VEGAS INSIDER REVIEW
by Chuck Rounds
MAY 2015
MAY 2015
LAS VEGAS SHOWBIZ NEWS
It’s
time to break out the Maypole and greenery and dance. May 1st is of
course May Day (initially started as another pagan spring festival
pre-dating Christianity.) Dancing around a pole might sound like a Vegas
tradition, but there really aren’t a lot of maypole dancers out there.
In the late 19th Century, May Day was chosen as the date for
International Workers' Day by the Socialists and Communists of the
Second International to commemorate the Haymarket affair in Chicago. In
those countries that celebrate International Workers' Day, the day may
also be referred to as "May Day" but it is a different celebration from
the traditional May Day…just thought you should know.
May is another one of those perfect
months in Las Vegas. The weather is great. Entertainment is plentiful.
School is almost out. The summer season is almost upon us, and the pool
party schedule is active until September. There has been a lot of
activity in the entertainment world with shows moving and opening. May
has always been an instrumental month for shows…especially new ones.
Shows have to get established in May if they are going to survive in the
summer. If a show can survive the summer then they’ll usually do well
in the busier fall season.
There are currently a lot of “big doings”
occurring in Las Vegas…some of this has not been confirmed yet, and
part of this will be speculation, but here it is…
When the Riviera closes on May 4th
there will be several shows that will be displaced. Most notable is
“Crazy Girls” which is the second longest running show in town. (28
years) I had stated last month that this show will certainly find a new
home…and I just heard that producer Norbert Aleman purchased the Sin
City showroom at Planet Hollywood…after a brief hiatus from the show and
some renovations on the showroom, it should become the “Crazy Girls”
Theater. Sin City Comedy will still perform a late night show there
after the “Crazy Girls.” (And yes, the statue is going with them.)
Cirque du Soleil has just been sold to a
private equity group with founder Guy Laliberté maintaining a stake in
the business and also serving in an advisory position…but what does that
mean for all of the shows here in town? Well, not all of the Cirque
shows are making money…so when their contracts are complete, we may be
seeing some of the Cirque shows closing down and more traditionally
“Vegas” entertainment coming back. Certainly, “Mystere” will close at
the end of its contract (since Cirque has an exclusive with MGM
properties and “Mystere” plays at Treasure Island…a hotel and casino
that was sold off to Phil Ruffin, and is therefore, no longer part of
the MGM family.)
Caesars Entertainment has been having
huge financial difficulties…the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
in January, promising to cut the operating debt from $18.4 billion to
$8.6 billion…no easy trick to cut out $10 billion. One of the ways in
which to company has been trying to make some money back is to go to all
of their vendors and re-assessing their operations (vendors would
include all of the shows, restaurants, and merchandisers.) What I have
heard from the shows is they are now being asked to pay double, triple,
or even more in rent each month for the showrooms. I know that Penn
& Teller have been hit hard with these new “assessments” (the more
successful the show, the bigger the “assessment.”) They go on break for
the summer to perform on Broadway, and when they get back, I will bet
money that they will not be going to a Caesars property. I suspect that a
lot of shows are looking to move away from Caesars Entertainment. Now
the company has stated that they do not anticipate closing any of the 44
casinos, but I would speculate that some of the properties will be up
for sale to private investors, and I think that more privately owned
casinos would be good for Las Vegas…it’s just a bit more like the old
days…
It’s that time of year again when I start
bouncing between Dallas and Las Vegas. Dallas, of course, is where I
work on the Dallas Christmas Parade for Children’s Medical Center. It
feels a little odd to be planning a holiday parade now, but it is
necessary and worth it…and in Vegas, of course, I maintain everything
else.
Cinco de Mayo is a big celebration in
Vegas. Every bar and club will have Cinco de Mayo celebrations…Save
water, drink a margarita.
Remember that Mother's Day is on the 10th. If you're in town, there are several shows that will offer specials for you and your mother; every buffet and restaurant in the city is offering some sort of deal. Remember your Mother!
