JUNE 2015 - Las Vegas Entertainment News

VEGAS INSIDER REVIEW

by Chuck Rounds

JUNE 2015

  

 LAS VEGAS ENTERTAINMENT
NEWS & REVIEWS

June 2015 is a busy month...

Suzanne Somers just opened her show at the Westgate. She is a tremendous entertainer. She sings, tells stories, and is backed by a five-piece band. She shows us a glimpse of her incredible life.

Reggae in the Desert, Las Vegas' largest Reggae festival showcasing both the unifying power of Reggae music and the Caribbean lifestyle, announces the 14th annual music festival on Saturday, June 13 at the Clark County Amphitheatre (500 S. Grand Central Parkway, Las Vegas). The all-ages music festival features J Boog, Maxi Priest, Yellowman, Anuhea, Etana, Stick Figure, Sister Nancy and more. Vendors in the Caribbean Islands Vendor Village will have a wide assortment Caribbean-style food including jerk chicken, peas & rice and fried plantains. In addition to water and non-alcoholic refreshments, domestic and imported beers will be available. Various exhibits and Caribbean-inspired vendors will also be on site. ATMs are available. Blankets for lawn seating are permitted, as well as one unopened/factory sealed bottle of water per person, still cameras (no video) and sunscreen. No weapons (with or without permit) are allowed. Other forbidden items include blow horns, balloons, umbrellas, lawn chairs, squirt and water guns or video equipment. No video equipment, unauthorized vending, concessions, merchandise or promotions literature. For a complete list of performance times and additional information, visit the event website at http://www.reggaeinthedesert.com.

Matt Goss will premiere his new weekly residency at Caesars Palace on Tuesday, June 23. Goss, the multi-platinum artist who made the Gossy Room at Caesars Palace the place to be, and be seen, since 2010, will now take the stage four nights a week: Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Boasting an undeniable charm and world-class velvet voice, Goss will enliven audiences with his classic Vegas show, with a dynamic modern twist. He is also the musical director and producer of his show. 

From the success gurus who first brought you their methods to climb to the top...Now comes anti-success guru Tom Rubin, who proves that the ladder of success has a few "loose screws." Things will be looking up – at least from the bottom rung – as audiences experience incomparable hilarity when Rubin debuts his original, self-penned, one-of-a-kind, one-man comedy show, "Failure Is An Option!" at Ron DeCar's Event Center, located at 1201 S. Las Vegas Blvd., June 18-20 at 7:30 p.m. No one can speak to this mindset better than Rubin, who has had dual careers as a Beverly Hills entertainment attorney and a comedian and spent some of his formative years living on a farm in New Jersey where he gained an immense appreciation of manure. Rubin comically dismantles self-help concepts offered by serious self-help gurus, from positive thinking and empowerment to bucket lists and spiritual enlightenment. He is truly the anti-Tony Robbins. The hilarious twisted logic of his "success" system leaves audiences in stitches as they are entertained and uplifted by this unique and relatable show.

Hailed by icon Tony Bennett as "the best vocal group I've ever heard," all-vocal group MO5AIC (Mosaic) returns to Las Vegas with an all-new show and residency at Bally's Las Vegas. Beginning Friday, June 5, the five-member, a cappella sensation will perform five nights a week in the Bally's Windows Showroom. MO5AIC performs an all-ages show Thursday – Monday at 9:30 p.m. MO5AIC consists of members Josh Huslig, Heath Burgett, Jake Moulton, Corwyn Hodge and Roopak Ahuja. MO5AIC's show features a unique blend R&B, pop, rock, jazz, big band and Top 40 songs, all performed with a twist and with no instruments. The show will include audience interaction and will showcase the members' endearing and entertaining camaraderie and humor. Fans of the A Cappella quintet are sure to be delighted in the additions to the new show. MO5AIC promises not only new staging, fresh ideas and the latest in technology, including a looping demonstration by founding member Josh Huslig but the group has added a variety of new songs to their catalog including hits by artists Sam Smith, Bruno Mars and Ed Sheeran. The guys are also bringing back some of their standards, as well as introducing a "History of Vegas Song" retrospective honoring songs from "Mack the Knife" by Bobby Darin to "Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons.

