It will be a night of nostalgia on Dec. 30, when Bally's hosts a Solid `60s concert with the following superstars from that era: Chubby Checker, the Ides of March, The Turtles featuring Flo and Eddie, The Grass Roots, Peter Noone and Herman's Hermits. Tickets for the Bally's Event Center show are $65, $75 and $85 with tax included.

On Dec. 31, Hall and Oates, one of the best selling duos in music history starring Daryl Hall and John Oates, will ring in 2003 with a 9 p.m. show in the Bally's Event Center. Tickets are $75, $85 and $100 including tax, call 1-877-374-7469 or 702-967-4567.

Pop and R&B superstar Lionel Richie with special guest comedian Sinbad will appear in the Paris Ballroom on Dec. 31 at 9 p.m. Tickets range from $95 to $135 with tax included.

The legend of the Beatles will come alive in Le Theatre des Arts in Paris on Dec. 30 and 31, with the Classical Mystery Tour, featuring original members of the Broadway sensation "Beatlemania." Accompanied by a 45-piece live orchestra, the show presents nearly two dozen Beatles songs. Tickets are $65 on Dec. 30, and $85 on Dec. 31 with tax included, call 1-877-374-7469 or 702-946-4567.

International superstar and Grammy winning recording artist Shakira has Jan. 25 slated as a concert date at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. Shakira wrote her first song at age eight and signed her first recording contract with Sony Music Columbia at age 13. She gained widespread popularity with her early releases in Latin America, Brazil and Spain.

In 2001, Shakira released her English language debut album, "Laundry Service." Selling more than 10 million copies worldwide, the album has reached triple platinum status in the United States and multi-platinum status in Australia, Japan, Italy, Canada, Germany and Sweden.

Tickets to see Shakira are $35, $55, $75 and $100, call 1-877-632-7400 or 702-632-7580.

Greg Thompson's sexy hit production "Showgirls" at the Rio has introduced a dynamite trio of statuesque female singers who celebrate the greatest girl groups of our time and also take solo shots to showcase their individual strengths. Andrea Wagner, Tamula Browning and Julie Serene bring additional glamour, energy and talent to an enjoyable revue that pays homage to the showgirls beginning with the turn of the last century up to today's featured beauties in MTV's videos and exotic gentlemen's clubs.

"Showgirls" opened at the Rio last March with Sunny in the starring role. She is preparing to launch a new Thompson production early next year at Harrah's in Reno. Her departure made room for the three ladies to bring in a new look.

For the ninth year, the Ethel M Chocolates Botanical Cactus Garden is illuminated with more than 250,000 colored lights hanging on and around the cactus and other garden plants. The lights are turned on from sunset to 10 p.m. until Jan. 5. The garden has more than 350 species of plants and admission to the holiday display is free.

Also, Santa Claus will be at the garden every Saturday through Dec. 21, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

The six-piece raucous rock `n roll band with bawdy comedy will return to the Stardust Pavilion to appear during NFR, Dec. 6-15. This will be their 15th annual visit. The band has been a favorite of the rodeo crowd since 1976 when they played a club in Cheyenne, Wyo., during the famed "Frontier Days" rodeo. They will perform every night at the Stardust after the rodeo at 11 p.m. and play until the sun comes up. Admission is $5.

Tickets are on sale for the Broadway musical "Mamma Mia!" based on the songs of the Swedish `70s band ABBA that will open at Mandalay Bay Feb. 3, 2003. The producers have put up a "countdown clock" to mark the time until the opening and they have mounted a gold record signifying sales of 500,000 copies of the musical's original cast recording.

For the first time, Tony Orlando's musical tribute to the true meaning of Christmas will come to Las Vegas when he performs 7 p.m. shows at the Orleans, Dec. 16-22. Orlando wrote and produced the holiday tribute show for the whole family.

During the one-week engagement, the public is invited to visit and have a photo taken with Santa, daily between 2 and 4 p.m. The "Santa and Me" store will be open from noon until 10 p.m. and will feature an array of Christmas stocking stuffers and Orlando memorabilia. The singing star will be available for a "meet and greet" after every performance.

The unorthodox show "Shock," which just left the Riviera will reopen at Bourbon Street on Dec. 13. The revue based on the famous bizarre Coney Island side shows will be in the 10:30 p.m. time slot on Fridays and Saturdays.

The hard rock sounds of Def Leppard will be heard on Dec. 8 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. In 1987, Def Leppard released the album "Hysteria," which produced six top-20 hits in the United States. Def Leppard has sold more than 45 million albums worldwide to date. The band's latest release "X" debuted at No. 11 on the Billboard top 200 chart selling more than 71,000 units in the first week. Tickets are $35 and $45, call 1-877-632-7400 or 702-632-7580.

