Put your hands together for possible ‘Legends’ cast member Sarah Palin!
BY: John Katsliomentes/Las Vegas Sun.

Shecky Palin — I mean, Sarah Palin — cut it up pretty good on the “Tonight Show With Jay Leno” Tuesday night. For his second show since returning to his original “Tonight Show” slot after NBC’s failed plan to move Conan O’Brien into the 11:30 p.m. position, Leno invited Palin on as a guest and to perform some a couple of minutes of stand-up.

“I have been really busy,” she conveyed, operating without a prop or any discernible scribbling on her palms. “I’ve picked up a gig in Las Vegas, at the ‘Legends’ show, playing Tina Fey.”

Word from the production is essentially, “Sure! Bring her on!” “Legends in Concert,” formerly at Imperial Palace, is currently staged at Harrah’s six nights a week, two shows per night (dark Saturdays).

You’ll find Palin’s standup routine here, in Part 2 of a link to the routine from a Washington Post story. Palin’s comment about Vegas and “Legends” arrives with about 2:30 remaining.

Judge for yourself the quality of her act, but at least give credit to Palin for staying with it until the end, unlike her term as governor of Alaska. BA-DUM-BUM! Thank you, tip your waitresses, try the veal. Or in this case, the moose …

http://www.lasvegassun.com/blogs/kats-report/2010/mar/03/put-your-hands-together-possible-legends-cast-memb/

Oddsmaker: ‘Avatar’ the Best Picture favorite at Academy Awards.
BY/Liz Benston/Las Vegas Sun.

The Las Vegas line on the Academy Awards – or, more specifically, that set by Wynn Las Vegas oddsmaker Johnny Avello – has the epic blockbuster “Avatar” a slight favorite to win Best Picture over the independent film “The Hurt Locker.”

Betting non-sporting events such as the Oscars, reality shows and political contests is against the law in Nevada.

Yet casinos may set odds for entertainment purposes. For the past 16 years, Avello has set odds on the Academy Awards and other events such as the Grammy awards, “American Idol” and “Dancing with the Stars.”

A theoretical bet on “Avatar” would double your money while “The Hurt Locker” is only a 7-to-5 favorite, Avello says.

This Sunday, Avello will host Wynn Las Vegas’ first-ever Academy Awards viewing party. While the sports book broadcasts the Celtics and Nuggets games on smaller screens, the main event will involve a rare display of non-gambling activity including Oscar trivia, raffles and other contests that are free and open to the public.

As required by law, of course.

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/mar/03/oddsmaker-avatar-best-picture-favorite-academy-awa/

Garth Brooks show sells out within hours at Encore Las Vegas.
BY: Amanda Finnegan/Las Vegas Sun.

Fans still hoping for tickets to Garth Brooks’ second series of performances at Encore Las Vegas are out of luck.

Tickets for Brooks’ next 20 shows sold out within hours of their release Saturday morning, Wynn Resorts said today. The company said it got more than 75,000 phone calls and received more than 2 million pages views on its Web site related to ticket sales. Tickets were priced at $143, including taxes and fees.

Dates for Brooks’ next shows include March 26-28, April 9-11, June 25-27, July 16-18 and August 6-8. The county music star began his performances at the Encore Theater in December.

Wynn Resorts said it is still cracking down on scalpers with the same policy it instituted during the last round of performances. Hours after tickets were released in October, Wynn Resorts Chairman and Chief Executive Steve Wynn instituted an unusual anti-scalping procedure that angered fans and ticket brokers alike. The resort demanded the name of every concertgoer for each ticket purchased and said tickets could be picked up only on the day of the show, with photo IDs being checked at the door.

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/mar/01/garth-brooks-show-sells-out-within-hours-encore-la/

Steve’s Las Vegas Quickies:

On a day when process servers were turned away at their estate, Las Vegas headliner Wayne Newton and wife Kathleen were dealing with a life-and-death drama involving daughter Erin and her week-old baby. Erin, 33, is in a coma with liver and kidney failure, and the baby boy, born a month premature, was battling for his life, according to a report Thursday by Alicia Jacobs, entertainment reporter at KVBC-TV, Channel 3.

The Joint, the Hard Rock Hotel’s $60 million concert hall, was named Best New Major Concert Venue by Pollstar, the concert industry’s trade bible, in its annual Pollstar Awards.

Classic rock superstars The Eagles fly into the MGM Grand Garden arena on April 24. Tickets are $55, $95, $155 and $220 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday at Ticketmaster outlets.

Country favorite Keith Urban hits The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel on April 23. Tickets start at $99.50 and go on sale at noon Saturday at The Joint box office, 4455 Paradise Road, and Ticketmaster outlets.

Flamingo headliner Marie Osmond is returning to the stage a day after the funeral of her son Michael Blosil. “The Donny & Marie Show” resumes its regular schedule March 9, after a week off because of Blosil’s death. The Osmonds have added five show dates, April 13-17. These were previously unscheduled dates.

Tix4Tonight, the largest operator of half-price or discount ticket outlets on the Strip, has acquired one of its two major competitors, All Access Entertainment.

“Dirk Arthur: Extreme Magic” closes at the Tropicana March 12. Ari Levin, the show’s producer, is vague on whether this is just a vacation forced by plans to remodel the Tropicana’s showroom, or whether the magician and his tigers will be looking for a new home.

The “Men of X” will hang up their G-strings at Hooters Hotel on March 21. Producer Angela Stabile says she is in negotiations to move the show elsewhere. A new show, “Elvis Now,” debuts April 1 with Pete Willcox presenting the King as he might be today had he lived. The Prince tribute Purple Reign will continue as well.

March 21 also is the last day Todd Paul will perform his comedy in the Night Owl Showroom. By the 25th, he hopes to reopen upstairs at Hooters in a new space currently used for banquets. Paul will do double duty, also taking part in “The Dirty Joke Show,” which will follow his solo act in the cheekily named Iowa Theater for the Performing Arts.

Mandalay Bay’s outdoor beach stage, a favorite among locals as well as visitors, springs back to life with a St. Patrick’s themed festival featuring Everlast on March 13 and a Gary Allan concert on April 17 tied into the Academy of Country Music awards.

Congratulations to the four lads from Down Under who make up Human Nature and their Motown show at Imperial Palace on their 200th performance last night.

After last night’s grand opening premiere of Frank Marino’s Divas Las Vegas at Imperial Palace, hometown entertainer Frank Marino received his second star on the Las Vegas Walk of Stars. He is the first person to have two stars on the famed boulevard, one at the Riviera where he performed for two decades, and the other will go outside his new Imperial Palace home at center Strip. We’ll have a full photo report of Frank’s premiere next week.

Steve Wynn’s new Encore Beach Club and Surrender Nightclub will debut Memorial Day weekend and is accepting applications tomorrow for 400 jobs at the day and night entertainment complex. The 60,000-square-foot venue is looking for cocktail servers, bartenders, hosts, promoters, lifeguards, pool attendants and security. Model candidates will be interviewed in swimwear and have to present a zed card/headshot upon check-in. All other applicants need a fitted T-shirt or tank top. Nice not to have a job interview in a three-piece suit!

The PBR Rock Bar, a restaurant and bar concept, will open inside the Miracle Mile Shops this spring. The lease has been executed and they will assume the space occupied by Hawaiian Tropic Zone, which closed its doors on Sunday, Feb. 21.

Chazz Palminteri will return to the Venetian, April 28-May 9 and Oct. 6-18, with his one-man autobiographical play “A Bronx Tale.”

The show “Menopause” at the Luxor, which is surely an “A” list show, celebrated the beginning of its fifth year in Las Vegas. It originally opened at the Las Vegas Hilton.

The Greek Isles that was at one time Debbie Reynolds hotel is located down the street from the Convention Center and will soon take one the Clarion name.

The Hostile Grape, the wine bar and tasting room at the M Resort, has introduced an all-new lineup of happy hour specials with a different theme every night, Tuesday through Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. The specials include $5 all-you-can-eat appetizers like Grilled Veggie Skewers, Prosciutto Wrapped Melon and Mini Tacos, $1 wine deals and a variety of other food and drink specials. There’s live music or a DJ each night.

Anyone who brings in a birthday card or sings “Happy Birthday” between now and March 31 at Elements Kitchen & Martini Bar, 4950 S. Rainbow Blvd., will receive a gift (one per table), ranging from martini glasses to free desserts, appetizers, etc. It’s in celebration of the restaurant’s first anniversary. Elements also has expanded its martini and wine list to 365 selections.

Remodeling plans are in the works for the Tiffany Theater at the Tropicana after the current run of The Wayne Newton Show. The remainder of his run allows them time to decide on the new look and direction of the theater. Tropicana’s new management is working hard to bring this Grand Dame of the Strip back on top where she belongs.

The Society of Seven has discontinued the afternoon performances of their wonderful show at The Gold Coast. They now only appear on Friday and Saturday evenings. If you haven’t seen them, you’re missing one of the most enjoyable and entertaining shows in town.

Silk Road, the high-end Asian restaurant at Vdara, has already cut dinner from the menu. At opening, the venue served breakfast, lunch, and dinner and was open from 7 a.m.-10:30 p.m. daily; that’s now been cut to 7 a.m.-2 p.m.

M Resort, the locals-oriented Anthony Marnell property south of the Strip celebrates its first anniversary today. A call to the property revealed they’re keeping it low-key and not holding any special celebrations, however.

The bankrupt Las Vegas Monorail has raised its fares once more, increasing the cost of the unlimited-ride one-day pass to $14 (from $13) and adding $2 to the cost of the three-day pass, which is now $30. The single-ride fare remains the same, at $5.

The “Mindfreak” magician, currently performing at Luxor, has purchased a new $100,000 motorcycle made from human skeletal remains discarded after medical purposes. The bones have apparently been dipped in stainless steal to form the frame of the custom bike.

The Rio has joined the fluctuating list of buffets offering an all-day pass. The Carnival World’s offering breakfast, lunch, and dinner for $24, which includes the weekend champagne brunch (which by itself is $24).

It’s been reported that singer Wayne Newton is being sued by Speedway Motorsports chairman and CEO Bruton Smith over a three-year-old $3.35 million loan that the Strip performer has failed to repay. The loan was secured by Newton’s 38-acre Las Vegas residence, the Casa de Shenandoah (on Sunset at Pecos), and his private jet. In January of this year Oakland County International Airport sued Newton for over $60,000 in unpaid parking fees and revealed that the Fokker F28, which was once worth over $2 million, is now rotting and full of black mold and can only be used for scrap. Smith is now looking to foreclose on the entertainer’s Las Vegas ranch. Newton is currently performing at the Tropicana, through April 24.

Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art Presents ‘Figuratively Speaking: A Survey of the Human Form.

Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art (BGFA) is pleased to announce the opening of “Figuratively Speaking: A Survey of the Human Form” May 1. Organized in partnership with the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD) and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA), “Figuratively Speaking” will present figurative works by such artists as Pierre-August Renoir, Pablo Picasso, Alberto Giacometti, Joseph Cornell, Roy Lichtenstein, David Hockney, Judith Shea, Bill Viola, Yoshitomo Nara, Vanessa Beecroft and many others.

This engaging survey will feature more than 30 paintings, photographs and sculpture along with video installations by 26 artists whose traditional and contemporary perspectives on figurative art helped to define the genre in the late 19th, 20th and early 21st centuries.

“For this exhibition we are pleased to share some of the best figurative artworks from the permanent collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, two widely respected institutions with whom we have successfully collaborated in the past,” said BGFA Director Tarissa Tiberti. “These pieces will be displayed alongside works from the MGM MIRAGE Fine Art Collection, some of which have never before been displayed in full public view including art by Renoir, Picasso, Edgar Degas and Fernand Leger.”

Different schools of modern and contemporary art fall under the heading of figurative art, from Renoir’s romantic Impressionistic portraits (“The Sweeper”) and Picasso’s distorted Cubist figures (“Woman with Beret”) to Keith Haring’s Pop Art drawings and Chuck Close’s contemporary grid-like paintings. Figurative works of art not only depict a real subject, but also reflect the religious, social, political and mythical beliefs of the times in which it was made.

Hugh M. Davies, The David C. Copley Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego said, “Many of these important works on loan from MCASD will be shown together for the first time, and all demonstrate the breadth and depth of the museum’s collection.” Davies continued, “Spanning more than three decades of figurative expression, these selected works – by such notable artists as Roy Lichtenstein, Bill Viola, Keith Haring, Cindy Sherman, Tony Oursler and Barbara Kruger – use the figure in innovative ways, provoking the most varied of interpretations. Cultural values, generational ideals, personal experience, even the most literal and direct of references are conveyed in these figurative works.”

MFA Deputy Director Katie Getchell said, “The human figure is one of the most frequently depicted subjects in art, and through the expressive images highlighted in this survey, we see how modern and contemporary artists celebrate the vitality and individuality of their subjects. We are delighted to collaborate once again with BGFA and share paintings, drawings and photographs from our encyclopedic collection with new audiences.”

“Figuratively Speaking: A Survey of the Human Form” will be on view May 1, 2010 through January 9, 2011. Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art is open Sunday through Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Last admissions are sold 30 minutes prior to closing.

Tickets are $15 for general admission, $12 for Nevada residents and seniors 65 and older, $10 for students, teachers and military with valid ID. Children 12 and younger are free. Tickets and information are available by calling (702) 693-7871 or (877) 957-9777, or online at www.bellagio.com or www.ticketmaster.com. Audio and docent tours are included in the price of admission. Located adjacent to the gallery, The Gallery Store offers a selection of prints, books, stationery and unique gifts.

Donny & Marie to cut short April vacation to fill open dates at Flamingo.
BY: John Katsliomentes/Las Vegas Sun.

Even in the face of family tragedy, Donny & Marie Osmond are doing their fair best to make up for shows that were lost as a result of the death of Marie’s son Michael Blosil.

Having missed six shows after the suicide of Blosil, who leapt to his death Friday night from a downtown Los Angleles apartment building, Donny & Marie have committed to performing on previously open dates covering April 13-17. Tickets go on sale Thursday at the Flamingo box office. Donny & Marie return to the stage Tuesday night for the first time since the tragedy. Six shows, total, will have been postponed by the time they take the stage again.

The week of the new performances was intended to be half of a two-week vacation for Donny & Marie. However, according to the duo’s Las Vegas manager, Chip Lightman, Donny & Marie sought to accommodate fans who already had purchased tickets to shows canceled last week. Lightman added that Marie Osmond — a performer since age 3 — was eager to return to the stage, finding the process “cathartic.”

A private ceremony for Michael Blosil, who was just 18 at the time of his death, is scheduled for Monday in Utah.

http://www.lasvegassun.com/blogs/kats-report/2010/mar/03/donny-marie-cut-short-april-vacation-fill-open-dat

Frank Marino continues his 25-year reign as Queen of the Strip.
BY: Joe Brown/Las Vegas Sun.

Frank Marino is marking 25 years as a Las Vegas headliner. And every onstage moment has been spent in drag.

As the city’s First Lady/Man, the hardest-working showgirl on the Strip, that’s 25 years of shaving up to four times daily, 25 years of tucking his junk, a quarter-century of having his face whited out and reapplied, of wigs and nails, gowns and heels, 25 years of being his own special creation.

“The only thing that came naturally for me in this job is that I was born with a small foot, so I fit in a woman’s shoe and I can buy one anywhere,” says Marino, midway through having his stage face painted on for a Tuesday night performance of his new show, Divas Las Vegas, which officially opens tonight at the Imperial Palace.

More here:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/feb/28/woman-mirror/

All-day feast: Testing the limits of the all-you-can-eat buffet.
BY: Brad Radke/Las Vegas Sun.

All you can eat. Think about those words, how they string together, and decide exactly what that means. And now ask yourself: Do you really want to eat all you can?

It seems the Las Vegas buffet has been revolutionized by a new promotion, a new deal: all day, all you can eat. The price at many of these food factories has gone up over the years, along with the quality of grub and the comfort of the cafeteria. But now, at many casinos, you can pay between 20 and 30 bucks just once and feast forever—breakfast, lunch and dinner.

I had to try it out. I chose one of the city’s biggest and most celebrated buffets, the Rio’s Carnival World. The place is massive, serving more than 300 different dishes every day. Breakfast is $14.99, lunch is $16.99 and dinner (and weekend brunch) is $23.99, while the all-day pass came to just under $26 with tax. Getting your money’s worth is no longer a concern.

More here:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/feb/26/all-day-feast/

Review: Cirque repackages rock ‘n’ roll icon in ‘Viva Elvis’
Show at CityCenter’s Aria is Cirque’s seventh in Las Vegas.
BY: Joe Brown/Las Vegas Sun.

“Viva Elvis,” which officially opened at CityCenter’s Aria Friday night after weeks of paid previews and adjustments, joins six other Strip-resident shows, and it’s likely to be lucky number seven for Cirque du Soleil.

The show is a pretty mess. Gimmicky, bright and loud, in Technicolor and Cinemascope, it’s a theme-park “Grease” reunion, a sequence of live-in-person Gap commercials with the budget of an Olympics opening ceremony.

And it delivers exactly what many — most, probably — want from a Vegas show. Which would be vivid image after eye-sizzling sensation. Cirque is at its peak technically here — nobody (except maybe China) can top the Canadian spectacle factory’s powers when it comes to creating visceral images. But the flaw of this show, the missed opportunity, is that something so stylish is so insubstantial.

More here:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/feb/20/viva-elvis/

World Magic Seminar with Criss Angel, Siegfried & Roy; Nathan Burton’s statue. BY Robin Leach/Las Vegas Sun.

Siegfried & Roy still reign as Masters of the Impossible even though they have officially retired from the world of wizardry. Their last one-night-only reunion performance was at the 2009 Keep Memory Alive gala here, but this afternoon, the beloved and respected counts of conjuring were honored with a tribute at the 33rd Annual World Magic Seminar at The Orleans.

Criss Angel, who revealed that he’s going ahead with a Season 6 of Mindfreak on A&E, was the emcee for the event that drew Las Vegas-based magicians to pay tribute to the German-born illusionists. They included Lance Burton, Jeff McBride, Mac King, Johnny Thompson and Eugene Berger, along with other princes of prestidigitation from all over the world — some as far away as Europe and Japan.

Meantime, Flamingo headliner Nathan Burton has been shuttling nonstop to and from Atlantic City doing a mid-week magic show there in addition to his Strip shows here. He’s sent all of his Las Vegas illusions to the New Jersey gaming zone and added six illusions here. His show-stopping microwave trick also has been shipped to Atlantic City, but he’s replaced it here with the dangerous BBQ of Death.

However, it’s his new God and Goddess statue illusion that has everybody talking. It cost Nathan more than $100,000 to build and took him a year to create. It is not performed by anyone else in the world. He uses the 20-foot-high Roman marble statue as a spectacular new finale at Donny & Marie Osmond’s Flamingo showroom.

Nathan told me: “The audiences just leap to their feet. It’s got them all totally amazed. I am thrilled to present it, especially after it took so much time and money to develop and build. The first time we rehearsed it, even I was amazed how incredible it turned out.”

He says he will keep up the twice-weekly Atlantic City flight schedule and his Flamingo shows through summer. “It’s an insane and grueling schedule dividing the week on two different coasts, but I’m honestly having lots of fun being in both places. Nobody else is doing it — and probably doesn’t want to! So far, I’ve missed all the bad weather each time, and that’s been a magic trick in itself!”

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/mar/03/world-magic-seminar-wcriss-angel-siegfried-roy-nat/

Holly Madison: ‘Peepshow is back and better than ever!’
BY: Robin Leach/Las Vegas Sun.

There’s no doubt about it. The producers of Holly Madison’s Peepshow at Planet Hollywood have made it hotter and sexier during its six-week hiatus. In fact, it’s at least twice as hot now because audiences get to see Holly go topless in two dance numbers, and just so the girls aren’t left out of the flesh appeal, the Big Bad Wolf drops his trousers to bare his bum.

The revamped show reopened to a sell-out crowd last night, and its platinum blonde bombshell star even tweeted her verdict before she talked with me at the end of the performance. She said: “Peepshow is back and better than ever! What a fantastic audience tonight! Great job, everyone.”

When I chatted with Holly, she said: “I am so excited to be back with the show. It felt like we had been gone forever even though it was only six weeks. All the new elements work so well. There was really good energy tonight, and the new cast all worked well and showed they were having tons of fun onstage and with the audience.”

More here:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/mar/02/holly-madison-empeepshowem-back-and-better-ever/

It’s over! Magician Dirk Arthur ends six-year Tropicana run.
BY: Robin Leach/Las Vegas Sun.

Illusionist Dirk Arthur this afternoon confirmed rumors that after a successful six-year run on the Strip, he is bringing his current engagement at the Tropicana to a close. Arthur and his Xtreme Magic show will celebrate the final show March 12.

“I couldn’t have imagined six years later we would be leaving the Tropicana. It has been a tremendous run and a very lucrative engagement for both the show and the property. I am grateful for the Tropicana’s partnership over the years and during that time have added 10 illusions to the magic show and seven exotic large cats.

