August of 2008 marks the eighth year of this entertainment newsletter. Each month, I've tried to bring readers up to date with the ever-changing face of Las Vegas entertainment---shows that are opening, changing, or closing; as well as the major headliners that will be visiting our town. With both the news and reviews, I've simply tried to let people know what to expect when they came to town or want to go to a show. I am proud to have been able to bring you the news of what is happening in Las Vegas entertainment, and I look forward to the years to come.

August days in Las Vegas are certainly the dog days of summer---instead of a hot and dry 115 degrees, it's 105 with enough humidity to make it uncomfortable. Monsoonal showers are always a threat at this time of year, and thunderstorms could pop up anywhere, anytime...and there are a lot of warnings about flash floods and the dangers of driving through them. (It really hasn't been a problem this year. After six months, we have still had less than an inch of rain all year.) According to all of the weather records, July is the hottest month in Las Vegas...but for some reason, August always seems hotter. There are still a lot of pool parties and summer concerts going on. There are a couple of new shows on the horizon, and the convention season is just starting with a couple of big conventions coming to town.

The first convention of note will be Creation Entertainment's Official STAR TREK Convention at the fabulous Las Vegas Hilton Hotel, home of STAR TREK: THE EXPERIENCE, the $50 million dollar attraction that literally is Star Trek live! The 2008 edition of the convention continues in the enduring spirit of offering our attendees the absolute best time ever, a full four days of non-stop entertainment honoring Gene Roddenberry's legacy of a positive future for mankind. With an amazing array of celebrities, events, parties, food functions, autographing, photo ops, vendors, auctions, contests, live music, comedy and surprises: you are invited to leave the "real" world behind and join the fun. As the crown jewel of Creation's 36 year history of fan conventions, this event is "the one" to be at. And unlike all other "huge" fan conventions Creation Entertainment never sells a ticket that does not include a seat in the main theatre. You won't miss a guest or event or spend your time waiting on lines to get into a theatre! Make your plans to join the celebration from August 6th - 10th.
 

MAGIC is the convention that really kicks off the season. This monster show, showing off the winter collections, comes to town at the end of the month and well over 140,000 people are being expected to attend. The men's garment convention is always a popular and well-attended event. From its humble beginnings, it is now a huge convention that is in town, twice a year.

A surprising little show, which just recently opened up, is Wes Winter - A Tribute to Liberace. This production takes place in the afternoons at the Steve Wyrick Theatre. It is just Wes and a piano out there, but the evening with the music is just great. Wes is a self-taught pianist, and he doesn't even read music, but he has certainly mastered the instrument and does a terrific job at emulating the style of Liberace. It is not an impersonator show...just a wonderful show with music. You don't have to be a Liberace fan to enjoy the show; you just have to enjoy good piano music.

Scarlett - the Princess of Magic (a.k.a. Scarlett the Deceiver) has signed a deal with the V Theatre for the next six months...with the hope, of course, that it will be successful and then extended. She is a bit of a phenomenon in that she has been in Vegas for less than a year and has landed her very own show. Scarlett's daytime show should be a memorable experience: she performs illusions, dressed as memorable Hollywood stars throughout her family friendly show. The eclectic list includes everyone from Marilyn Monroe to Michael Jackson. David Saxe, V Theater's show producer and managing partner states that "I have not seen such stage presence in a female magician since my sister, Melinda: The First Lady of Magic." Scarlett opens the first of the month.

There are several shows that have closed, or are closing...
Toxic Audio is leaving the V Theatre. The a capella group had a good run here, and they have a lot of touring gigs to fulfill.
Rosanne Barr was initially going to take August off and then return to her one-woman show at the Sahara, but sluggish ticket sales made the decision for her to just not return.

Criss Angel along with Cirque du Soleil will be opening their show "Believe" at the Luxor sometime soon... The original opening was scheduled for September, but it was (of course) delayed until October...by mid-September, Cirque should announce another delay in opening the show...and then there will be previews for three months while they figure out how to cut is down from three hours to ninety minutes... It has happened with every Cirque show that's opened here... It will be great...when it actually opens.

And there were a couple of other small shows that appeared and disappeared so quickly that I can't even recall their names...it is just more evidence of a lethargic economy. When there is a slow down in Las Vegas, then we know that there is a problem. A year ago, we thought that gas would never reach $4 a gallon, and now, we're thrilled that it has come down to $4. It has caused fewer people to make the drive across the desert. A lot of people's disposable income is no longer disposable, and they think twice about that weekend away. I realize that there is an ebb and flow to everything, but I'm not sure how much more we can ebb...we're ready to start flowing again.

The month starts off a bit slow as far as the headliners go, but it certainly picks up steam, and of course, September will be crazy.

