Grammy Award winner "Weird Al" Yankovic will headline with his "Poodle Hat Tour" at the 7,000-seat Aladdin Theatre on Saturday, June 21. Tickets are $25, $35 and $75, call 702-785-5000.

Yankovic has been enjoying a weird form of success since 1979, when he first recorded "My Bologna," which was a spoof of The Knack's "My Sharona." The song parody became a smash hit on the nationally syndicated "Dr. Demento" radio show. His subsequent recordings and music videos secured his fame.

After nearly four years, Yankovic has just released his latest album called "Poodle Hat." It features parodies, a polka medley and new original tunes.

Concert events are scheduled all through the summer so it's time to look at your calendar. A couple tentative ones are Mariah Carey's possible stop on July 26 at Celine Dion's showroom at Caesars Palace on her North American tour and R.E.M. at the Thomas & Mack on Sept. 11.

Matchbox Twenty and Sugar Ray pop into the Mandalay Bay Events Center on June 13. Tickets are $43 and $55, call Ticketmaster at 702-632-7600. Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban and Deana Carter will follow on June 14. Tickets are $45 and $65. B.B. King takes Galactic, Jeff Beck and Mofro to Mandalay Bay on July 25. Meat Loaf and Cyndi Lauper will be headlining on July 26. Tickets are $35, $45 and $55. Boston will perform on Aug. 2. Tickets are $35-$66. ZZ Top will zip into town on Aug. 20.

Three Dog Night will do an outdoor concert on July 11 at the Mandalay Bay Beach pool. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 on the day of the show.

Bowzer's "Ultimate Doo Wop Party" will hit the Aladdin on June 14 and tickets are $25-$75. Weird Al Yankovic is on June 21. B2K will pop up on July 4. Tickets are $45-$65. D.I Hughley, Mike Epps and Bruce Bruce will perform stand-up on July 5. Tickets are $30-$45. Jackson Browne, Steve Earle and Keb' Mo' are slated to play on July 27.

The ever popular Beach Boys will make a big splash at the Stratosphere's Outdoor Events Center, June 20 and 21. Tickets are $31-$38, call 702-380-7711.

Here's another biggie... Christian Aguilera, Justin Timberlake and the Black Eyed Peas at the MGM Grand Garden arena on June 21. Tickets are $48-$98. Fleetwood Mac will take center stage on July 5. Tickets are $85-$250. The Dixie Chicks and Michelle Branch will play in the round on July 26-27. Tickets are $55-$100.

Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis will rock the new Orleans Arena on July 5. Tickets are $23.50-$93.10.

Melissa Etheridge will sing at Buffalo Bill's Star or the Desert Arena in Primm, Nev. on July 18. Loretta Lynn will sing on July 26. Tickets are $32.50 and $42.50, call 702-386-7867. Randy Travis is signed up for Aug. 1. Tickets are $32.50 and $42.50.

Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Busta Rhymes, Fabolous and Sean Paul will rock the Thomas & Mack Center on July 27. Tickets are $35 and $45, call 702-739-3267.

On Friday, June 13, international jazz vocalist Janis Carter will perform at the Stardust in The Wayne Newton Showroom. The 8 p.m. show presented by the Oasis 105.7 Concert Series is free.

Carter, who is from Louisville, Kentucky, did a two-year stint with Lola Falana before venturing off on a solo career over the past 20 years. She has been featured in the off-Broadway musical "Mama I Want To Sing" as Billie Holiday and performed with Ruth Brown in the musical "Purlie" playing Lutibelle. The singer also made a cameo appearance in the PM Entertainment / Showtime / HBO movie "Living to Die" with Wings Hauser. She's even written and produced three musical revues, "Girlfriends" The Musical, "La Creme des Cremes" and "French Kiss."

Dick Foster Productions, producer for the Rio's new innovative BevErtainment program that combines quality entertainment with beverage service, hired Kevin Nadeau as the musical director. He has arranged approximately 160 musical numbers for more than 90 performers who entertain in the resort's casino. Nadeau has also composed a distinctive musical logo to introduce the BevErtainer performances.

Nadeau is an award-winning composer and producer who has provided music for films, national advertising campaigns, live stage productions and television series during a 15-year Hollywood career.

He received a Silver Lion Best of Show Award at the 1996 Cannes International Advertising Festival for his work on a Pepsi campaign. Nadeau's long list of national advertising clients include Toyota, Dodge, McDonalds, Budweiser, and Miller Beer.

He has composed and produced music for the television series "Boston Public," "Felicity" and Lifetime Channel's "Any Day Now." He recently provided music for Cuba Gooding Jr.'s latest film "Boat Trip." Nadeau also co-wrote the single "Nothing At All" with Higher Octave Records newest recording artist Siedah Garrett and it's on the singer's recent CD.