“I look forward to the next stage my cats and I will perform on and promise to keep everyone posted on the development of Saber, my 3-month-old white tiger cub who has recently been introduced to the Las Vegas community, as well as where they can see us next.”

Tomorrow, Arthur will introduce Saber as part of Lunar New Year celebrations for the Year of the Tiger to the students of Andre Agassi’s College Preparatory Academy. White tigers are believed to have been extinct in the wild since the early 1960s. It is estimated there are 500 to 600 currently in captivity.

As part of the continuing makeover of the Tropicana, the property also closed its long-running Folies Bergere last year after 49 years. Only Wayne Newton’s Once Before I Go remains there for the moment.

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/feb/25/its-over-magician-dirk-arthur-ends-six-year-tropic/

Barry Manilow conquers the Strip in his new digs at Paris Las Vegas
By Matt Kelemen/Las Vegas Magazine.

The kid from Brooklyn was once happy to just play piano and make other entertainers shine with his arrangements. Then the spotlight was turned on him and he became a superstar, conquering the charts, AM radio, Broadway and Nielsen ratings whenever his musical variety specials were broadcast on television. He was a pop icon who took his fame in stride, and became a symbol of a bygone era as time marched on.

But Barry Manilow didn’t change; the rest of us did. He didn’t make transparent attempts to stay relevant as we followed trends. Instead, he explored America’s rich musical heritage, indulged his love of arranging music and gave 100 percent at every performance until top 40 success came knocking again. He exuded confidence every step of the way, stayed loyal to the Fanilows who packed his concerts, and graciously welcomed back prodigals who realized they remembered all of the words to “Mandy” when they rediscovered him in Las Vegas during his five-year residency at the Las Vegas Hilton.

Now Manilow is coming to Paris Las Vegas. “I’ve had nothing but fun and good times at the Hilton,” Manilow said in an interview released before he threw himself into intense rehearsals. “But the opportunity to play right on the Las Vegas Strip seemed very exciting. The theater at Paris Las Vegas is beautiful and perfect for what I do. It’s a large room, but intimate enough for my music.”

Manilow became one of Las Vegas’ top draws during his reign at the Las Vegas Hilton. His conquest of Vegas was matched by his reappearance at the top of the Billboard album charts in February 2006 when The Greatest Songs of the Fifties debuted at No. 1. Manilow was already a dedicated, accomplished curator of the Great American Songbook, but Greatest Songs made that clear to everyone and was followed by compilations of ’60s and ’70s music.

His output is only matched by the generosity of the Manilow Music Project. In 2008 Manilow arranged for $500,000 worth of instruments and music stands to be delivered to schools in the Coachella Valley in California, and played a solo concert at the Hollywood Bowl last October that benefited Los Angeles music students. He’s focused some of his charitable efforts in his adopted second home as well, with a Feb. 27 performance at Bellagio for the Keep Memory Alive organization’s annual Power of Love gala, benefiting the new Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas.

While fans can expect to hear hits such as “I Write the Songs,” “Could It Be Magic” and “Copacabana,” Manilow is making his new show a more intimate affair. Director/ choreographer Jeff Hornaday (Madonna, High School Musical) has been brought on to create a new stage language and an expanded band is part of the plan. But with his latest album, The Greatest Love Songs of All Time, peaking at No. 5 in January, it’s no surprise that romance will be in the air at the 1,500-seat Paris Theatre. “Paris is all about love and romance so we’re making it very romantic,” Manilow said.
http://lvshowbiz.com/feature3.html

Las Vegas Top Ten Values/March 2010.

1. Hard Rock – On Paradise Rd. just north of E. Harmon Ave. – Daily – Free

Our number-one value in the Top Ten this month is another ceremonial listing: The Hard Rock is happening! Amidst all the doom and gloom of bankrupt companies, casinos closing, foreclosed condos, and dire straits, we felt compelled to recognize the one joint that’s actually expanded in the recent past. And a spectacular expansion it is. Spectacular enough, in fact, to be only the second expansion so recognized in the Top Ten (the other was the Spin City Annex at the Maloof-run Fiesta in January 2000).

2. Room Rates – Vegas Club et al. – - $23 and up

As we predicted, the numbers we’re seeing for Las Vegas room rates have remained flat for a few months, going neither up nor down. That’s good, because this level is a result of preciptious drpos over the last 18 months or so. No bounce means ongoing super values in one of the two biggest expenses (the other is travel) connected to a Las Vegas vacation. Hence, room rates remain at or near the top of the list.

3. Happy Hour – Palm/Forum Shops – 4:30-6:30 pm/9:30 pm-close – $1-$3.50

New to the list this month is an incredible happy hour at the Palm restaurant in the Forum Shops. This is a great one, folks, with some of the best appetizers on the Strip available for $1 to $3.50 during convenient hours (4:30-6:30 pm and 9:30 till closing) Monday through Friday.

4. Steak Dinner – Ellis Island – 24 hours – $6.95

The complete steak dinner at Ellis Island is the best-value meal deal in a city full of good-value meal deals. It’s a 10-ounce filet-cut sirloin, which comes with salad, garlic green beans, choice of potato, and fresh microbrewed beer, all for $6.95.

5. Dollar Days – Sahara – Daily – $1

Dollar Days continue at the Sahara: dollar beer, shots (with souvenir glass), hot dogs, and blackjack, all in the rear of the casino near the NASCAR Café.

6. Buffet – M Resort – Daily – $14.95-$29.95

As promised, we checked out the weekend seafood spread at the M buffet and came away content to leave this one up as our premier deal on a Las Vegas smorgy. But the play is to go Sunday through Thursday and pay $22.95, saving yourself $7 off the weekend price.

7. Prime Rib – South Point – 24 hours – $12.95

We keep trying prime ribs, but we keep coming back to the big slab at South Point for the one-two combo of quality and price. It’s served 24 hours a day in the coffee shop, with your choice of soup or salad, potato, and rolls if you ask.

8. Lunch Comp – Crown & Anchor – Daily – $20 Buy-In

The free lunch with a $20 video poker buy-in, available 11 am to 3 pm, is still going strong at the Crown & Anchor pubs. Plus, if you miss lunch, the $20 buy-in entitles you to a free appetizer (including the great chicken fingers) from 3 p.m. to midnight. And all the while, you’re also drinking comped premium draft beers from around the world. It’s ironic that the best comp in Comp City is now available outside the casinos (locations are at 1350 E. Tropicana and 4775 Spring Mountain).

9. Steak and Eggs – Arizona Charlie’s Decatur – Daily – $3.99

The Arizona Charlie’s Decatur steak-and-eggs breakfast special is served 24/7 and costs $3.99, but you have to show a player’s club card to get that price (four people can get the deal on one card). You can also get the steak (or ham) and eggs at Arizona Charlie’s Boulder for $3.29, but it’s a bit more difficult to travel there and the coffee shop isn’t open around the clock.

10. Beer – Casino Royale – Daily – $1

You can find a lot of dollar beer deals around town, but Casino Royale serves bottled Michelob around the clock right in the heart of center Strip. Or you can opt for $1 margaritas (traditional or strawberry served in 12-ounce plastic glasses).
http://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/topten.cfm

AccessVegas.com Las Vegas St. Patrick’s Day 2010 Parties Events Clubs.
http://www.accessvegas.com/st-patricks-day-2010

Back Alley Bar at Stratosphere Hotel & Casino New Home for
Country-Rock Music on the Strip.

With bars catering to country-rock music fans in short supply, the Back Alley Bar at Stratosphere Hotel & Casino steps in as the best place on the Strip to party, drink and do the occasional Texas two-step. Every Thursday through Monday at 10 p.m. one of Las Vegas’ most popular country-rock bands, WolfCreek, will rock the house.

“Bars playing classic rock, pop and Top 40 music are commonplace on the Strip so we are creating a place where country-rock fans can really enjoy themselves,” said Todd Ford, Director of Marketing. “The Back Alley Bar is a fitting venue with the perfect atmosphere, providing a genuine rocking roadhouse feel. We added buckets of peanuts, beer specials, lots of room for dancing and a great new country-rock house band.”

With their country and southern rock style, WolfCreek will have guests jumping out of their seats to hit the dance floor. The band has opened for many of country music’s top stars including Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Brooks and Dunn, Brad Paisley and The Dixie Chicks. While playing at local venues such as Station Casinos, WolfCreek has developed a strong following and reputation as one of the hottest country-rock bands in Las Vegas.

Filling the mid-week gap is The Jeremy Cornwell Project playing on Tuesday and Wednesday nights at 9 p.m. Covering popular bands such as Counting Crows, Billy Idol, Dave Matthews Band and Oasis, the Jeremy Cornwell Project is “coffee house with an edge.” Cornwell previously played at House of Blues and Hard Rock before settling in mid-week at Back Alley Bar. The two-man band achieves a big, eclectic sound by sampling and layering tracks.

PEEPSHOW BRINGS SEXY BACK WITH HOLLY MADISON AS “BO PEEP” AT PLANET HOLLYWOOD RESORT & CASINO.

PEEPSHOW, Las Vegas’ hottest show and striptease spectacular, brings sexy back to The Strip on Monday, March 1. Holly Madison returns to her starring role as “Bo Peep,” a modern woman who discovers her newfound sexuality. Madison is now the darling of Las Vegas after starring in the hit TV show, “The Girls Next Door,” on E! for five years and will soon star in her all-new show, “Holly’s World,” on E!, which season premieres in May. Madison will star alongside a sizzling ensemble of sexy PEEPSHOW GIRLS, showstoppers from film, TV and Broadway who were handpicked to perform in this enormous production.

The highly-stylized, intricately choreographed, over-the-top PEEPSHOW combines sexy striptease and celebrity with high-level production values, in a show critics are calling “Spectacular!,” “A frisky, flashy update on that Vegas staple, the topless burlesque show,” and “The sexiest show on the planet!”

Conceived and created by Tony Award-winning director/choreographer Jerry Mitchell (Legally Blonde, Hairspray) and produced by Las Vegas entertainment pacesetter BASE Entertainment (PHANTOM – The Las Vegas Spectacular, JERSEY BOYS, and Wayne Brady: Making it Up!), PEEPSHOW is a perfectly naughty night out for men, women, and couples!

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THE PERFECT PAIR
LBS: A Burger Joint now offers Burger & Beer tasting Menu.

LBS: A Burger Joint is adding a twist to the all-American burger joint menu by offering a beer and burger tasting menu.

Tasting menus are often reserved for the traditional glasses of wine and entrée, but LBS is taking a new approach by pairing burgers and beers with its five-item pairing menu. Sticking to its motto “gourmet burgers, without the gourmet attitude,” prices start from $15.50 and offer an unprecedented burger and beer value that includes:

Frenchie Turkey Burger paired with Blanche de Bruxelles “The Pissing Boy” 12 oz Beer $16.50.

The brie cheese and sprouts makes this turkey burger stand out from others as does the white ale from Belgium. The coriander and citrus zest balance out the wheat beer and blends well with the Frenchie.

Steakhouse Burger paired with Lone Star 12 oz Beer
$17.50.

The pepper-crusted Steakhouse Burger tastes like a steak dinner on a bun and is accompanied with the official beer of Texas. Lone Star’s incredibly light finish goes down nice and smooth so you can focus on the picture puzzle under the bottle cap.

Cobb Salad paired with Lindeman’s Frambois Lambic 12 oz Beer
$21.50

The citrus vinaigrette adds a nice twist to the traditional Cobb salad and the raspberry flavor of the lambic compliments the light meal.

The Perfect Burger paired with Triple Karmeleit 25 oz Beer
$26.50

The Perfect Burger’s gruyere cheese, smoked bacon and LBS burger sauce is the perfect combination with a well balanced beer of wheat, oats and barley.

Sampler Sliders paired with Draft Trio 6 oz pour each
$15.50

Paired up with the three sliders are three phenomenal draft beers to help the flavor. With the Beef Slider is the Sierra Nevada Seasonal. Sierra Nevada, known for its whole, cone hops and full flavor, is a great match with LBS homemade spicy mustard and caramelized onions. The Turkey Slider is paired with a micro-brewed Hefeweizen from Tenaya Creek. This local brew is light enough to not overpower the turkey but has the nice complexities of a Hefeweizen. The Ahi Tuna Slider is cajun seared and spiced up with LBS hand-crafted chili mayo to give it a subtle kick. The draft beer that best goes with it is Stella Artois. Stella is a very light flavored lager that cools the pallet without overpowering the delicate flavor of the Ahi.

For more information on LBS: A Burger Joint, please call 702.835.9393 or visit HYPERLINK “http://www.lbsburger.com” www.lbsburger.com.

Chuck Rounds’ Las Vegas Entertainment News/March 2010.

March is here, and it is springtime in Las Vegas…and what a beautiful spring we are having. It seems that there is something innate that is built into the core of our being that senses this time of renewal for the earth…the emergence from the cold winter, and the new growth in the flora around us. There have always been celebrations in the spring honoring that spirit of rejuvenation. It is the end of winter. Spring is about re-birth, life after death, and a fresh start after a cold period in our lives. Spring brings us hope.

Our economy even seems as if it is showing signs of thawing…the winter of our economy has lasted for a couple of years now…and slowly, very slowly we are seeing signs that may indicate a budding growth…it is small, but it is enough to give us hope in what has been a devastatingly long winter. It is still a tough time, but that is no secret to anyone…and yet, there are hundreds of conventions coming into town; students from all over the country will make Vegas their Spring Break destination; there is St. Patrick’s Day; March Madness; pools are opening up, and there are even some bright spots in the entertainment industry

March is one of the best times of the year to come to Las Vegas. This is the time to get new things going. In Vegas, just like in any other city in the country, Spring-cleaning will occur (both for ourselves and our entertainment,) and we’ll have more garage sales than at any other time of the year.

One thing that won’t be renewed is the Dancers’ contracts at the Cirque show, “Believe.” At the end of this contracted period (which will be June) there will be no more dancers in that show. It’s sad…the dancers were the best part of the show. There are all kinds of speculation as to what this bodes… The primary thought is that this is signaling the beginning of the end of this production that has been a tremendous failure for Cirque. The show might continue for a while just as a magic show with Criss Angel while the contract finishes up. It’s no secret that Cirque and Angel have had an extremely strained creative relationship, and there has been talk of Cirque trying to get rid of Angel from even before the show opened…but they had signed a ten-year contract. Word is that the contract was re-negotiated down to three years, and the theatre would then be used to house resident touring shows.

When “Viva Elvis” opened this past month at Aria in City Center, there was the feeling in the air that we have had enough…that we had reached our saturation point for Cirque shows in this city. Now, “Viva Elvis” is a wonderful show, and this feeling had nothing to do with that, but we are now at seven Cirque shows in this town, and it feels like that’s more than enough. I think that we’re done with new Cirque shows for a while.

Lily Tomlin, one of America’s most brilliant comediennes, will perform her unique brand of comedy in the Hollywood Theatre at MGM Grand March 11 – 17 at 8 p.m. nightly. Throughout her extraordinary entertainment career, Tomlin has received numerous awards including six Emmy Awards for her groundbreaking TV specials, two Tony Awards for her hit Broadway shows “Appearing Nitely” and “The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe,” Jane Wagner’s critically acclaimed play, a GRAMMY for her comedy album, This is a Recording, two Peabody Awards for Edith Ann’s animated special “Just Say Noël” and the HBO documentary film “The Celluloid Closet.” In 2003, Tomlin received the prestigious Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.

Singing sensation Clint Holmes brings his powerful voice and magnetic stage presence back to the Suncoast Showroom, March 13 and 14. Holmes’ fans know him as more than just a singer. He’s famous for making every performance original and captivating audiences with his charisma and signature style. With a long history of entertaining audiences in Las Vegas, Clint is known for his six-year run in Clint Holmes at Harrah’s. Named Las Vegas’ “Best Singer” for four times and “Entertainer of the Year” three times by readers of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Holmes’ fame stretches far beyond Southern Nevada. He was also Atlantic City’s “Entertainer of the Year” three times, and starred in Clint Holmes’ Sophisticated Rhythms, a dynamic stage show that traveled through music from the 1940s to the present.

Jeff Dunham is coming to the Colosseum at Caesars Palace at part of his 2010 International “Identity Crisis Tour” on March 19th & 20th. Since rising to the pinnacle of stand-up comedy success, Jeff Dunham has continued to break records, set landmarks, and expand his reach and appeal while also enjoying the love and loyalty of many millions of fans. After being named the highest-grossing live performance comedian by Pollstar for the second continuous year, Dunham continues to pack and sell out arenas, theaters and other major venues across North America on his “Identity Crisis” tour.

Sporting events will bolster the economy in Vegas this month. The biggest of these sports event is the March Madness tournament. Every sports book in town will be packed throughout the event. These events bring in a lot of people, and when the game is over, all these folks want something else great to watch.

There will be a St. Patrick’s Day parade in Downtown Las Vegas, and every Irish Pub in the city will put on some sort of celebration.

…In addition, remember that clocks spring forward March 14th.

As far as all of the other entertainment goes…during the first week of the month…
Las Vegas Wranglers
Orleans Hotel Through – Apr 3rd
David Copperfield
MGM Grand Through – Mar 10th
Winter Championship & Open Cutting
South Point Casino Through – Mar 3rd
Tegan & Sara
Mandalay Bay Mar 2
Killswitch Engage w/ The Devil Wears Prada and Dark Tranquility
Mandalay Bay Mar 3
Queen Nation
Las Vegas Hilton Mar 3
Jason Alexander as Donny Clay
Planet Hollywood Mar 4 – 7
Barry Manilow – Opening March 2010
Paris Las Vegas Mar 5 – 8
El Chapo de Sinaloa
Mandalay Bay Mar 5
Engelbert Humperdinck
Orleans Hotel Mar 5 – 7
George Lopez
Las Vegas Hilton Mar 5 – 6
Ray Romano & Kevin James
Mirage Mar 5 – 6
Zappos.com WCC Basketball Championships
Orleans Hotel Mar 5 – 8
Bon Jovi: The Circle Tour
MGM Grand Mar 6
Crossroads of the West Gun Show
Cashman Center Mar 6 – 7
Experience Hendrix Tribute Tour
Hard Rock Hotel Mar 6
Neal McCoy
Silverton Hotel Mar 6
Psychic Medium John Edward
Flamingo Las Vegas Mar 6
UNLV Men’s Basketball vs Wyoming
Thomas and Mack Center Mar 6

The second weekend includes:
Mountain West Conference Basketball Tournament
Thomas and Mack Center | Off-Strip | Sporting Event | Mar 10 – 13
New Found Glory with Saves The Day, Hellogoodbye, and Fireworks
Mandalay Bay Mar 10
The Wholigans
Las Vegas Hilton Mar 10
311 Day 2010
Mandalay Bay Mar 11
Jason Alexander as Donny Clay
Planet Hollywood Mar 11 – 14
Lily Tomlin: Not Playing with a Full Deck
MGM Grand Mar 11 – 17
Twiztid
Mandalay Bay Mar 11
Air Combat USA
North Las Vegas Airport Mar 12 – 14
B. J. Thomas
South Point Mar 12 – 14
Big League Weekend: Chicago Cubs vs. Chicago White Sox
Cashman Center Mar 12 – 13
Gladys Knight
Buffalo Bill’s Mar 12
Jay Leno
Mirage Mar 12 – 13
Sevendust w/ Drowning Pool, Digital Summer and the Flood
Mandalay Bay Mar 12
The Yardbirds
Cannery Casino Mar 12
Clint Holmes
Suncoast Hotel Mar 13 – 14
Regional Dance Tournament
Cashman Center Mar 13
St. Patrick’s Day Festival
Mandalay Bay Mar 13
Styx Legend Dennis DeYoung
Orleans Hotel Mar 13 – 14
Teena Marie and special guest Mary Jane Girls
Las Vegas Hilton Mar 13
Zac Brown Band
Hard Rock Hotel Mar 13

The Third weekend has…
Aeromyth
Las Vegas Hilton Mar 17
Silver Dollar Circuit 2010
South Point Casino Mar 17 – 21 – Free
David Spade
Venetian Resort Mar 18 – 20
Bill Bellamy
South Point Casino Mar 19 – 21
Carlos Mencia
Treasure Island Mar 19
Collective Soul
Silverton Hotel Mar 19
Jeff Dunham
Caesars Palace Mar 19 – 20
Marion Meadows, Paul Taylor and Michael Lington
Aliante Station Mar 19
Martin Lawrence
Palms Casino Mar 19 – 20
The Neal Schon Band
Green Valley Ranch Mar 19
Eddie Money and John Waite
Eastside Cannery Mar 20
Grand Funk Railroad
Silverton Hotel Mar 20
Hammerfall
Mandalay Bay Mar 20
Jo Koy
Mirage Mar 20
Sick Puppies w/ Conflict of Interest and Play For Keeps
Mandalay Bay Mar 20

The fourth weekend presents:
Bonfire: A Tribute to Early AC/DC
Las Vegas Hilton Mar 24
Chamillionaire & Paul Wall
Mandalay Bay Mar 24
Walking with Dinosaurs
Thomas & Mack Center Mar 24
David Copperfield
MGM Grand Mar 25 – 31
David Spade
Venetian Resort Mar 25 – 27
Air Combat USA
North Las Vegas Airport Mar 26 – 28
Bad Religion
Mandalay Bay Mar 26 – 27
Championship Bull Riding: Tuff Hedeman Vegas Shootout
South Point Casino Mar 26 – 27
Daniel Tosh
Mirage Mar 26 – 27
Garth Brooks
Encore Las Vegas Mar 26 – 28
Lionel Richie
Caesars Palace Mar 26 – 27
Spring Wine & Jazz Festival
Golden Nugget Mar 26
Stephen Pearcy – Lead Singer of RATT
Sunset Station Mar 26
The Lettermen
South Point Casino Mar 26 – 28
Bret Michaels
Buffalo Bill’s Resort Mar 27
Don Felder – Hotel California Tour
M Resort Mar 27
Jay-Z w/ Young Jeezy and Trey Songz
Palms Casino Mar 27
John Mayer with Special Guest Michael Franti & Spearhead
Mandalay Bay Mar 27
Michel Legrand & Friends: Fifty Years of Music & Movies
MGM Grand Mar 27
Monster Jam World Finals 2010
Sam Boyd Stadium Mar 27
The Flying Karamazov Brothers
Orleans Hotel Mar 27 – 28
The Osmond Brothers
Suncoast Hotel Mar 27 – 28

And the fifth weekend of the month has…
WWE presents Smackdown
Thomas & Mack Center Mar 30
Major League Baseball: Dodgers vs. Reds
Cashman Center Mar 31
Chicago
Las Vegas Hilton Apr 2 – 3
Jay Leno
Mirage Apr 2 – 3
Alkaline Trio w/ The Dear & Departed and Chemistry
Mandalay Bay Apr 3
Emerson Drive
Aliante Station Apr 3
Jay & the Americans
Cannery Casino Apr 3
Melissa Etheridge
Buffalo Bill’s Resort Apr 3
One Million Star
Palms Casino Apr 3
The Rivals: Hopkins vs Jones 2
Mandalay Bay Apr 3

For dates and times, be sure to log onto the Las Vegas Online Entertainment Guide: ( www.lvol.com ).

