MUSICAugust 9Jazz Without BordersWhat’s jazz? What’s not jazz? The debate has been raging (well, uh, okay, mildly percolating among a small group of interested parties) since the birth of the celebrated musical form. Trumpeter Bijon Watson and singer/songwriter Niles Thomas want to weigh in with their final answer: It’s all jazz — so can’t we all just get along? Questioning the idea of limiting categories and exclusive subgenres in this dynamic art form, the two launched the Jazz Republic Entertainment Group to encourage listeners and artists to ditch the labels and get back to the music. Their Jazz Republic Concert series, presented locally by KUNV 91.5 FM, showcases talent from across the jazz spectrum to promote this quintessentially American music form, whatever the style. This concert features saxophonist Tom Luer, acclaimed for his nimble versatility — a welcome virtue in the Jazz Republic’s genre-bending vision of the dynamic jazz art form. (AK) Myron’s in The Smith Center, 7p, $39-49, thesmithcenter.comAugust 12We Have LiftoffYou haven’t heard of StarBase? What planet are you living on?! The event venue tucked behind Allegiant Stadium is fast becoming a Gen Z hotspot and hangout, with its funkily themed rooms, Insta-friendly visual vibes, and programming that embraces LGBTQ youth. Its One Helluva Friday series has blown up too, and deservedly so. It’s a three-phase event that features “What the Hell Happened?,” a TED Talk-style speaker series; “Hella Expressions,” an open mic showcase, and the Comet Comedy club, which invites local comics to bring the funny. The next installment of One Helluva Friday is August 12. If you miss it, don’t fret — this popular series blasts off monthly. (AK) StarBase, 7p, free, starbaselv.comAugust 16Return of a Hometown TalentShamir broke out of Vegas in 2014 with his impossibly sunny, bouncy smash single, “On the Regular.” It was a hit, but it also presented a creative conundrum: How does a restlessly protean musical artist explore and experiment when fans might just want more hooky hits? Shamir shrugged and forged forward, putting out a slate of solid, challenging albums in subsequent years that ditched easy pop conventions in favor of a bewitching, ragged-edged, basement-party electro-pop that seems perfectly suited to Shamir’s complex personal mythology. The Vegas Shamir returns to is much different than the Vegas of 2014; then again, Shamir is, happily, much different too. (AK) The Space, 9p, $20-35, thespacelv.comSeptember 9Flamin’ FlamencoAntonio Rey’s (right) Latin Grammy-winning 2020 album is titled Flamenco Sin Fronteras (Flamenco Without Borders), and that perfectly describes Rey’s commanding virtuosity — his forceful but fluid, dreamily expansive flamenco seems to know no limits. (AK) UNLV’s Artemus Ham Concert Hall, 7:30p, $30, unlv.edu/pacSeptember 17All AmericanRemember when patriotism was an earnest sentiment marked by a sense of collective goodwill and belief in national possibility? Me neither! But the Las Vegas Philharmonic remembers. This fall concert will celebrate the OG spirit of America with four works by four diverse American composers: Festive Overture by William Grant Still; Concerto in D Major for Violin and Orchestra by Wynton Marsalis; Hot-time Dance by George Antheil; and Grand Canyon Suite by Ferde Grofé. (AK) Reynolds Hall in The Smith Center, 7:30p, visit lvphil.com for ticket infoSeptember 25Cymbal-Clash of the TitansIn this celebration of Jewish composers, the Nevada Chamber Orchestra is hitting all the heavy-duty icons in what promises to be a rousing afternoon concert: works by George Gershwin, Leonard Bernstein, Irving Berlin, and Aaron Copland. (AK) Summerlin Library, 3p, free, lvccld.orgSeptember 29Retro FutureThe twangy cosmopolitan technicolor soul of Khruangbin sounds like a stray transmission from an alternate timeline where shag carpets and polyester slacks never went out of style. The live show promises to be a chill, dancy cosmic wormhole, but if you can’t make the show, check