Columnist Joe Delaney: Entertainment takes on Mexican theme this week

Joe Delaney's column appears Thursdays and Fridays. Reach him at 259-4066 or [email protected]

Mexican Independence Day, which is Thursday, has become a major observance in Las Vegas during this decade, a place for Mexicans to celebrate away from home. ... This year's events cover an eight-day period starting with the ninth annual Las Vegas International Mariachi Festival at 8 p.m. Saturday in the Mandalay Bay Events Center and ending there with the long-awaited Oscar De La Hoya vs. Felix Trinidad welterweight championship bout Sept. 18.

International star, all media, Rocio Durcal will perform in the Caesars Palace Circus Maximus on Wednesday while Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris are in concert at the Hard Rock Hotel. ... Ronstadt and her family actively promote authentic Mexican music in Tucson, Ariz., her hometown.

Tex-Mex star Freddie Fender will be the holiday attraction at the Riverside in Laughlin, Thursday-Sept. 18. ... Fender has been an LV favorite since his debut here at the Landmark hotel in the early 1970s.

More celebrations

Olga Tanon, known as the Queen of the Merengue, is a huge favorite in Puerto Rico, Latin America, Europe and now in the United States. ... She performs at 8 p.m. next Friday in the MGM Grand Garden Arena. ... Comedian Paul Rodriguez plays the Monte Carlo, Sept. 17 and 18; Lance Burton will reappear there on Sept. 22. ... More comedy: George Lopez and Carlos Mencia carry on at the Riviera's Top of the Riv Sept. 18.

Tito Puente, multiple Grammy Award-winner, and his Latin Jazz Ensemble will give a concert and play for dancing on Sept. 18 starting at 11 p.m. in the MGM Grand's Premiere Ballroom. Puente is a master of his art.

The ninth annual LV International Mariachi Festival features Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan, Jose Hernandez's Mariachi Sol de Mexico and Mariachi Cobre plus special guest star Vikki Carr, singer-impressionist Jorge Muniz, Aida Cuevas and the Ballet Folklorico de San Juan.

An intense rivalry

There is a great rivalry between those who are of Spanish descent and born in Mexico and those who are born in Puerto Rico. ... Geographically, the majority of those whose heritage is Mexican live west of the Mississippi while the Puerto Ricans live mostly on our East Coast. ... Each group is rightfully proud of its origins and heritage, which makes the upcoming De La Hoya-Trinidad fight such an intense encounter.

The division of the two heritages is reflected in the above list of attractions. ... The Mariachi Festival, Durcal, Ronstadt, Fender, Rodriguez, and Lopez and Mencia will have audiences that are predominantly of Mexican descent.

Olga Tanon, next Friday, and Puente's Latin Jazz Ensemble, Saturday, both at the MGM Grand, will have greater appeal to non-Mexican Hispanics. ... The demographics on next week's fight should be interesting.

This week's fight

Las Vegan Floyd "Pretty Boy" Mayweather will defend his WBO super featherweight title against Carlos "Topo" Gerena of Puerto Rico Saturday at approximately 6:30 p.m. in the Mandalay Bay South Pacific Ballroom. ... The Los Angeles Kings take on the Phoenix Coyotes in a National Hockey League preseason opener Saturday at 7:30 p.m., MGM Grand Garden Arena; there's a lot happening in town this Saturday.

Eddie Money and Ronnie Spector perform in the Sunset Station outdoor amphitheater at 8 p.m. Saturday. ... The Buddy Montgomery Quartet will play a jazz concert in tribute to Buddy's brother, the late Monk Montgomery, 2 p.m. Sunday at Charleston Heights Arts Center.

The LV Woodwind Quartet performs free at 3 p.m. Sunday at Reed Whipple Center. ... The 24th annual First Security Bank/Variety Club Gold Classic Golf Tourney tees off at 9 a.m. Monday, LV Country Club, following breakfast.

Friday addenda

Sons of Erin's monthly meeting is set for 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Smith & Wollensky. ... Variety Club, The Children's Charity, has its fall membership party at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at Manhattan restaurant. ... Show producer Bill Moore will be honored at the Nevada Community Foundation's seventh annual Celebration of Giving Wednesday in the Rio showroom.

Ray Anthony and his Big Swing Band are the real thing, not a "ghost" band, so you are in for a real listening and dancing treat Saturday at 7 p.m. in the Stardust Ballroom. ... Anthony and his Bookends were a top LV lounge act in the 1960s and '70s. ... See you next Thursday.

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