I Go Shows ( www.Igoshows.com ) is, of course, the place to read the reviews of all of the shows that are in town so that you can be better informed as to what you should expect from a certain production. The reviews are updated as needed to give you the knowledge you need to spend your entertainment dollars better.

You can always view the current newsletter here:
http://www.igoshows.com/lventnews.html

You can contact Chuck through the Feedback Form on the following page: http://www.igoshows.com/feedbacktochuck.php

Frank Sinatra Jr. and His Big Band Perform in Sinatra Sings Sinatra
at the Suncoast Showroom April 10 and 11

Premiere vocalist Frank Sinatra Jr. and his 20-piece big band conducted by Terry Woodson will pay tribute to his legendary father and entertainment icon Frank Sinatra by performing his treasured hits in Sinatra Sings Sinatra at the Suncoast Showroom, April 10 and 11.

An inherited honor, Sinatra Jr. performs the songs that his late father sang during his stellar 50-year career, many of which the younger Sinatra witnessed first hand. The show includes such Sinatra classics as “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” “One For My Baby,” “Luck Be A Lady” and “Strangers In The Night.”

A headliner in his own right, Sinatra Jr. was born in New Jersey, raised in California and educated in the showrooms of Las Vegas and on bandstands around the world. At 21, he made his show business debut as a singer with the Elliott Brothers Band. He later joined the Sam Donahue Orchestra, and then went on to perform in showrooms throughout the United States, Canada, Japan, Brazil and England. A talented songwriter, three of Sinatra Jr.’s songs – “Spice,” “Believe In Me” and “Black Night” – were featured on the 1971 album “Spice,” produced by the late Sonny Burke.

In the 1980s, backed by a 17-piece orchestra, Sinatra Jr. opened in downtown Las Vegas and reintroduced the lush big band sound, sparking renewed interest in live music. In the decade that followed, he expanded his band to include 20 musicians and played the lounge at Desert Inn, marking the first time in 20 years that a big band had appeared in a lounge on the famed Las Vegas Strip. By then, he had also joined his father’s staff as musical director and conductor, helping to choose the music and conduct the orchestra whenever his father was on stage.

Sinatra Jr. conducted for his father at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall and went on to perform his own show to sell-out audiences at Tavern on the Green and later, Trump Plaza in Atlantic City. His 1996 release of “As I Remember It,” a tribute to Frank Sinatra’s talents and the composers and arrangers, who defined the Sinatra legend, climbed the charts and earned critical acclaim along the way. In his tour that followed, Sinatra Jr. used a 44-piece orchestra and won respect from fans and critics.

“When I was a boy, my father would often bring me to Las Vegas. I saw all the stars perform, and late at night, there would always be a name band playing in a lounge,” Sinatra Jr. recalled. “I remember listening to Harry James, Count Basie and many other famous bands. It was quite an education. I always try to recapture the spirit of those late night sessions in my own show.”

In addition to performing with a big band, Sinatra Jr. has also shared a stage with showbiz greats like George Burns, Phil Harris and Flip Wilson. Over the years, he guest starred on television hits including Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In and The Golddiggers, and frequently appeared on programs hosted by legends Red Skelton, Jack Benny, Jackie Gleason, Dean Martin, Merv Griffin and Johnny Carson. Sinatra Jr. has appeared on the big screen in The Walking Major, a 1970 feature movie filmed on location in Japan, and the 2003 film Hollywood Homicide, starring Harrison Ford.

Tickets are now available starting from $29.95, plus tax. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Box Office at 702.636.7075 or visiting www.suncoastcasino.com.

Viva Las Vegas! Rockabilly Weekend Returns to The Orleans Hotel and Casino April 1-5, 2010

Viva Las Vegas! Rockabilly Weekend is back at The Orleans Hotel and Casino marking its 13th year as a prominent Las Vegas event. The four-day event-filled weekend begins Thursday, April 1 and continues through Monday, April 5.

Organized by veteran promoter and Rockabilly DJ Tom Ingram, Viva Las Vegas (VLV) is an annual event that has been held in Las Vegas every spring since 1998. It is the largest event of its type in the world, and features bands and fans from all over the globe who come to experience Rockabilly, ‘50s music, the Classic Car Show, burlesque performers, dance lessons and contests, a Tiki Pool Party and more than 120 vendors.

This year, legendary musician Chuck Berry will perform on the Car Show stage at 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 3 and later that same evening, “The First Lady of Rockabilly” Wanda Jackson will perform in the main ballroom at 11 p.m.

More than 50 bands and 15 DJs will perform nightly. Saturday’s Classic Car Show has historically been the most attended event during the weekend, with more than 20,000 people in attendance during previous years.

Vendors are open daily offering a multitude of Rockabilly items such as vintage and reproduction clothing, event merchandise, records, car accessories, bags, hair pomade, shoes and much more.

Four-day unlimited admission passes to Viva Las Vegas! Rockabilly Weekend are available now and are $89 per person if purchased prior to March 12 and $99 if purchased after March 12. Tickets purchased at the event are $125 and are subject to availability. A ticket for the Car Show only on Saturday is just $25 and includes the Chuck Berry concert. Tickets can be purchased by calling 800.595.4849, visiting www.vivalasvegas.net, The Orleans Box Office or by calling 702.365.7075.

“X” Burlesque Celebrates 3rd Anniversary at Flamingo Las Vegas.

“X” Burlesque is celebrating its third anniversary at Flamingo Las Vegas by unveiling an “enhanced” version of the sexy revue featuring new dancers, new numbers, new costumes and new temptations.
Performed in the intimate setting inside Bugsy’s Cabaret, the “X” Girls strip away their inhibitions to such new numbers as Britney Spears’ energetic “3” in honor of their three years at Flamingo and kick off the show in style to a new pulse-pounding opening set to Metallica’s “Roam,” where the girls come to life through a picture frame. Snow, pole tricks and a hot hip-hop medley are just some of the other additions to the show while fan favorites such as the bathtub and the bungee-ballet number remain in the line-up.

“By incorporating new numbers, new costumes, new girls and new choreography, we’ve enhanced the show and really turned up the heat,” said Angela Stabile, co-creator/producer. “Everyone is sure to enjoy this new, naughty, ninety-minute ride.”

“X” Burlesque excites audiences nightly at 10:00 p.m. Tickets are $44.95 General Admission and $55.95 VIP (plus tax and fees) which includes preferred seating. Tickets can be purchased at the Flamingo Box Office, by phone at 702-733-3333 or 800-221-7299 or online at www.harrahs.com. Guests must be 18 or older with valid ID. Find the “X” Girls online at Facebook, MySpace or on Twitter @XBurlesque.

NORM: No Palms reaction to Harrah’s rumors.

Palms owner George Maloof was tight-lipped Thursday about a report that Harrah’s Entertainment was involved in acquiring a stake in the Palms.

The business Web site www.DebtWire.com, citing sources close to the situation, said Texas Pacific Group, a private equity sponsor of Harrah’s Entertainment, has been accumulating bank debt of Fiesta Palms, the parent company.

DebtWire said the Maloof family was in the process of selling its beer distributorship empire in New Mexico for $100 million to pay down $30 million of debt.

Maloof, in Chicago on Thursday, told Vegas Confidential, “We’re a private company. Our debt is private. I’ve never responded to rumors regarding the Palms.”

Harrah’s acquired Planet Hollywood Resort recently through TPG and Apollo Management, Harrah’s other sponsor.
http://www.lvrj.com/news/no-palms-reaction-to-harrah_s-rumors-85462522.html

MIKE WEATHERFORD: Battle of Strip rock shows fizzles.

The head-to-head competition between two rock tribute shows turned out to be a short one.

“Rockstar: The Tribute” imploded after Feb. 14th’s show, the same weekend “Masters of Rock” opened at the Riviera.

“Masters” was launched by producer Steve Rossi (not the veteran Allen & Rossi comedian), who was involved with “Rockstar” during a tenure at the Riviera.

Rossi says he formed the rival production after “Rockstar” producer Paul Christen didn’t pay back cash loans Rossi made to cover payroll.

More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/neon/battle-of-strip-rock-shows-fizzles-85326382.html

Rumjungle transitions from restaurant to nightclub for full night of entertainment. BY John Przybys/LVRJ

Plenty of nightclubs around town invite guests to have an evening out.

But perhaps nowhere is “an evening out” as comprehensive as it is at rumjungle at Mandalay Bay.

Each day, rumjungle opens its doors for afternoon drinks and bar food. At 5 p.m., and continuing until 10 p.m., rumjungle offers dinner service featuring its popular rodizio menu.

But then, at 11 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, rumjungle morphs completely from a restaurant into a full-tilt nightclub that offers all of the amenities even the most avid clubber could want.

More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/neon/rumjungle-transitions-from-restaurant–to-nightclub-for-full-night-of-entertainment-85462197.html

Vegas4Visitors.com Weekly Awards. BY: Rick Garman

The Sun is Bad For You Anyway Award of the Week goes to the Hawaiian Tropic Zone, the restaurant and nightclub at Planet Hollywood, which will close at the end of February. No word on what will replace it yet.

The I Want to Be Big Award of the Week goes to FAO Shwarz, the famed toy store whose branch at Caesars Palace closed a couple of weeks ago.

The HMMMM Award of the Week goes to the Cirque du Soleil/Criss Angel production Believe at Luxor. Why? Because Cirque has let all of the dancers in the show go effective in July. Word is that there will be major changes to the struggling show.

The Go East Young Man Award of the Week goes to Steve Wynn of Wynn Las Vegas and Encore, whose company will managing a casino in Philadelphia. The casino, which will be a partnership with the same Indian tribe that operates the Foxwoods in Connecticut, will be located on the waterfront and will include slots and table games. No opening date has been set.

A Special Note to My Readers. BY: Rick Garman.
This website would not exist without Mary Herczog. It’s really just that simple.

Mary and I met in 1989 while working at a big Hollywood talent agency and we immediately clung together as two of the only seemingly decent people in the company. We shared similar tastes in pop culture, similar disdains for the falsity of the entertainment industry (as a general rule), and similar loves of everything involving food. We joked many times that we shared the same brain and so there really was no choice back then but for us to become best friends. And so we did.

Somewhere around 1996, Mary was asked to write a piece about celebrity gravesites, one of her many arcane yet utterly charming passions, for the Frommer’s Los Angeles book. The Frommer’s folks loved her story so much that when the Las Vegas book became available they asked her to write it.

Knowing that I was a big fan of Vegas and had spent entirely too much time there over the years (and since we shared the same brain remember) Mary very kindly asked me to write the book with her and “Frommer’s Las Vegas 1997″ by Mary Herczog and Rick Garman was born.

Mary took over the book by herself the following year while I used the knowledge I had gained in the effort to write “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Las Vegas” and launch a little experiment called Vegas4Visitors.com.

We continued to work on our separate projects but shared Vegas war stories and information often. Since she was never much of a gambler, I would give her casino tips and tricks and since I love food but she was a true epicurean she would clue me into some great restaurant gems. We took many a road trip to Vegas together, laughing along with its over-the-top wonderful wackiness.

I was in Las Vegas in 1997 when I called Mary from a pay phone at the Luxor (the attractions level, right next to the old IMAX theater) to tell her about something – I don’t remember what. But she had something to tell me, too. She had just been diagnosed with breast cancer. She was 33.

I panicked, of course, but then shortly thereafter fell into action. One of my first stops? The Liberace Museum so I could pick her up a bejeweled baseball cap to wear when she lost her hair during chemotherapy.

Mary beat cancer that first time, kicking it’s ass into remission after a year or so of grueling treatment, which she handled with her usual “what are you gonna do?” shrugs. Everyone was completely captivated by her spirit during that, which was almost always upbeat in terms of her prognosis. The idea that cancer could win that particular battle just wasn’t part of her thought process, or at least not one that she showed any of us.

We celebrated with frequent trips to Vegas and even when we couldn’t go together we dished Vegas dish. I even published an entire story back in 2001 on this site entitled “What Mary Ate.” It’s worth noting that Capriotti’s is on that list. Told you she knew food.

When the cancer came back a few years later, metastized to her liver, the prognosis was not good. At the time, the five year survival rate on a thing like that was something like 5%. I’m not good at math but I understood odds from Vegas and I knew those were against her.

But Mary kept her head up and kept going. I can’t describe her as having a “positive attitude” – it was more that she had an “I can’t be bothered with this” kind of attitude. “I don’t have time for this.” “Really? I have to do this again? But… I need to go to Vegas because they just opened a Ritz-Carlton and I love their beds.”

So we went to the Ritz-Carlton and enjoyed their beds. A lot.

We continued our mutual love affair with Las Vegas together even while she branched out and began writing other Frommer’s books for California, Bali, and her favorite city in the entire world, New Orleans. She continued working her other Hollywood type jobs and even began studying to get her PhD in Philosphy.

Despite those bad odds, Mary beat them again and was cancer free.

But like that face card you don’t want to see in blackjack when you’re drawing on 13, the cancer returned in full force in late 2005, again in her liver. The last few years have been virtually non-stop in terms of treatment, but she remained non-stop through it, continuing her studies, continuing her work, continuing her series of essays about the disease on CancerChick.com, and continuing her friendship with me. It was because of that friendship that we decided to embark on a series of road trips that we chronicled as Plucky Survivors See America, which were featured on our website PluckySurvivors.com and here on Vegas4Visitors.com.

On February 16, 2010, Mary Herczog – travel writer, lover of good food, loving wife, best friend, and so much more – died in her home, surrounded by family and friends. I had just said to her, “We’re going to go get on a plane and fly to Mardi Gras, right Mary?” and moments later she was gone.

She always had great timing.

In one of our last full conversations only about a week ago, Mary asked me to take over her duties for the Frommer’s Las Vegas guide book. The very kind folks at Frommer’s have agreed to honor her request and my first edition of that book will be available for 2011. But I’d like to highly recommend that you pick up a copy of Mary’s last edition, the Frommer’s Las Vegas 2010, which is available now. That would have meant a lot to her and it certainly does to me.

Las Vegas won’t be the same without her. And neither will all of those of us who knew and loved her.

Brett’s Vegas Views BY Jackie Brett.

‘VIVA ELVIS’ IS A CIRQUE MISHMASH OF ELEMENTS.

“Viva Elvis” has been officially unveiled at Aria in CityCenter as Cirque du Soleil’s seventh resident Las Vegas show on the Strip. The production has all the Cirque elements; big cast – 76 artists; hallmark acrobatics; and bold artistic statements. While roughly 30 Elvis classic songs and The King’s life act as the theme and backdrop for the show, the interpretative paintbrush is in the hands of Cirque.

There’s lots of dancing mirroring and modernizing the ‘50s and ‘60s rock ‘n’ roll era that Elvis embraced beginning at the top of the show with poodle skirts. While most of the show is upbeat, there are quiet moments like when an actor crosses the stage as Elvis’ famous manager “The Colonel” Tom Parker and tells his version of “really missing that boy.” Another slow routine early in the show has a piano flowing onto the stage with a lady playing a moody “One Night You” as two acrobats work they routine in, around and through a gigantic wire-like outline of a guitar. This follows The Colonel’s biographical comment that Elvis’ had a brother who died.

For avid Elvis’ fans, they will most enjoy the video segments that are interspersed throughout the show. When the video is run in the top portion of a jukebox high in the proscenium and dancing or balancing routines are taking place on the stage floor, it’s the old films and Elvis’ charisma that override the production on stage.

One trick that the Canadian entertainment company has perfected is the element of surprise. You really can’t second guess what will show up in the next scene. You run through changing acts such as a marching band and drum corps for “Return to Sender, “Blue Suede Shoes” with a jumbo blue shoe rolling on stage, to the scene stealing “Jailhouse Rock” with prisoners walking on the prison ceilings. Representing Elvis’ wedding to Priscilla Presley, who was in the audience on opening night, is a giant wedding cake filling center stage while the bride’s veil is unfurled to fill the front of the stage so that the duo’s historic wedding video could be shown on it.

Once again, Cirque du Soleil has taken a topic, in this case Elvis, and put it into their branding blender. Tickets are $99, $125, $150 and $175. Shows are Friday through Tuesday at 7 and 9:30 p.m.

HOOTERS’S ‘LAUGH UNTIL IT HURTS’

Hooters has opened a new comedy show called “Laugh Until It Hurts” starring Geechy Guy, Mickey Joseph and Todd Paul, who performs his own show in the Owl Showroom at 7 p.m. Wednesday through Monday. “Laugh Until It Hurts” is staged Monday through Thursday night, at 11 p.m. Tickets are $24.99, call 866-584-6687.

The show gives a behind-the-scenes look at three Vegas comedians as they attempt to outdo each other. It opens with a set showing a back alley with a guy standing outside a door smoking a cigarette and a video. Then it moves to comedians exiting a stage back door after a show. They settle in an area with cans and sit while they casually converse and peel off jokes. It’s really quite funny because you witness three different styles of comedy and quick repartee.

The concept is so loose that visiting comedians can join them onstage like Kevin Burke from “Defending the Caveman” and his own comedy show at Fitzgeralds did on media night. To keep your evening going late at night, this show provides the laughter.

WOLFGANG PUCK UNVEILS TWO NEW RESTAURANTS AT CRYSTALS

Puck continues to revolutionize the fine dining landscape of the city. His newest creations include two restaurants at Crystals, the new 500,000-square-foot retail, entertainment and dining district at CityCenter.

Brasserie PUCK is Puck’s first French restaurant in nearly 30 years. The eatery has a crisp, modern interior and features subtle and artistic references to the olive which is featured within two elements in the entryway. A bar and lounge jut out onto the light-filled terrace of the shops, making the restaurant both highly visible and a perfect vantage point to people watch. At the perimeter of the bar, the dining room wall features a large-scale photograph of an olive grove, laminated into panels of glass. Additional elements include contemporary wood louvers above, and decorative lighting features with amber-seeded glass, inspired by vintage modern Italian fixtures.

In the private dining room, fabric-paneled walls are printed with illustrations of French, Spanish, and Italian villages. A huge wine cabinet, also known as the “wine tunnel,” lines the adjacent corridor. A wall of textured limestone encloses the kitchen, where aseeded-glasswindow allows guests to view the action.

Located just an escalator ride below Brasserie PUCK is the second restaurant, The Pods by Wolfgang Puck, a full-service coffee bar, café and bar. The Pods offers light American fare that can be conveniently taken to-go or enjoyed at the restaurant, all day long.

FORUM SHOPS AT CAESARS ADDS NEW EATERY AND RETAILERS

Las Vegas’ first Max Brenner, Chocolate by the Bald Man and Christian Audigier are set to open this year.

Coming this summer, Max Brenner’s, Chocolate by the Bald Man location will hold the distinction of being the largest at 9,400 square feet. Also to catch the guests’ eyes, enormous white vats mixing chocolate will flow into pipes that run throughout the entire space. The décor will also feature huge bricks, candles, pralines, colorful toy tines and crates overflowing with cocoa beans. Currently, including Las Vegas, there will be 29 total locations, with two in the United States at New York City and Philadelphia.