out the Houston-based band’s “Shelter in Space” playlist generator on their website. Whether you’re cooking, painting, drinking, or coming down from psychoactive agents, you’re sure to find your own private musical UFO. (AK) Brooklyn Bowl, 8p, $49.50-75, brooklynbowl.comOctober 1Game On!Nerd confession: I remember the first time I saw a limit-break attack sequence on Final Fantasy VIII. It was otherworldly — slow-motion, cinematic, stylized fantasy monster violence amid a surging musical score. I had little idea what the hell I was watching, but damn if it wasn’t utterly compelling. No wonder that the Final Fantasy game series has long since become a global franchise — and a lifelong obsession for millions of gamers worldwide. You don’t have to be a fan of the game to appreciate its signature music — gusty and high-flying, tumultuously sentimental — but it’s a sure bet fans of the long-running game series will flock to this concert by the New World Players chamber ensemble, which will perform selections from composers Nobuo Uematsu, Masashi Hamauzu, Naoshi Mizuta, and more. Leave your controller at home — but you’ll be forgiven if your twitchy fingers scream to mash buttons. (AK) UNLV’s Artemus Ham Hall, 8p, $45-85, unlv.edu/pacOctober 15Comin’ Down the MountainThis Las Vegas Philharmonic delivers a dose of Americana in this fall concert with songs inspired by bluegrass, folk, and our sacred music tradition, including Jennifer Higdon’s earthy Concerto 4-3, a work inspired by the Smoky Mountains. The headliner piece is none other than Aaron Copland’s high-spirited Appalachian Spring Suite. (AK) Reynolds Hall in The Smith Center, 7:30p, visit lvphil.org for ticket infoOctober 22Music to Your EyesThe most famous of J. Seward Johnson’s bronze sculptures are celebrated for a reason — they’re slices of Americana in action, capturing everyday people doing everyday things. (Others, like the monumental The Awakening, are just as celebrated for their epic sweep and scale.) But what might his works sound like? This multisensory concert, Sounds for Sculpture, just might have the answer. Composed by jazz vibraphonist Christian Tamburr, the songs in Sounds for Sculpture are inspired by 10 of Seward’s iconic pieces, and meld jazz, and pop in expressing Seward’s artistic vision. Oh, and the talent on stage will truly make his art sing: Clint Holmes on vocals, Dominick Farinacci on trumpet, and Mike Dobson on percussion and sound effects. (AK) Myron’s in The Smith Center, 6p and 8:30p, $39-55November 6As Indie as It GetsThe best way to describe the bratty, manic tendercore of L.A.’s Illuminati Hotties is to imagine a sun-dappled confetti flume of ’zines, cassettes, skateboard parts, Pee Chee folders, and puffy stickers shooting out of your speakers and right into your glittery heart. Oh, it’s incredibly smirky and precious, but also hooky and boppy as hell. May contain songs with titles like “Joni: LA’s No. 1 Health Goth.” With opening acts Enum-claw and Guppy. (AK) The Space, 8p, $21-$36, thespacelv.comNovember 28-30Jazz It UpThis three-day jazz festival will feature sounds served up by the often-underrated talent at UNLV performing classic and contemporary jazz tunes. (AK) UNLV’s Black Box Theatre, $10 per night, 702-895-2787December 10Very Very MariachiWant to make any song sound better? Mariachify it. “Happy Birthday”? Give it some horn-bomp! “Stairway to Heaven”? Could definitely be livened up with some spirited gritos. “Jingle Bells”? Decades overdue for some brassing up. In this holiday show, the Latin Grammy-nominated Mariachi Herencia de México will break out Mexican and American seasonal classics, which please please please hopefully includes “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.” (AK) UNLV’s Artemus Ham Hall, 7:30p, $20-50, unlv.edu/pacDecember 11Fives Times the BrassThe cleverly named Pentagogical Brass Band is composed of five brass-wielding music teachers, and in this concert, they’ll be schooling the public with a selection of holiday music. Some Pen