What to See Hear and Do: September 10-16

Many of the acts booked in Vegas for Mexican Independence Day week sing in Spanish, but are not actually from Mexico. Caifanes is not only Mexican, they’re one of the pioneers of modern Mexican music, going back to the mid 1980s. They were heavily influenced by that decade’s British and American rock, and combined them with touchstones of traditional and modern Mexican music. Ultimately, they became one of the forefather acts of the rock en Español movement. They’ve been here before, but it’s great that they’re being counted among the many live music acts here for the big mid-September holiday stretch.

If you want something more unique, there’s singer-songwriter Cuco. He sings in both English and Spanish, and plays a number of instruments in his dream-pop songs. This only scratches the surface of his sound, but imagine a bossa nova Tame Impala!

Nevada Humanities is clearly not letting federal funding cuts get in the way of its event goals. The cultural institution is hosting its Literary Crawl, happening at various businesses in the California Avenue corridor. There’s gonna be more than 40 different events involving some 120 authors, artists, and other participants — we’re talking panels, performances (including one on live radio, and a live read-through of a play). There will also be workshops, author signings, and storytelling and activities for kids. And all of this is free, though you should RSVP for the crawl!

You know how sing-alongs at movies are a thing now? Well, this is a sing-along at a table. It’s a way for community members to break bread and celebrate the music of various cultures represented in Las Vegas. The occasion is called a tish — which literally translates to “table” in Yiddish. Local singer/composer Heather Klein is going to lead this table full of singers through several lyric-free and international songs. You can be any level of singer — the organizers have made it clear that participants will learn these worldly melodies very easily. They hope to foster community and celebrate diversity at a time when we’re constantly being reminded of how divided we are. And, per the event name, there will be tarot reading, as well as snacks, bookending the musical experience.