Las Vegas’ firstChristian Audigierlocation opening this summer will feature the French designer’s luxury street wear apparel and accessories for men, women and children. Audigier is the man behind the popular rhinestone-encrusted Ed Hardy.

New retailers at The Forum Shops are Paradiso for the “ultra-cool shopper, and Marshall Rousso that for more than 30 years has dressed women, especially in a city like Las Vegas.

The Hostile Grape, the wine bar and tasting room at the M Resort, has introduced an all-new lineup of happy hour specials with a different theme every night, Tuesday through Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. The specials include $5 all-you-can-eat appetizers like Grilled Veggie Skewers, Prosciutto Wrapped Melon and Mini Tacos, $1 wine deals and a variety of other food and drink specials. There’s live music or a DJ each night.
http://www.lasvegas-nv.com/brett

SHOW REVIEW: ‘Frank Marino: Divas Las Vegas’
Energy boost pays off for ‘Divas,’ but it’s time to take some chances.

BY: Mike Weatherford/LVRJ.

They’re the same old gals, but they look like they’ve had a little Botox. Maybe some liposuction, too. A tummy tuck. A nose job. A face-lift, laser hair removal, laser skin resurfacing.
Or at least some new costumes and music. A larger stage, decent lighting and a microphone that doesn’t echo.

If that’s all it took to turn “An Evening at La Cage” into “Frank Marino: Divas Las Vegas,” these girls got the party started months ago.

The drag revival has been running at the Imperial Palace since October, before producer-star Frank Marino declared it ready for press scrutiny last week. (Even then, he said the new set’s built-in lighting malfunctioned.)

More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/neon/_frank-marino–divas-las-vegas_-86527187.html

Revolver Saloon at Sante Fe Station offers Wild West theme in more casual venue.

BY: Sonya Padgett/LVRJ.

In the early 1990s, you couldn’t throw a cow patty without hitting a country-themed club or bar.

But they fell out of favor as club-goers abandoned the Texas two-step and Western wear in favor of the Tootsie Roll and club shirts.

Revolver Saloon and Dance Hall, a new nightclub in Santa Fe Station, revives that t. The 10,000-square-foot club has a country bar feel to it, all the way down to the mechanical bull that customers can ride. The DJ plays country music but mixes in some Top 40 tunes, too.

Management decided to open a country-themed club because “we saw the writing on the wall,” says Chad Pallas, director of nightlife for the company. With Steve Wynn signing country legend Garth Brooks to a multiyear deal on the Strip, and country music increasing in popularity, it seemed that Revolver’s time had come.

More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/neon/going-country-86527337.html

Critical Divide: Are out-of-town reviewers blinded by the lights?
By: Steve Friess/Las Vegas Weekly

One week before Viva Elvis “officially” opened, Time magazine’s Richard Corliss wrote the most effervescent review of the new show that Cirque du Soleil could have ever prayed or paid for.

“They’ve concocted an experience that’s both symphonic and in every way fantastic,” Corliss gushed in a line destined to be bathed in exclamation points and emblazoned on advertisements and probably the marquee for the show for years to come.

Corliss’ commentary came out long before Cirque’s requested embargo on reviews; those of us who went to see it for reporting purposes prior to the February 19 opening were asked not to judge because it was still a work in progress even though Aria and Cirque were happily taking good money from patrons. Alas, as the Time writer’s piece was so uniformly gleeful and full of absurd smiley faces like “no tribute show can touch this one in its level of sophistication and its power of evocation,” I don’t imagine anybody from Montreal complained.

More here:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/mar/05/critical-divide-are-out–town-reviewers-blinded-li/

The Lion King joins Madame Tussauds at The Venetian.
BY: Robin Leach/Las Vegas Sun

Finally, there’s fame for Disney’s The Lion King at Madame Tussauds. A wax figure of the hit musical’s iconic baboon shaman Rafiki was unveiled this morning in the collection at The Venetian. On hand was Buyi Zama, who plays Rafiki in The Lion King at Mandalay Bay, and contributing photographer Erik Kabik was at the ceremony for these photos for our photo gallery.

Several of the show’s South African cast members also turned out for a special dance ceremony. The wax figure has been dressed in a costume created by the musical’s Tony Award winner Julie Taymor and made of cotton, decorated with metal amulets and that has a horsehair collar. The hat is made of textured kente cloth, and the custom shoes are made of rubber. The elements are made to accentuate features of a baboon, while red, yellow and blue makeup highlights a baboon’s facial contours.

Julie designed the costume for Rafiki after much research on a variety of African totem figures and garments worn by the Sangomas, or traditional healers. A Sangoma often will wear a shirt hung with 100 or more tokens, which might be written blessings or curses sewn into a leather pouch, items of spiritual significance like shells, bits of bone, claws or feathers or other items used in their advice and healing practices.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/mar/04/em-lion-kingem-joins-madame-tussauds-venetian/

Monti-Licious: From reportonvegas.com.

Surprise, surprise! For months I’ve been hinting, and rumors have been swirling, that international star Celine Dion would return to Caesars Colosseum. It was just announced that a three-year contract has been signed by Celine and amazing as it sounds, tickets went on sale Friday, February 12, 2010 for her show that will begin March 2011! Celine will be doing both contemporary and Hollywood ballads accompanied by a 32-piece orchestra. She’ll be doing what she does best….. sing. Celine is the one star that consistently sold out the more than 4,400 tickets for every performance. No Cirque this time, just Celine.

Bette Midler appeared at the Colosseum for two years but her recent exit may have been surrounded with mystery. Questions have been asked, “Did she break even when she closed her show?” I was called on the carpet (again) when I reported there was a fire sale. There was talk that Bette was in negotiations with Steve Wynn. Of course, the Colosseum will continue to provide stellar entertainment with the likes of Cher and Jerry Seinfeld along with such stars as Lionel Richie, who will make his first appearance at the Colosseum in March (that would be March 2010). The house that Celine built will continue to thrive. It’s a fabulous venue for the entertainers and for the audiences. A recent article was published that stated Barbra Streisand turned down $100 million for a three-year Colosseum deal, stating Babs was the only other star, besides Celine, that could fill the house.

Menopause the Musical at The Luxor just recently celebrated their 1,800th performance here in Las Vegas. Menopause continues to be an ongoing and worthy production filled with laughs and music. I’ve seen the show several times and have never been disappointed. My friend Paige O’Hara is only one of the many talented performers to show up every night for Menopause. Congrats to everyone that makes this show a must-see.

The showroom at Planet Hollywood currently has former Seinfeld star Jason Alexander in a new show called Donny Clay. Jason is a longtime Broadway favorite and really shines when it comes to singing and dancing as well as comedy. This show has it all, including partial nudity, and I doubt if they’re referring to Jason, even though his svelte appearance may be the result of his work for Jenny Craig .Dates for Donny Clay with Jason Alexander at Planet Hollywood are February 11-14, March 4-7 and March 11-14. Word is the show will run as long as ticket demands warrant it. I was fortunate enough to see this GREAT performer , how shall I say, “kick butt”. Jason Alexander is ‘Broadway all the way’. The show is fast-moving and entertaining as Jason takes full command of the stage in this one-man tour de force. As he says, this is not George Costanza, it;s Jason as Donny Clay

With Jason Alexander’s appearance at Planet Hollywood, maybe it’s a sign things are changing for the somewhat embattled Strip location where the Harmon Theater and Krave Nightclub filed for bankruptcy. The Steve Wyrick Theater at Miracle Mile in Planet Hollywood is also up for grabs. If you walk the Miracle Mile, there are sales everywhere. If everyone can hold on for six months, there may be a turn around. And now Green Valley Resort has just filed for bankruptcy . This hotel/casino is a joint venture of Station Casinos and The Greenspun Corp. They claim that daily operation of the hotel will not be affected. We’ve got to be optimistic.

It seems The Orleans and The Suncoast are becoming the places where former Vegas Strip headliners are finding steady work as rotating stars in residence. The lineup includes Clint Holmes and The Scintas at Suncoast, Engleburt Humperdink and the great Don Rickles at Orleans and Southpoint is where you can periodically see Tony Orlando and Sheena Easton. The locals now have the opportunity to see some of their favorites at prices they can afford.

It was just announced that Gilley’s Saloon, Dance Hall and Bar-B-Que will open at Treasure Island on April 16. Gilley’s was a honky tonk that originated in Pasadena, Texas, and was the setting for the John Travolta smash hit Urban Cowboy. The Treasure Island version will be open for lunch and dinner. Besides the well-known barbeque, they’re once again featuring Gilley’s infamous mechanical bull.

Viva Elvis world premiere rocks Aria tomorrow. BY: Robin Leach/Las Vegas Sun.

Tomorrow night’s world premiere of Viva Elvis, Cirque du Soleil’s newest Strip production, will be the year’s most glittering and glamorous showbiz spectacle. A massive marketing machine rolls into high gear today to ensure global coverage of the extraordinary event.

Vegas DeLuxe is proud and privileged to post the newest Viva Elvis photos in this morning’s photo gallery to add to our previous coverage and photos. Our December four-part Viva Elvis series included interviews with Priscilla Presley and Cirque founder Guy Laliberte, creative director Gilles Ste-Croix, director and writer Vincent Paterson and Robert F.X. Sillerman.

I’m reliably told that the past three weeks of Cirque’s fixation process have been completed and that all problems, wrinkles and hiccups have been solved, and everybody associated with the final look is thrilled with its outcome.

“You will be blown away at how it’s changed with the new choreography and the way characters have been softened by Priscilla Presley herself. Everybody is going to be blown away after seeing it. Don’t be surprised if you hear people saying it’s the best musical spectacular they’ve ever experienced and seen,” said one person from the production staff.

As if to back that up, Time magazine’s Richard Corliss — as we tweeted earlier — raved last week about what he’d witnessed in a recent preview. I’m also told that tomorrow’s red carpet stars walk and the Haze nightclub after-party may outshine Cirque’s last Las Vegas platinum premiere, The Beatles’ Love at The Mirage.

Robert F.X. Sillerman, chairman and CEO of CKX Inc., the company that owns Elvis Presley Enterprises; Bill McBeath, president and COO of Aria; Guy; and Priscilla will all be attending. Choreographers Napoleon and Tabitha Dumo of Nappytabs from So You Think You Can Dance, who added recent dance changes, will be on the red carpet, too.

Also on the guest list are Cirque’s Believe star Criss Angel and George Harrison’s widow Olivia Harrison representing The Beatles. It’s believed that Lisa Marie Presley will slip in and out of the first-night fun in a bid to stay incognito. Criss’s ex-love mate Holly Madison from Peepshow at Planet Hollywood also is expected, but not arm-in-arm with her former beau!

Other celebrities who have RSVP’d yes include Ryan Seacrest, Wynonna, Tommy Lee, Gene Simmons, Scott Weiland, Lo Bosworth, Chris Noth, Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka, Peter Facinelli and Jennie Garth, Christina Hendricks, Regis and Joy Philbin, Taye Diggs, Jeff Probst, Rita Rudner, Carrot Top, Perez Hilton, Juliette Lewis, Laurence Fishburne, Brian Baumgartner, Sammy Shore, Louie Anderson, plus many other VIPs. I was told yesterday that Cirque is juggling some 4,000 guests this weekend, including a global invasion of media.

It all kicks off tonight with the majority of Larry King’s CNN talk show being devoted to the Viva Elvis launch. Priscilla will be live in Larry’s L.A. studio before flying here tomorrow. Executive producer Stephane Mongeau and Armand Thomas, director of creation, will be live via satellite from Las Vegas to talk about the show.

A CNN video crew filmed extensively backstage before and during the show this week, so expect great visuals and footage to be included in the 30 minutes devoted to Viva Elvis. Also expect Larry and family to be in attendance tomorrow night in MGM Grand CityCenter’s Aria for Viva Elvis.

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/feb/18/emviva-elvisem-world-premiere-rocks-aria-tomorrow/

NORM: ‘Viva Elvis’ lauded for sophistication.

Time magazine has weighed in on Cirque du Soleil’s “Viva Elvis” with a big Valentine.

“No tribute show can touch this one in its level of sophistication and its power of evocation,” wrote Richard Corliss in this week’s issue.

The show, “as much a dance show as a circus show,” officially opens Friday at CityCenter’s Aria hotel and casino.

By comparison, Corliss said “Love,” Cirque’s homage to the Beatles, is “sedate stuff next to this audiovisual-balletic-acrobatic explosion from director Vincent Paterson and ‘director of creation’ Armand Thomas. They’ve concocted an experience that’s both symphonic and in every way fantastic.”

“The wonder,” wrote Corliss, “comes not just in the death-taunting circus feats — trapeze agility, high-bar gymnastics — that are the company’s hallmark but also in the superb editing of Elvis clips (by Ivan Dudynsky) and the savvy sampling of the musical material (by Erich van Tourneau) that revises and refreshes the Presley oeuvre. No tribute show can touch this one in its level of sophistication and its power of evocation.”

“The real Vegas has had its profits pinched by the Great Recession lately,” Corliss said. “But luxe, energy, sexual threat and primal rock ‘n’ roll are back in fashion on the Aria stage, where Cirque is throwing its most joyous party ever — and where Elvis lives.”
http://www.lvrj.com/news/viva-elvis-lauded-for-sophistication-84371742.html

SHOW PREVIEW: ‘Viva Elvis’

Matching recordings to live performance a ‘big puzzle’ for ‘Viva Elvis’ developers. BY: Mike Weatherford/LVRJ.

The voice is familiar. The music? Not always.

About 30 Elvis Presley classics are heard in “Viva Elvis,” the Cirque du Soleil salute to the king which has its invitation-only premiere at Aria today after two months of previews.

But the nine-piece band playing the classics often steers those hits in new directions, sometimes trying to imagine how Elvis would do them today.

You won’t hear much meddling with the lean rockabilly sound of “Mystery Train.” But “Jailhouse Rock” sidesteps into hip-hop and “Got A Lot O’ Livin’ to Do!” ventures into Zeppelin-esque guitar rock.

More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/neon/viva-elvis-84765132.html

Steve’s Las Vegas Quickies:

Jerry’s Famous Coffee Shop at Jerry’s Nugget, 1821 Las Vegas Blvd. North in North Las Vegas, is offering a $13.89 steak-and-lobster (or $11.89 for just lobster) special. It’s available beginning at noon on Fridays and all day Saturdays and Sundays.

The Stratosphere Tower dimmed its lights at 6 p.m. Thursday in tribute to seven-time NASCAR champion Dale Earnhardt, who died on Feb. 18, 2001, on the last lap of the Daytona 500. It was part of a coast-to-coast tribute.

Pollstar Magazine named The Joint in the Hard Rock Hotel as the Best New Major Concert Venue at the Pollstar Awards in the Nokia Theater L.A. Live in L.A. last night. The $60 million Joint opened in April and featured The Killers and Paul McCartney its opening weekend.

Studio 54 at MGM is pulling out all of the stops for a new DJ Skribble production on Saturdays that will include aerialists, sword swallowers, girls that lays on a bed of nails and a man with many piercings (a human pin cushion).

Burlesque artist and fashion icon Dita Von Teese is returning to the MGM Grand’s Crazy Horse Paris. She was the cabaret’s first-ever guest star and had a sold-out engagement in April 2007. My friend Dita, a former Las Vegas strip club dancer, will feature her new performance numbers that she developed especially for the Crazy Horse stage in Paris last year. The appearances are set for a one-week run March 31 through April 7.

Hawaiian Tropic Zone will be closing at month’s end and that a new concept will take over the space with an announcement coming soon.

Hooters has opened a new comedy show called “Laugh Until It Hurts” starring Geechy Guy, Todd Paul and Mickey Joseph, Monday through Thursday night, at 11 p.m. The show gives a behind-the-scenes look at three Vegas comedians as they attempt to outdo each other. Tickets are $24.99, call 866-584-6687.

The “Society of Seven and Jasmine Trias” show at the Gold Coast will go to one show a night on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 7 p.m. beginning Feb. 19.

Golden Nugget Las Vegas headliner Gordie Brown celebrated his one-year anniversary at the legendary downtown property on Feb. 5. The impressionist/singer tallied more than 250 performances.

Sin City Confidential” is a new comedy, murder mystery, dinner theatre production taking place every Thursday, Friday and Saturday at The Tillerman Restaurant located a couple miles from the Strip on East Flamingo Road. Dinner and a four-course gourmet dinner are $89.95, call 702-991-8550 for reservations.

Hot on the heels of the announcement that Harrah’s is now the official owner of Planet Ho comes confirmation that investor Carl Icahn today officially took ownership of the unfinished and bankrupt Fontainebleau, for about $104.6 million in cash.

The Nevada Gaming Commission has approved the final stage of the takeover of Planet Hollywood by Harrah’s, which anticipates taking over the property’s gaming operations tomorrow at noon. The casino giant has already been managing Planet Hollywood’s hotel and food and beverage operations for over a month. Approximately 100 layoffs are expected as a result of the completion of the takeover, but 40 positions also need to be filled and will be posted tomorrow, a Harrah’s spokeswoman revealed.

We’re in the process of conducting our monthly survey of all the buffets in town for changes in times, prices, etc. and just learned that Mandalay Bay has discontinued its all-day buffet pass. So far, it looks like the other all-dayers — IP, Palace Station, Orleans, Stratosphere, Excalibur, Circus Circus, Luxor — are still in place, with one notable exception: the Tropicana closed its buffet indefinitely on Feb. 15. For the full-round up of all buffet and show updates, check out the March issue of the LVA newsletter, which goes to press on Monday.

The Clark County Commission, which owns McCarran International Airport, is considering approving a liquor store at the airport’s south baggage claim area, which it’s estimated estimated could bring in an additional $400,000 to $600,000 annually for the airport. The store, which would sell beer, wine and spirits “for off-site consumption only,” would be the only liquor store operating inside a U.S. airport.

MGM Grand’s Craftsteak will henceforth be known as Tom Colicchio’s Craftsteak, in honor of the James Beard award-winning chef. We really like Craftsteak, especially their “halfsteak” menu: Check out the review in our Restaurant listings and add a review of your own, if you’ve tried it.

The dispute between Wynn and its dealers over tip-sharing rumbles on, with attorneys for the resort today asking the Nevada Labor Commissioner for more time to file briefs in the case, which will inevitably result in more delays in his ruling, originally planned for January, and then April. At issue is whether Wynn’s policy of pooling dealers’ tips to share with other front-line casino staff complies with state labor laws or not.

Tickets to the first 54 performances for Celine Dion at Caesars Palace went on sale this morning. Ticket are priced at $95, $140, $175, and $250 and can be purchased through Ticketmaster or by calling 877-4CELINE.

As noted by the Las Vegas Sun, the 3-story FAO Schwartz in the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace allowed its lease to run out and quietly closed Jan. 23. We had an inkling back last year when we went to shop for sour candies (they had the best) and discovered the whole candy section was no more. Now, all that remains is the massive Trojan horse outside, which apparently will be removed soon.

According to PopEater, veteran performer Barbra Streisand, whose latest album (her 63rd) stunned critics by hitting the top of the charts last year, has reportedly turned down a $100-million residency at Caesars’ Colosseum to headline alongside Cher and the returning Celine Dion. Streisand instead has opted to go on a summer tour.

It’s been announced that the Las Vegas Walk of Stars will honor Rat Packers Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra with a ceremony on Feb. 22, when their stars will be unveiled and then placed in the sidewalk outside the Flamingo on the Las Vegas Strip. Martin’s daughter Deana will be there to accept the honor on behalf of her father; no word yet on whether any Sinatras will be in attendance.

This year, Passover runs from Monday evening March 29 through Tuesday evening April 6. If anyone planning to be in Las Vegas at that time wants to attend a seder, two companies are offering Passover packages. World Wide Kosher’s program is at Lowe’s Lake Las Vegas; for all the info, call 800/525-0035 or go to mypassover.com; Twersky Passover Tours’ program is at the Ritz-Carlton Lake Las Vegas at 888/757-2002 or twerskypassovertours.com

SHOW REVIEW: Amazing Johnathan.
Amazing Johnathan plays tug of war for control with audience.

BY: Mike Weatherford/LVRJ

Johnathan (Szeles) first became a permanent Vegas act in 2001. He bounced around too many venues to recite here, due to an admitted problem with authority figures — particularly if they work for a casino.
Almost two years ago, he moved into the Harmon Theatre/Krave nightclub. It was a marriage made in dysfunctional heaven: The stand-alone theater is hard to find and needed a show people wanted to see. The Amazing Johnathan has loyal fans and a track record for selling tickets even when he doesn’t seem to care.

More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/neon/amazing-johnathan-84211287.html

Heidi’s Picks: BY Heidi Knapp Rinella/LVRJ.