May 15th is the 110th Anniversary of the founding of the City of Las Vegas. No one really cares about this statistic. We had a great 100-year celebration, and we may have to wait for the 125 or 150-year mark to get the city to celebrate again.
Fremont Street Experience will host the
20th Annual Susan G. Komen of Southern Nevada Race for the Cure on
Saturday, May 2 with registration starting at 8:15 a.m. Individuals can
participate in a 5K (approximately 3.2 miles) or a 1-Mile Fun Walk. The
Race will start at the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard and Clark
Avenue and will finish at the intersection of Fremont East and 6th
Street. In honor of Race for the Cure, Fremont Street Experience will
donate 100% of SlotZilla revenue to Susan G. Komen of Southern Nevada
for everyone who flies on either the lower Zipline ($20) or upper
Zoomline ($40) on May 2 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Flight times can be
purchased at the SlotZilla box office or can be booked in advance online
at www.vegasexperience.com.
The pop icon, Mariah Carey, arrived at
Caesars Palace Monday night in a classic pink convertible behind 18
mobile billboards bearing the titles of her number one hits. The
entrance was to celebrate her Las Vegas Strip debut that will bring her
chart-topping hits to the Colosseum at Caesars Palace starting May 6th.
The show is called: "Mariah #1 to Infinity." The Grammy winner is among
the best-selling female solo artists of all time and joins the ranks of
Celine Dion, Elton John, Rod Stewart and Shania Twain, who have all
taken up residency at The Colosseum. Tickets for Carey's show are priced
from $55 to $250.
The most provocative show on the Las
Vegas Strip, X Burlesque, celebrates 13 years as the city’s hottest
topless revue with the addition of sexy new dance numbers at Flamingo
Las Vegas. A high-energy, racy performance, X Burlesque features a
variety of jaw-dropping performances by a troupe of gorgeous dancers.
The sensual show will celebrate 13 years in Las Vegas Thursday, May 7 at
Flamingo Las Vegas. Several new dance numbers have also been added to
the show in honor of the 13th anniversary, including a seductive feather
fan number with Beyonce’s “Haunted,” an over-the-top chair number to
Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk” and a sexy fashion show of
stunningly-beautiful costumes dripping with diamonds to Rhianna’s
“Diamonds." The show has also added projection mapping to the
choreography, becoming the first topless revue in Las Vegas to do so.
Rick Michel will present his “Sinatra
Forever” show focusing totally on the music of Frank Sinatra. Michel
will salute and interpret “Ol’ Blue Eyes” standards with his 24-piece
symphonic orchestra on Saturday, May 9 at the Cannery Hotel and Casino
at 8:00 p.m. Michel, who has performed and headlined in Las Vegas since
1981 and been a Master Impressionist for more than 40 years, has been
touring his “Sinatra Forever” show around the country as well as
internationally with performances in Costa Rica, Canada, Mexico and
Chile, just to name a few. More than half the members of his orchestra
at the Cannery are musicians who have performed with Frank Sinatra. They
will back Michel in his 24-song set that will cover all of Sinatra’s
classic songs. Michel has been called “the closest sound to Sinatra we
have ever heard” by “Variety.”
PUPPETRY OF THE PENIS, the
internationally-acclaimed phenomenon that Vanity Fair called “Dementedly
Good Fun!” revealed itself at The Jewel Box at 3275 South Industrial
Road on Wednesday, April 15, 2015. PUPPETRY OF THE PENIS is the Ancient
Australian Art of Genital Origami, featuring an astounding series of
penis installations. Time Out New York called “Comedic Brilliance!”
requires astonishing stamina, an unbelievable stretch factor and an
amazing level of testicular fortitude. The show leaves women and men
gasping with more than 40 heroic and hilarious installations, including
crowd pleasers, tourist attractions and food products, such as “The
Pelican,” “The Windsurfer,” “The Eiffel Tower,” “The Loch Ness Monster”
and their signature creation, “The Hamburger.”
