The Iceman Special
Concert
June 30
If we need anything during a sizzling Las Vegas summer, it’s a band with “Iceman” in its title. And this quartet of Louisiana-based musicians delivers cool funk beats, too. Their music is as eclectic as their aesthetic, blending disco glitz, rock n roll guitar work, and dance tracks to produce a sound that is unique and, surprisingly, appealing to lovers of all genres. The thought of dancing away a June night with a bunch of other swamp funk fans? It gives me chills. 7p, $10, The Beverly Theater, thebeverlytheater.com
Modern Desert Markings: An Homage to Las Vegas Area Land Art
Art Exhibit
Through July 8
Ecological and environmental art has a long legacy in Nevada’s sprawling desert. Modern Desert Markings, the current exhibit at the Barrick Museum, demonstrates that our local landscape is itself art. Showcasing the work of three pioneers of land art — a movement from the ’60s and ’70s whose members used the land and natural materials to create sculptures — the exhibit brings together photos of great land art, while critiquing them through a modern lens of equity, environmentalism, and tourism. Tuesdays-Saturdays 10a-5p, free, Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art, nevadahumanities.org
Nevada Women’s Film Festival
Film Festival
June 22-25
So, Nevada didn’t get the movie industry tax credits. Our local filmmakers don’t need them to produce high quality pictures; they’ve been doing it for years. The proof is in the Nevada Women’s Film Festival, which has been providing a platform for female filmmakers for nine years now. This time around, the festival is screening more than 100 movies from 22 different countries. Many of them are can’t-miss short films, like those at the top of my personal watchlist: Women in Aviation, DEAFinitely Different, and La Pietra. The only feature-length film from a local filmmaker in the festival, Rouge Angels, is also one to watch — though I’m a bit biased, since the woman behind it all, Brenda Daly, makes an appearance in our June issue of Desert Companion. Times vary, $12-50, UNLV Department of Film, nwffest.com
Soireé Eclectic Presented by Vegas City Opera
Art Collective
June 25
Most people would agree that Vegas is lacking in Parisian zest (which can be said for any city other than Paris, non?). Core Contemporary fills the gap with Soireé Eclectic, a collection of art, music, and je ne sais quoi. The artists of Vegas City Opera, with support from the Nevada Arts Council, will perform well known pieces (think Erik Satie’s impressionist masterpiece Gymnopédie No. 1), alongside the lesser-known works of Alex Stopa and other composers. Topped off with poetry readings from Nakia Robinson, the evening will allow you to free your inner performance art connoisseur. 5-6p, $15, Core Contemporary Art Gallery, vegascityopera.org
Alabaster
Staged Reading
June 30-July 1
The intimacy and casual feel of A Public Fit’s staged readings — like watching friends act out a play in your den — suit the story of June and her pet goat, Weezy, traumatized survivors of a tornado in Alabaster, Alabama. When photographer Alice arrives in town to photograph June, they strike up a friendship based on mutual experiences with grief and determination. Despite the heavy undertone, plenty of wise cracks keep the piece fun. No word yet on whether Weezy will be played by a real goat … Friday 7p, Saturday 2p, free, Clark County Library, apublicfit.org
Celebrate Independence with The Swing It! Girls
Concert
July 2
This concert embraces the patriotic nostalgia that Fourth of July invokes for so many. The Swing It! Girls, a vintage vocal trio hailing from Vegas, will perform covers of classic boogie-woogie hits, perfect for kids and families. A modern rendition of the classic World War II USO show, the performance promises to get your toes tapping and head bobbing, so wear comfy shoes and leave the American flag hat at home! 3-4p, free, West Charleston Library, (702) 507-3964
