HOLIDAY HIGHLIGHTS
Vegas has become a U. S. hub for Mexican Independence Day weekend celebrations, drawing massive amounts of tourists for boxing matches, concerts, restaurant specials and more.
The holiday itself is Wednesday. But this year's highlights start today:
FRIDAY
• Carlos Santana returns to The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel tonight-Saturday, then again Monday-Tuesday.
Santana's standing show, which debuted at the Hard Rock a couple of months ago, tries to balance the odd halves of his fans -- those who dug his jam-band era and those who liked the four-minute pop songs of the early 2000s.
Showtime is 9 p.m. Tickets cost $51-$151.
• The Las Vegas Tequila Fest goes on at the Hard Rock in conjunction with the holiday weekend. Festival revelers get tastings from 4 to 8 p.m. today; noon to 6 p.m. Saturday. Tickets cost $40 for either day, through LasVegasTequilaFest.com.
SATURDAY
• Mexican stars Marco Antonio Solis and Pepe Aguilar play Mandalay Bay Events Center.
On tour, Aguilar has been opening with 90 minutes of passionate and robust romantic "intensity" from a nine-piece band plus a dozen-strong mariachi ensemble, or so wrote music critic Mario Tarradell in the Dallas Morning News recently.
The "elegant crooner" Solis plays pop and ranchera with a "mini-orchestra" of strings, horns, percussion and accordion, Tarradell wrote.
The show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $75-$125.
• Romantic crooner Luis Miguel takes over Caesars' Colosseum Saturday-Tuesday.
The press-shy superstar with the serious female past (Mariah Carey, Daisy Fuentes, Salma Hayek, Princess Stephanie of Monaco) was last seen in Vegas eating at a restaurant at Caesars in April (as Norm Clarke had him sighted). And that's about all we know lately, as he is reclusive from we the media.
Showtime is 9 p.m. each night. Tickets cost $95-$250.
• The Las Vegas International Mariachi Festival fills the Paris Theatre Saturday at the Paris. Showtime is 8 p.m. Tickets cost $100-$186.
SUNDAY
• Kiki Melendez's female comedian outfit, "Hot Tamales," goes live at the Palms. Melendez started "Hot Tamales" with help from best friend Eva Longoria Parker.
Showtime is 8 p.m. Tickets cost $25-$35.
• Guatemalan singer-songwriter Ricardo Arjona plays the Hard Rock's Joint. He's been performing shows up to 21/2 hours on tour.
Showtime is 8 p.m. Tickets cost $42-$247.
• Mexican comedian Polo Polo, who's not averse to dirty jokes to say the least, plays the House of Blues. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $45-$62.
MONDAY
• Toros Las Vegas, bloodless bullfighting, fills South Point Arena on Monday and Tuesday.
Bullfighters use Velcro pads instead of steel harpoons.
Monday's bullfighters: Eulalio Lopez "El Zotoluco," Alejandro Amaya and Julio Benitez "El Cordobes."
Tuesday: Horback bullfighters Joao Salgueiro, Jose Luis Rodriguez and Jorge Hernandez Garate.
Doors open at 1 p.m. Monday and Tuesday. Tickets cost $60-$550.
The bullfighting resumes Sept. 27-30, with showtimes at 8 p.m. and tickets fetching $75-$650.
• Lupillo Rivera plays the House of Blues.
Showtime is 8 p.m. Tickets cost $38-$51.
TUESDAY
• Alejandro Fernandez sings at Mandalay Bay Events Center. Fernandez has shifted from traditional music to more pop sensibilities. He helped write part of Nelly Furtado's first Spanish-language album, "Mi Plan," which comes out Tuesday.
Showtime is 8 p.m. Tickets cost $75-$200.
NEXT WEEKEND
• Capping the week is the boxing event of the month. Las Vegas' own Floyd Mayweather Jr. boxes Juan Manuel Marquez at the MGM Grand Garden arena.
It's a big fight. Mayweather, 32, the undefeated welterweight champ, is coming out of a two-year retirement in a bid to rise to the top and possibly take on Manny Pacquiao.
Mayweather and Marquez were supposed to touch gloves on July 18, but Mayweather hurt rib cartilage.
Lightweight champ Marquez, 36, is an underdog against Mayweather, who recently told the media Marquez is better than Pacquiao, which could be his real feelings, or it could be him promoting the fight.
But Marquez has indeed fought Pacquiao to a draw and a split decision. Marquez has won all the lightweight belts he needs to prove his genius. And the bigger Mayweather hasn't fought in two years. Will odds makers be right? Will Mayweather rout? Tickets cost $150-$1,000.
Contact Doug Elfman at 383-0391 or e-mail him at delfman@reviewjournal.com. He also blogs at reviewjournal.com/elfman.
