by Jackie Brett Send Me E-mail

Acclaimed entertainer, "Downtown" Gordie Brown, brought his engaging comedy and mastery of impersonation to the Golden Nugget's Theatre Ballroom this weekend. He is accompanied by his live band and making his Las Vegas debut.

Performances are Friday through Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $55 and include two beverages, call 866-946-5336 or 702-386-8100.

The new Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World that will anchor the Silverton's 100-acre master plan and is part of their $150 million expansion, will offer an authentic outdoors experience.

The 154,000- square-foot sportsman's paradise, scheduled to open Nov. 4, will feature a two-level experience and be connected to the Silverton Casino. Massive log and rock work will frame the grand entrance and be reminiscent of the 1800's style Adirondack hunting lodges. Inside, rustic wooden flooring with a vaulted post and beam construction ceiling will make up the front lobby.

Giant crafted wildlife chandeliers will hang throughout the store. Visitors will also be treated to tributes to Nevada including murals, artifacts, antique fishing tackle and memorabilia. Animal prints like mule deer, bighorn sheep, beaver, and ring-necked pheasant will be imprinted in the concrete floor. Large dioramas of various wildlife mounts will be depicted in true-to-nature scenes with many of the exhibits coming from museums and private donations.

A 40,000 gallon freshwater aquarium fed by a canyon waterfall will feature more than 200 fish native to the area including wiper, walleye, crappie, striped bass and northern pike. A trout stream will meander through the store and be populated by brook, brown and the colorful rainbow trout.

Inside the connector between the Bass Pro Shops and the Silverton Casino will be a 110,000 gallon saltwater tank with over 4,000 species of fish. It will feature a live mermaid show that will add a playful tone to the outdoors theme.

Of special interest to local racing enthusiasts will be a NASCAR department with lots of memorabilia, commemorative hats and licensed clothing. Another fun feature will be the Uncle Buck's Arcade which will offer laser targets in an 'early Nevada-like' setting and a 32-foot climbing wall.

Visitors will have more than 12,000 square feet of rods, reels and fishing accessories to choose from. In the fly fishing shop, experts will continue the art of hand-tying flies on site.

There will be an equally impressive array of hunting clothing and gear in the hunting department. The archery department will offer a bow repair shop and a four-station archery range. A rifle tube and pistol range will also be available. A special addition to the Las Vegas shop will be a Fine Gun Room featuring guns available for sale and viewing from the 1800's to present.

In addition, visitors will find items perfect for camping, hiking, outdoor cooking, bird watching and more. A gift and nature center will serve up a wide variety of items from lamps and dishes to bird feeders and furniture.

The center will also include a marine and boat center and an on-site boat service center. There will be Outdoor Skills Workshops for adults and kids.

Bass Pro Shops, headquartered in Springfield, Mo., currently has 21 locations across the United States and attracts some 60 million visitors a year.

The Cannery in North Las Vegas at the corner of Craig and Losee roads will groove with the energy of live performances by American originals, WAR and Ohio Players on Saturday, June 26 at The Club. The show will be co-presented by radio station V-108 FM. Tickets are $23.50, $35.50 and $45.50 plus tax and fees, call 702-617-5550.

WAR, fuses rock, jazz, Latin, and R&B into their mix of classical songs, which sends a message of brotherhood and harmony. The band has sold nearly 25 million records since its inception in 1969.

As leading funk giants, the Ohio Players have kept their music fresh with the rawness and honesty of their timeless messages of the 1970's.

The Silverton will celebrate one of the 80's premier rock bands when Pyromania: The Ultimate Def Leppard Tribute Experience hits the stage of The Hideaway Showroom on June 11 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $9.99, call 1-866-946-4373 or 702-914-8557. The Silverton is located three miles south of the Strip, off I-15 at Blue Diamond Road.

The Los Angeles-based tribute band Pyromania was created in 2001 by band member and longtime Def Leppard fan, Brian Scott. Pyromania's five veteran members are all skilled musicians and accomplished singers.

The incredible Robin Williams will return to the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Sept. 4. Tickets are $100 and $225, call 702-474-4000.

A group of baby Bonnethead Shark pups born at Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay on Dec. 23, 2002, are being introduced to the public for the first time. A Bonnethead is one of the seven different species of Hammerheads known to exist in the world. Along with this captive breeding accomplishment, Shark Reef is the only aquarium in the United States to house and display a Great Hammerhead Shark. It is open daily from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Steve Wynn bought the John Singer Sargent 1885 portrait painting of author Robert Louis Stevenson for $8.8 million. Stevenson wrote "Treasure Island." The painting, "Robert Louis Stevenson and His Wife," will be exhibited in 2005 at the new Wynn Las Vegas resort that is currently under construction.

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