The Las Vegas Hilton has booked Hawaii's Society of Seven aka SOS for a three-month run from Sept. 4-Dec. 2, inside its 330-seat NightClub, where the Scintas worked before they moved over to a larger room at the Rio. The group is comprised of seven talented musicians who perform a variety of skits, comedy routines and impersonations. SOS has been a mainstay of the Hawaiian Islands for 30 years and performed over 15,000 shows over that period of time. Tickets will be priced at $27, call 702-732-5755.

Grammy Award winner Olivia Newton-John will headline the Las Vegas Hilton Theater, Aug. 24-25, call 1-800-222-5361 or 702-732-5755. Tickets are $45.

Early in her career, Newton-John auditioned for the screen role as the female in "Grease," opposite John Travolta. The movie was released in 1978 and launched her fame to incredible heights. In 1981, she started the fashion chain "Koala Blue" and was married. The birth of her daughter Chloe followed in 1986.

After performing in Las Vegas a couple weeks ago, Sade has booked an encore performance of her current tour on Sept. 15 in the MGM Grand Garden Arena. "Lovers Rock" is the first collection of new work by Sade in eight years. Tickets are $45.25, $65.25 and $110.25.

Earl Turner's last show in the Rio's Rio Bamba Cabaret is scheduled for Sept. 2. He opened at the Rio in September 1999 and his 90-minute show was free. Last April, his shows became ticketed at $21.95. Free nightly entertainment will begin again on Sept. 7, but not with Turner.

Alan Jackson with special guest Jamie O'Neal will headline at Buffalo Bills Star of the Desert Arena on Oct. 12 in Primm, NV. Tickets are $35 and $49.50, call Ticketmaster at 702-386-7867. Primm is a 40-minute drive from Las Vegas on the Nevada/California border off I-15.

There's been a change in the rock 'n roll stroll down memory lane show at New York. The Marvelettes have replaced Martha Reeves and the Vandellas in the lineup of trio rock 'n roll nostalgia acts in the new 425-seat Cabaret Theater built for comedienne Rita Rudder. Cornell Gunter's Coasters and The Platters round out the program.

Plans are being finalized for a 31-date North American arena tour by Britney Spears for October and November. She's scheduled to appear on Nov. 18 in concert at the MGM Grand Arena where she will broadcast live via HBO. Spear grossed more than $30 million from touring in 2000.

The follow-up to Spears' Jive album, "Oops! I Did It Again!" is due out in November. The as-yet-unnamed album will be preceded by a single release next month.

The Harvest Festival, celebrating 19 years of producing shows, will visit 14 western cities beginning with Las Vegas next weekend, Aug. 24-26. The show will feature over 250 artists chosen through a strict jury process based on the uniqueness and quality of their work.

The Harvest Festival will be held at Cashman Center, 850 Las Vegas Blvd. North in the downtown area. The arts and crafts including edible ones will be for sale and entertainment will include a panorama of performers.

Tickets are $7 general admission. A dollar off can be obtained by a coupon from the newspaper, a Harvest Festival flyer, or a can of food for a donation to Safe Nest. Seniors 62 and older can attend for $6, and children 6-12 years old get admitted for $4. One ticket is good for all three days. For information, call 702-386-7100.

Divine Diva Patti La Belle will bring her talent to Paris Las Vegas from Sept. 19-22. Her fame began when she led The Bluebelles to a million-selling hit with "I Sold My Heart To The Junkman." Since then, the Philadelphia native has been a chart staple through a half-a-dozen hits with the futuristic trio LaBelle and later with her stunning solo career charting over 30 singles including her 1985 smash "New Attitude."

In addition to her amazing career, LaBelle's work as a humanitarian is noteworthy. A diabetic herself, she has served as spokesperson for the American Diabetic Associaton. She has a foundation called The Patti LaBelle Medical Education Scholarship Fund that is administered through the National Medical Association.

Tickets to see LaBelle are $65, call 1-877-374-7469 or 702-946-4567.

The "Bay Rock" Summer Beach Concert Series at Mandalay Bay has added two new shows to the roster. Tickets for the Monkees are $35 in advance and $37.50 the day of the show. The Bangles price will be announced soon. For information or to purchase tickets call 702-632-7580. The concerts are held outside on the beach.

The Monkees featuring original members Peter Tork, Davy Jones and Mickey Dolenz are set to perform on Sunday, Aug. 26. The group will provide a blast from the past with their greatest hits: "Last Train To Clarksville," "I'm A Believer," "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone," "Mary, Mary," "Daydream Believer," and many more

More than a decade after their break-up, The Bangles are reuniting the band's "Eternal Flame" on Saturday, Sept. 29. The show will feature founding members singer Susanna Hoffs, bassist Michael Steele, drummer Debbi Peterson and guitarist Vicki Peterson. This will be a chance to relive the days of big hair and shoulder pads and hit tunes like "Manic Monday," "Walk Like An Egyptian," "In Your Room" and "Eternal Flame."

