Considered the original boy band, The Monkees will bring their reunion tour to the 650-seat Hollywood Theatre at the MGM Grand, March 29-April 4.

The Monkees - Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork -- amassed a dozen Top 40 hits, including three tunes that soared to number one during the most competitive period in pop music history. Their debut single, "Last Train to Clarksville," became their first hit song to reach number one followed by "I'm A Believer" and "Daydream Believer."

Their accomplishments also include 16 million albums and 7 1/2 million singles sold in less than three years. The Monkees 1960's hit television show conquered the airwaves and the television screen with their spoofy humor and groovy sounds. In 1986, The Monkees 20th Anniversary Reunion Tour resulted in one of the year's top-grossing tours and the re-charting of their original seven albums.

A new five-member band back The Monkees, and Natural is the opening act. Tickets are $51.50 inclusive, call 1-800-929-1111 or 702-891-7777.

It's finally confirmed the popular brothers and sister act, the Scintas, will close at the Las Vegas Hilton on April 8 and open at the Rio's Copa Room on April 12.

The Blue Man Group's appearance on the Grammys allowed them to be seen worldwide by an audience of 1.5 billion. Is there any doubt that this appearance has resulted in brisk ticket sales for their show that opened in March 2000 at the Luxor?

The afternoon show, "Bottoms Up" at the Flamingo Las Vegas has been doing fantastic business. Subsequently, the show's original six-month contract has been replaced with an open-ended deal.

Grammy-award winning rock star Rick Springfield is the fourth great stage celebrity to headline in the $45 million stage spectacular "EFX" at the MGM Grand. Each time the headliner changes, the show gets retooled to the individual's particular talents.

For its latest reincarnation, the show has become "EFX Alive," honoring the Australia-born Springfield's recently released album, "The Greatest Hits-Alive."

The 51-year old Springfield penned a pair of songs for the show. "Rhythm of the Beat" is a new opening song and "Forever" is in the scene depicting the legendary magician Harry Houdini and his wife Bess. The singer has also tossed one of his hits, 1983's "Human Touch," into the show's song lineup.

Another change is Springfield's character, the EFX Master, is threaded throughout the show and on stage most of the time. He's seldom without his guitar and switches his roles as Merlin, P.T. Barnum, Houdini and H.G. Wells, by changing his coats covering his white shirt and leather pants. With Springfield in the title role, the show is "rocking" and his loyal fans are happy campers.

Jon Bon Jovi, guitarist Richie Sambora, keyboardist David Bryan and drummer Tico Torres bring their One Wild Night Tour to the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Saturday, April 21.

"Crush," Bon Jovi's latest album, has been certified platinum by selling over seven million copies worldwide. Bon Jovi received 2001 Grammy nominations in the categories of "Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group" for their hit single, "It's My Life" as well as "Best Rock Album" for their seventh release, "Crush."

Tickets for Bon Jovi are $45, $75 and $100, call Ticketmaster at 702-474-4000.

A couple weeks ago, RA - The Nightclub at Luxor began presenting the weekly event "Vixen." Every Thursday night beautiful babes are competing in bikinis for $1,000 in cash and prizes, and the chance to appear in the first RA Calendar, debuting in 2002. At the end of the 12-week competition, the 12 finalist will compete for the grand prize, which is the calendar cover.

Every Thursday night the doors open at 10 p.m. and admission is complimentary for ladies. For more information about the 19,000-square-foot club voted "one of the top three nightclubs in the world" by GQ magazine, call 702-262-4949.

After about ten years headlining at Bally's, George Carlin, 63, will begin working in his new location, the Hollywood Theatre at the MGM Grand, March 8-21. He will continue pointing out what's wrong with the world in his brutally honest, yet hysterically funny manner.

The Shark Reef attraction at Mandalay Bay, which opened in June 2000, has opened its third new exhibit, Serpents & Dragons. The open exhibit allows spectators an up-close experience where nothing but air separates viewers from snakes wrapped around trees and "dragon" fish that glide through the water.

Shark Reef features 2,000 aquatic animals from the world's tropical waters. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., admission is $13.95 for adults, $9.95 for children 5-12, and free for children under five. For information, call 702-632-7580.