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino’s dynamic
music vibe and infamous tropical oasis will collide for its new Friday
Night Live at the Pool concert series beginning Friday, May 15 with
iconic rocker Courtney Love. All artists will perform on The JBL Sound
Stage on select Fridays throughout the summer. Friday Night Live at the
Pool will offer concertgoers an unforgettable experience through its
unique and intimate setting. Guests can enjoy the music and party scene
in front of The JBL Sound Stage or relax in a VIP, poolside cabana.
On Saturday, May 23, Hotel California,
the original Eagles tribute, will take the stage at M Resort’s
2,300-seat M Pavilion, recreating the remarkable hits of one of the
best-selling bands of all time. Acclaimed for having a sound closest to
Don Henley, Hotel California has toured the world, sharing the stage
with legendary rock artists including the Doobie Brothers, Lynyrd
Skynyrd, REO Speedwagon, STYX and Gretchen Wilson.
Na Ying, the legendary vocalist from
China, will perform her first concert in the U.S. at The AXIS at Planet
Hollywood Resort & Casino Saturday, May 23 at 8 p.m. Praised as one
of the best female singers in Asia, Na Ying is considered the Queen of
Chinese Pop music. Having sold more than 23 million albums in China and
Taiwan, Na Ying became a judge and mentor for “The Voice China” and has
won two of her three seasons.
Punk Rock Bowling, the three-day music
festival that will take over downtown Las Vegas May 23rd through May
25th, announces club dates for its most popular acts in surrounding
clubs throughout the event. The 16 late-night club shows, starting
Friday, May 22nd, give fans the opportunity to see their favorite bands
in a more intimate setting; over 60 bands will take the stage throughout
the weekend. Legendary acts performing in the intimate venues include
Frank Turner (performing solo), GBH, The Rezillos, Laura Jane Grace, 7
Seconds, Hagfish, 88 Fingers Louie, Icons of Filth, Aggrocats (featuring
members of Aggrolites and Hepcat), Street Dogs, English Beat plus more.
For more information and to buy tickets, please visit http://www.punkrockbowling.com/
This summer will be HOT and heating it up
even further is the Beach concert series at Mandalay Bay Resort and
Casino! The 2015 series will kick off in May, featuring an incredible
lineup scheduled to run through September on the Mandalay Bay Beach
stage. The stage, which rises over the Four Diamond resort’s sand and
surf wave pool, has hosted entertainment’s biggest names as part of this
fan favorite series. Concert-goers are invited to bring blankets, sit
on the beach or wade in the surf while enjoying the music from the cool
confines of Mandalay Bay’s 1.6 million gallon wave pool. The May line-up
includes: Sublime with Rome – Friday, May 22, and The Script – Friday,
May 30.
The biggest-selling comedy recording
artist in history, “Weird Al” Yankovic, will kick off his 100-city 2015
Mandatory World Tour with five performances in Las Vegas in the Showroom
at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino May 12 – 16, 2015. The tour
follows in the seismic wake of the release of Yankovic’s 14th studio
album, Mandatory Fun (RCA/Sony). The album was released on July 15,
2014 and immediately shot to #1 Billboard, the first time in over 50
years that a comedy album has topped the charts, and the first time ever
that a comedy album debuted in the top position. Mandatory Fun has
also been nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best Comedy Album.
English rock band Noel Gallagher’s High
Flying Birds will make its first appearance at The Joint inside Hard
Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas on Friday, May 22 at 9 p.m. Noel
Gallagher’s High Flying Birds is the birth child of former Oasis lead
guitarist and songwriter Noel Gallagher. Mike Rowe (piano), Jeremy
Stacey (drums), Russell Pritchard (bass guitar) and Tim Smith (guitar)
complete the musical quintet. Formed in 2011, the group quickly rose to
fame with their free-flowing alternative rock sounds and melodies. Fan
favorites include “The Death of You and Me,” ”AKA… What a Life!” and
“Dream On.” Following its acclaimed, self-titled debut album, Noel
Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, the band is set to release its second
studio album this year titled Chasing Yesterday. The groups’
highly-anticipated sophomore album was preceded by the single “In the
Heat of the Moment,” and incorporates classic rock 'n' roll with mature
undertones.