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Seattle-based retailing giant Nordstrom Inc. started construction this month on its first Nevada store at the Fashion Show Mall, which is being expanded on the Las Vegas Strip. The 183,000-square-foot Nordstrom is scheduled to open in November 2002.

For the eleventh consecutive year, the International Mariachi Festival, a three-and-a-half hour musical event will feature Mariachis and entertainers from Mexico, the United States and Venezuela at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on Sept. 8. For tickets, call 1-877-632-7400.

"Blue Man Group - Live at Luxor" has scheduled matinee performances for 4 p.m. on Sept. 1 and 2 over Labor Day Weekend. Since opening at the Luxor in March 2000, "Blue Man Group" has been an innovative entertainment phenomenon in Las Vegas.

The group's Grammy-nominated debut album "Audio" has been the top selling album in the Las Vegas market and is a weekly fixture on Billboard's "Heatseekers" chart and remains in its Top 20. In addition, "Audio" was recently released in the new DVD Audio 5.1 Surround Sound format. "Blue Man Group" has started recording an all-new album slated to be released in 2002.

Clinton Jackson, who just ended his last season portraying science teacher Mezz Crosby on Warner Brothers Network sitcom "Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher," will headline with two fellow comedians at the Riviera Comedy Club, Sept. 3-9. Tickets are $16.95 plus taxes, call 702-794-9433.

Jackson's career hit a turning point in 1996 when he got an invitation to perform in HBO's prestigious "Aspen Comedy Festival." Following that success, he landed a guest-starring role on CBS' "Cybill," and was then cast as Mezz Crosby.

The Aladdin Theatre for the Performing arts has lined up some Broadway fare for the next year. Upcoming shows include "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas," "Guys and Dolls," "Tommy," "Rent" and a show called "Blast."

J. C. Wooloughan Irish Pub located in The Regent Las Vegas, an off-Strip resort, will celebrate its 2nd anniversary on Thursday, Aug. 20, with a party from 4 p.m. till 2 a.m. with prizes, giveaways, drink and food specials, live music and special surprise guests. For more information, call 702-869-7725.

The Regent is also holding pool parties every Friday night beginning at 5 p.m. with live music, a bikini contest, several crazy contests for men, food and drink specials and water volleyball. The cover charge is $5 and the weekly poolside parities are attracting over 4,000 people.

The Hollywood Brown Derby restaurant at the MGM has cancelled its Sunday brunch.

The Detroit-born, Miss Sheila Kay, and 1997 American Comedy Awards winner is a 5'1" bundle of controversial charm. She's brings her risqu‚ act to the Riviera on Aug. 24 and 25, for a triple X-rated weekend. Kay's contemporary commentary covers dieting, sex, life in general, sex, relationships, bikinis, underwear, marriage, sex, rejection, the male anatomy, cigars and more sex! Tickets are $14 plus all applicable taxes, call 702-794-9433.

Sam Butera and the Wildest will have the Windjammer Lounge at The Castaways jumpin' Aug. 22-26. Butera became famous working with Louie Prima and Keely Smith at the old Sahara's Casbar Lounge during its heyday.

KC & The Sunshine Band will headline the House of Blues again Dec. 30. The group is celebrating over 25 years of making music. Along with the Beatles, KC is the only new artist to have four number one singles in one year: "Boogie Shoes," "Get Down Tonight," "That's The Way (I Like It)," and "Rock Your Baby." KC recently appeared on "Ally McBeal."

Donn Arden's "Jubilee" at Bally's is celebrating its 20th Anniversary in its 1,040-seat theater. The classic, vintage Las Vegas production show is the last creation of the late Arden, who was best known for introducing the "Lido de Paris" to the city in the mid-1950s.

The Vegas-style review features rhinestone-and-feather-clad showgirls featuring 86 cast members and a crew of 75 stagehands. The show has a $3-million, 16-minute opening number based on Jerry Herman's "Hundreds of Girls" and highlights 76 performers.

Over eight million people have witnessed the seven acts featuring original songs, dances and productions. Two original sequences include "The Sinking of the Titanic" and "The Destruction of the Temple by Samson."

One hundred different sets and backdrops, with approximately 100,000 light bulbs and over 125 miles of wiring are part of what makes the show a spectacular sight. Over two tons of dry ice a week is used to create the smoke effects, along with ten pounds of explosives used nightly in the 50 different pyrotechnical effects found in "The Titanic" scene. In addition, 5,000 gallons of recycled water cascades across the stage during the "iceberg" scene.

The show also features a single artist - illusionist Dirk Arthur. He has appeared on NBC's "The World's Greatest Magic" specials. His act showcases intimate sleight-of-hand tricks up to huge illusions with leopards, panthers, white Bengal tigers, a levitating car and a 26 foot long helicopter.

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