Vegas Insider Review
by Chuck Rounds
by Chuck Rounds
MARCH 2015
Industry News
(Event Listings Below)
Springtime,
just about anywhere, is a great time of year; and in Las Vegas, March
has always been magnificent. Springtime has been celebrated by every
country and culture for as long as there have been countries and
cultures. As the earth regenerates itself after the winter, we feel that
sense of renewal as well. Something inside us just wants to bring life
and freshness to our lives. We clean things out…repair, plant, and grow
things. Spring may be delayed for some folks around the country, but we
are in full swing here in Las Vegas.
While Christians are observing Easter;
Pagans are celebrating Ostara. In ancient Egypt, the festival of Isis
was held to celebrate the resurrection of Osiris. The Celebration of
Dionysus always took place about this time in Greece; celebrating the
return of the leaves on the grapevines.
But wait, there’s more!!
For the ancient Romans, the Feast of
Cybele was a big deal every spring. Cybele was a mother goddess who was
at the center of a Phrygian fertility cult, and eunuch priests performed
mysterious rites in her honor. Her lover was Attis (who also happened
to be her grandson), and her jealousy caused him to castrate and kill
himself. His blood was the source of the first violets, and divine
intervention allowed Attis to be resurrected by Cybele, with some help
from Zeus.
In Iran, the festival of No Ruz begins
shortly before the vernal equinox. The phrase "No Ruz" actually means
"new day," and is a time of hope and rebirth. No Ruz is deeply rooted in
the beliefs of Zoroastrianism, which was the predominant religion in
ancient Persia before Islam came along.
One of Judaism's biggest festivals is
Passover, which takes place in the middle of the Hebrew month of Nisan.
It was a pilgrimage festival, and commemorates the exodus of the Jews
from Egypt after centuries of slavery.
In Russia, the celebration of Maslenitsa
is observed as a time of the return of light and warmth. A straw effigy
of the Lady of Maslenitsa, is burned in a bonfire, and when the fire has
burned away, the ashes are spread in the fields to fertilize the year's
crops.
In Ireland, It’s St. Patrick's Day! St.
Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland, and many people don't realize
that the serpent was actually a metaphor for the early Pagan faiths of
Ireland. St. Patrick brought Christianity to the Emerald Isle, and did
such a good job of it that, for a while, he practically eliminated
Paganism from the country…and now, in celebration; we drink!
Our modern day celebration centers around
young adults making pilgrimages to warm climates to celebrate the sun,
drink spirits, and engage in fertility rites and rituals….this is also
known as Spring Break. And Las Vegas is one of the chosen destinations
for these modern day festivals.
To further assist these festivals, Daylight Savings time begins on March 8th –spring forward.
The weather is perfect, and there are
thousands of events, conventions, shows, and things to do. I love the
spring and the fall—everything seems to be just right. And…it is always
busy here. Things are bustling, and we love it.
The annual kickoff to NASCAR weekend in
Las Vegas, the Hauler Parade, will rumble down the Las Vegas Strip on
March 5. During the first weekend in March, Sin City will host a pair of
races at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway– the Boyd Gaming 300 on March 7
and the Kobalt 400 on March 8. All of the excitement, however, starts
with the parade of about 50 colorful tractor trailers that haul the race
cars that will circle the track. This year, the parade will start at 6
p.m. and stretch for nearly five miles. The fanfare will start at the
iconic Las Vegas welcome sign and head northbound on Las Vegas
Boulevard, ending at Sahara Avenue.
See all of your favorite drivers in
fabulous Las Vegas for the March 6 - 8, 2015 NASCAR Weekend. Fans can
also experience the one-of-a-kind Neon Garage featuring live music and
entertainment all weekend long. Driver introduction and Lucky 7
preferred parking passes also are available. The event weekend includes
the Kobalt 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, the Boyd Gaming 300 NASCAR
Xfinity Series race and Stratosphere Pole Day.
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. The dates for 2015 are March 19 - 22 (or starting on March
17, for those who really get excited about the play-in games).
Elvis Presley’s Graceland and Westgate
Las Vegas Resort & Casino announced that they will bring the
authentic Elvis Presley back to Las Vegas for the first time in 40
years. “Graceland Presents ELVIS: The Exhibition - The Show - The
Experience” will include an expansive, new permanent exhibition
featuring hundreds of artifacts never before displayed outside of
Graceland, and live entertainment shows that celebrate the life and
legacy of Elvis Presley. Elvis will be back in the building on April 23,
2015.
Spring is in the air this month in
Pahrump. From the smell of chili, to tips on Nevada horticulture, to
Hot Air Balloons, Pahrump is celebrating the arrival of spring. Travel
“Over the Hump” to Pahrump and check out one of the following events
offered in the month of March:
The Silver State Chili Cook-Off: March 7th.
Come taste some of Nevada’s best chili in the Silver State Chili
Cook-Off. Vote for your favorite chili, chili verde and salsa. Enjoy
live music, reenactment of gun fighters, Nevada Silver Tappers, arts and
craft vendors and a car show featuring the Pahrump Valley Cruisers.