The 36th Annual San Gennaro Feast will
take place May 6-10, 2015, at the Grand Canyon Shopping Center. The San
Gennaro Feast is the biggest Italian food and music festival held
bi-annually in honor of the Saint Gennaro, the Patron Saint of Naples,
Italy. The festival features a wide variety of ethnic food vendors, arts
and crafts, home exhibits, pony rides & petting zoo, face painters,
live international acts hourly on the main concert stage, and amusement
rides and games fun for the whole family! The festival, held
bi-annually in Las Vegas, NV, is one of the most popular festivals for
locals and visitors from all over the world. Each festival expects to
out-do the last, so don’t miss out on the best Italian Heritage
Celebration this side of Naples! The festival will be at: 4245 Grand
Canyon Dr, Las Vegas, NV 89147. West Flamingo Road, West of the 215 held
in the Grand Canyon Shopping center. Right in front of Sears, JCPenny’s
and Kohls.
Helldorado Days, this May 14th - 17th, is
an outdoor community event celebrating Las Vegas' tribute to the Wild
West and produced by the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks
Lodge No.1468. Helldorado Days which began in 1935, is the longest
running civic event in the history of Las Vegas, originally created as a
means to encourage tourism to the city upon completion of the Boulder
Dam. With over 40,000 people in attendance, Helldorado Days offers a
4-day pro rodeo, a parade, carnival, treasure hunt for gold, whiskerino
contest, golf tournament, poker tournament, art show and auction, trail
ride, exhibits and food. For 4 days Downtown Las Vegas is transformed
into Helldorado Days as the event takes over several vacant downtown
blocks and builds a rodeo arena and carnival from the ground up.
Helldorado Days is a non-profit community event. The members of Elks
Lodge No. 1468 are committed to assisting children and veterans in need
and have given back over $75,000 in 2009 and over $4 million to the
community since 1935. This year, Helldorado will (again) be staged in a
prime location next to the Smith Center in Las Vegas’ rejuvenated
downtown. The new rodeo grounds, in the surrounding area of the North
East corner of Symphony Park Ave and Grand Central Parkway, will provide
a much larger area for staging, parking, livestock, stands, vendors and
bands. Foot traffic also is suspected to be significantly higher due to
the proximity of attractions like the Smith Center, Symphony Park,
Discovery Children’s Museum and various eateries and shops - not to
mention the fantastic visibility of the rodeo grounds from the freeway.
Riviera Hotel & Casino proudly
celebrated 60 years on the famed Las Vegas Strip. Since opening its
doors on April 20, 1955, Riviera Hotel & Casino has played host to
millions of guests and established itself as one of Las Vegas’ most
renowned and fabled properties. Now it will close on May 4th.
RIVIERA HOTEL & CASINO FUN FACTS:
· Opened April 20, 1955
· Built in 1955 for approximately $10 million
· Originally built by a group of investors from Miami
· One of three resorts to open in Las Vegas in 1955
· Designed by architect Roy F. France
· Land originally purchased in 1920s
· Opened with Liberace as the property’s featured performer
· At the time of opening, Liberace was the highest-paid entertainer on the Las Vegas Strip at $50,000 per week
· Actress Joan Crawford served as official hostess for the property’s grand opening
· First high-rise hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip, with nine stories
· Frank Sinatra lived in a suite while performing at the property in the 1990s
· Harpo and Gummo Marx once held minority ownership in the property
· Number of rooms in 1955 – 291
· Notable movies filmed at Riviera Hotel & Casino include Ocean’s Eleven (1960), Casino (1995), Showgirls (1995), Vegas Vacation (1997), Go (1999), 21 (2008) and The Hangover (2009)
· Notable performers in 1950s - Liberace, Milton Berle, Mickey Rooney, Shecky Greene
· Notable performers in 1960s – Louis Armstrong, Tony Bennett, George Burns, Red Buttons, Barbara Streisand