A new Hooters, part of the famous restaurant chain know for scantily clad waitresses, has opened its first casino location at the off-Strip Sunset Station in Henderson. It opens daily at 11 am and closes between midnight and 1:30 a.m. depending on the day. Call 702-547-7777 for more information.

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The new 9,000-square-foot Nine Fine Irishmen pub and restaurant opening in July at New York-New with a view of the Strip will offer a diverse sampling of Ireland's regional specialties.

Nine of Ireland's esteemed chefs were selected to provide traditional regional dishes. Each has contributed a signature dish delivering natural Irish foods and flavors with imported ingredients. The menu will reflect everything from pub favorites to the more sophisticated cuisines.

Some examples of dishes include chowders, rib eye steak served on a Dalky mustard mash, Oyster Pucks served in a shot glass, grilled Irish Goats Cheese Salad with balsamic vinaigrette, and caramelized Brown Bread Ice cream and Whiskey Pudding for dessert.

Beginning tomorrow, show tickets for "The Magic of Rick Thomas" at the Tropicana will increase by one dollar. The new price for the afternoon production will be $17.95 plus tax and surcharge for table seating and $22.95 for booth seating, call 702-739-2543.

Karin Lawson is impersonating Janet Jackson in "Legends In Concert" at the Imperial Palace. Hailing from Denver, Colorado, she sang and danced throughout her school years all the way to the University of Kansas where she studied arts and film. After graduation, she became a professional NFL cheerleader as a featured member of the Kansas City Chiefs cheerleading squad.

When Lawson arrived in Las Vegas, she began working almost immediately as a dancer in various shows along the Strip including "Legends in Concert." Inspired by the highly talented headlining cast members who use their own voices, she began working on her impersonation of Janet Jackson.

Lawson was finally given her shot at portraying Jackson in 2001 when she performed in "Legends in Concert" at Universal Studios, Japan. Her performance was a huge success.

Lawson shares the stage with an ever-rotating cast of look-and sound-alike performers such as the "Boss" Bruce Springsteen, the Temptations, Cher, and Elvis Presley. Tickets are $39.95 per person, including tax, tip and a drink. Children 12 and under are $24.95, call 888-777-7664 or 702-794-3261.

The Las Vegas Wranglers will kick off their inaugural 36 home game season at the new state-of-the-art Orleans Arena on Tuesday, October 21, against the Bakersfield Condors. The schedule will include 72 games against 13 different ECHL opponents.

Wranglers season tickets and mini-plans are now available through the team's front office, call 702-471-PUCK (7825).

Rick Schroder, the former star of "NYPD Blue," took center stage at the Wranglers recent press conference at the new Orleans Arena and introduced Glen Gulutzan, the team's new general manager and head coach. He was asked at the very last moment to step in for the Las Vegas Wranglers Professional Hockey team owner Charles Davenport who had to cancel his appearance.

Schroder was at the Orleans filming "Black Cloud," an independent film he wrote, and is currently producing and directing. He told the audience that his kids are hockey players.

Moments after the press conference ended, Schroder went back to filming.

"Black Cloud" is the story of a Native American boxer and is being filmed using the ongoing Golden Gloves competition at the Orleans Arena as its backdrop.

On the Strip, the Flamingo's pool parties are daily 4-8 p.m. Off the Strip but nearby, the Palms' pool fun runs Tuesdays from 9 p.m. onwards, and the Hard Rock's are hosted Wednesdays from 7-10 p.m.

In an effort to support the USA Military, the show "Hypnolarious" at Bourbon Street on Flamingo Road across the street from Bally's is offering two complimentary tickets through Labor Day weekend to military showing an ID. The show stars hypnotist Terry Stokes and his sidekick, Deogee the hypno Pup.

Tickets are $39.95 plus tax with one drink included, call 702-360-5419.

The unusual twosome, Stokes and the pup, will star in an episode of the new series "Absolutely Pets" on ABC this coming December.

Jay White is offering service people with an ID two-for-one tickets to his "America's Neil Diamond Tribute" show in the Rivera's Le Bistro Theater. Tickets are $39.95 plus tax and fee, call 702-794-9433.

When White sings "America" in his show, it means a lot to him since his stepson, Jason, who is 25 and a Sergeant in the Marines has been in Iraq for the duration of the war. He's not expected back until the beginning of August when his wife is due to give birth to their first child.

White recently performed "America" at The Reel Awards in Los Angeles and received an award for his year-long excellence in performing his Neil Diamond tribute.

The Moulin Rouge, which opened and closed in 1955 as Las Vegas' first integrated casino, was nearly reduced to rubble by a fire over a week ago. Many attempts have been made to return the historical site to original glory but now it appears hopeless.

TouchPoll Las Vegas has installed a computerized polling system at the Rio Pavilion Convention Center that gathers information on the hotel convention staff's handling of meetings and trade shows. The system guides respondents through a series of questions about customer service. Survey results can be reviewed immediately and the results are more accurate because meeting planners have concerns fresh in their minds.

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