January 2007

2007!!! It’s the New Year!! A time of renewal...a time when we get to look back and see what we did right, and what we did wrong in our lives. It’s a time when we look ahead, and figure out how to make this year better than the previous one. We have to figure out the path that will make more things go the way we want them to. It is a time for resolutions...It’s time to get fit and healthy, a time to get thin, or rich, or married, or divorced; a time to stop smoking or drinking; a time to be a better, more committed person both personally and professionally. It is a time when we are forced to try and figure out how to do less of what is bad for us and more of what is good for us. The New Year always brings new hopes and new challenges to people. It’s time to fill ourselves up with resolutions and hope that the New Year will bring us into a better and more prosperous time of our life. With these hopes also comes the pressure to achieve...that personal commitment within us that is undoubtedly going to take a lot of time and energy. It’s a new beginning! You just have to find the energy to figure out and evaluate your personal life for both the entire year behind and the entire year ahead of you...and it sounds so simple.

It is different for the entertainment industry. Simple barometers of sales measure the success and failure of just about any production. Did it make money or not? Will it eventually make money? Is it worth the expense? It would be interesting if we could objectively apply simple gauges to our own lives.

2006 had some interesting occurrences...

The new Hooters casino opened.

Menopause: the musical opened at the Hilton...and is doing really well. The Price is Right opened at Bally’s. The Scinta’s moved to the Strip inside that Sahara showroom. Shag with a Twist opened at Krave, and then moved downtown to the Plaza. The Soprano’s Last Supper moved into Krave, and is now moving to the Empire Ballroom.

The big productions of the year that opened were Love and The Phantom of the Opera...almost at the same time.

Brief hits (with limited engagements) were Matsuri at the Riviera, and Burn the Floor at the Luxor. Liza Minelli thrilled the entertainment community when she added a late night show at the Luxor.

Hairspray opened...and then closed, and then Headlights and Tailpipes did the same thing. It’s a shame that Hairspray closed.

It was, in fact, a very tough year for the topless dance revue...in addition to Headlights and Tailpipes, also closing were Buck Wild, Erocktica, Skintight (followed by Bareback which also closed,) and Cover Girls. It’s a shame that Buck Wild closed.

Reba McEntire graced the stage at the Hilton for an extended time over the summer, and we wish that she would come back.

Nathan Burton got a boost for his afternoon show at the V theatre when he got quite far in the reality show, America’s Got Talent. Also moving into the V theatre was the Popovich Pet Theatre, which is a charming afternoon show.

Beacher’s Madhouse got the boot from the Joint at the Hard Rock and became Beacher’s Rockhouse at the Imperial Palace...and was never heard from again.

Gordie Brown was given his own theatre inside the Venetian.

The venerable Bottom’s Up made a come back when it reopened at Fitzgerald’s.

Toni Braxton opened at the Flamingo.

Clint Holmes (sadly for his fans) closed his show at Harrah’s, and was replaced by Rita Rudner when she vacated New York, New York.

Redneck Comedy Live...here and gone so fast we’re not even sure anyone noticed.

The legendary Stardust closed.

Prince opened at the Rio.

Steve Wynn poked a hole in his Picasso.

The Producers was set to open at Paris...it never did, but now they have signed David Hasselhoff...and we’re still wondering when it will open.

But that’s not even as bad as Steve Wyrick’s opening of his new theatre/nightclub and show. A year ago, it was stated that it would open soon...and just about every month since then, it was going to be opening really soon. Then there was the firm opening set in August...and then in Sept...and November, and now definitely in mid-Dec...no, late Dec...now it’s absolutely sometime in January...or maybe February.

It is always interesting to look back at an entire year...it is amazing to see the things that you forgot.

The New Year does bring some new changes...

Forever Plaid announced that it will be closing its production on April 1. It is a wonderful show, and it’s a shame that it is leaving...there is, of course, the hope that maybe a Forever Plaid Two could come take its place.

This month is a slower month in the city, but will bring of a lot of things:

The first week has, of course, the First Friday at the Art district downtown. The CES convention is a huge time in the city, which is piggybacked by the Adult Entertainment convention...always interesting to see...

The Rampart Casino presents the highly energetic live comedy game show, BONK in Addison’s Lounge, and admission is free. The show combines an innovative mix of stand up comedy delivered in a game show format, complete with hilarious prizes, props and a professional comedy host. Contestants are challenged to answer trivia questions, unscramble puzzles and perform funny dances. Using a large soft mallet, contestants “BONK” themselves in the head to qualify to answer humorous questions, ranging from simple to challenging.