Prepare to be astonished and amazed by some of the coolest acts that can only be seen at The Greatest Show On Earth®! Children Of All Ages can let their imagination go wild in an exhilarating adventure with extraordinary circus artists and exotic animals. From the highest mountains to the deepest seas, join us at Thomas & Mack Center from Thursday, June 11 through Sunday, June 14 for seven performances as we explore a world of extreme beauty, flexibility, strength and dexterity in ways you've never seen before. In Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Presents Circus XTREME, Ringmaster David Shipman guides audiences on a quest around the world with the help of hilarious adventure seekers, Alex and Irina Emelin. The show will thrill you as the Mongolian riders send arrows flying across the arena sky. This all-female troupe displays their skills in one of the most unique acts this year, performing a series of tricks and maneuvers atop elegant two-hump camels. Jaw-dropping freestyle BMX riders and free running tumblers fill the arena floor performing crazy stunts mixed with acrobats leaping through a 15ft. transparent tower - and this is just one act! During this energetic show, personal introductions to our performing pachyderms will allow audiences to be on a first name basis with our magnificent animals. All this and more happens during the most unexpected circus experience at Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Presents Circus XTREME.

Go behind the scenes at the Animal Open House and get up close to our menagerie of animals one and 1/2 hours prior to show time, open to all ticket holders. Learn how circus animals live, eat and play. Then head inside the venue an hour before the show at the All Access Pre-show, which is free with your ticket purchase. You and your family can meet our international cast of performers, try on custom costumes, learn circus skills - like juggling - from the famous Ringling Bros. Clown Alley and even have the opportunity to win a one of a kind masterpiece created by one of our very own Ringling Bros. painting pachyderms! Together with the show, your family receives over three hours of extreme family fun not to be missed.

Country music superstar Billy Dean & The Steel Horses Band will return to Las Vegas for a special performance at Club Madrid inside Sunset Station on Saturday, June 20 at 7 p.m. Billy Dean gained national attention after appearing on the hit television show "Star Search" and has since recorded eight studio albums, four of which have received gold certification. He's generated more than 20 hit singles on the Billboard Country charts, including 11 Top-10 hits. His biggest hits include "Only Here For A Little While," "Somewhere In My Broken Heart," "You Don't Count The Cost," "Only The Wind," "Billy The Kid," "It's What I Do," "Buy Me A Rose" and "Let Them Be Little."

Sunset Station and 96.3 KKLZ are proud to welcome Junefest back to the spacious outdoor Sunset Amphitheater. The annual music festival will feature performances by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Berlin featuring Terri Nunn, The Romantics and John Waite on Saturday, June 6, 2015.

About Joan Jett and the Blackhearts

Joan Jett is an originator, an innovator and a visionary. As the leader of the hard-rocking Blackhearts, she's had eight platinum and gold albums and nine Top-40 singles, including the classics "Bad Reputation," "I Love Rock 'N' Roll," "I Hate Myself For Loving You," and "Crimson and Clover." Jett has acted in movies and television, including 1987's "Light Of Day," and in a Tony-nominated Broadway musical, "The Rocky Horror Show."

About Berlin featuringTerri Nunn

This Los Angeles-based synth pop group, founded by bassist John Crawford, singer Terri Nunn and keyboard player David Diamond, made its first national impression with the single "Sex (I'm A...)" from the gold-certified EP Pleasure Victim in 1982. Berlin released their first full-length LP, the gold-certified Love Life, in 1984 and followed with the hit single "Take My Breath Away," the love theme from the movie "Top Gun," in 1986. After a brief hiatus, the band reunited and in the late 1990s and released their first studio album in more than 15 years with Voyeur. Their latest album Animal was released in 2013.

About The Romantics

Bred on the mean streets of Detroit's east side, The Romantics were inspired by the British punk invasion and their hometown rock scene. Nearly 30 years later they are still known for having created some of the most influential and beloved rock and roll of all time. After a few years of playing local and regional gigs in Detroit and the Midwest, the band recorded their eponymous debut album in 1980, which included the hit single "What I Like About You." The single, which reached number 49 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, has become a modern rock staple. The band's greatest commercial success came with their album In Heat. The album achieved gold certification and featured the single "Talking In Your Sleep," which peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

About John Waite

The ride began when John Waite was tapped as bassist and lead vocalist for the Babys, who rose to prominence with the hits, "Isn't it Time" from the band's sophomore LP, Broken Heart in 1977 and the monster ballad, "Every Time I Think of You" off 1978's Head First. Following the band's breakup, Waite began a solo career with the album Ignition, featuring the single "Change." His next release, 1984's No Brakes, featured the gold-certified single "Missing You," which peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, rock and adult contemporary charts. His success continued in 1985 with the albums Mask of Smiles, which included the singles "Every Step of the Way" and "If Anybody Had a Heart," the latter of which was featured in the film "About Last Night..." starring Demi Moore.