Chili tastings are just $5 for ten samples and all proceeds benefit No
to Abuse, a family resource center that offers case management &
needs assessment.
Pahrump Valley Museum Lecture Series:
March14th. Calling all history buffs: the Pahrump Valley Museum is
dedicated to inspiring curiosity and teaching the rich history and
culture of Pahrump through its one-of-a-kind exhibits that include early
farming and mining equipment, early relics from cowboys and pioneers,
and Native American artifacts. In addition to the historic items on
display, the Pahrump Valley Museum offers a monthly lecture series that
covers a wide range of topics.
Pahrump Hot Air Balloon Festival: Friday,
March 20 – Sunday, March 22. Dozens of colorful hot air balloons will
ascend to the skies during Pahrump’s Annual Hot Air Balloon Festival.
The three-day family-friendly festival will bring together more than 20
hot air balloon pilots from the western states, a drone and fixed wing
aircraft exhibition demonstrating top-notch aviation skills, a carnival
featuring classic carnival games and rides, and several food and craft
vendors.
Guests will have the opportunity to hover
and enjoy the scenic views of Pahrump high above the ground with
tethered balloon rides. On Saturday night the skies will be illuminated
by a spectacular balloon glow light show that will light up the sky for
miles.
Baker to Vegas Rally: Saturday, March 28.
More than 10,000 law enforcement members will be competing in the 31st
Annual Baker to Vegas Rally. Come support and cheer on runners as they
make their way to Las Vegas through the town of Pahrump!
Award-winning singer, musician and
composer Frankie Moreno is bringing his critically-acclaimed show to Red
Rock Resort for two special performances. Moreno and his incredible
10-piece band will perform original hits and classic covers on Saturday,
March 7, 2015 and will return Saturday, April 11, 2105. Both shows
begin at 7 p.m.
Craig Ferguson’s Hot & Grumpy Tour:
Walking the Earth has been added to the entertainment lineup at The
Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas Friday, March 13. Craig
Ferguson entered the world of late-night comedy following a diverse and
eclectic career in film, television, music, and stand-up. In 2005,
Ferguson became the host of CBS’ “The Late Late Show with Craig
Ferguson,” where he enjoyed much success including an Emmy nomination
(2006), as well as a Peabody Award (2009) for excellence in
broadcasting. Additionally, Ferguson serves on the board of the Lollipop
Theater Network, an organization that brings movies that are currently
in theatrical release to hospitalized children facing chronic and
life-threatening illness nationwide.
Politically-charged comedian Bill Maher
has been performing successfully at The Pearl at Palms Casino Resort
since 2013 and the funnyman will return once again for a weekend of
shows March 21-22, 2015. For more than 20 years, Bill Maher has set the
boundaries of where funny, political talk can go on American television.
First on “Politically Incorrect” and for the last thirteen years on
HBO’s “Real Time,” Maher’s combination of unflinching honesty and big
laughs have garnered him 34 Emmy nominations. Maher won his first Emmy
in 2014 as executive producer for HBO series, “VICE.”
The Mirage Hotel & Casino will host
the seventh annual “Ron White’s Comedy Salute to the Troops” Wednesday,
March 4 at 7:30 p.m. The one-night show will take place at the Terry
Fator Theatre with proceeds benefiting the Armed Forces Foundation. Ron
White is best known as the cigar smoking, scotch drinking funnyman from
the “Blue Collar Comedy Tour.” He has established himself as a star in
his own right with multiple comedy albums and videos including Drunk In
Public, They Call Me Tater Salad and You Can’t Fix Stupid.
The Mirage Hotel & Casino welcomes
John Mulaney when he makes his Aces of Comedy debut Friday, March 6.
Mulaney, who is quickly becoming one of the most sought after young
comedians and actors in the comedy world, currently stars in “Mulaney,”
FOX’s new comedy about a rising stand-up comic trying to take his career
to the next level. He also serves as creator, writer and executive
producer of the series.
As part of his VIAJE Tour, Latin American
singer-songwriter Ricardo Arjona will perform at The AXIS Powered by
Monster at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino Sunday, March 15 at 8
p.m. Selling over 20 million albums throughout his career, Ricardo
Arjona is one of the most successful and respected Latin American
musical artists of all time. Arjona has released 14 studio albums, one
live album, nine compilation albums and 43 singles. Four Arjona albums
have reached number one on the Billboard Top Latin Albums, and 10
reached number one in Argentina.
Ringo Starr is going to be at the Palms on March 15th. It’s Ringo. Do I need to say anything else?
“Pin-up” and “MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET” both just celebrated their two-year anniversaries.
And finally, the Sons of Erin Saint Patrick’s Day Parade & Festival will take place in Henderson on Saturday, March 14th. (Really…it’s on the 14th.)
And remember, if you’re attacked by a mob
of clowns, always go for the juggler. (I put this in just to see who
actually reads this far into my column.)
As far as all of the other entertainment goes: