Voice — CCSD Juried Student Art Show
Art Exhibit
March 2-Apr. 4
For two decades, student art competition Voice has helped Nevada’s future artists by showcasing their work and awarding them $25,000 in prizes. This year, the contest celebrates its 20th anniversary with another show featuring CCSD high school students’ work. It’s meant to teach young people the gallery process, giving them practical experience in the business of art, from creation to display. (Anne Davis) 12-8p Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, free, Priscilla Fowler Fine Art Gallery, priscillafowler.com
In My Room: Student Reflections on the Time of Isolation
Art Exhibit
Apr. 6–May 24
Another art exhibit focused on young people, this one addresses the pandemic, as seen through the eyes of local kids. The collection explores the physical and emotional impact that isolation and distance education had on kids, and what they learned about themselves during that period of uncertainty. The pieces are typical of kids’ art — earnest and colorful — which belies the underlying maturity that comes from having endured a coming-of-age experience like the COVID lockdowns. (AD) 1-4p, free, Nevada Humanities Program Gallery, nevadahumanities.org
Billy Idol Live Weekend in Las Vegas and at Hoover Dam
Rock Concert
Apr. 7-8
Hoover Dam works hard, retaining a reservoir and generating hydroelectricity. But its heaviest lift lies ahead: For the first time, the historic structure will host a performance from punk icon Billy Idol … Why? Per organizer Vertigo, the Hoover Dam Live weekend — which includes a welcome party and transportation to and from the dam — is meant to raise awareness of the megadrought that’s affecting the Colorado River. The audience is capped 250, and the “cheap” seats ($749) are already sold out, but tickets can still be yours starting at $1,499. Too much, “money money”? On April 1, Idol will play the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, where tickets start at $351. A film will also be made about the event, so no need to “steal a car and go to Las Vegas.” (Eric Duran-Valle) 7-11p, $1,499 and up, Hoover Dam, thisisvertigo.live
Vincent
Theatre
Apr. 7-16
Vincent Van Gogh has reached the level of celebrity where his name and paintings are universally recognized and loved — hence, the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit Las Vegas, last summer social media phenom that’s still going strong. But what about the man behind the art? How much do we really know about Vincent? In this one-man stage drama, Emmy-nominated actor Leonard Nimoy shines a light on the painter’s inner life. Told through letters read posthumously by Vincen’s brother, Theo, the show gives depth to a figure who’s traditionally been stereotyped as a one-dimensional troubled artist. (AD) 2 and 7p, $25-30, Las Vegas Little Theatre, lvlt.org
National Geographic Live: Bob Poole | Nature Roars Back
Lecture
Apr. 14
Think of it as show and tell with your favorite high school science teacher. Emmy Award-winning nature photographer Bob Poole infects audiences with his enthusiasm for wildlife in his National Geographic Live lecture, coming to Reynolds Hall. Poole will show favorite photos from his time doing conservation work in Mozambique’s Gorongosa National Park, a preservation area nearly gutted by political unrest. The lecture, based on his Nat Geo/PBS series, will also include Poole’s personal stories from both his wildlife photography and his own childhood in East Africa. If you go ape for all-things animal, science, and archeology, check into the next three installments of the Smith Center’s National Geographic live series, running through early next year. (AD) 7:30-9:30p, $20-49, Reynolds Hall at the Smith Center, thesmithcenter.com
Las Vegas Bluegrass Festival
Music Festival
Apr. 15
"It’s music that finds its way deep into your soul because its strings (are) vibrating against wood and nothing else,” bluegrass ambassador and singer Alison Krauss once said. You can vibe with this music all day at Las Vegas’ Bluegrass Festival, headlined by Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, this year’s Grammy Award winners for Best Bluegrass Album. The festival’s lineup is punctuated by food stands, artisanal wares, and a special children’s corner. My can’t-miss pick: locally based Nevada Old-Time Fiddlers Association! (AD) 11a-7p, free, Centennial Hills Park Amphitheatre, lasvegasnevada.gov