Rolling across America on a sizzling summer run, Tedeschi Trucks Band's (TTB) Wheels of Soul tour brings the GRAMMY award-winning, 11-piece blues-rock dynamo together with soul sensation Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, and acclaimed guitarist Doyle Bramhall II, for 20 not-to-be-missed appearances including a stop at The Pearl inside Palms Casino Resort on Tuesday, June 19, 2015 at 6:30 p.m. Formed in 2010 with a spirit of adventure that saw Tedeschi and Trucks shelve their equally successful solo careers, Tedeschi Trucks Band has quickly become the vanguard of modern roots music. TTB earned a GRAMMY for its debut album, Revelator, followed with a dynamic live double disc, Everybody's Talkin', and most recently released Made Up Mind. Driven by Trucks, No. 16 of the top 100 Guitarists of All Time ("Rolling Stone"), and Tedeschi, blessed with a voice that passionately delivers a range of powerful R&B belters to gentle ballads, the group enlists two drummers, two vocalists, a three-piece horn section, bass, and a multi-instrumentalist keyboard player for what is a greater-than-the-sum-of-its-parts collective. 

Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings have been hailed as one of the leading forces in the revival of classic soul and funk. The band has traveled the world for more than a decade, blowing minds with their electrifying live performances and their raw, handcrafted studio recordings. The Brooklyn based 11-piece group delivers sharp, danceable funk grooves, impassioned singing and sweet soul hooks that stay in your head for days on end. The group is touring behind its sixth album under the renowned independent Daptone label, 2014's Give the People What They Want, which was recently honored with a GRAMMY nomination for Best R&B Album. The prolific powerhouse and survivor that she is, Sharon Jones has fully recovered from a 2013 cancer diagnosis and bounced back with one of the biggest years of her career, filled with milestone accomplishments and a renewed energy for life.

Doyle Bramhall II is well-known for his extraordinary guitar work, but also as a distinctive vocalist, composer and producer. Just 18 when he was recruited by Jimmie Vaughan to play with the Fabulous Thunderbirds, two years later Doyle co-founded the Arc Angels with Charlie Sexton and Stevie Ray Vaughan's rhythm section, Chris Layton and Tommy Shannon. So impressed with Doyle too, Eric Clapton invited Bramhall to join Clapton's group full-time and their association flourished. Collaborations with such as artists as Sheryl Crow, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Elton John, Gary Clark Jr., Erykah Badu and Gregg Allman have kept Doyle highly in-demand. He is now completing his fourth solo album, launching the next chapter of his musical journey.

Grammy Award-winning R&B legend Roberta Flack is returning to Las Vegas for a performance inside the Grand Events Center at Green Valley Ranch Resort on Friday, June 19 at 8 p.m. internationally hailed as one of the greatest songstresses of our time, Grammy Award-winning Roberta Flack remains unparalleled in her ability to tell a story through her music. Her songs bring insight into our lives, loves, culture and politics, while effortlessly traversing a broad musical landscape from pop to soul to folk to jazz. The four-time Grammy Award-winning artist has long been known as an unparalleled musician who effortlessly inhabits the worlds of pop, soul, R&B, jazz and folk. From her very first recording, "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," which hit number one in the United States across all charts, Flack has created strong emotional bonds with her listeners through her poignant musicality and unerring stylizations, while also shining an uncompromising light onto the culture and politics of the times. 

On the heels of announcing their Las Vegas residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, Reba, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn have already sold out three performances of REBA, BROOKS & DUNN: Together in Vegas and due to popular demand are adding three more June shows. Presented jointly by Caesars Palace and AEG Live, the much anticipated residency will now open on June 17, 2015, one week earlier than planned.

