Two-step with the Wayner. Lighter on his feet and enjoying a new lease on life after his brief stint on Dancing With the Stars, Wayne Newton returns for what has become an annual rite of passage on the Strip: his holiday show at Harrah’s. Having been slowed for a time by pneumonia, Newton nonetheless promises over-the-top yuletide cheer enveloped in the familiar standards-driven stage show he has fronted since arriving in Vegas more than 40 years ago. His run begins November 15, with the holiday infusion starting November 22 and running through December 29. Tickets $82.50, $110 for Golden Circle seats. Go to harrahs.com or call 369-5222.
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Recognize a star. Who says Vegas doesn’t have any art or culture? Join the staff of Caramel on Wednesday, November 21 as they honor the woman behind the lens at Expose, an artsy affair held periodically in the posh lounge. Vegas-raised photographer Denise Truscello has photographed covers for Billboard magazine, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter and Paris Match, and her images have been seen worldwide in Time, Newsweek, W, Elle and Rolling Stone, to name a few. She has photographed such personalities as Hunter S. Thompson, Muhammad Ali, Kirk Douglas, Elton John, Celine Dion, Britney Spears, Jessica Simpson and countless others. More than just a paparazza, Truscello began photographing while living in Europe, studying photography for six years on the streets of Paris. Her first exhibition brought her to the attention of famed French photographer and Kodak prize-winner Edouard Boubat, who was her mentor until his death in 1999. Since then, Denise has won Spot News Photos of the Year for her work at Ground Zero in 2002 and 2003. The event kicks off at 7 p.m.
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Festivate. Fremont Street will be closed from Las Vegas Blvd. to 8th St. from 8 p.m. Friday through 5 a.m. Sunday, but that’s a small price to pay for an outdoor music festival celebrating that burgeoning Fremont East entertainment district we’ve heard so much about. Rock the Block will feature visiting bands Flyleaf, Death By Stereo, Smile Empty Soul and AM Session, along with locals Franky Perez, Searchlight (pictured) and Left Standing, and is scheduled to run for 10 hours. Wear comfortable shoes. November 17, noon-10 p.m., $10-$15, rocktheblockvegas.com.
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Connect with Ravel. The Las Vegas Philharmonic plays its second performance in the Masterworks series on Saturday, November 17. In addition to showcasing Dmitri Shostakovich’s Ballet Suite No. 1 and Franz Schubert’s Symphony No. 9 in C major (“The Great”), conductor David Itkin welcomes pianist Ilya Yakushev on Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G major. Tickets: $29-$73; UNLV’s Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall; doors open at 7 p.m. For ticket information, call 895-ARTS (2787).
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See new movies in a new setting. With so many movie theaters in town buried in casinos, one of the most exciting things about the new Rave Motion Pictures theater is that it stands on its own, in the developing Town Square complex at Las Vegas Boulevard and the 215. Rave opens November 16 with 18 all-digital screens, seven of which feature 3D capabilities, and all the standard modern amenities, including stadium seating, digital sound and plenty of legroom. The computer-animated fantasy Beowulf will be featured in 3D, along with a full complement of other major new and recent releases. 6587 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 362-7283.