BRIO TUSCAN GRILLE
Town Square, 6653 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 914-9145

Brio looks a lot more like a Tuscan manse than an outlet of a restaurant chain based in Columbus, Ohio, but that’s just part of its appeal. It manages to deliver the familiar with a slightly innovative edge, as in the garganelli carbonara, with not only the customary bacon and Parmesan but also grilled chicken and fresh spinach leaves; bruschetta Caprese that blends the best of both dishes; a somewhat-too-subtle artichoke-and-herb-crusted pork chop; a trio of creme brulee; and a lovely soup of the day, creme of morel. (1/29/10)Overall: A- $$

ESPN ZONE
New York-New York, 3790 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 933-3776

What better place to watch the Big Game — or any game, really, on any day of the year — than at this palace dedicated to the art of moving balls around a field or court or whatever. The food’s pretty good, too, including Buffalo wings that were just zippy enough, the Smoke House Burger with the restaurant’s truly delightful barbecue sauce and the Southwest Chicken Salad (the latter with reservations, because we thought the pasta an odd touch). (2/5/10) Overall: B+ $$

HAVANA GRILL
8878 S. Eastern Ave.; 932-9310

If you like Cuban food you’re no doubt familiar with the Florida Cafe, and this younger sister also showcases the cuisine at its best. We liked it all, which included tostones — twice-cooked green plantain — topped with Ropa Vieja, Picadillo and shrimp (no, not together), Lechon Asado, Vaca Frita, the stacked flan and tres leches dessert tower called Riquimbin — even good fresh Cuban bread, buttered and warmed in a press. (3/27/09) Overall: A- $$

TA TA ASIAN BISTRO
1450 W. Horizon Ridge Parkway, Henderson; 565-8900

We were charmed by the pint-sized hostess (read: child) but no less by Ta Ta Asian Bistro, which manages to carry out a Japanese/Chinese mission without getting into a jumble. The inventive Monkey Special Roll and Paradise roll were worth a repeat visit, but so were the tamago nigiri sushi, jalapeno puffs, potstickers and rib-eye beef teriyaki dinner with a nice, smoky miso soup. Teppanyaki dining also is available. (12/5/08)Overall: A- $$

http://www.lvrj.com/neon/heidis-picks-84211227.html

Madame Tussauds waxing presidential with display.

By Corey Levitan
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

Whether the White House wants tourists to visit Las Vegas, one Las Vegas attraction wants tourists to visit the White House.

On Monday, Presidents Day, Madame Tussauds wax museum at The Venetian will unveil its latest display: a partial Oval Office photo op. The display in the Spirit of America room consists of a reproduction of the president’s Resolute desk ringed from behind by a crescent of windows. President Obama’s wax figure, introduced last year, will stand alongside visitors who sit at the desk.

“You can take this photo and fool your friends,” said museum marketing chief Amy Helton.

More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/neon/madame-tussauds-waxing-presidential-with-display-84211272.html

ROK Vegas Nightclub incorporates cozy quality to offer more welcoming vibe.

By John Przybys
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

One quality that’s seldom associated with the standard Las Vegas nightclub is coziness. But at ROK Vegas Nightclub, the word fits.

At first, ROK Vegas, at New York-New York, 3790 Las Vegas Blvd. South, might look like a “vast, open space,” says General Manager Rob Boyer. “But once you come in, it’s a real cozy, intimate atmosphere that you don’t expect when you’re going into a large club.” That cozy quality also extends to the welcoming vibe, Boyer says.

“That’s one of the things we pride ourselves on, the fact that we’re not pretentious. We just want people to come in, relax, have a good time, kind of tear it up and enjoy the night.”

More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/neon/rok-vegas-nightclub-incorporates-cozy-quality-to-offer-more-welcoming-vibe-84211262.html

NORM: Pawn shop booms after reality show.

What recession? These are boom times at Gold and Silver Pawn, thanks to the History Channel’s hit reality series “Pawn Stars.”

Back in July, before the show started, about 70 customers a day showed up at the 713 Las Vegas Blvd. South address.

And now? “We do about 1,000 a day,” said Rick Harrison, who co-owns the shop with his father, Richard, and son Corey.

The 35 episodes of national TV exposure have doubled revenue and generated a waiting line of 50 customers throughout the day, which usually ends at 11 p.m. The Harrisons have added a surreal touch for their customers: a velvet rope for crowd control, ala a nightclub.

Two of the more shocking items that recently arrived: a bronze medal from the 1960 Rome Summer Olympics and a 1998 Denver Broncos Super Bowl ring.

Rick Harrison said he paid $700 for the medal and $11,000 for the bejeweled ring.

The medal came from a shoebox found in a garage by a son-in-law who was cleaning up after his wife’s father died. The family, who lived in the Midwest, was vacationing in Las Vegas and decided to sell the medal.

“Names aren’t etched on Olympic medals so we have no idea who it belonged it to,” Harrison said.

Harrison said the ring owner identified himself as a former landlord of Bronco safety Tori Noel, a late addition to the team roster. The former University of Tennessee standout saw little action that year in Denver, the first of back-to-back Super Bowl titles, and suffered a career-ending injury the next year during training camp.

It’s not the only Super Bowl ring pawned at Gold and Silver. Harrison said he purchased Brock Williams’ ring from the 2002 Super Bowl-winning New England Patriots.

Williams, a former cornerback at Notre Dame, was paid about $2,000 for the ring. He never returned to buy it back, Harrison said.

http://www.lvrj.com/news/pawn-shop-booms-after-reality-show-84559602.html

LAKE LAS VEGAS: Casino MonteLago to close in March.
Ritz-Carlton shutdown ‘final straw’

BY: Howard Stutz/LVRJ

Casino MonteLago, the only gaming location inside the upscale but bankrupt Lake Las Vegas, will close next month, burdened by a lack of visitation and the impending shutdown of the Ritz-Carlton Lake Las Vegas in May.
The closure, which will take place March 14, will eliminate 177 jobs.

Gaming Control Board Chairman Dennis Neilander said the agency was officially notified Tuesday of the impending shutdown.

John Tipton, an attorney for the owners of Casino MonteLago, CIRI Lakeside Gaming, said the closure of the Ritz-Carlton “was the final straw” for the property.

More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/news/breaking_news/casino-montelago-to-close-in-march-84518797.html

MIKE WEATHERFORD: Big names returning to Venetian.

Wayne Brady will return to The Venetian, but not before Chazz Palminteri and Joan Rivers.

Brady was the anchor tenant for the 742-seat Venetian Showroom last year and was carving out success on the Strip even before CBS announced he would host the “Let’s Make a Deal” reboot, which tapes at the Tropicana.

The national exposure sounded like nothing but good news for the live show. But Brady quit performing it just before “Deal” commenced last fall, citing vocal strain.

Now the show’s co-producer, Scott Zeiger, confirms Brady will return Memorial Day weekend and perform 15 weeks scattered through the rest of the year, presumably working around the taping schedule of “Deal.”

More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/neon/big-names-returning-to-venetian-84682692.html

SHOW REVIEW: ‘Chippendales: The Show’
‘Chippendales’ maintains relative decorum for male jiggle show.

BY: Mike Weatherford/LVRJ

Sex appeal is highly subjective and personal, so interpret this as you will:
Dorothy Hamill took her daughter to Chippendales to celebrate her 21st birthday.

Why is this relevant? Unless America’s Sweetheart of the ’70s has us fooled, I’m citing it as evidence that Chippendales is the tamest, most respectable and Hamill-worthy of Las Vegas’ nude-dude revues.

Again, read that as an endorsement or a caution. If you want porn-vid puns and four guys in tighty whities to straddle you or your BFF bachelorette, call the “Men of Hooters.” If you want to be in the foamy crossfire when a guy pours a beer on himself and then shakes like a wet dog, it’s “Thunder from Down Under” you seek.

More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/neon/_chippendales_-the-show_–84765127.html

Jimmy Hopper jumps over to the Lounge at Palms.

Former VooDoo Lounge, Fontana Bar singer begins new residency Sunday. By: Sarah Feldberg/Las Vegas Sun.
Jimmy Hopper is singing. That’s what the spiky haired blond does. He sings. Only right now he doesn’t have much audience, just me over the telephone, listening as Hopper sounds out the chorus of a recent Green Day hit.

“One, twenty-one guuuuuns…”

“It’s really good, but it’s just so repetitive,” Jimmy says. “It’s not taking me anywhere. I’ll grunge it up a little bit, rock it a little bit more and speed it up a little bit.”

Now Jimmy’s singing again, this time snapping along to the song and driving the melody a little faster. It’s Green Day a la Jimmy Hopper, a mash-up the eyeliner-ed rockers-turned-musical-theater-creators probably wouldn’t mind, and just one of the songs that Hopper may perform this Sunday during the opening of his residency at the Lounge at the Palms. Also on the list — Andrea Bocelli, Muse, Bon Jovi and Black Eyed Peas.

More here:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/feb/12/jimmy-hopper-jumps-over-lounge-palms/

Las Vegas is well represented in 2010 James Beard nominations. BY Robin Leach. From The Las Vegas Sun.

The just-announced 2010 James Beard Foundation Awards’ list of restaurant and chef awards semifinalists includes many star chefs who have made a mark in Las Vegas’ world-class fine dining scene and includes major local recognition for Shawn McClain’s Sage at Aria and Restaurant Charlie in the Palazzo.

In the Outstanding Restaurateur category, the nominees include Richard Melman, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Chicago. Richard owns the Eiffel Tower restaurant at the Paris. For Outstanding Chef, there’s Tom Colicchio, Craft, NYC, who has an outpost at MGM Grand; Michael Mina, Michael Mina, San Francisco, who has restaurants at the Bellagio, Aria and MGM Grand; and Julian Serrano, Picasso at Bellagio, who also has his self-named restaurant in Aria.

For Outstanding Restaurant, the nominees include Babbo, NYC, by Mario Batali, who has restaurants in The Venetian and Palazzo; Bouchon, Yountville, Calif., by Thomas Keller, who has a Bouchon in The Venetian; and Daniel, NYC, by Daniel Boulud, whose Daniel Boulud Brasserie is in the Wynn. For Rising Star Chef of the Year, there’s Vanessa Garcia, Restaurant Charlie at the Palazzo, and Timothy Hollingsworth, The French Laundry, Yountville, which is owned by Thomas Keller.

For Best New Restaurant, the nominees include Shawn McClain’s Sage in Aria at MGM CityCenter. For Outstanding Pastry Chef, the nominees include Kamel Guechida, Joel Robuchon at MGM Grand. For Outstanding Wine Service, there are three local ties: Emeril’s New Orleans, Emeril Lagasse, who has restaurants at The V Venetian, Palazzo and MGM Grand; Jean Georges, NYC, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, who has a steakhouse at Aria; and repeat nominee Picasso at Bellagio.

For Outstanding Service, there are repeat nominees Emeril’s New Orleans and Joel Robuchon, plus Nobhill Tavern at MGM Grand. And for Best Chef: Southwest, the nominees include Saipin Chutima, Lotus of Siam, Las Vegas; Claude Le Tohic, Joel Robuchon at MGM Grand; and Rick Moonen, RM Seafood at Mandalay Bay.

Congratulations to all the star chefs who have helped make Las Vegas a top destination for fine dining!

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/feb/18/las-vegas-well-represented-2010-james-beard-nomina/

More Strip show movements are afoot. BY Robin Leach/Las Vegas Sun.

From our department of Wicked Whispers & Racy Rumors: All of the following is true and on the heels of our Las Vegas Pussycat Dolls exclusive yesterday morning. Most of the names have been omitted to protect those involved — and at the same time to provide you with the best guessing game in town!

1) Is a game of magician’s musical chairs in the offing? I’m reliably told that one illusionist has been asked to walk from his Strip showroom before the end of the month and that another conjuror with a similar act at a rival casino has applied to take the short-term vacancy. Doubtful the second trickster would get the first illusionist’s showroom, but if so, then they could simply wind up swapping places.

2) I’m also very reliably hearing that the economy has badly affected another Strip entertainer, so much so that large-scale trims have been made to his production’s cast, props and band members. The carefully disguised moves and the darkened stage are so subtle that the diminishing nightly audiences haven’t noticed.

3) Has an offer landed on the desk of Velvet Revolver drummer Matt Sorum for his girlfriend’s ultra-sexy Darling Stilettos rock act for a residency here? We recently covered their audition shows at the Palms and Las Vegas Hilton.

4) Which Strip showman, fearing the closing of his entertainment offering, is already talking about a radically different theatrically themed night of nostalgic memories to move to another property? The premise and first draft of the show is in the works.

5) Recent revelations by yours truly about a superstar coming to the Strip will be confirmed shortly after the incoming headliner excitement quiets down. Execs don’t want any distractions or ticket sales affected by the competing news.

6) Hopes that one major production undergoing revisions would be ready for a March unveiling have been dashed. Now cast and crew are working hard around the clock to complete it by an early April deadline, but that also looks doubtful and might well slide back until April’s end.

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/feb/16/strip-scribbles-more-strip-show-movements-are-afoo/

Celine Dion’s return to Colosseum a boon to Las Vegas musicians.
By John Katsliomentes/Las Vegas Sun.

We might miss all those Spandex-fashioned dancers prancing across a vast, sloped stage, but Celine Dion’s plans for her return to The Colosseum at Caesars Palace is beautiful music for an important Las Vegas faction: Local musicians.

Dion’s orchestra, 31 players in all, will be populated by local musicians who are members in good standing of the Musicians Union of Las Vegas Local 369.

“They will all be local musicians. This is fantastic news,” Las Vegas Musicians Union President Frank Leone said during a phone conversation Wednesday. “We are thrilled and delighted. She will have the best and happiest accompaniment she can possible have.”

Shows begin March 15, 2011. Dion reportedly is performing 70 shows a year for three years. Ticket prices approximate the rates for “A New Day …” from $55 to $250 before the half-tax, sur-tax and over-tax is added. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at the Caesars box office and through Ticketmaster.

Specific plans for Dion’s show are not nearly finalized, but Wednesday she said in a news release and also told Oprah Winfrey that the production would focus on her (Dion’s) hits and classic tunes pulled from film scores. There might well be a few backup performers, singers and/or dancers. But the orchestra, not a sea of dancers, will drive the show.

“It will be much more a concert setting. I don’t have total information about it, but it’s going to be a real thrilling concert setting,” Leone said. “It will be first-class. As far as the forces that are being used, it will be extraordinary.”

There are no plans to alter the stage — again — after it was flattened from its graded design for Dion’s “A New Day …” production. The stage’s slope was to allow better visibility of the production throughout the theater, which was a benefit to those in the audience, but performers complained about the wear and tear the slant caused to dancers’ legs. There might well be an upgrade to the LED screen setup behind the stage, too, to allow for a more updated visual component to the show.

http://www.lasvegassun.com/blogs/kats-report/2010/feb/11/new-celine-dion-show-boon-las-vegas-musicians/

Ritz Carlton To Close.

Okay, it’s official: the recession sucks. Need proof? The Ritz-Carlton Lake Las Vegas, a place I once referred to as the best hotel in Las Vegas, is closing its doors in May.

The stunning luxury hotel located literally on top of Lake Las Vegas, about 17 miles east of The Strip, opened in 2003 as one of the lynchpins of the upscale development of hotels, mansions, condos, shopping, gambling, and recreation that was intended to become a playground for the rich and nearly famous. Heck, Celine Dion bought a house here. Its location was intended to set it apart from the crowd but unfortunately that worked just a little too well. It was too far away from the action for most Vegas tourists and too fancy for most Vegas locals.

Much of the Lake Las Vegas development has struggled financially for the last few years with big chunks of it sinking into bankruptcy, including The Ritz, which was taken over by a bank. Now that bank has decided to pull the plug and shut the doors for good.

This is bad news for the entire development. The Loews hotel continues to operate on the other side of the lake, but the Ritz was at the heart of the development next to all of the shopping, restaurants, and the casino. The impact of its closure could be devastating.

The hotel is currently scheduled to close on May 2, 2010.

The Mandarin Oriental Hotel Review By Rick Garman.

Does Las Vegas need another luxury hotel? Especially now? If it does, then it certainly couldn’t do much better than the Mandarin Oriental.

The Asian hotelier is a brand name most famous outside of the United States. Although they have properties across the world in Asia and Europe, this is only their sixth US hotel but they have entered the Las Vegas market with quite a statement.

As a part of the massive CityCenter development, the non-gaming Mandarin Oriental welcomes guests with what is probably the most stunning lobby in town. Located on the 23rd floor, the “Sky Lobby” is a simple black and red affair but is lined with floor to ceiling windows that soak in views of The Strip that can’t be beat. Be sure to take a wander through after dark for the full impact of the city lights.

Unsurprisingly the entire property has an Asian theme to it but it is, thankfully, low key and quite tasteful. Perhaps the most obvious nod to the Oriental part of its name is the practice of its service employees to press hands together and bow respectfully to guests. I know President Obama got into trouble over this, but here you may feel free to bow back.

There are just over 600 units in the building with roughly 400 of them being hotel rooms and the rest upscale condo residences. There are separate entrances and elevators for people who live there but they have access to all of the properties amenities including the restaurants, pool, and spa.

Regarding the latter, it is located on the 7th and 8th floors of the building and also feature some spectacular views. All of the spa treatment rooms and several of its public areas feature windows so you can get a massage or soak in the hot tub while gazing at The Strip. The pool area is also located up here so get some rays while you are taking in the views.

A selection of gourmet dining and cocktail venues are offered on property, including the hotel’s signature restaurant from award-winning Chef Pierre Gagnaire featuring classic French cuisine with a modern spin. Located in the 23rd floor Sky Lobby, the restaurant offers similar impressive views with its floor-to-ceiling windows as does the nearby Mandarin Bar.

The property features additional dining venues including Mozen Bistro, an all-day contemporary kitchen featuring authentic Asian dishes and multi-national fare. The Tea Lounge serves as a meeting place with an extensive menu of teas and High Tea rituals. Located on street-level lining Las Vegas Boulevard, Amore Patisserie serves a variety of gourmet pastries, cakes, sandwiches, coffee, teas, and hand-made gelato to passing guests and visitors.

That’s it in terms of onsite facilities but note that it is a short walk to the rest of what CityCenter has to offer including gaming, dining, and nightlife at Aria and the shopping and dining at The Crystals.

The standard rooms are comfortably proportioned but not huge. It feels very much like a standard hotel room in terms of size but the subtle Asian inspired decor, all using the highest quality materials, makes it feel special and definitely luxurious. Beds are big and fluffy with crisp white linens; a built in entertainment unit features a mini-bar and a 42″ flat screen television; a work desk allows you take advantage of the wired or wireless Internet capability; and the glass lined bathroom is appropriately marbled and stuffed with amenities. It’s nothing ground-breaking but it’s all very nice.

Larger and more luxurious rooms and suites are available.

There are a couple of notable features. First, as with most of CityCenter, the rooms here are high-tech with keyless entry and a centralized control system (via a touchscreen or the TV) controls everything from lighting to temperature to drapes. Second is the valet closet with access from both inside the room and the hall. This allows guests to drop off their dry cleaning or get their morning paper without having to open the door.

Service is the hallmark of the Mandarin Oriental brand and it goes way beyond the bowing. Since it’s a relatively small property (at least in Vegas terms) they have the ability to go out of their way to make sure that every guest is treated very well and the feeling of being at a true luxury resort is palpable.

It’s difficult to pinpoint the range of rates for the Mandarin Oriental as they seem to be all over the map – even more so than most Vegas hotels. The original pricepoint was going to be very high – think over $300 per night – but I’m seeing rooms as low as $170 during the week and under $200 on some weekends. Those are good rates for a hotel of this caliber but don’t expect to always get them that cheap.

So… does Vegas need another luxury hotel? Your call.

CSI: The Experience. By Rick Garman

As one of the most successful television franchises in history, “CSI” has inspired countless spin-offs and imitators. But the original is set in Las Vegas so it only makes sense that you can now become a crime scene investigator yourself in a new attraction in Sin City.

The CSI Experience at MGM Grand is an interactive exhibit that puts you in the driver’s seat of a criminal investigation with the help of many of the stars of the Las Vegas show and real-life CSI technicians.

You start with a video instruction from your boss, Gil Grissom (yes, he’s not really the boss anymore on the show, but go with it) and then you get to choose from one of three “crime scenes.” In “A House Collided,” a car has crashed into a house killing the driver. But is it that simple? No, of course not. “Who Got Served” involves a waitress found dead by a trash dumpster behind a seedy Vegas motel. And “No Bones About It” challenges you to figure out who the pile of bones in the desert used to be and how they got there.

As the CSI you are asked to examine the crime scene and make notes on a guide sheet provided to you. You can take as much time as you want and they even provide flashlights to get better views of the clues. Is that a bloody handprint on the hood of the car? Why yes it is.

Next you take your findings through a series of interactive workstations that will help you analyze everything from blood spatter to DNA to fingerprints to shoe prints and more. You even get to examine the “body” although it’s much less gory than the actual show is. Each workstation unlocks another piece of the puzzle (or not, as the case may be) and sends you to the final test where you have to figure out the crime.

It requires patience to do the thing justice (no pun intended). In addition to needing to wait your turn while others are using the workstations, there is a lot of information to process. Although most of it is put in terms that the layperson can understand, it still involves science and for those who want to come to Vegas to NOT think, this may be a challenge. For instance I have the patience of a hyperactive two year old and anything involving things like physics makes my brain hurt.

