10 best things to do in Las Vegas this weekend, March 10-12, 2017

Neon Reverb has descended on Las Vegas this weekend. Check out indie bands from all genres, and from near and afar, taking over downtown Las Vegas’ bars and concert venues.

For something a little more — monstrous, don’t miss “Kong: Skull Island” in theaters this weekend. Follow it up with dinner at Sake Rok where you can order a Godzilla sushi platter.

Here are your top ten picks what to see, eat and do this weekend in Las Vegas.

GRAB A BITE

Order your own smoke-breathing Godzilla at Sake Rok at The Park. Happily, he comes with a monster-sized platter of five sushi rolls and eight pieces of sashimi and/or nigiri, or 40 pieces of sashimi for $200.

Flippin’ Good has been open for about a year and a half, but is still an undiscovered gem — even among burger aficionados. A single-patty BBQ Burger ($6.45) might have just 4 ounces of meat (although you can double or triple that) but by the time the thick fried onion ring, lettuce, tomato, cheese and barbecue sauce gets piled on, you’ve got quite a substantial situation at hand. The crisp, crunch and cold ingredients contrast with the hot, savory and silky ones for a deliriously satisfying combination.

GET A DRINK

Stop by the fourth annual American Craft Whiskey Revival between 7 and 10 p.m. Saturday at the Golden Nugget. More than 30 distilleries are participating. Tickets are $45 in advance (call 866-946-5336 or visit www.goldennugget.com) or $49 at the door. The event also will include Southern food, educational classes and live entertainment.

It’s not just any boat with oars extended into a few inches of questionable water, dry-docked in the middle of a bar, surrounded by acres of Caesars Palace. Cleopatra’s Barge, the nightspot from 1970, is the last iconic piece of classic Vegas architecture still in use on the Strip. Order your favorite cocktail and check out the live music from Dave Perrico Pop Strings Orchestra from 10 p.m. to 12 a.m.

SEE A SHOW

“I look at myself as the bridge between R&B and hip-hop,” says Charlie Wilson, aka “Uncle Charlie” to a younger generation of performers.

It’s quite the coincidence, considering Wilson and Bruno Mars now share a piece of “Uptown Funk.” (Wilson and four other writers of the Gap Band’s 1979 tune “Oops Upside Your Head” were added to the credits of Mars and Mark Ronson’s ubiquitous hit.)

Johnny Gill is Wilson’s opening act, and at age 50, he lands right between Wilson and Mars.

Wilson’s “In It To Win It” tour visits the MGM Grand Garden on Friday, with Mars back at the Park Theater on Friday and Saturday.

ROCK OUT

Only the timid wait until March 17 to celebrate St. Paddy’s Day. Get a jump on things with the Celt-punk party-starters Flogging Molly at 8 p.m. Thursday at the Boulevard Pool at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. Tickets are $40; call 702-698-7000.

CATCH A MOVIE

For the most part, “Kong: Skull Island” is just an excuse — albeit a more entertaining one than it should be — to launch the MonsterVerse, which will bring King Kong into the fold along with Godzilla, Mothra, Rodan and other classic Atomic Age creatures for a series of big-budget battles. “Skull Island” features a top-flight cast, led by Tom Hiddleston, 2016 Oscar winner Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson and John Goodman. But John C. Reilly is jangling with pure electricity.

Next up for the MonsterVerse is 2019’s “Godzilla: King of Monsters” and 2020’s “Godzilla vs. Kong.” Be sure to stay through the credits for a glimpse of what’s to come. See the full review here.

STAY IN

Nice guy Gus (co-creator Paul Rust) and wild-child Mickey (Gillian Jacobs) continue struggling with their mismatched relationship in the second season of the Judd Apatow comedy “Love.” Catch it on Netflix.

ESCAPE

You’re locked in a dank, windowless room. A keypad next to the door will let you into the next room, bringing you one step closer to freedom — if only you could figure out the code. Seconds are ticking away on a bright red clock on the wall.

This isn’t a bad dream. It’s a new form of recreation, called escape rooms, that Las Vegans are voluntarily visiting in droves.

Teams of up to 10 people work together to complete a series of puzzles and escape the room in the allotted amount of time. Read more about them here.

NEON REVERB

This year’s Neon Reverb is the event’s second incarnation since returning last spring after a three-year hiatus. Though Neon Reverb has featured indie heavyweights like Akron/Family, Melvins, Ty Seagall and The Walkmen in previous outings, and has booked its share of established acts this go-round, the fest continues to be defined more by a sense of discovery, landing of-the-moment bands before they break big.

The festival is defined in large part by its diversity, meaning there will be a little something for everybody including hip-hop heads and aficionados of reverb and black-light posters. Considering there’s such an abundance of bands to see, however, we’ve helpfully paired some shows with the demographic that suits them best. See the full guide here.

The festival takes place through Sunday.

SHOP AT THE MART

Martin’s Mart is a downtown thrift shop that receives donations from people, churches and other charities to stock its racks and shelves. Operated solely by volunteers, the store hasn’t changed its prices in nearly 30 years. Read more about Martin’s Mart here.

SPLENDOR IN THE GLASS

Raise a glass for a good cause at the 28th Annual Splendor in the Glass Wine & Beer Tasting from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday at Crimson at Red Rock Resort, 11011 W. Charleston Blvd. The evening’s proceeds will benefit television programming and community outreach for Vegas PBS (KLVX-TV, Channel 10). More than 40 wineries and breweries will serve drinks, and hors d’oeuvres and other offerings will be available. Additional funds will be raised through a silent auction. Tickets are $90 in advance or $100 at the door. For more information, see VegasPBS.org/wine or call 702-799-1010.