· Notable performers in 1970s – Dean Martin, Steve Martin, Pia Zadora, Burt Bacharach, George Carlin, Phyllis Diller, Liza Minelli, Jimmie Walker
· Notable performers in 1980s – Joan Rivers, David Brenner, the Village People
· Notable performers in 1990s – Frank Sinatra performed two shows, including New Years Eve. Drew Carey, the Beach Boys, Dennis Leary, Pauly Shore
· Barbara Streisand made her Nevada debut at Riviera Hotel & Casino
· Dean Martin once held a minority ownership stake in Riviera Hotel & Casino
· Ninth casino opened on the Las Vegas Strip
· Charo performed at Riviera Hotel & Casino in 2009
· Splash ran from 1985 to 2006
· Splash featured a 20,000 gallon water tank
· Solid Gold opened in 1984
· Evening at La Cage ran from 1985 to 2009
· The Riviera Comedy Club opened in 1986
· Crazy Girls is one of the longest-running shows on the Las Vegas Strip, opening in 1987
· Prince Albert attended Crazy Girls in 2000
· Versailles Theater was originally named the Clover Room
· Kay Stevens recorded her album “Ruckus” at the Riviera Hotel & Casino
· Englebert Humperdinck made his Las Vegas debut at Riviera Hotel & Casino in 1969
· Neil Scartozzi, the most iconic barber in Vegas, has been cutting hair at Riviera Hotel & Casino for more than 39 years
· Famous clients at the Men’s Salon and Celebrity include MC Hammer, Burt Reynolds, Liberace and Joe Pesci, among others
· Larry Holmes fought multiple matches at Riviera Hotel & Casino, including title fights against Michael Spinks (1985), David Bey (1985) and James Smith (1984)
· Riviera Hotel & Casino was one of the first property’s in Las Vegas to attract celebrities to sit ringside
· Unveiled bronze “No ifs, ands or…” statue in 1997
· “No ifs, ands or..” statue is six feet high, 11 feet long and weighs more than 1,500 pounds
· More than 30 pinball machines ranging from the 1960s to modern day featured in the Pinball Hall of Fame annex
· Ann-Margret and Roger Smith married in 1967 at Riviera Hotel & Casino
· Liberace cut ribbon during Riviera Hotel & Casino opening
· Four championship tennis courts were added near the pool in 1972 – they were the site of the Dewar’s Celebrity-Pro Tennis Tournament
· First Las Vegas Strip resort to have a fast food restaurant on its premises (Burger King)
· Riviera Convention Center features more than 42,000 square feet of meeting space, including 12 skyboxes
· 3 Lions Tattoo opened in 2008
· By 1975, Riviera Hotel & Casino added a 17-story tower called Monte Carlo, which cost $20 million and included 300 rooms, 60 suites and an elaborate penthouse.
· The San Remo tower was added by 1977 and included an additional 200 rooms
· In 1988, the 24-story Monaco Tower was completed, nearly doubling the property’s rooms to 2,100
· Riviera Hotel & Casino is a pet-friendly hotel
· It is said to be good luck to touch the bottoms of the Crazy Girls bronze statue in front of Riviera Hotel & Casino
· Riviera Hotel & Casino, The Dunes and Royal Nevada all opened within a month of each other and were the subject of a famous issue of Life Magazine, on June 20, 1955 with a Moulin Rouge showgirl on its cover
· In 1970, Riviera Hotel & Casino hosted the Friar’s Club Roast in honor of comedian Joe E. Lewis. Dean Martin hosted the show, which featured Marty Allen, Jack Benny, George Burns, Jimmy Durante, Buddy Hackett and Ed Sullivan, among many others
· Added a new sign in 1975, which was designed by Marge Williams, who also designed the famous “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign
· The hit game show “Hollywood Squares” filmed its final syndicated season at Riviera Hotel & Casino in 1980
· The “Casino Suite,” was featured in the hit movie Casino (1995) and offers a vintage Vegas experience
· The Riviera Royale Wedding Chapel has been seen in movies such as Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997), Vegas Vacation (1997) and 3,000 Miles to Graceland (2001)
If an earthquake ever strikes in Vegas, head straight to the Keno lounge. Nothing has ever been hit in a Keno Lounge.