s that were re-released as cover songs some 20 years later, reaching No. 1 in back-to-back weeks.” Q: “Who are Tommy James & The Shondells, whose songs “I Think We’re Alone Now” and “Mony Mony” were chart-toppers for teen pop sensation Tiffany and rock icon Billy Idol in November 1987–the only time cover songs from the same artist hit No. 1 in consecutive weeks?” A: "This band has seen additional songs covered by everyone from Joan Jett & The Blackhearts to Dolly Parton to the Boston Pops orchestra, toured with Vice President Hubert Humphrey during his 1968 presidential campaign (they even got Humphrey to write the liner notes for their sixth album!), and, despite being well into their sixth decade, continues to tirelessly tour the country, with a stop this week in Las Vegas." Q: "Who are Tommy James & The Shondells?" Now hopefully you have plenty of “Mony Mony” for Final Jeopardy. –Matt Jacob
Golden Nugget, 8 p.m. March 8, starting at $59 plus tax and fee. 800.745.3000 Ticketmaster
Get Your Grub On
“Pizza is fun and not pretentious,” says Michael Vakneen, creator of Pop Up Pizza at The Plaza hotel. “Everyone loves pizza.” Vakneen is right. It’s hard to find a person who doesn’t like to eat pizza, and, after trying one of his pizza creations, it’d be hard to not love Pop Up Pizza.
Pop Up pizza
The dough is a cornerstone of the eatery—the recipe uses a French bread-making technique and a process passed down from Vakneen’s father, who taught him how to make dough. On the menu are signature pies including Mike’s hot pepperoni with pickled jalapenos and sweet and spicy honey. Pop Up also offers a vegan pizza, a blend of vegan mozzarella with sautéed spinach and roasted mushrooms, artichokes and bell peppers. One of the most popular pies is the Suprema pizza, with spicy Italian sausage and hand-cut crispy pepperoni. We’ll let you in on a little secret: an off-the-menu pie that is getting a lot of buzz for its balanced blend of homemade sauce, cheese that’s sliced daily from a big block of fresh mozzarella, fresh basil and grated Parmesan; ask for the vodka pizza. While the dough might look dense, you can easily bite into the airy, crisp crust.
Looking towards the future, says Vakneen, Pop Up plans to expand with offerings like fresh-made sandwiches and pastas. “It’s important to bring a sense of community to this hotel and to downtown,” says Vakneen. “I love working with the community and bringing visitors and locals together.” And he’s doing it, one delicious slice at a time. –Kiko Miyasato
The Plaza, 11 a.m.-2 a.m. daily. 702.366.0049
Booze & Browse
ReBar Photo by: Curtis Joe Walker
What’s better than a bar where you can get extremely affordable drinks? How about one where you can buy everything you see? ReBar features draft beers starting at $3 and wine, well drinks and cocktails starting at $4. After you’ve enjoyed yourself, do a little browsing for that perfect souvenir—perhaps a beer stein? –Ken Miller
1225 S. Main St., 11 a.m. to close daily. 702.349.2283