As a multi-media entertainment mogul, Reba has become a household name with a successful career that spans across music, television, film, theater and retail industries. She has achieved a rare pinnacle with 35 #1 singles and over 56 million albums sold worldwide, all garnering her a spot in the upper echelon of #1 albums in the Country genre. Both leading trade outlets for touring, Pollstar and Billboard's Boxscore, named Reba the #1 female Country touring artist with total of over nine million tickets sold. The Country Music Hall of Fame and Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame inductee has won 15 American Music Awards, 13 Academy of Country Music Awards, nine People's Choice Awards, seven Country Music Association Awards, two GRAMMY Awards, an ACM Career Achievement Honor and was recently named the first-ever American Country Countdown Awards' NASH icon, in addition to receiving the National Artistic Achievement Award from the U.S. Congress. The Oklahoma native is also an acclaimed actress with 11 movie credits to her name, including "Tremors," "North" and "The Little Rascals." In 2001, she made her Broadway debut in Irving Berlin's "Annie Get Your Gun," which The New York Times hailed, "without qualification the best performance by an actress in a musical comedy this season." She has starred in the six-season eponymous sitcom "Reba" (WB Television Network/The CW) and "Malibu Country" (ABC). Reba most recently became the inaugural signing on Nash Icon Music, an innovative new joint venture label between Big Machine Label Group and Cumulus. She is back in the studio recording her first new music in over five years with long-time producer Tony Brown and is collaborating for the first time with James Stroud, blending their unique approaches and multi-platinum career success. http://reba.com/

Superstar duo Brooks & Dunn released their first album in 1991, a blockbuster that delivered four #1 singles – the first of 23 chart-toppers in a career that's seen Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn become the best-selling duo in country music history. Hits like "Boot Scootin' Boogie," "My Maria," "Only in America," and "Believe" have propelled Brooks & Dunn to more than 30 million albums sold, as the duo has amassed more than 80 industry awards, including two GRAMMY awards, 20 Country Music Association trophies, and 27 Academy of Country Music honors, making them the most-awarded act in ACM history. Named Entertainer of the Year four times collectively by the ACM and CMA, Brooks & Dunn consistently remained among country's most popular touring acts, a testament both to their showmanship and to their status as one of the true bedrock artists of country music. For more information, visit http://www.brooksanddunn.com.

The Mirage welcomes back comedian Bill Burr when he returns to the Aces of Comedy lineup June 26 – 27. Burr is one of the top comedic voices of his generation, achieving success in television and film as well as the live stage. He premiered his fourth hour-long special, "I'm Sorry You Feel That Way" December 5 on Netflix. Burr's upcoming projects include co-starring with Kevin Costner and Octavia Spencer in the film "Black or White," opening January 30, and starring in his own animated Netflix series "F Is For Family" with Laura Dern and Justin Long as the voices of the Murphy family, debuting in 2015. Burr's "Monday Morning Podcast" is one of the most downloaded comedy podcasts on iTunes. Burr will tour theaters in Australia, New Zealand and Asia in January and February

The Burlesque Hall of Fame weekend will be at The Orleans Hotel from June 4th to June 7th. The Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend and annual Titans of Tease showcase is the world's largest, longest-running and most prestigious burlesque event. With four days and nights of live entertainment, vendors, classes and activities, it's a sexy, fun and exciting fundraiser for the Burlesque Hall of Fame, the only museum of its kind to feature the history and artists of the distinctly modern art form of burlesque. It is a showcase for over 100 of the world's top burlesque acts from international entertainers. The Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend attracts outstanding artists, both exotic and mainstream. The mission of the Burlesque Hall of Fame is to inspire, educate and entertain the public, fostering an appreciation for and understanding of the unique history and heritage of vintage Burlesque--including but not limited to the art, artifacts and personal histories of its biggest names and brightest stars. In 2006, the Burlesque Hall of Fame relocated from Helendale to Las Vegas, NV, in hopes of establishing a permanent, first-rate tourist attraction and research/exhibition space for our one-of-a-kind collection. Today, the museum occupies a space in the Emergency Arts building in the heart of a revitalized Vegas Downtown, where a small part of our several-thousand-piece collection is on display to the public.

The 18th annual Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC), North America's largest dance music festival, will return for another sold out year in Las Vegas for a unifying celebration of music, art and community this June 19-21. EDC Las Vegas will bring 400,000 fans to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the largest audience in the festival's history, for an unforgettable, dusk-till-dawn, multi-day festival experience. A roster of colorful theatrical performers, larger-than-life art installations, dance music's most renowned artists, full-scale carnival rides, and nightly pyrotechnic displays will create a unique and wondrous environment that must be experienced firsthand.