Six Picks: Tower of Power, Negura Bunget, Vegas Film Fest, Cinco de Mayo, Derby Day, Tiesto

Tower of Power

What is hip? Who cares? Not when you've been playing Las Vegas as long as Tower of Power, the perennial funk 'n' soul band powered by a brass section that never goes out of style. The Bay Area institution is back at the South Point for 7:30 p.m. shows today through Sunday. Tickets are $45-$55; call 797-8055.

- Mike Weatherford

Negura Bunget

Folk-inflected black metal troupe Negura Bunget practice what they call "Transylvanian spirituality," an assortment of practices and beliefs rooted in naturalism that's evocative of the mysticism of their native Romania. Like the forests of their homeland, it's music to get lost in. See Negura Bunget at 6 p.m. Thursday at Boomers, 3200 Sirius Ave. Tickets are $10; call 368-1863.

- Jason Bracelin

Vegas Film Fest

The free Vegas Film Fest kicks off a six-day, four-movie run at the Suncoast at 7 p.m. Saturday with "Girl in Progress," featuring Eva Mendes and Matthew Modine, followed by the documentaries "The Mexican Suitcase" (7 p.m. Sunday and Monday) and "Roger Corman's World" (7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday). The heist movie "Stealing Las Vegas" (executive produced by Corman, directed by UNLV film professor Francisco Menendez and starring Eric Roberts) concludes the festival at 7 p.m. Thursday; free tickets are available at the theater three hours before each screening.

- Carol Cling

'Puebla Linda'

Saturday is Cinco de Mayo, but do you know what, and why, you're celebrating? Ballet Folklorica Xyachimal provides the answers with "Puebla Linda," which re-creates in dance the 1862 Battle of Puebla, where Mexican forces defeated the occupying French army. Folkloric dances from several Mexican states round out the program, which begins at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Winchester Cultural Center, 3130 McLeod Drive. Tickets, available at the door, are $6; call 455-7340 for more information.

- Carol Cling

Derby fare

The Montana Meat Company at 6371 Centennial Center Blvd. will celebrate the Run for the Roses on Saturday with a buffet of Churchill Downs fare such as Kentucky bourbon-glazed ribs, fried chicken, stuffed tomatoes, jalapeno corn on the cob, pecan pie and fresh mint juleps. Serving will run from 1 p.m. until about 4. There's also a best-hat contest with a $100 prize and race betting opportunities.

- Heidi Knapp Rinella

Tiesto

DJ-producer Tiesto returns to Wynn's XS nightclub on Saturday night, followed by his gig on Sunday afternoon at Encore Beach Club. Not only is he one of the world's premier DJs, he has become something of a sex symbol at Wynn-Encore.

- Doug Elfman