The entertainment this month ranges dramatically:

The first week has:
David Copperfield
MGM Grand
The Magic of Rick Thomas
Orleans Hotel
Howie Mandel
MGM Grand
Akon with Monica
Mandalay Bay
CBR World Champion Bull Riding
South Point Casino
Celebration of the King's Life w/ Johnny Fortuno
Cannery
Jay Leno
Mirage
Juice Newton
Suncoast Hotel and Casino
Dennis Wise's King for a Night
Boulder Station Hotel-Casino
Unwritten Law w/ As Fast As and Red Gun Radar
Mandalay Bay
Bowl Championship Golf Tournament
CasaBlanca Hotel - Casino - Golf - Spa
Little Anthony & the Imperials
JW Marriott

The second week contains:
Reel Big Fish
Mandalay Bay
Earth, Wind & Fire
Luxor Hotel
Tony Orlando with the comedy of Sammy Shore
Orleans
Art Garfunkel
Las Vegas Hilton
Jay Leno
Mirage
Josh Blue
Mandalay Bay
Rich Little & Friends
Suncoast Hotel and Casino
Rita Rudner
Harrah's Las Vegas
Twist & Shout - A Tribute to the Beatles
Cannery Casino
AVN Awards Show
Mandalay Bay
Incubus w/ Albert Hammond, Jr.
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Johnny Gill
Boulder Station
Reverend Horton Heat w/ Junior Brown and the Legendary
Mandalay Bay
Roller Derby
Cashman Center
UNLV vs. BYU
Thomas & Mack Center
The Cheetah Girls w/ Everlife
Thomas & Mack Center

Week number three has:
Disney On Ice "A Disneyland Adventure"
Orleans Hotel and Casino
Frankie Avalon & Bobby Rydell
Orleans Hotel and Casino
Tom Jones
MGM Grand Hotel and Casino
Big Band Nights
CasaBlanca Hotel
Justin Timberlake w/ special guest Pink
MGM Grand
Lindsey Buckingham
Luxor Hotel and Casino
Strunz & Farah
Boulder Station
The Association
Whiskey Pete's
Americheer/Viva Las Vegas Championship
Cox Pavilion
BJ Thomas
Boulder Station Hotel-Casino
Hal Ketchum
Cannery Casino & Hotel
Las Vegas Gun Show
Cashman Center
NOFX w/ Strike Anywhere, Dead to Me & Love Equals Death
Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino
Ricky Hatton vs. Juan Urango
Paris Las Vegas
Saliva with Crossfade
Mandalay Bay
UNLV vs. San Diego State
Thomas & Mack Center

The fourth week has:
Miss America Pageant
Aladdin (soon to be Planet Hollywood, a Sheraton)
Slayer with Unearth
Mandalay Bay
Bridal Expo
Cashman Center
Etta James
Orleans Hotel and Casino
Go For It Classic Gymnastics Competition
Cox Pavilion
Go Go's
Luxor Hotel and Casino
Howard Jones
Boulder Station Hotel-Casino
Peace Frog - Tribute to the Doors
Cannery Casino & Hotel
Vicki Lawrence & Mama
Suncoast Hotel and Casino
Caroline Rhea
Buffalo Bill's
Kenny Rankin
Santa Fe Station Hotel Casino
Kevin Nealon
Mandalay Bay
UNLV vs. New Mexico
Thomas & Mack Center
High School Musical
Thomas & Mack Center

And the last week, into the first week of February has:
Everclear w/ Johnny Lives!
Mandalay Bay
Jack's Mannequin w/ Head Automatica, the Audition & Get Back Loretta
Mandalay Bay
Drew Carey & the Improv All-Stars
MGM Grand
Damon Wayans
Orleans Hotel and Casino
Euge Groove
Boulder Station Hotel-Casino
Jay Leno
Mirage
Kevin James
Mirage
Kip Attaway
CasaBlanca Hotel
Larry Carlton
Suncoast Hotel and Casino
Pennywise w/ the Circle Jerks & Ignite
Mandalay Bay
George Strait w/ Ronnie Milsap
MGM Grand
Little River Band
Boulder Station
UFC67: All or Nothing
Mandalay Bay

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

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.