It's floatin' time on the Carson

Lots of cold water in the Carson River, so now's the time to boat. The Carson Valley Inn's Annual Rafting Outing is Saturday. It's a 20-mile drift and a fine way to see the valley's beauty, and includes a river-side buffet lunch.

Check www.cvinn.com or call (866) 284-7766 or 783-6679.

Brewery brings 'em back

Antsy McClain's five-piece band, The Trailer Park Troubadours, is an assortment of musicians who play in the rootsy, rock 'n' roll tradition of their hard-working, blue collar forefathers.

They were big last fall in the Brewery and will return at 7:30 p.m. June 16-17 at the Performance Hall, 449 W. King St.

Tickets are $20 general admission and $18 BAC members, seniors, and students. Get tickets at www.breweryarts.org or call 883-1976.

Blue collar is the recommended dress.

Lil' Ed and the Imperials

I don't get over there very often, but I might just make the scene to hear Alligator recording artist Lil' Ed and the Blues Imperials wail live 9 p.m. Friday at the Crystal Bay Club Casino-Crown Room Highway 28.

Tickets are $10.

Hot number in Sparks

The tango is the star at the Celebrity Showroom of John Ascuaga's Nugget in Sparks as Luis Bravo's "Forever Tango" returns June 6 for a four-week engagement.

It's a strange but powerful show, with exotic and erotic scenes that you have to project yourself into to really understand.

You could take the kids but they wouldn't get it. It boats an all-Argentine cast -14 dancers and an 11-piece on-stage orchestra.

"Forever Tango" runs 8 p.m. nightly except Mondays and Tuesdays through July 2.

Tickets are $45 weekdays and Friday and Saturday $49, at (800) 648-1177 or 356-3300 or by visiting janugget.com.

Opera youth chorus

Youth will be heard. The Nevada Opera Youth Chorus will hold a free concert at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Nell J. Redfield Performing Arts Center, 505 Keystone Ave., Reno.

The chorus will present Broadway music with selections from current Broadway hits "Wicked" and "Hairspray." It's free, but you can drop off some cash.

Call 786-4046.

From the vaults

Willem Dafoe scored well in "The English Patient," but he's too diffuse as a cocaine addict in "Light Sleeper."

There's one touching moment when he encounters his girlfriend, Marianne, in a hospital, and a wrenching one when he meets her in a coke customer's home in disarray. Susan Sarandon co-stars in a throwaway role. Skip it.