But the good news that is that if you pay even a little bit of attention, you can actually miss some clues and skip some of the workstations and still figure out whodunnit. Expect to take at least an hour if you want to really do it justice but I managed to get through it in about 30 minutes and was able to ID the killer and get my CSI certificate.

It’s not cheap – it’ll run you $30 to investigate one of the crimes and another $26 if you want to go back and do one of the others. But for something this engaging that’s not bad.

Fans of the show should absolutely make a stop here and anyone else looking for a unique Vegas experience should consider taking part in the crime scene as well.

Brett’s Vegas Views BY Jackie Brett.

TERRY FATOR INTRODUCES NEW PUPPET AT FIRST ANNIVERSARY SHOW

Terry Fator will celebrate his fisrt anniversary as a Strip headliner on March 13. For the ocassion he will introduce a new characer. Vikki “The Cougar” was the first new character he debuted in The Mirage show and fter a year on the prowl, Vikki will finally get a new colleague. But fans won’t know any more until the celebratory one-year Saturday night show. For this one-night-only event, tickets start at $79 and include entrance to Fator’s show as well as entry to the after-party at B.B. King’s Blues Club where members of Fator’s band will jam with the B.B. King’s Las Vegas All Stars. For tickets, call 702-792-7777 or 800-963-9634.

SANTA FE OPENS NEW REVOLVER SALOON & DANCE HALL

Santa Fe Station in North Las Vegas saddles up with a new entertainment offering: Revolver Saloon & Dance Hall. Revolver offers dancing, early evening line dancing and mechanical bull riding. The 10,000-square-foot venue introduces a hillbilly chic motif, deadwood trees throughout the room, and a variety of 30-foot-wide murals and hundreds of smaller images ranging from the likes of John Wayne and Johnny Cash to hot women in chaps. There’s also Delilah, the 180-pound mirrored armadillo disco ball hanging from the ceiling that dances at the speed of the song playing.

Revolver features two bar areas and specialty “outlaw” cocktails such as “Beergarita,” “Buck All Night” and “Reverse Cowboy.” The place is open Wednesday through Saturday from 7 p.m. until 3 a.m. Cover is $5 for women, $10 for men or $5 with military ID. Folks can ride the mechanical bull once for $5 or all-night-long for $20. There are also theme nights and specials.

‘AMERICAN SUPERSTARS’ AT STRATOSPHERE ADDS MICHAEL JACKSON

The “American Superstars” show at the Stratosphere has added Corey Melton as the new Michael Jackson tribute artist. Melton has strong roots in the music business with his father, who was a club owner booking headlining acts, and his vocalist mother working with legends including Smokey Robinson and James Brown. Melton was a cast member of the performance company Team 11, a St. Louis based song and dance company produced by KPLR Channel 11.

TAO AND BLUSH WIN NIGHTCLUB AND BAR AWARDS

TAO Nightclub at The Venetian has been named Nightclub of the Year by the 2010 Nightclub and Bar Awards. The 10,000-square-foot nightclub opened in September 2005 and has three full-service bars, two main rooms, eight private skyboxes, 40-foot outside terrace with a Strip view, and nightly performance vignettes, including nearly nude bombshells.

The 4,500-square-foot Blush Boutique Nightclub at Wynn has been named Ultra Lounge of the Year by the Nightclub & Bar Awards, formerly known as the Five Star Awards. Blush features a crème lantern ceiling-sculpture, purse drawers for personal belongings, and an open-air patio and bar area. The winners will be honored with a VIP celebration during the 2010 Nightclub & Bar Convention and Trade Show in Las Vegas and featured in the March issue of “Nightclub & Bar.”

SINGER MATT GOSS WILL DEBUT NEW SHOW AT CLEOPATRA’S BARGE

“Singing Sensation Matt Goss Live From Caesars Palace” produced by Robin Antin, creator of “The Pussycat Dolls,” will debut at the legendary Cleopatra’s Barge on Friday, March 12. Goss will be backed by a nine-piece band and sexy female dancers known as The Dirty Virgins. Goss, who has sold more than 17 million albums worldwide, will have a show featuring a mix of his career hits, songs from his new album, and popular covers. Tickets are $40, call 800-745-3000.

On Aug. 6, 1970, Cleopatra’s Barge opened at Caesars Palace with the addition of the hotel’s Centurion Tower. The venue will be transformed into the Gossy Room every Friday and Saturday night at 10 p.m., offering a vintage-Vegas feel with maitre d ’ seating, tableside cocktail service and specialty cocktails.

Following the show, everyone is invited to enjoy the lounge experience with Goss and his band. Prior to March 12, Cleopatra’s Barge will be refurbished with new red curtains, carpet and furniture. Adjustments also will enhance sight lines to create an intimate showroom experience for its 165 guests.

Goss reached international fame as the lead singer of ’80s pop group Bros, enjoying more than a decade of success with more than 17 million records sold worldwide. He released an autobiography in 2005 and has gone on to focus on songwriting including writing the main theme song for the No. 1 FOX program “So You Think You Can Dance” and writing the hit song “Change Me” for Keri Hilson and Akon, which is featured on Hilson’s current chart-topping album “In A Perfect World.” Goss is recording his next studio album and awaiting the September release of his children’s book “Bear Crimbo,” the first of a three-book deal.

ANDREW DICE CLAY MOVES TO THE LAS VEGAS HILTON

The legendary “Bad Boy of Comedy,” Andrew Dice Clay, has just signed a long-term contract with the Las Vegas Hilton. As of Feb. 4, he is performing a minimum 28 weeks, with shows at 11 p.m. in the casino’s 350-seat Shimmer Showroom. Tickets are $49.99, $69.99 and $99.99, call 702-732-5755 or 800-222-5361.

Clay has done countless sold-out arena tours, done multiple nights at Madison Square Garden, made multi gold and platinum selling albums, starred in films including the cult classic “The Adventures of Ford Fairlane” and countless TV specials.

Also, the Diceman has a “lifetime ban” from MTV because of his “profane language and offensive jokes” at the Video Music Awards.

http://www.lasvegas-nv.com/brett/020710.htm

Harrah’s gets preliminary approval to acquire Planet Hollywood.
By ARNOLD M. KNIGHTLY
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

Nevada’s top gaming regulator Wednesday called Harrah’s Entertainment’s pending acquisition of Planet Hollywood Resort “beneficial for the state” because it will keep another hotel property from having to possibly file for bankruptcy.

“The existing Planet Hollywood was headed for some type of restructuring, perhaps a bankruptcy,” Gaming Control Board Chairman Dennis Neilander said. “We have some 40 properties that are in our bankruptcy group right now. This will offer a smooth transition for employees that are there and operating the business.”

Neilander’s comments came just before the three-member board in Carson City gave preliminary approval to the deal that will give Harrah’s Entertainment its ninth Strip hotel-casino.

More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/news/breaking_news/harrah_s-gets-preliminary-approval-to-acquire-planet-hollywood-83465702.html

MIKE WEATHERFORD: Sahara combining showrooms.
The Sahara is set to consolidate its two showrooms into one on March 1. The only real surprise in the move might be why it didn’t happen sooner.

The Comedy Stop and “Sandy Hackett’s Rat Pack Show” are both scheduled to move downstairs into the theater that hosts magician Rick Thomas.

A Sahara spokeswoman says management wanted to free up its options for the larger second-floor space that includes the venue known as the Congo Room. The venue took shape in 1999, first as a temporary arrangement while the original Congo Room was demolished and replaced by the current theater.

More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/neon/sahara-combining-showrooms-83527427.html

Southwest Airlines: Book 4 nights in Las Vegas, get 2 for free.
BY” Amanda Finnegan/Las Vegas Sun.

Southwest Airlines has partnered with several Strip and downtown hotels to give visitors an incentive to extend their stays in Las Vegas.

From now until Feb. 11, visitors booking flights and hotels with Southwest Vacations can receive up to two nights free at participating hotels. Visitors booking three nights will receive one of those nights for free and visitors booking four nights will receive two of those nights for free.

The deal is good for travel booked between now and March 31, but travel needs to be booked at least five days in advance.

Flight and hotel packages start at $38 per person, per night, with a stay at the El Cortez Hotel and Casino. Other hotels on the list include the Venetian, Treasure Island, The Mirage and Planet Hollywood.

For the first weekend of March with a departure out of Los Angeles with a four-night stay, prices range from $229 per person at the El Cortez to $691 at the Four Seasons. Prices at other popular hotels include $349 at Luxor, $448 at Mandalay Bay and $517 at Caesars Palace.

http://www.lasvegassun.com/blogs/coin-bucket/2010/feb/01/southwest-airlines/

Local restaurants, bars offer Super Bowl specials. BY: Allison Duck/Las Vegas Sun.

If you’re not pulling for either the Saints or the Colts on Sunday — and maybe even if you are — the Super Bowl may very well be all about the food (and the commercials, of course).

Las Vegas restaurants and bars are pulling out all the stops to provide the most fabulous tailgate-esque spreads you can imagine. There will be hotdogs, nachos and wings as far as the eye can see and ice cold drinks to wash them down. Check out the plethora of options for optimal Super Bowl viewing and eating.

More here:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/feb/04/local-restaurants-bars-offer-super-bowl-specials/

Steve’s Las Vegas Quickies:

Jimmy Hopper is returning to Las Vegas to perform from 7-10 p.m. Sundays in The Lounge at the Palms. That’s the room vacated by Matt Goss, new headliner in the former Cleopatra’s Barge, where he will perform Fridays and Saturdays starting March 12.

There’s been Twitter chatter that Celine Dion is announcing her return to Caesars Palace on “Oprah” next Wednesday. Word is she’ll return to the Colosseum on March 15, 2011.

Vegas Seven made its debut Thursday as Las Vegas’ latest weekly newspaper. It was conceived by Las Vegas-based Wendoh Media Companies, and published in partnership with The Observer Media Group.

Mundo, formerly known as La Madonna before relocating from South Fort Apache Road to downtown, just opened at the World Market Center with the same owners (George Harris and Irma Aguirre) and chef (Robert Solano). Bette Midler found the upscale Mexican fare absolutely divine during La Madonna’s two-year run.

Terrible’s is continuing its free daily slot tournaments. All Players Club members are entitled to one free entry per day with additional entries available after earning 100 and 250 points. The top 10 daily scorers will receive prizes.

Laguna Champagne Bar has opened at the Palazzo, 3325 Las Vegas Blvd. South. In addition to champagnes, champagne cocktails and champagne “Boom Boom” shooters, it offers entertainment (including a harpist on Fridays and Saturdays), plus happy-hour specials from 5 to 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. to midnight daily. Call 607-7777.

Quesadilla has opened at the Imperial Palace, 3535 Las Vegas Blvd. South. Serving Mexican and South American fare such as chicken tortilla soup and Cabo fish tacos, it’s open from 3 to 10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 3 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays. Call 731-3311.

Look for more details soon but for now I’m hearing the Las Vegas Walk of Stars is planning a dual star presentation for Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin on Feb. 22. Word is the Sinatra estate wants little to do with the event, financially or otherwise.

Talks between Paula Abdul and local hotels are reaching critical mass. She was spotted in the valet area of Planet Hollywood Resort on Monday chatting with Hilton exec Ken Ciancimino, who confirmed that he’s been shaping a deal with Abdul for quite some time. “She’s got a lot of irons in the fire, a lot of offers,” Ciancimino said. It was over lunch in 2002 that Abdul mentioned Barry Manilow was road weary and recommended him to Ciancimino. “Paula gave us the idea. David Brenner gave us the phone number.” From all indications, some major announcements involving Abdul are imminent.

Harrah’s is seeking a building permit for a three-story, 72,000-square-foot Strip-front build-out on the southwest corner of Paris Las Vegas. That space, which now has a fountain and an outdoor dining area, would get a retail store, new restaurants and a nightclub.

Andrew Dice Clay has found what he seemed to be searching for while he was bouncing around town last year: a place to hang his leather jacket in Las Vegas.

The raunchy comedian will spend about 10 days a month, or a minimum 28 weeks this year, doing an 11 p.m. set in the 350-seat Shimmer Showroom starting today. That’s about 110 “Hickory Dickory Dock(s)!”

Rumblings are intensifying that Caesars Palace executives and AEG concert producers are readying a Celine Dion announcement next week. I’m told but can’t confirm anywhere officially that next Wednesday, we’ll be given news that Ticketmaster will begin selling advance tickets for Celine’s return to The Colosseum on the Strip. I’m still told that the Web site accidentally flashed a March 25, 2011, start date for her new concert run.

The mechanical bull that had been victorious in battles waged by tourists, locals and bikini-clad riders is back to defend its new home at Treasure Island, when Gilley’s Saloon, Dance Hall and Bar-B-Que opens April 16. Situated next to Sirens Cove, Gilley’s will have retractable glass for outdoor Strip seating and will be accessible from the casino and via a newly constructed bridge in front of the Sirens ship. Gilley’s will serve lunch and dinner and feature a show kitchen, saddle seats at the bar, live entertainment Thursdays through Saturdays, line dancing and the Gilley Girls. I’m still wondering if and how this affects Christian Audigier.

The water shows at Planet Hollywood’s Miracle Mile fountain are turning the color red this month for National Heart Month. Additionally, all money tossed into the fountain and the indoor rainstorm attraction this month will be donated to the American Heart Association.

Rao’s Caesars Palace, the East Harlem icon that now call Las Vegas home, has launched a lunch menu, “Pizza In The Park,” Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Rao’s indoor patio is modeled after New York’s Jefferson Park. Chef Carla Pellegrino’s menu showcases an array of dishes including antipasti, pizza and desserts. Prices range from $7 to $17.

Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises restaurant empire is to open its first Mexican-themed restaurant mid-March on the site in Fashion Show Mall currently occupied by the group’s Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba tapas joint, which will close Feb. 15. The new restaurant, which has yet to be named, is described as “an informal cantina and taqueria with a mesquite-fired wood grill, and a fairly traditional menu.” The good news for Ba-Ba-Reeba fans is that the “beverage program will include housemade sangria” still, plus “out of this world” margaritas. It will take advantage of its proximity to the Strip with a walk-up taco stand up front serving passers-by street-food style.

President Barack Obama is once again under fire for using Las Vegas as a symbol of financial irresponsibility, having told a crowd in New Hampshire “You don’t blow a bunch of cash in Vegas when you’re trying to save for college.” Quick to criticize were both governor Jim Gibbons, who refused to meet the president after his 2009 remark about how bailed-out companies shouldn’t book junkets in Las Vegas on the taxpayers’ dime, and Sen. Harry Reid, who last time defended Obama but his time conceded he’d gone too far, saying, “Lay off Las Vegas.”

The Queen of Hearts casino — long defunct — was today demolished to make way for the new Las Vegas city hall. The site’s gaming license was previously maintained by the erection of a temporary mobile casino on the site in August, 2008, but any plans to build a casino property on the plot at Main Street and Lewis Avenue were later abandoned.

According to a report in today’s Las Vegas Sun, according to the company’s own financial estimates, the Monorail will never generate enough revenue to pay off its debts and without financial relief to deal with looming bills, necessary train replacements, and other equipment costs, its ability to continue operating beyond 2019 remains in question.

Celebrated ventriloquist Terry Fator will celebrate his first anniversary as a Las Vegas headliner with the introduction of new character during the special anniversary show on Saturday, March 13, 2010 at the Mirage. For this one-night-only event tickets start at $79.

Alizé, the French restaurant atop the Palms, has been voted the “Most Romantic Restaurant in the U.S.” by OpenTable Inc. online reservations service. The Eiffel Tower (Paris) and Pamplemouuse (E. Sahara) in Las Vegas also made the list.

The Showgirl must move on.
Bette Midler’s exultant Vegas victory lap. BY: Joe Brown/ Las Vegas Sun.
As Bette Midler folded up her feathered fans — after singing the first verse of “Wind Beneath My Wings” to her orchestra, the next to “4,500 of my closest friends” — it felt like something more than a Vegas show was ending.

Midler began her two-year run as a headliner at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in February of 2008 — just as the toughest two years this town has seen were dawning. And as she leaves Las Vegas, it seems like a moment of star magnitude, of showbiz spectacle, of Destination Entertainment, is going with her.

“I survived!” Midler crowed, beaming as she made her Big Entrance atop a tower of Louis Vuitton luggage on Sunday night. She not only survived but thrived: At 64, she somehow looks and sounds even better than she did when she got here. (Must be that desert air.) And the show ended on a high note — I’ve seen The Showgirl Must Go On four times since it opened, and Midler and her crew continually revised, streamlined and improved it right up to Sunday’s last bow. Filled with exultant emotion and off-the-script surprises — including drop-bys from Hawaiian ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro, Marie Osmond, Gladys Knight and Celine Dion (via ginormous video) — her victory lap was probably unbeatable.

More here:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/feb/01/showgirl-must-move/

Beyond the Barge.
Pure and other possible destinations considered for Goss’ residency. By: Xania Woodman/Las Vegas Sun.

Caesars Palace has a long history of reeling in top live talent since the resort opened in 1966. At first performers took to Circus Maximus, Nero’s Nook and Cleopatra’s Barge, and later to the Colosseum. Beginning in March, Cleopatra’s Barge once again will assume the role of host with the arrival of singer/songwriter Matt Goss’ Friday and Saturday night show, Matt Goss Live from Caesars Palace Produced by Robin Antin.

But Cleopatra’s Barge is not the only venue that was considered by Gary Selesner, Caesars Palace president. Selesner said he toured the property a few times with Goss and Goss’ manager/producer/choreographer, Robin Antin, also creator of the Pussycat Dolls. Selesner told the Weekly prior to the big announcement that a number of alternate locations were also on the table before the final decision was made.

More here:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/jan/29/beyond-barge/

Cirque’s spectacular Ka celebrates 5th anniversary @MGM Grand.
By Robin Leach/ Las Vegas Sun.

KÀ by Cirque du Soleil celebrates its fifth anniversary at MGM Grand this week. It was five years ago tomorrow that Cirque’s fourth show on the Strip premiered, said to be the most expensive production ever mounted in the history of theater, with a still never officially confirmed $170 million price tag. Subsequent Cirque shows The Beatles Love at The Mirage, Criss Angel’s Believe at the Luxor and Viva Elvis in Aria were each produced for about $100 million.

For this fifth anniversary week, from today through Saturday, each ticket for KÀ will be reduced to $55.

KÀ’s celebrity spectators have included Barbra Streisand, Nicolas Cage, Debra Messing, Sean Hayes, Alicia Keys, Peter Gabriel, Drew Carey, Paula Abdul, Britney Spears and Janet Jackson. KÀ so overwhelmed Cher that she later apologized backstage for not applauding during the show because she was so mesmerized. Rosie O’Donnell was so taken by the show that she wrote a tribute on her blog.

Perhaps the biggest celebrity fan of them all is Tom Cruise, who watched KÀ three times last year. He brought Katie Holmes in April and afterward went backstage to meet with the cast. They posed for photos and signed autographs for the cast and crew. Tom even did a few backflips with a little help from the performers.

The most recent celebrity to visit last week was Holly Madison, star of Planet Hollywood’s Peepshow. Before she flew off over the weekend to visit The Girls Next Door girlfriend Kendra Wilkinson, Holly went backstage after the show to meet the cast. Holly jetted off to Kendra’s new home in Indiana, where she lives with husband Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Hank Baskett and their baby boy, Hank Jr. The Colts, of course, are playing the New Orleans Saints in the Super Bowl on Sunday, and Kendra is set to host a soiree at Miami’s Passion nightclub.

Back at KÀ, Holly said she was particularly impressed by the animal puppetry in the show, especially one contortionist. Holly discovered that she has fans among the cast and told them that she’s getting ready to resume Peepshow and simultaneously start filming the launch of her reality TV show Holly’s World on E! on March 1.

KÀ combines martial arts, acrobatics, puppetry, interactive video projections and pyrotechnics to tell the saga of the Imperial Twins — a boy and a girl — who embark on an adventurous journey to fulfill their destinies. The show features 80 performers from 16 countries.

Here are some of the wonders of KÀ:

• Each of the 1,950 seats in the KÀ theater has two speakers built into the headrest for customized sound effects controlled for 16 seating zones.

• The video projections are a mix of computer-generated effects and human input that turns the performance space into a cinema screen.

• 1,300 hours went into the making of each of the human-sized crab puppets.

• The Counselor’s Son has the most complex makeup involving 33 steps, eight brushes, four sponges and one powder puff.

• For the beach scene, the sand is created using 350 cubic feet of granular cork from Portugal.

• The Sand Cliff Deck and Gantry Crane have a combined weight of approximately 280,000 pounds, or 140 tons.

• Key distances: The highest grid ceiling to the lowest floor level is 149 feet. The stage-level boardwalk to the highest grid ceiling is 98 feet. The stage level to the pit is 51 feet. The width of the performance area is 121 feet. The boardwalk to the back wall of the theater is 120 feet.

• The boat in the Storm scene weighs 1,800 pounds and is manipulated by the artists.

• The Climb scene runs the Sand Cliff Deck through a sequence of moves that has it rotating up to 12 degrees per second, tilting through 60 degrees. Artists fall up to 60 feet into air bags.

