Don't miss pianist George Winston at the BAC

Saturday pianist George Winston comes to the Brewery's Performance Hall at 7:30 p.m. Bookers at the Brewery are taking a chance with Winston, despite the fact that he is a nationally known keyboard star. With more than a dozen CDs out, Winston is a large name on the entertainment circuit.

Problem is that his music may be a bit tame for those who enjoy the pounding of rock stars. Winston is identified with music about the weather and the time of the year, and his introspective, sometimes moody compositions don't exactly rock. But this is a chance for the Brewery to begin to move into higher talent circles, so it is up us to turn out for the music.

"George Winston likes a variety of venues," says John Procaccini, director of the Brewery Arts Center . "I think he'll appreciate our performance hall for its amazing acoustics."

Tickets are $32 reserved seating. A $3 discount is available for BAC members, students and seniors. For tickets or information, call 883-1976 or visit www.breweryarts.com.

Amos Lee

Composer and singer Amos Lee appears in the Celebrity Showroom of JohnAscuaga's Nugget Casino in Sparks Friday, at 8 p.m. Tickets are $32 for this acoustic rock show.

Lee's musical style encompasses folk, soul and jazz. He has released two albums on Blue Note Records and the third will be released later this summer. Lee performs with drummer Fred Berman and bassist Jaron Olevsky. Some of his musical influences include Stevie Wonder, Bill Withers and John Prine. Call (800) 648-1177.

TRAVELIN' TALENTS

The Grand Sierra Resort in Reno is bringing in the Stone Temple Pilots at 8:30 p.m. Friday, looking back to some of the alternative blend of rock and hard rock of the '90s. It's the group's first tour in eight years. Tickets are $75 at 789-5329. Neal McCoy follows at the Grand Sierra on Sunday at 9 p.m. The country artist brings his sometimes wacky show to town and tickets are $27.50 to $60.50 at same number as above.

Lindsey Buckingham plays at Harrah's Lake Tahoe Friday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $55 at 786-8208. Next Saturday Al Jarreau comes to Harrah's with tickets $45.

At MontBleu on Casino Alley in Stateline, David Alan Coe appears Saturday at 9 p.m. with tickets going for $25 at (800) 648-3353. Coe uses a lot of explicit lyrics so maybe leave the kids at home. He'll be followed by Del Castillio Friday, Sept.19 at 9 p.m. with a modest $20 for admission.

Harveys is offering Cool Black Kettle at 9 a.m. (yes, the morning) Friday with comedy at the Improv at 9 p.m., $25 except Saturday when it's $30. See Harveys.com for prices.

A bit out there but big enough for a heads-up, Paul Anka (yes, he's still singing) will be appearing at Reno's Peppermill on Oct.10 with tickets on sale now for $59.

And that old faithful Greg London is still pulling them in at Harrah's Reno in the Sammy's Showroom at 8 p.m. Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday and 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Tickets are $31.95 to $39.95. London does 'em all, from Johnny Cash to Ozzy Ozbourne. Call 788-2900.

BOOK NOTE

Geraldine Brooks is a foreign correspondent, a Pulitzer Prize winner and a book writer. Her "People of the Book" (Viking, 372 pages, $25.95) is a fascinating tale of how a book, an illustrated Hebrew manuscript, comes to book conservator Aussie Hannah Heath. She is on a United Nations project to repair the damages done to the 1480 AD book as it traveled from Seville, Spain, through Tarragona to Venice to Vienna to Sarajevo in Bosnia. Brooks alternates chapters between the now with Heath and the then with the people who created and protected the book through the centuries. This is a sometimes bitter, sometimes surprising novel, erudite and witty, caustic and sexy. The final resting place of the book is in a Sarajevo museum, but it's not all it seems. There's a subplot about Heath's relations with her icy mother that adds emotional content to it all. This is an outstanding work, one that deserves wide readership. It's also a primer on various parts of the world. Don't miss this one.

FROM THE VAULTS

"Funny Games" isn't a film that will send you cheering; instead, it's a movie about two sadistic youths terrorizing a family of three in their plush lakeside home. Peter (Brady Corbet) comes to the door asking Anna (Naomi Watts) for eggs as their next door neighbor is out and needs some for a party.

Anna gets the eggs but Peter drops them; then his brother, Paul (Michael Pitt) appears and then refuses to leave. Anna's husband George (Tim Roth) tries to oust the pair but falls and breaks his leg.

The two sadists play games with the couple and their son, but the games end when the son is murdered. As things unwind, the pair are triumphant over Anna and George and go on to repeat their games with another household. This is a nerve-tightening film as you can't help but shout to the actors, "Fight back!" But they barely do. Lots of tension here, no nudity but language makes it rated R; one hour 51 minutes, 2007.

- Contact Sam Bauman at editor@nevadaappeal.com.