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Penn & Teller, who now have a two-year headlining commitment at the Rio, have made a Showtime documentary series about exposing frauds and fakes. The 13 half-hour shows will begin airing on Jan. 24. The duo has been filming wrap-around segments at a local studio that will be blended with footage documentary crews assembled from around the country.

Award-winning songwriter, musician, singer, screenwriter and comic actor Dennis Blair will headline the Riviera Comedy Club with two fellow comedians for seven nights beginning Monday, Dec. 16. Tickets are $17.95 plus taxes, call 702-794-9433.

The Rodney Dangerfield protege, toured the United States and Canada for three years with him. During that time, Blair conceived and co-wrote "Easy Money," Dangerfield's first big hit movie and he played two cameo roles in it.

Blair was also the creative consultant for the album, "Rappin' Rodney" for which he co-wrote the title song and was nominated for a Grammy. He also wrote and performed the song "Ordinary Man," which appear on the "Easy Money" soundtrack album.

The versatile talent won an Emmy for writing and providing the voices for the animated film "Confessions Of A Standup," which chronicles his career as a comedian. Now he has a book out, "Me First," which tells about his experiences as the opening act for some of the most famous celebrities in show business like Garry Shandling, George Carlin and Joan Rivers. He has released two CDs, "I Sleep Naked In The Rain" and "Live Performance Anxiety."

Teen idol Bobby Rydell, along with special guest comedian and singer Steve Rossi, will headline at the Suncoast in northwest Las Vegas, Dec. 13-15. Tickets are $34.95, $39.95 and $44.95 plus tax, call 702-636-7075.

Rydell grew up in the same Italian neighborhood of South Philadelphia as Frankie Avalon and Fabian. Billboard lists Rydell as earning 34 Top 40 hits, making him one of the Top Five artists of his era.

Rossi was formerly half of the comedy duo of "Allen & Rossi" with partner Marty Allen. Together they produced 16 comedy albums. As a solo act, Rossi sold two million copies of his hit, "More," the theme song from the movie "Mondo Cane," which was nominated for an Academy Award. Rossi is currently writing his life story."

The Tropicana has introduced the "Zen Zone," a relaxation and rejuvenation area complete with two automated aqua massage systems, an oxygen bar, and a variety of health and relaxation products. The cost for a 10 minute aqua massage is $15 and 20 minutes is $25. For 10 minutes on one of eight flavored oxygen machines, the cost is $10 and $20 for 20 minutes. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and until 1 a.m., Friday through Sunday. For information, call 702-739-2672.

The Allegro Lounge at Bellagio is temporarily closed while it is being redesigned. The reopening date will be announced at a later date.

Bally's has relocated a high-limit slots area in order to make room for a new lounge called the Indigo Room. It replaces the old Indigo Lounge that will become a tequila bar.

The Bar J Wranglers from Jackson Hole, Wyo. will bring the spirit of the Old West to the Castaways, Dec 9-13, during the National Finals Rodeo. They will do a 10 p.m. to midnight two-drink-minimum show on Dec. 13. The group will also be entertaining for the BBQ dinner shows in the Windjammer Lounge from 3 to 5 p.m. Cost is $12.95 for adults, $10.95 for children 3 to 11, and free for anyone younger, call 702-385-9123.

After eight years in the Forum Shops, the Lassen Galerie has relocated next to "Race for Atlantis" in the Nike and Virgin Records rotunda. Renowned artist Christian Lassen features six complete, original techniques and styles including super-realism, impressionism, cubistic renditions, abstracts, nudes and surrealism. His paintings have graced the covers of greeting cards to jigsaw puzzles.

Steve Kaufman, The World's Premier Pop Artist, will hold a public art show at the Stirling Club on Sunday, Dec. 8 at 11:30 a.m. For information, call 702-732-9700.

As Andy Warhol's "legman" and creative assistant for nearly 10 years, and the only painter ever to be awarded commissions by both the Van Gogh and Picasso estates, Kaufman is surpassing his master in range of subjects, innovations, and progressive social and media events. Kaufman designed some of Warhol's most famous theme parties at the Famous Studio 54.

In August 2000, Kaufman opened his 26,000-square-foot The Art Studio in Los Angeles to mix art dedications, premieres, film openings and charity work with the hippest Hollywood event parities.

Sazio at the Orleans will hold a wine dinner on Tuesday, Dec. 17 at 6:30 p.m. with Pepperwood Grove. The four-course dinner with wine selections is $33.95 per person, call 702-948-9500.

Jet Hangars LLC will break ground next spring on a $25 million, one-year construction project to build seven hangars for small private aircraft at McCarran International Airport. Ten acres of land on the western edge of the airport will be leased for this project.

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