• There are 14 “trees” in the Forest scene made of corrugated steel tube. Each has a diameter of 4 feet and 80 feet tall and weighs as much as 3,000 pounds.

• The Wheel of Death in the Slave Cage scene weighs 10,000 pounds and is comprised of two independent sets of circular “cages” that rotate around a common axle. The movement is completely controlled by the artists in the cages.

• In the Battle scene, the artists walk on the Sand Cliff Deck at a perpendicular angle to the ground. This is achieved through individual high-speed winches for each of the 16 artists, who control their movements through wireless remotes built into their costumes.

• KÀ has more than 3,300 lighting fixtures.

• To fill the theater with sound takes 524,150 watts of amplifier power pumping a mix of sound effects and music to 4,774 loudspeaker drivers in 2,139 cabinets. The sound system weighs 43,868 pounds. The main audio system covers nearly 2 million cubic feet of air space.

• Seventy specialists worked more than 35,000 hours to produce the first full set of KÀ costumes at Cirque du Soleil headquarters in Montreal.

• All costumes, headpieces, 15 wigs, hats and 400 pairs of shoes are custom-made.

• All KÀ artists complete their own makeup, taking 45 minutes to 2 hours to apply. Many artists glue Austrian crystals to their faces as part of their makeup.

• The Chief Archer has the most complex makeup application, with 43 steps and 22 brushes.

• During the pre-show, 119 fireballs are fired, with each discharge measuring 30 feet and reaching 1,200 degrees.

• KÀ has a 13,000-gallon storage tank for the 300-degree liquid nitrogen mixed with water to create the fog effects.

• For the Mountain Tribe scenes, snow machines and fans float soapsuds through the air to make snowfall.

• The Props and Puppet Department is responsible for more than 500 props, 10 larger-than-life puppets, 21 mini puppets and six butterflies.

• The Stick Bug puppet is more than 16 feet long and is operated by two artists. The Snake is more than 80 feet long.

• More than 110 arrows are shot through the air at each performance. The artists spent 100-plus hours in training to learn archery techniques.

• There are more than 160 harnesses for the artists made up of 21 types each hand-fitted to the individual artist and inspected daily.

• Acrobatic safety nets are used for artists falling less than 20 feet. For falls more than 20 feet, air bags are used in addition to the safety nets.

• Eighteen winches are used to pull two safety nets into the many configurations for the show. Each winch rope has a tensile strength of 30,000 pounds.

• The Forest Grid truss, catwalk and track system that supports the scenic elements of the Forest scene and its component parts weigh more than 80,000 pounds.

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/feb/02/cirques-spectacular-emkaem-celebrates-fifth-annive/

Brett’s Vegas Views By Jackie Brett.

LAS VEGAS NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM OPENS EGYPTIAN PAVILION.

On Jan. 30, the Las Vegas Natural History Museum downtown opened a new permanent exhibit called The Treasures of Egypt, which features nearly 500 reproduced artifacts including the tomb of the young Pharaoh Tutankhamen. The exhibit, located in the museum’s new 4000-square-foot Egyptian Pavilion expansion, provides a glimpse into the ancient past of Egyptian civilization. It features replicas generously donated by MGM Mirage that were formerly on display in the King Tut Museum & Tomb inside the Luxor, including the world-famous guardian statues, King Tut’s sarcophagus and an array of statues, vases, baskets and pottery. The museum was able to recreate the tomb of King Tut as discovered by Howard Carter in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt in 1922. This replica of the actual tomb is the only known exhibit of its kind outside of Egypt.

Admission is $10 for adults; $8 for students, seniors and military; and $5 for children ages 3-11. Children age 2 and under are free. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Visit www.lvnhm.org for information and a two-for-one coupon.

REGIONAL CHILI COOK-OFF PLANNED AT LAKE LAS VEGAS

The Village Las Vegas and Sonrisa Grill will host chili makers in the 2nd Silver State Regional Chili Cook-Off, sanctioned by the International Chili Society (ICS). Cooks will produce their best Red Chili and Chili Verde starting at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 13. Tasting, which costs $5 per person, and judging will follow from noon to 4 p.m. The public can vote for the People’s Choice Award for creativity and can partake in a raffle while a DJ provides music.

ETHEL’S CACTUS GARDEN WILL BECOME A LOVERS’ LANE

This Valentine’s Day, for the first time, Ethel’s Cactus Garden in Henderson will be transformed into an illuminated Lovers’ Lane. From Feb. 12 – 14, visitors will be able to stroll down a romantically lit walkway through the three-acre Cactus Garden leading to a picturesque gazebo. The Chocolate Factory and store will remain open till 8 p.m. while Lover’s Lane, which is free, will stay lit until 10 p.m.

KARAOKE WITH A SEXY EDGE

For karaoke fans, Brando’s Bar & Grill on Industrial Road behind Circus Circus offers a new twist. On Tuesday nights from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m., it’s Karaoke XXX aka porn star karaoke. The sing-a-long with a sexy edge has a different porn star hosting. Each host usually brings 8×10 pictures, movies, and/or posters of their work and these items are used as giveaway prizes every half hour beginning at 10:30 p.m. As the prizes are given away the porn star greets the patron, signs the item, and takes a picture with them. Each half hour, there is also a free shot or drink for the patron with the best fake orgasm, best body, best abs, best performance of the night, etc.

PALMS WILL MAKE ‘PLAYBOY COMEDY’ ITS NEW RESIDENT SHOW

The Palms has announced that “Playboy Comedy” will be the feature entertainment in The Lounge three nights a week beginning Feb. 18. This comedy club will be hosted each week by Cort McCown and Paul Hughes and kick off its residency with East Coast comic Nick Di Paolo, Feb. 18-20 followed by Sebastian Maniscalco, Feb. 25-27. Show times will be 10 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and 8 and 10 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets are $39.99 with entry into the legendary Playboy Club included following the show and can be purchased at www.palms.com or the box office.

Nick Di Paolo has twice been nominated for an Emmy for his writing on “The Chris Rock Show” and has also had three half-hour stand-up specials of his own on Comedy Central. Di Paolo was one of the stars on “Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn” and a stand out on many Comedy Central roasts. He also had guest starring roles on “Lucky Louie” and “The Sopranos” as well as films including Artie Lange’s “Beer League.” He is a favorite on both Howard Stern and Opie and Anthony and hosted his own show on New York’s 92.3 Free FM.

http://www.lasvegas-nv.com/brett/012410.htm

Stratosphere Hotel & Casino Celebrates Valentine’s Day All Weekend With Room and Dining Specials.

Enjoy Valentine’s Day weekend at Stratosphere Hotel & Casino, one of the most romantic and popular spots in Las Vegas. To help couples celebrate, Stratosphere is featuring unparalleled room and dining specials all weekend. Due to popular demand for Top of the World restaurant, Stratosphere has added Dining With a View, a private room seating located on level 104 of the Tower. The Top of the World chef has created a special menu specifically for Dining with a View in celebration of Valentine’s Day.

Suite Hearts
Stratosphere is offering three impressive and affordable room packages for a memorable Valentine’s Day. All packages receive a free upgrade to a premier view room.

Valentine’s Day Three-Night Package – Feb. 12,13,14 – Loved ones can celebrate the entire weekend together with this package featuring three nights stay in a premier view room, champagne toast at Level 107 Lounge, brunch at Top of the World, private seating for Valentine’s Day dinner and $25 off an in-room massage from Roni Josef Salon & Spa. Rates are $629 inclusive based on double occupancy.

Valentine’s Day Two-Night Saturday and Sunday Package – Feb. 13,14 – Enjoy each other’s company with this package offering two nights stay in a premier view room, private seating for Valentine’s Day dinner and $25 off an in-room massage from Roni Josef Salon & Spa. Rates are $445 inclusive based on double occupancy.

Valentine’s Day Two-Night Sunday and Monday Package – Feb. 14,15 – The holiday will be one to remember for those who choose this package with two nights stay in a premier view room, private seating for Valentine’s Day dinner and $25 off an in-room massage from Roni Josef Salon & Spa. Rates are $349 inclusive based on double occupancy.

For reservations call Stratosphere at 1-800-99-TOWER (1-800-998-6937).

Wine and Dine.
In addition to the room packages, Stratosphere will feature specials to please any palate.

Level 107 Lounge Sweetheart Package – Toast to the holiday with a glass of champagne and chocolate covered strawberries at Level 107 Lounge on Friday, Feb. 12 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. The music of Afterglow and the breathtaking views of the city in the background set the mood for an enchanting evening. Price is $22.70 per person and includes tax and gratuity.

Top of the World Brunch – After a night of romance, enjoy a decadent brunch at Top of the World restaurant on Saturday, Feb. 13 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The three-course meal starts with a choice of lobster bisque or market greens salad. For the main course, guests have mouthwatering options of roasted free range chicken breast, seared organic Scottish salmon or ricotta gnocchi bolognese. An assortment of mini desserts offers the perfect ending to the meal. Brunch prices are $36.57 per person and include tax and gratuity.

Valentine’s Day Dinner – Dining with a View will have two seatings on Sunday, Feb. 14 at 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. While sipping on a complimentary glass of champagne, guests can indulge in appetizers of roasted red pepper and lump crab tartlet, tomato bisque shooter with a Valentine smoked cheddar grilled cheese sandwich and ahi tuna carpaccio with wasabi caviar. The Top of the World chef has specially prepared a dinner presentation beginning with a shrimp and scallop love puff with shiitake mushrooms and a baby frisee salad with dried cranberries, roasted red apple and champagne vinaigrette. Diners will feast on a duet of oven baked petite lobster tail filled with an artichoke risotto and a char-grilled filet of beet with peppercorn sauce accompanied by chef’s vegetable selection for the main course. Decadent red velvet Valentine cake with raspberry coulis and crème anglaise completes the meal. To commemorate the day, ladies will be presented with a single rose. Dinner prices are $108.89 per person and include tax and gratuity.

Reservations are required at Top of the World and Dining with a View. Call (702) 380-7711 to enjoy a great Valentine’s Day brunch or dinner.

The Stratosphere Hotel & Casino is located at 2000 Las Vegas Boulevard South. For more information, call 702-380-7777 or toll free at 1-800-99-TOWER (998-6937) or visit www.stratospherehotel.com.

Bellagio Introduces Las Vegas’ Most Stunning Sunday Brunch:
From: www.accessvegas.com

Fountains Brunch at Jasmine Delights Senses by Pairing Delectable Gourmet Dishes with Breathtaking Visual of Resort’s Iconic Dancing Waters.

For the first time in the AAA Five Diamond resort’s history, guests of Bellagio are invited to partake in an unrivaled brunch experience, featuring a bevy of gourmet and traditional cuisine, while enjoying sweeping views of Bellagio’s lake and world-renowned fountains. Fountains Brunch at Jasmine now redefines Sunday brunch in Las Vegas.

Upon arrival, guests are welcomed with a tempting Tableside Bakery Trio – a selection of miniature pastries, muffins and Danish – along with seasonal berries to tease the appetite as patrons decide which of the many bars and stations they should visit first.

From there, guests may be drawn to the Lakeside Shellfish Bar offering seafood indulgences such as freshly shucked Oysters on the Half Shell with a tasty mignonette sauce; Alaskan Red King Crab deliciously presented with creamy lemon aioli; Scottish Smoked Salmon or Dill- and Vodka-cured Lox, paired with traditional garnishes and mini-bagel chips; and American Caviar served with chive crème fraîche and buckwheat mini-waffles.

The sounds of cracking eggshells and sizzling hot pans may lead patrons to an Organic Egg Station where they can choose from Build-Your-Own Omelets and Eggs Benedict to scrambled or fried. Or perhaps the mouth-watering aroma of Peking-style Duck, Roasted Prime Tenderloin or house-made Sausage from the delectable Carving Station will tempt taste buds first.

“Between our extensive gourmet offerings, personal tableside touches and awe-inspiring fountain views, Jasmine is the spot for Sunday brunch in Las Vegas,” said Bellagio Vice President of Food & Beverage Ana Marie Mormando. “For anyone who appreciates great food in a beautiful setting, this experience is unparalleled on the Las Vegas Strip.”

For those who yearn for more choices, additional dining options abound. At the Cold Table, guests can partake in such distinctive dishes as Lemongrass Panna Cotta garnished with crystallized wasabi; Bocconcini and Cherry Tomato Spiedini with lemon basil; and Kobe Beef Roulade prepared with enoki mushrooms and miso-butterscotch dressing. At the Hot Table, savory Mini-Lamb Meatball Brochettes, Dungeness Crab Cakes and Crystal Prawns tantalize. Other choices such as Nigiri and Maki Sushi, Pan-fried Asian Chicken Buns and an Asian Noodle Soup Station satisfy guests’ cravings for authentic Asian fare.

The meal’s sweet end comes in the form of decadent desserts such as Chocolate Fondue, White and Dark Chocolate-dipped Strawberries, miniature French Pastries and an assortment of Truffles, Bon Bons and Tea Cookies.

Priced at $55 per person excluding tax, an unrivaled array of culinary delights combined with the dramatic beauty of Bellagio makes the Fountains Brunch at Jasmine the premier Sunday brunch destination for Las Vegas visitors and locals alike. Service takes place every Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Reservations are suggested. To secure seating, call Bellagio Restaurant Reservations at (866) 259-7111 or (702) 693-7223.

AccessVegas.com Las Vegas Valentine’s Day 2010 Parties Events Clubs
http://www.accessvegas.com/valentines-day-2010#

V Theater proprietor trying to maximize use of venue’s every inch.

By Mike Weatherford
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

A picture of Charo smiles down from one little corner of the V Theater, a reminder that once upon a time, somebody thought she could have this whole place to herself.
That was in 2003, when the Sevilla steakhouse and nightclub, with Charo as headliner, opened in the mall now called the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood. It lasted four months.

But the venue lived on to become the busiest show space in town. Depending on what day or time of year you count, the V can juggle as many as 10 titles and 17 performances in a single day.

If Charo returned to look around now, she might find an inch or two of the 35,000 square feet that proprietor David Saxe hasn’t yet found a way to use. A cigar lounge with fireplace has even been refitted with poles to host classes in “Stripper 101.”

Peeking in on shows as one might in a movie multiplex, you could see:

More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/neon/inner-space-83014372.html

SHOW REVIEW: ‘Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding’ BY Mike Weatherford/LVRJ

Hey everybody, welcome to Vinnie’s Hideaway,” announces Vinnie Black (Scott Johnson), the proprietor who looks like he sells used cars on the side.

Vinnie is the host of a nightly, “Groundhog Day”-like repetition of the Tina Nunzio and Tony Vitale nuptials. But his reception hall changes along with the rest of this surreal and much-copied interactive dinner show. The new “fabulous boo-fet of love” is the third since the two raucous families descended upon the Rio in 2002.

Vinnie now leads wedding guests down stairs lined with signed glossies of Wayne Newton and Debbie Reynolds, under the big red chandelier and the Spanish arches, to witness vows recited in front of a wall painted with kitschy cherubs. Co-creator and director Larry Pellegrini says he “fell in love with the space” and its remnants from the original Sevilla club and decided to “use the room almost as a character.”

Such attention to detail separates “Tony” from its knockoffs. The seating capacity of around 170 is about half that of the previous venues, ensuring more face time with the improvising characters. The only tables to be wary of lie at the extreme ends of the narrow, rectangular room.

Return visitors will find trade-offs in this off-Broadway intimacy. It’s easier to follow the scripted story points; when Tina’s drunken ex-boyfriend crashes in, all heads turn. But the tinny acoustics make it harder to eavesdrop on the boozy Brooklynites –who never, ever break character — even a few feet away.

Lounge singer Donny Dulce no longer has a band behind him, and the space to “Celebrate” fills up fast after the mother of the bride (Barbara Lauren) threatens, “This DJ cost a fortune, so get your asses up and dance!”

For those who can’t get enough of this stuff, the characters are there to greet early arrivals at the second-floor terrace lounge.

Source:ww.lvrj.com

Chuck Rounds’ Las Vegas Entertainment News: February 2010.

February is usually a great month for Las Vegas…there are three major events that make it one of the busier months of the year— The Super Bowl, Valentine’s Day, and MAGIC (along with several other conventions.) February is the shortest month of the year, but Las Vegas has it packed full. February is a busy time for conventions. February is always the start of changes as the city looks ahead to the summer. Late winter and early spring are good times to get shows opened so that they can establish themselves prior to the summer season. This year, we only have one major show opening…”Viva Elvis,” and from the looks of it, it may be the last major opening for a while.

The Super Bowl…with the Colts and the Saints ready to play, Las Vegas is poised for a great year. Discounted hotels, and all sorts of deals, have bookings higher than they have been in years.

MAGIC is one of the biggest conventions of the year with nearly 100k attendees…but in addition to this convention; there are also over 200 other conventions that hit the city this month…every week there is a large convention with 20 – 40 thousand attendees.

“Viva Elvis” – The new Cirque du Soleil production at Aria inside the City Center complex is having its gala grand opening in the middle of the month. It should be big and grand, and it should be everything that we expect of Cirque. It will sadly also be the last large opening of a production in the foreseeable future. We will have more, but we just have to be patient.

Las Vegas is the capital of many things, but it certainly becomes apparent that during February, we are the wedding capital of the world. Valentine’s Day brings thousands of perspective couples and guests to pending nuptials. It is a time for “Love and Weddings.” Thousands of people will swarm to Las Vegas in order to get married. Every chapel will be filled to capacity from literally dawn right up to the stroke of midnight. There are more weddings on Valentine’s Day than on any other day of the year. The number of weddings overall has fallen in recent years, but with Valentine’s being on a Sunday, it will be interesting to see what kind of numbers are pulled on that day.

A new cooking show just opened at the M Resort. It’s “Martini Time with Chef Tina.” It is a great show that treats you to the creation of a wonderful dish that you get to sample, and then you get to go and enjoy the M Resort’s buffet. It was a great dinner and a show experience.

“Tony ‘n Tina’s Wedding” opened on Valentine’s Day at the Rio, seven years ago, and it is now over at Planet Hollywood in the V Theatre, but it is still going strong as ever.

Golden Nugget Las Vegas headliner Gordie Brown will celebrate his one-year anniversary at the legendary downtown property Feb. 5. In celebration of this milestone, the Golden Nugget will offer Las Vegas locals a specially priced $10 ticket during the anniversary celebration show Feb. 5. The impressionist/singer entertained more than 100,000 people during his first year, tallying more than 250 performances of his show. Brown began performances in the newly named Gordie Brown Showroom after touring with Celine Dion on her North American tour in 2008 and early 2009.

The Sunday Brunch, “Mimosas & Music with Wes Winters” continues to be one of the best deals and most fun in all of Las Vegas. Gourmet cuisine, bottomless champagne, mimosas, Bloody Mary’s and wine combined with unique, one-of-a-kind Vegas-variety entertainment not found at any other brunch. Wes is one of the best pianists in the city. Also, registered members of the Wes Winters Fan Club receive a discount on the price.

Don Rickles, the much-honored comedian will launch his 51st consecutive year as a Las Vegas headliner when he brings his one-of-a-kind humor to The Orleans Showroom February 20 and 21, marking his third consecutive year of performances at The Orleans Showroom. Rickles took his first step toward national fame in 1957 when Frank Sinatra wandered into the small Hollywood nightclub where Rickles was performing. The still-unknown Rickles eyed Sinatra and said, “I just saw your movie, The Pride and the Passion, and I want to tell you, the cannon’s acting was great. And, make yourself at home, Frank. Hit somebody.” Sinatra doubled up laughing and became one of Rickles’ biggest boosters among Hollywood celebrities. Rickles soon became the “in” comic among Hollywood stars, who flocked to his nightclub engagements to become the targets of his insults.

Following a series of well-received weekend dates in 2009, The Scintas bring their one-of-a-kind act back to the Suncoast Showroom, Valentine’s Weekend, February 13 and 14. The Scintas entertain, surprise, and provide an anything-but-typical performance filled with music, comedy and impersonations. Their Las Vegas act, which got its start in a bar owned by former Buffalo Bill and present-day ESPN commentator Paul McGuire, includes “guest” appearances by Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, Johnny Mathis, Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and others, singing songs audiences love.

Comedy’s Loveable Queen of Mean and Grammy-nominated comedian Lisa Lampanelli is set to perform at The Pearl Concert Theater on Saturday, February 13th. Heralded as “more than a standup — a standout,” by comedy legend Jim Carrey, Lisa Lampanelli is a cross between Don Rickles, Archie Bunker and a vial of estrogen. She even won accolades from “The King of All Media” Howard Stern, who called her “a true original and a brilliant comedy mind who’ll steal the show every time.”

Steve Dacri’s close-up magic show, “In your Face,” will open on February 17th. The show had to take a bit of a break due to health problems experienced by Dacri. We wish him well in his new venue at the Shimmer Cabaret at the Las Vegas Hilton. He will play every Wednesday at 8 pm.

Every week is a big week in February. As you scroll through the special offerings, events, and headliners for the month, you’ll be amazed by all of the top-notch talent.

