Free Downtown Rocks series ends ‘25 on a high note

Fremont Street Experience’s Downtown Rocks series is wrapping with a wail. Wait, make that plural. Julian Marley & The Wailers close the yearly at 9 p.m. Saturday at 3rd Street Stage.

FSE President and CEO Andrew Simon says the great reggae band is “the perfect finale,” ending a year where the series set records for attendance.

The show has been held annually since 2009. FSE has offered free entertainment for 30 years and hits that anniversary in December.

“The energy keeps growing,” Simon says, “and we’re only getting started.”

Downtown Rocks has become a favorite no-cover destination off the Strip. This summer and into fall, 23 artists performed 13 shows under the Viva Vision canopy. Up next is the Halloween night Costumes Under The Canopy Halloween contest (sorry, extravaganza), with $5,000 in cash awarded.

Live music is presented daily and into night at FSE. Go to vegasexperience.com for intel.

On the topic of reggae …

Bob Marley Hope Road at Mandalay Bay has not yet opened its “Day Experience,” which was originally announced to open alongside “The Show” in July. But the daytime performances have yet to open. Officials have passed along a request for clarity about the production’s future to PR reps. We’re eager to know more.

Produced by FiveCurrents entertainment company, along withe Cedella and Ziggy Marley, Hope Road is a dazzling trek through Bob Marley’s upbringing in Trench Town in Jamaica. But reggae is a niche concept. It is uplifting while you are immersed in the experience. But it’s difficult to reach the uninitiated, especially tourists visiting the Strip.

Boy band looking to fill

David Nicol’s Boy Band Remix is auditioning male singers and dancers (preferably, in a single performer) at noon Oct. 21 at Intencity Dance at 7871 W. Charleston in Las Vegas. This is the act that grooves to New Edition, ‘N Sync, Boyz II Men and Backstreet Boys, among other acts in the genre.

Strong pop singers who can dance, and strong dancers who can sing, are the anticipated requirements. Between the ages of 25-45 (under the age range of all the Backstreet Boys except 45-year-old Nick Carter). Check @theboybandremix IG for additional steps.

Full circle for MD

Monday’s Dark premiered at the old Body English room at then Hard Rock Hotel in 2013. The show is returning to that property, today’s Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, on Dec. 15 for its 12th anniversary production. The show is set for The Theater, with tickets on sale at thespacelv.com/mondays-dark.

Event founder Mark Shunock’s charity endeavor has a kindred spirit in Virgin founder Richard Branson, and his independent nonprofit Virgin Unite, which as Branson says is “committed to bringing together people and entrepreneurial ideas to create positive change for a better world.”

White night

The best fake Diamond since Cubic Zirconia is playing Vegas this week.

We speak of Neil Diamond tribute artist Jay White, headlining 6:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday at Michael Gaughan’s South Point Showroom.

A veteran stage performer, White is hugely popular among Diamond devotees and has been headlining this city for decades (including a residency run at the old Riviera). Also was a very good hockey goalie who suited up as a backup for the minor-league Las Vegas Thunder and Las Vegas Wranglers. Go to SouthPointCasino.com for intel to see him suit up (as Diamond).

Cool Hang Alert

Accomplished live performer and viral star Carisa Hendrix portrays Lucy Darling in “Viva Las Lucy and Sarah” at 7 and 9 p.m. Wednesday; and 9:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday in Tape Face’s showroom at the MGM Grand Underground (mgmgrand.mgmresorts.com/book-show/ugt-lucy-darling/ for intel). The “and Sarah” in the title is styled as being written in by hand, and refers to Vegas favorite Sara Hester Ross.

Hendrix is a “charming socialite and cocktail enthusiast” and host of this “vivacious, vagabond variety show,” the quoted matter from the production. Hendrix has collected more than 1 million followers on TikTok; she can’t walk the streets of social media.

Ross is a terrific rock and cabaret singer, musician (a virtuoso on the keytar) and superb comic. We’ve known her for a spell as a frequent Las Vegas performer, who follows this engagement with a variety show of her own, “Sarah’s Strip,” on Oct. 29 at The Composers Room at Historic Commercial Center. Keep following for updates there, and everywhere.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.