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Roman-themed Caesars Palace has begun a $60 million renovation inside and out. This was one of the first resorts in Las Vegas to carry and promote a theme. The renovation project includes $20 million to remove the distinctive screen that covers the exterior of the older towers and install a Romanesque design that better matches the new tower.

Caesars Palace will also remodel 600 suites in its Roman and Centurion towers and has begun work on a suite complex for high-end customers. The resort's Circus Maximus showroom was demolished to make room for the new suites.

Additionally, Caesars Palace has built a temporary 7,000-seat special events pavilion at the back of the property for concerts, boxing and other events. A permanent arena may be built on the site.

Wet `n Wild, the seasonal 26-acre water theme park on the Strip, will open on April 7. The season will run through September.

International comedian Emo Philips is as big in Britain, Canada and Europe as he is in America. Philips, the lanky 6'2", 140-pound wonder donning a completely new look will take center stage at the Riviera Comedy Club for a week beginning Monday, March 26.

Born in Downers Grove, Illinois, Philips received his first big break on the David Letterman show in 1984, and has since been back many times. He has two hit comedy albums under his belt. The first, "E=MO2," won the New Music Award for Best Comedy Album of 1985.

Philips has many film credits including playing a butter-fingered table saw operator in Weird Al' Yankovic's hit comedy "UHF." He also played a crooked game show contestant on "Miami Vice" and has had many specials air on Cinemax and HBO.

Appearing with Philips at the Riviera Comedy Club are two other funny people, Karen Rontowski and Rob Sherwood. Tickets are $16.95 plus tax and fee, call the Riviera Box Office at 702-794-9433.

Eagle Don Henley will bring his solo act back to the Hard Rock Hotel on March 15. He was in town last fall. Tickets are $50, $100 and $150, call 702-693-5066.

There aren't too many time-warped properties left in Las Vegas. One that gives you a glimpse of the way Strip hotels looked in the "old days" is The Algiers built in the 1950s. Located across the street from Circus Circus, plans are in the works to enlarge The Algiers with a 1,087-room addition, including 304 hotel rooms and 783 timeshare units in a 38-story tower, 60,000 square-foot casino, and public area.

The topping off ceremony was held recently for the $150 million South Hall expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center. The project will add 1.4 million square feet consisting of two levels of convention and meeting-room space. The structure actually straddles Desert Inn Road. Completion of the South Hall is expected in November, which is in time for the 2002 Winter Consumer Electronics Show next January. When completed, the convention center's exhibit space will total about two million square feet.

The Stratosphere closed its six-table poker room on March 2. The vacated area will make room for slot machines. The valley's tallest property has a 1,002-room hotel tower, new pool, cafe and expanded buffet under construction.

The Passion Play of Las Vegas will be presenting their production of "He's Alive" for the fourth year at the Riviera's Grand Ballroom, April 9-14, nightly at 7 p.m. The word "passion" refers to the suffering of Christ, and depicts his crucifixion and resurrection.

The Passion Play of Las Vegas uses local residents to re-tell the historical story of the final days of Jesus Christ's life on earth. The cast of over 100 is comprised from numerous ethnic and church backgrounds. The sets and period costumes transport audiences back to Jerusalem, 2000 years ago. There is no admission charge. Seats are on a first-come, first-served basis. Early seating is available by picking up tickets at the Riviera's Main Box Office.

Versatile actor/comedian Adam Ferrara will headline The Improv Comedy Club at Harrah's Las Vegas, April 3-8. Two other comedians will join him. Tickets are $24.95 plus tax, call 702-369-5111.

Ferrara's performance at "The Montreal Comedy Festival" landed him a feature spot on a FOX television network special, which in turn helped him land a reoccurring role on the television series "Caroline in the City." Among many more television guest appearances, Ferrara finally landed the starring role in the comedy special "Lounge Lizards."

Boulder City, the town built to house the workers who constructed Hoover Dam, and the only city in Nevada where gambling isn't legal, will celebrate its 70th birthday on March 17 with a large cake in the center of town at Bicentennial Park.

For the birthday celebration, the city will honor residents who turn 70 years old in 2001. Historic Boulder City is located 23 miles east of Las Vegas. For information, call the Chamber of Commerce 702-293-2034.

More information and online ticketing for the shows and coming events listed in this column can be found by clicking over to the Las Vegas Leisure Guide Shows category.

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