The first week has:
Las Vegas Wranglers
Orleans Hotel Through – Apr 3
Nile
Mandalay Bay Feb 3
Supernatural Santana: A Trip Through the Hits
Hard Rock Hotel Feb 3 – 21
Drew Carey: The Improv All-Stars
MGM Grand Feb 4 – 7
Henry Cho
South Point Feb 5 – 6
Joe Rogan
Mandalay Bay Feb 5
Jon Stewart
Mirage Feb 5 – 6
Led Zepagain
Las Vegas Hilton Feb 5 – 6
Performance Karting Expositions
South Point Feb 5 – 7 – Free
Badfish – A Tribute to Sublime
Mandalay Bay Feb 6
George Strait and Reba McEntire w/ Lee Ann Womack
MGM Grand Feb 6
National Collegiate Cheerleading Championships
Cashman Center Feb 6
Psychic Sylvia Browne
Planet Hollywood Feb 6
UFC 109
Mandalay Bay Feb 6
UNLV Men’s Basketball vs BYU
Thomas and Mack Center Feb 6

The second week includes…
Harlem Globetrotters
Orleans Hotel Feb 10
UNLV Men’s Basketbal vs New Mexico
Thomas and Mack Center Feb 10
Carlos Mencia
Treasure Island Feb 11 – 12
Jason Alexander as Donny Clay
Planet Hollywood Feb 11
Las Vegas Antique Bottles & Collectibles Club Annual Show
Palace Station Feb 11 – 13
Air Combat USA
North Las Vegas Airport Feb 12 – 14
Crystal Gayle
South Point Feb 12 – 14
Garth Brooks
Encore Las Vegas Feb 12 – 14
Home Improvement, Backyard & Travel Expo
South Point Feb 12 – 14
Jack’s Mannequin
Mandalay Bay Feb 12
Las Vegas Classic Volleyball Tournament
Cashman Center Feb 12 – 15
Ron White
Mirage Feb 12 – 14
Spring Home Show
South Point Feb 12 – 14
Tower of Power
Cannery Casino Feb 12 – 13
2010 USA Sevens International Rugby
Sam Boyd Stadium Feb 13 – 14
Dokken
Santa Fe Station Feb 13
Heatwave, Peaches and Herb and Blue Magic
Orleans Hotel Feb 13
Lisa Lampanelli
Palms Casino Feb 13
Richard Marx
Orleans Hotel Feb 13 – 14
Sam Hui
MGM Grand Feb 13
Smokey Robinson
Green Valley Ranch Feb 13
The Scinta’s
Suncoast Hotel Feb 13 – 14
Theory of a Deadman
Mandalay Bay Feb 13
Three Dog Night
Silverton Hotel Feb 13 – 14
Top Rank Presents World Championship Boxing
Las Vegas Hilton Feb 13
Grasshopper For Chinese New Year Concert
Caesars Palace Feb 14
Neal Boyd & Friends
Las Vegas Hilton Feb 14

Week number three…
Bill Medley w/ Darrin & McKenna Medley
South Point Feb 19 – 20
Larry the Cable Guy
Buffalo Bill’s Feb 19
Sinbad
Treasure Island Feb 19
Spring Home & Garden Show
Cashman Center Feb 19 – 21
Tony Bennett
Las Vegas Hilton Feb 19 – 20
Winter Championship & Open Cutting
South Point Feb 19 – Mar 3
Al Dimeola
Green Valley Ranch Feb 20
Brad Paisley with Special Guest Miranda Lambert
Mandalay Bay Feb 20
Don Rickles
Orleans Hotel Feb 20 – 21
UNLV Men’s Basketball vs Colorado State
Thomas and Mack Center Feb 20
The Expendibles
Mandalay Bay Feb 21

The last week of the month brings…
Bill Engvall
Treasure Island Feb 25 – 26
NASCAR Driver’s Auction
Sam’s Town Hotel Feb 25
Air Combat USA
North Las Vegas Airport Feb 26 – 28
Diamond Rio
South Point Casino Feb 26 – 28
Garth Brooks
Encore Las Vegas Feb 26 – 28
Jay Leno
Mirage Feb 26 – 27
Oak Ridge Boys
Silverton Hotel Feb 26
STS9 (Sound Tribe Sector 9) w/ Emancipator
Mandalay Bay Feb 26
Asia 65 – Timeless Memories
Hard Rock Feb 27 – 28
Chris Cagle
Sam’s Town Hotel Feb 27
George Thorogood & the Destroyers
Mandalay Bay Feb 27
Josh Turner
Silverton Hotel Feb 27
Kenny Wayne Shepherd
Orleans Hotel Feb 27 – 28
Mariah Carey
Caesars Palace Feb 27
NASCAR Sam’s Town 300
Las Vegas Motor Speedway Feb 27
Oh What A Night – A Musical Tribute to Frankie Valli
Suncoast Hotel Feb 27 – 28
The Commodores
Eastside Cannery Feb 27
Travis Tritt
Buffalo Bill’s Feb 27
NASCAR Shelby 427
Las Vegas Motor Speedway Feb 28
The Asian Elvis in Concert – Kao Ling Feng
Gold Coast Hotel Feb 28

The first week of March has:
Tegan & Sara
Mandalay Bay Mar 2
Killswitch Engage w/ The Devil Wears Prada and Dark Tranquility
Mandalay Bay Mar 3
David Copperfield
MGM Grand Mar 4 – 10
Barry Manilow – Opening March 2010
Paris Las Vegas Mar 5 – 8
El Chapo de Sinaloa
Mandalay Bay Mar 5
Engelbert Humperdinck
Orleans Hotel Mar 5 – 7
Ray Romano & Kevin James
Mirage Mar 5 – 6
Zappos.com WCC Basketball Championships
Orleans Hotel Mar 5 – 8
Arabian Nights XIX
Paris Las Vegas Mar 6
Bon Jovi: The Circle Tour
MGM Grand Hotel Mar 6
Experience Hendrix Tribute Tour
Hard Rock Hotel Mar 6
Neal McCoy
Silverton Hotel March 6
Psychic Medium John Edward
Flamingo Las Vegas Mar 6
UNLV Men’s Basketball vs Wyoming
Thomas and Mack Mar 6

For dates and times, be sure to log onto the Las Vegas Online Entertainment Guide: ( www.lvol.com ).

I Go Shows ( www.Igoshows.com ) is, of course, the place to read the reviews of all of the shows that are in town so that you can be better informed as to what you should expect from a certain production. The reviews are updated as needed to give you the knowledge you need to spend your entertainment dollars better.

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http://www.vegas4locals.com/coupons.html

Vegas4Visitors Weekly Awards BY Rick Garman

The One More for the Road Award of Week goes to Bette Midler who displayed her last bit of divine madness over the weekend as her two-year run at Caesars Palace came to an end. As mentioned many times in this space, I considered it to be the best show in town. We’re going to miss you, Bette.

The I Would’ve Liked To Have Seen That Award of the Week goes to colorful Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman who recently announced that he absolutely, positively will not be running for Governor of Nevada. That’s too bad as far as I’m concerned. Not only has Goodman been the most amusing mayor the city has ever seen (he has a throne in his office!) he has also been one of the best cheerleaders the city has ever seen. Would’ve been interesting to see what he could’ve done for the state.

The Here She Is Award of the Week goes to Caressa Cameron, aka Miss Virginia, who was crowned Miss America over the weekend at the Planet Hollywood Resort. The pageant and scholarship program is in its 89th year and has been a part of the Las Vegas scene since 2006.

The Off Track Award of the Week goes to the proposed Mag-Lev train that has been touted for years as a solution for transporting people from the Los Angeles area to Las Vegas. It failed to get a chunk of the federal stimulus money it had been vying for, further cementing its status as a dream project that will probably never get built.

Hotel Review:
Monte Carlo/Hotel 32. By Rick Garman

Since it opened in 1996, the Monte Carlo has taken a relatively low profile on The Strip. Well, except for that part where the place caught fire in early 2008 and was closed for three weeks. That wasn’t exactly low-profile.

But all of that is over now, nobody got hurt, the damage was mostly cosmetic, and the hotel is open for business again. And so after some drama, it goes back to being mostly low-profile again, although with a few changes, something a little more worth paying attention to.

It’s pretty hard to imagine a 3,000-room, $350 million building being low profile but when you compare it to the architectural and sensorial overloads that sit all around it, the Monte Carlo fades into the background a bit. Done up in the traditional all-white marble and gold accents of its namesake the place practically screams refinement and good taste but again, this is a city where even the local McDonald’s has white marble and gold accents so the end result might not be as eye-catching as its wilder neighbors.

But overlooking the Monte Carlo would be a mistake. This is a hotel that already offers very nice accommodations, a ton of entertainment and dining options, and a big casino at rates that often beat similar hotels of the same caliber nearby.

Out front you’ll find lots of statuary (some of it PG-13 rated by the way), columns, and fountains leading to the main casino, a football field of a room packed with slots of all types and denominations and table games of all stripes and colors. The casino itself was redone in 2009, which didn’t do much for making the space any more intimate but it did improve the visuals. Warm earth tones and a general lessening of the hubbub make it a more upscale experience than it used to be. A poker room, a keno lounge, a race and sports book, and a high-limit gaming area complete the package.

As usual the restaurants and attractions surround the main casino and include a buffet, a 24-hour cafe, a steakhouse, a bistro, and a few of our favorites Diablo’s Cantina, Dragon Noodle, and a branch of the very fine French eatery Andre’s. There’s also a food court with lots of the usual food court suspects.

A showroom features magician Lance Burton (another one of our favorites) and there is a lounge with entertainment adjacent to the main casino.

If you’re in a shopping mood there are a few boutique stores along the Street of Dreams promenade but if you’re after a spree you’ll have to go elsewhere because the choices are limited. There is a Harley Davidson store and, more importantly, a branch of the fantastic Cupcakery.

At the end of the shopping promenade you’ll find a monorail that will take you to The Crystals shopping mall at CityCenter and to Bellagio.

At the back of the property is the main desk, although there is a back entrance to the place so you don’t need to hike all the way from The Strip to get there. This is also one of the only hotels of this size where you don’t have to go through the casino to get to the elevators. That gets major bonus points for those times when you are carrying bags or headed to the pool in your bathing suit.

Speaking of which, the pool and recreation area is worth noting. It includes a swimming pool, giant wave pool, sandy beach, a lazy river ride, and more – lots of frolicking options here.

The standard accommodations as they stand are pleasant but not all that memorable. Done in muted gold and tan accents, they include one king or two queen beds, a writing desk, a couple of chairs, televisions with pay-per-view movies, irons and boards, high speed Internet (for a fee), and data ports on the phones. The furnishings are well tended but not exactly new so expect a little wear and tear here and there.

The bathrooms are a bit on the small side but that’s really only if you’ve gotten used to some of the newer places that threw a few extra square feet in that direction. They’re typically marbled and tiled and include a hair dryer among the amenities.

Hotel 32 is the name given to the top floor of the property that operates as a separate but integrated hotel. The 50 rooms include standard studios and larger suites but all are designed with an ultra-luxury touch that differentiates them from the rest of the rooms in the Monte Carlo.

In addition to unique furniture and decor, the rooms are done with high-tech convenience in mind from the flat screen televisions to the remote operated lights, drapes, and climate control. Bathrooms have hydrotherapy tubs and rainfall showers.

The rooms are certainly nicer than the rest of the accommodations at Monte Carlo with built in desks, crisp white linens, and plenty of amenities to keep you satisfied, but they aren’t any bigger so compared to some of the newer, larger rooms on The Strip they feel a bit cramped.

But it isn’t just the furniture that is different at Hotel 32. Guests get a complimentary limo ride from the airport and are greeted by a “suite assistant” who is there to help them with their every whim. No need for something as pedestrian as standing in line to check in – instead guests get private in-room check in services. In addition, a club-level style lounge offers guests beverages and snacks.

As you would imagine, it isn’t cheap to stay in one of these rooms. Standard studios start at around $250 per night, about 4 times higher than the rate for their regular rooms on other floors. But considering that a similar rate will get you just a standard room at some of the luxury hotels in town without the limo, assistant, and club level amenities it comes off sounding like a pretty good deal.

Prices on the non-32 rooms can be a lure here. You can often get a midweek room here for less than $100 per night with weekends usually in the mid-to-upper $100 range. As usual, special events and conventions will drive those prices sky high but on the flipside, they often advertise specials that can go as low as $49 per night. If you can get it that cheap you should leap at it and even if you can’t the Monte Carlo is a hotel that shouldn’t be overlooked anymore.

King’s Ransom Museum: BY Rick Garman

The fascination with the life, death, and legend of Elvis Presley continues unflaggingly, especially in Vegas where the latest Cirque production is all about The King’s mystique and the latest museum attraction is all about his memorabilia.
The King’s Ransom Museum is a small-ish affair tucked into a ballroom at the Imperial Palace. Intended to be a temporary exhibit (currently booked through April of 2010), those looking for a slick interactive experience will need to travel to Memphis. Instead here what you get are snapshots from Elvis’ life – birth records, childhood mementos, selections from his personal record collection, a few costumes, jewelry, guns (even the gold plated ones), a car, and lots and lots of photos.

Some come with back stories on display including, most touchingly, a necklace that was given to a little girl during a concert.

But if you’re really looking for the behind-the-glass-case information, see if Jimmy Velvet is on hand.

Jimmy was a friend of Elvis Presley’s and a musician in his own right. Most of the stuff in the exhibit belonged to him at one point but now he mainly acts as curator, caretaker, and raconteur. His knowledge of Elvis and especially of the artifacts on display is virtually encyclopedic, but more importantly it is infused with genuine affection.

I have to admit that while I understand the Elvis phenomenon it is not one that I have ever fully embraced, so my enjoyment of King’s Ransom was probably not as enthusiastic as it could have been. But there is something undeniably “real” about what is going on here and I felt like I got closer to actually learning about the man here than I did when I visited Graceland.

A lot of that probably had to do with Jimmy Velvet, but even if he isn’t around to tell his colorful stories the items on display do a pretty good job of telling their own.

I heard some people balking at the $10 admission cost for what is admittedly a small collection but apparently there are easily found 2 for 1 admissions in local magazines, papers, and Imperial Palace coupon books.

Luxor bomber gets life sentence.
Duarte-Herrera receives life in prison plus 16 to 40 years.

By FRANCIS MCCABE
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

The man convicted of building and planting a pipe bomb atop a car in the Luxor parking garage that killed a casino hot dog stand worker in 2007 was formally sentenced to life in prison Thursday.

Porfirio Duarte-Herrera, 29, was convicted by a jury in August of murder and other felonies in connection with the death of Willebaldo Dorantes Antonio.

Duarte-Herrera’s friend Omar Rueda-Denvers, 34, who also was convicted of murder in the bombing, orchestrated the attack to bring harm to his ex-girlfriend Caren Chali and her lover Dorantes Antonio, prosecutors said.

Chali was not harmed in the bombing.

More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/news/breaking_news/luxor-bomber-gets-life-sentence-82946217.html

Flamingo’s Wallace laughs off death. BY Norm Clark/LVRJ

Flamingo headliner George Wallace is alive and well and cracking jokes about his demise.
“Deadman talking,” chirped Wallace, when he answered the telephone Thursday afternoon, shortly after his death was reported on an Internet Web site.

Wallace was in a boardroom meeting with Flamingo executives when his manager’s telephone rang and Christopher Pratt excused himself, saying he had an emergency.

When he returned to the boardroom, Pratt informed Wallace that the Flamingo PR department heard he was dead.

The contactmusic.com Web site even ran photos of the comedian.

It was a case of mistaken identity.

Heidi’s Picks: By Heidi Knapp Rinella/LVRJ

AQUAKNOX
The Venetian, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 414-3772

Settling into a booth at AquaKnox was a welcome escape from the chaos around the restaurant’s entrance (which is near the resort’s convention center) but the best was yet to come, as we experienced top-notch food and service at prices that weren’t — at least for the Strip. We recommend the Jonah crab claws, clam steamers, Ahi tuna, John Dory and Chocolate Martini, and even the peppery breadsticks with smoked-salmon-and-trout mousse that were served before dinner. (1/29/10)

Overall: A $$$$

BOUCHON
Venezia Tower at The Venetian, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 414-6200

It still seems as incongruous among the Italianate trappings of The Venetian as on the day it opened, but Bouchon has worn very nicely, delivering French-bistro fare that’s as authentic as it gets. Notable were a charcuterie board, the Poulet Roti (roast chicken), Triute aux Amandes (trout almondine) and the silken-sin richness of the Mousse au Chocolate Noir, which requires no translation. (7/31/09)

Overall: A $$$

THE MAPLE TREE
6000 Spring Mountain Road; 362-5151

The Maple Tree works to evoke a New England sugarhouse, which it does to mixed degree. But maple syrup reigns supreme here — the real stuff, which is just perfect on the fluffy pancakes. We liked the Sugarhouse Sampler, which, besides pancakes, includes eggs, sausage, bacon and maple-baked ham, and the crab cakes and eggs, with their country potatoes. And we especially liked the service. (3/26/08)

Overall: A- $

http://www.lvrj.com/neon/heidis-picks-83623697.html

SHOW REVIEW: ‘Rockstar: The Tribute’

‘Rockstar’ turns up the volume on variety format. BY: Mike Weatherford/LVRJ

Sometimes, the problem with a good idea is that it’s so good, everyone else has it, too. Then it’s all about who can make it work.

In the case of “Rockstar: The Tribute,” there isn’t any lighter-flicker in the entire rock-o-sphere who would argue with the notion of a head-banging “Legends in Concert” — except for maybe the producers of “Legends.” It’s not even new for people to impersonate Aerosmith or Queen; locals casinos have hosted that stuff for years.

Still, harder-rock tributes are usually stand-alone attractions. The twist here is to adopt the whole “Legends” variety format– with four such tributes in one show — and to turn it up loud.

That’s not to say “Legends” couldn’t have a Rod Stewart or Freddie Mercury. (Surely it must have at some point?) Nor to say the versatile “Legends” band couldn’t back them. But this is ribcage-rattling, double-bass drum r-a-w-k that makes the long running Harrah’s Las Vegas show seem awfully polite by comparison.

More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/neon/rockstar-the-tribute-83623667.html

New Miss America crowned at Planet Hollywood

BY JOHN PRZYBYS
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

Miss Virginia Caressa Cameron was crowned Miss America 2010 during a two-hour event tonight at Planet Hollywood.

Cameron, 22, received the traditional crown and roses from 2009 Miss America Katie Stam. She also won a $50,000 scholarship.

Cameron, whose career ambition is to become a television news anchor, is from Fredericksburg, Va. Her platform issue was “Real Talk: AIDS in America.” Cameron had an uncle who died from AIDS, and said her goal is to foster “a meaningful conversation” about HIV/AIDS.

More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/news/Miss-America-Pageant–83177462.html

MIKE WEATHERFORD: ‘Viva Elvis’ may be last new show for a while.

A lot of people are hoping Cirque du Soleil’s “Viva Elvis” will be good for a lot of reasons.

In fact, the only people I heard who are rooting for failure (secondhand, so I quote it only in jest) are part of the team at “Criss Angel: Believe.” They want “Elvis” to stink “so we won’t be the worst show in town anymore.”

Beyond the obvious interests of those vested in Cirque or CityCenter, here’s a reason to relish and savor the grand opening of “Viva Elvis” on Feb. 19.

This is pretty much it for a while.

More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/living/viva-elvis-may-be-last-new-show-for-a-while-83191762.html

NORM: ‘Showgirl’ given celebrity send-off. BY Norm Clarke/LVRJ

Bette Midler got a celebrity-assisted send-off at Caesars Palace on Sunday, a rousing finale to her two-year run of “The Showgirl Must Go On.”

On hand and participating in the emotional farewell: Marie Osmond, dissing Donny; Gladys Knight, singing “Memories,” and, via video, Celine Dion, who will be returning to Caesars Palace soon.

The Devine Miss M opened her farewell performance with the words “I survived” before launching into the chorus of “The Showgirl Must Go On.”

Midler quickly got into the spirit of the evening by singing “You’ve Got to Have Friends.”

More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/news/showgirl-given-celebrity-send-off-83230437.html

Vegas clubs win big in the Nightclub and Bar Awards. BY: Deanna Rilling/Las Vegas Sun.

Sure, it’s an honor just to be nominated, but it’s even better to win. And win Las Vegas did, in not one, not two, but all of the nightclub categories in the 2010 Nightclub and Bar Awards.

The winners were…

Mega-Club of the Year: XS

New Club of the Year: XS

Nightclub of the Year:: Tao

Ongoing Promotion of the Year: Hard Rock — Rehab

Resident DJ: Paul Oakenfold’s Perfecto Vegas — Rain

Single Promotion of the Year: Midsummer Night’s Dream — Palms, Las Vegas

Ultra-Lounge of the Year: Blush Boutique Nightclub, Las Vegas

Celebrating 25 years of Nightclub & Bar magazine, the awards are an update of the publication’s previous honors, the Five Star Awards. The winners will be profiled in Nightclub & Bar’s March issue and honored, along with the other finalists, March 10 at Lavo in conjuncture with the Nightclub & Bar Convention and Trade Show.

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/feb/03/vegas-clubs-win-big-nightclub-and-bar-awards/