(Photo by Erik Kabik | Retna)

It’s been just about a year since DJ AM died. Tonight, Surrender at Encore does DJ AM Lives, a tribute to him with DJ Jazzy Jeff and other guest DJs. Jeff was a collaborator of AM’s when the two would do two-by-four sets here in town. Click for more words and pictures »

By Jason Scavone

He also apparently has Gretta Garbo stand-off sighs. (Photo by @HendersonAmber)

The surprise performance at the 944 five-year anniversary party Saturday night at Encore’s Surrender was Killers frontman Brandon Flowers, getting out to the pool around 1 a.m. Flowers dusted off Kim Carnes for a cover of “Bette Davis Eyes” and added “Crossfire.” He followed that up with a Sunday show at the Hilton’s Shimmer Showroom in front of a crowd of about 300. Also notable for their cover of “Bette Davis Eyes?” The Chipmunks, on their seminal 1982 work Chipmunk Rock. Rock historians take note.

By Jason Scavone

On-again, off-again love is in the air. (Photos by Bryan Steffy)

It’s kind of an annual event, Audrina Patridge and Corey Bohan getting back together. They broke up in 2008, were spotted together at Tao in June 2009, broke up again by October and now last night they turned up together around 1 a.m. at Surrender where they were getting handsy. And make-outsy. Man, Ryan Cabrera’s body is still warm. They’re stone ruthless up in this piece. Patridge and Bohan will be back at Surrender tonight for the launch of sports social networking site Rawteams.com

Speaking of sports, also at Surrender were Paul Pierce and Glen Davis of the Celtics, Shawne Merriman of the Chargers and Chris Johnson of the Titans. We weren’t positive there were still other basketball players other than LeBron, but here they are, spotted in the wild and everything.

By Jason Scavone

Play find-the-Leo.

Leonardo DiCaprio rolled into Surrender Friday night at Encore with Paris and Nicky Hilton where they all settled in at the owner’s table to listen to Steve Aoki do his thing. About an hour later, they relocated to a second-story bungalow where the Hiltons could dance and pound Patron in peace. It’s DiCaprio’s second straight week here, though last week he was spotted with Bar Refaeli. We’re not exactly sure why he’d ever choose hanging out with the Hiltons over her, but we don’t know. Maybe they’re really fun. Like they play a lot of video games together and talk about baseball or something.

By Jason Scavone

Now picture Pauly Shore in that same white dress and a black wig. (Photos by Scott Harrison | Retna)

Two-thirds of the Kardashian girls were on hand to celebrate the seventh anniversary of Vegas Magazine Saturday night at Encore’s Surrender. Kim and Kourtney made the trip, while the part of Khloe was played for the evening by Pauly Shore. Although his commitment to character is remarkable, it probably isn’t going to be appreciated when he crawls into bed with Lamar Odom.

Also turning up were Holly’s World’s Laura Croft, Matt Goss and the cast of Pawn Stars.

By Jason Scavone

Even his hat looks uncomfortable. (Photo by Bryan Steffy)

Natasha Bedingfield and husband, Matt Robinson, were in at Encore’s Surrender last night until about 3 a.m. She had a song on an album called Jesus is my Superhero. Which really is kind of annoying, because we went to Catholic school for years and never once got to hear about heat-vision. We’re pretty sure we would’ve stopped falling alseep during religion class if we started hearing about that one time Jesus threw the moneylenders out of the temple and then stopped the Legion of Doom from stealing all the gold in the First National Bank of Metropolis.

By Jason Scavone

Kinda put your hands in the air! And, wave them, or something. (Photos by Al Powers. Additional photos by Danny Mahoney)

The Hilton Sister were in effect this weekend, with Nicky handling the fashion-related chores and Paris doing … whatever it is that Paris does.

Nicky Hilton was at the Thomas Sabo grand opening at the Grand Canal Shoppes on Friday, along with Olivia Palermo and BMX rider Ricardo Laguna. Naturally, Mayor Goodman was on hand to proclaim it Thomas Sabo Day. Because that bulk palate of blank proclamation sheets aren’t going to use themselves.

Later in the night the sisters hooked up with Roberto Cavalli for dinner at Lavo with promoter Allison Melnick before going over to Tao. Then, Paris made it her third straight week at XS inside Encore where she took her spot at Victor Drai’s table. She shared a mic with Too $hort on Friday night to shout out the club. Which had to be a thrill for her as “The Ghetto” came out when she was … 9 and all. She was back for even more on Saturday.

By Jason Scavone

No, go ahead. No one will mind if you cannonball. (Photo by Ray Alamo | SpyOnVegas.com)

Encore is positioning itself as the nightswimming/clubbing capital of Vegas, with both Thursday night’s pool party at Encore Beach Club and the return of the XS Sunday Night Swim this weekend. Why does something as fun as swimming after dark only have one song written about it, and it’s a dinky, depressing little R.E.M. jam? And it makes you think about Michael Stipe naked. Dammit, now we’re not staying at any pool after 6 p.m. Forget it. Click for more words and pictures »

By Jason Scavone

It’ll still have that new-booth smell. (Photos by Erik Kabik)

The first day at Encore Beach Club is just about in the books. Now it’s time to turn it over to musical director Steve Aoki for the first night of Surrender, with the debut of Aoki’s House. Just try not to track sand in the place from the day. You make it so hard for us to have nice things. Click for more words and pictures »

By Jason Scavone

It will be less under-construction tomorrow.

Tomorrow is go-time for Encore Beach Club and Surrender, with the bungalow blitz starting tomorrow during the day and Steve Aoki getting it done at the club at night. We talked with the complex’s powers-that-be for Seven, which you can check out here, or if you just want to see the pretty pictures, we have those stashed here.

The energy it creates, is the brilliance of Mr. Wynn and the design team to create this effect, with the bungalows and the gaming pavilion in the middle. When you’re in there it feels like you’re in the Colosseum. You’re in this energy and everything is contained,” Senior Director of Customer Development Dave Pappas said. “It’s huge, and the same time it’s intimate.”

One cool factoid that didn’t make the main story: They hid elevators under the pool deck so they could handle the quick-change of furniture when the Beach Club wraps up at 7 p.m. and before Surrender gets going at 10.

By Jason Scavone