Valley guitarist entertains The Who

Acoustical guitarist Hal Savar has played a lot of requests in his day.

This one will rank among The Best.

His every-Friday gig was winding down last week at The Ainsworth, a new venue at the Hard Rock Hotel, when he noticed the manager clearing off a sofa a few feet away.

Manager: “We’re bringing in The Who. Can you play a little longer?”

Savar: “Are you kidding me!? Of course.”

Shortly after the legendary band settled in, guitar legend Pete Townshend leaned over and said, “Know any of our songs?”

Savar, who has an encyclopedic memory of 400 songs, played the acoustic version of The Who’s classic “Baba O’Riley.”

Townshend clearly approved. He tossed a $200 tip on stage as Savar performed.

MEDIA NOTES

If all goes according to plan, former Mayor Oscar Goodman will be reading weekly previews of his memoir during appearances on Highway Radio. Bart Torres, host of “The Las Vegas Connection,” said Goodman is in the process of clearing it with his publishers. The only talk show on Highway Radio, it is being expanded from a half-hour to one hour, from 7 to 8 p.m., starting this week. Featured interviews this week include Goodman, “Peepshow” star “Coco” Austin, David Spade and yours truly. The station airs on 99.7 FM in Las Vegas, 98.1 FM in California and 99.7 in Arizona. ...

A paperback version of Rob Miech’s book about homegrown baseball sensation Bryce Harper is coming out March 12. “The Last Natural” has been renamed “Phenom: The Making of Bryce Harper” and includes an updated chapter on Harper’s National League Rookie of the Year season as a 19-year-old. The book was a finalist for The Casey Award, which is presented annually to the best baseball book, as selected by the Ohio-based magazine Spitball. …

The “50 Greatest Photographs of National Geographic” exhibition opened Wednesday in the Imagine Exhibitions Gallery at The Venetian. The photo collection celebrates National Geographic’s 125th birthday.

SIGHTINGS

Violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman, greeted with applause as he arrived at Honey Salt restaurant in Summerlin on Thursday. His lunch with Honey Salt co-owner and longtime friend Elizabeth Blau included Valentine’s Day profiteroles and a bottle of Hundred Acre wine sent over by Larry Ruvo of Southern Wine & Spirits. Ruvo had seen Perlman’s performance at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts on Wednesday. … The Sports Illustrated swimsuit models, performing the “Harlem Shake” during Thursday’s photo shoot at the “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign. The “Harlem Shake” has become the 2013 version of “Gangnam Style,” the viral dance phenomenon that racked up more than a billion views on YouTube.com. … Singer John Legend, at the Sports Illustrated swimsuit 3-D show at the Garden of the Gods pool at Caesars Palace on Wednesday. His fiancee, SI swimsuit model Chrissy Teigen, was hosting a livestream of the event.

THE PUNCH LINE

“The (winner of the Westminster Dog Show) is going to be in a Broadway play. I’m not sure which one. Maybe ‘Fiddler on the Rrrufff.’ ” — Craig Ferguson

Norm Clarke’s column appears Sunday, Wednesday and Friday. He can be reached at 702-383-0244 or email him at norm@reviewjournal.com. Find more online at www.normclarke.com. Follow Norm on Twitter @Norm_Clarke. “Norm Clarke’s Vegas,” airs Thursdays on the “Morning Blend” on KTNV-TV, Ch. 13.