John Katsilometes on a battle of the bands that’s been less than friendly competition

By John Katsilometes

Monday, Aug. 7, 2006 | 6:58 a.m.

Las Vegas is home to two top-notch rock bands. One has arrived, (the Killers, and one is ascending, (the fabulously titled Panic! At the Disco).

And somehow, they have managed to slip into a public rift.

In a New York Times story published over the weekend, Killers frontman Brandon Flowers said Panic is one of the recently successful groups that are "dangerous" and has told British reporters he "wants to beat all those bands to death."

Flowers did rescind the comment, but Panic guitarist and lead songwriter Ryan Ross was left to respond: "I'm not sure if it's jealousy or if it's them trying to keep their name in the press by talking down on us, or if they truly dislike our music. They seem to be doing fine on their own. I don't understand why they need to direct so much energy and attention toward us, but it's all right if they want to keep doing that."

Panic! At the Disco's well-received first album, "A Fever You Can't Sweat Out," was released in September; the Killers' long-anticipated second album, "Sam's Town," which was recorded at the Palms Studios, is out Oct. 3. Their debut, "Hot Fuss," has sold more than 5 million copies worldwide which is why no opinion leveled by Flowers goes undetected.

NoteMart

An aura of Old Vegas was on display Saturday night at the Stirling Club at Turnberry Place, when Kelly Clinton invited Frankie Scinta and her sig oth, Clint Holmes onstage (or on the dance floor, in this case) to sing a couple numbers after Scinta had just finished work at the Sahara and Holmes stopped by after his performance at Harrah's (Scinta's turn at Louie Prima's "Just A Gigolo" was particularly inspired). Holmes is fired up about his PBS special, which airs at 8 tonight in Las Vegas, and also reports that the name of his autobiographical musical has been changed from "Jam" to "Breathe" (which is not merely a good title, but sound advice). And, to wrap the latest Holmes/Clinton installment in Fab LV, Clinton filled in for Holmes' sister, Gayle, at Harrah's on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. "Excited and nervous" were Clinton's dueling emotions at taking the Harrah's stage

For the first time in a long while I had dinner Saturday at Fellini's, the onetime Shakey's pizzeria on West Charleston Boulevard that has been renovated into one of the city's best Italian restaurants over the past eight years. In a scene that was at once cool and curious, about half of the customers (and almost every member of the staff) wore Hawaiian shirts. Said owner Bob Harry, "I decided that during the summer in Las Vegas, it's just too hot to wear sports coats. So everyone on the staff can wear Hawaiian shirts but on Sept. 1, it's back to sports coats."

Several Metro units cut off traffic going both ways on Las Vegas Boulevard at the Stratosphere late Tuesday night/early Wednesday morning. It looked a lot like the aftermath of a leap to suicide; but I'm told in this case a 52-year-old man was coerced down from the observation deck.

Might wanna, y'know, take down this photo: A link on the official State of Nevada Web site to Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt's work with the Nevada Film Office features a small grainy photo of Hunt standing with embattled 12-step recovery program newcomer Mel Gibson. The shot (which does not include any corresponding caption or explanation) was probably taken during the filming of 1998's "Lethal Weapon 4," part of which was shot in and around Vegas. The photo's lineup is Hunt, Gibson, unidentified guy in a black hat, and Danny Glover.

Here in Vegas, we do what we can to support the inexplicably famous: Last week in an interview with GQ magazine (during which she did not recognize the name of British Prime Minister Tony Blair) Paris Hilton remarked, "I get paid $500,000 to go to Las Vegas or Japan and wave at crowds or go to a party. All the time." All the time, she says.

Take off to the Great White North! Nod to our neighbors to the north on a gold Lexus ES 330, which had the vanity plate OCANADA.

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