The first week features...
Wes Winters - A Tribute to Liberace
Planet Hollywood Through Sep 2

The second week has...
Saturday's Warrior Production
Cashman Center Aug 4
United States Army Soldier Show
Cannery Casino Aug 5 - Free
Chris Cornell
Mandalay Bay Aug 6
George Thorogood and Buddy Guy
Hard Rock Aug 7
Rehab
Mandalay Bay Aug 7
Tom Jones
MGM Grand Aug 7 - Aug 20
Celebration of the King
Cannery Casino Aug 8 - Aug 9
Jay Leno
Mirage Aug 8 - Aug 9
Jerry Seinfeld
Caesars Palace Aug 8 - Aug 9
Joel McHale
Mandalay Bay Aug 8
Julian Marley
Hard Rock Hotel Aug 8
Julieta Venegas
Hard Rock Hotel Aug 8
Kyle Cease
South Point Aug 8 - Aug 10
Maze featuring Frankie Beverly
Las Vegas Hilton Aug 8 - Aug 9
Nas w/ Talib Kweli
Mandalay Bay Aug 8
Sammy Hagar and the Wabos
Red Rock Casino Aug 8
Steely Dan
Palms Casino Aug 8
The Romantics
Santa Fe Station Aug 8 - Free
Travis Tritt
Orleans Hotel Aug 8 - Aug 10
Concert Fantasy and Fantasy Petite
Cashman Center Aug 9 - Aug 10
Michael John - Tribute to Billy Joel
Texas Station Aug 9
Steve Miller Band with special guest Joe Cocker
Orleans Hotel Aug 9
UB40
Red Rock Casino Aug 9


The third week includes:
Cher
Caesars Palace Aug 12 - Oct 5
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
South Point Casino Aug 13
Cherry Poppin Daddies
Four Queens Hotel Aug 14
An Evening With Steve Lawrence
Orleans Hotel Aug 15 - Aug 17
Brad Garrett
Mirage Aug 15 - Aug 16
Daughtry
Red Rock Casino Aug 15
Gary Puckett
South Point Casino Aug 15 - Aug 17
Hall & Oates
Hard Rock Hotel Aug 15
Larry Carlton
Suncoast Hotel Aug 15 - Aug 17
Paolo Nutini
Hard Rock Hotel Aug 15
Soul Sacrifice - A Santana Tribute
Santa Fe Station Aug 15
Terry Fator
Las Vegas Hilton Aug 15 - Aug 17
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Palms Casino Aug 16
Alan Jackson
Mandalay Bay Aug 16
Black Music Awards
Cashman Center Aug 16
Bow Wow
Mandalay Bay Aug 16
Comedian Jamie Kennedy
Green Valley Ranch Aug 16
Dennis Wise "A King for a Night"
Santa Fe Station Aug 16
Jeffrey Osborne
Santa Fe Station Aug 16
Kenny G
Lake Las Vegas Aug 16
Liza Minelli
Buffalo Bill's Resort Aug 16
The Dells & the Manhattans
Cannery Casino Aug 16


The fourth week will bring in...
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
Hard Rock Hotel Aug 22
Bill Medley with Paul Revere & the Raiders
South Point Casino Aug 22 - Aug 24
Dave Koz
Sunset Station Aug 22
Gerry & the Pacemakers
Suncoast Hotel Aug 22 - Aug 24
Gladys Knight
Orleans Hotel Aug 22 - Aug 24
Kansas
Texas Station Aug 22
Mos Def with special guests Whosane and Anwar
Mandalay Bay Aug 22
Poison
Palms Casino Aug 22
Rattle & Hum - Tribute to U2
Santa Fe Station Aug 22
Sheryl Crow & James Blunt
Planet Hollywood Aug 22
The Ultimate 3 on 3 Basketball Challenge
Orleans Hotel Aug 22 - Aug 24
Tokio Hotel
Mandalay Bay Aug 22
Berlin - featuring Terri Nunn
Green Valley Ranch Aug 23
Cannerystock
Cannery Casino Aug 23
Extreme & Kings X
Mandalay Bay Aug 23
Faster Pussycat & Bang Tango
Sunset Station Aug 23
Hootie & the Blowfish
Buffalo Bill's Resort Aug 23
Survivor
Mandalay Bay Aug 24


The last week of August and into September will have...
2008 National Celebration of the Pure Spanish Horse
South Point Casino Aug 27 - Aug 30 - Free
Air Supply
Orleans Hotel Aug 28 - Aug 31
Eddy Grant
Mandalay Bay Aug 28
3 Doors Down w/ Staind & Hinder
Mandalay Bay Aug 29
Adrenaline Extreme Show
Cashman Center Aug 29 - Aug 31
Bill Engvall
Treasure Island Aug 29
Creeping Death - 80's Metallica Tribute
Santa Fe Station Aug 29
G. Love & Special Sauce with the John Butler Trio
Hard Rock Hotel Aug 29
Kiss
Palms Casino Aug 29
Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr.
Suncoast Hotel Aug 29 - Aug 31
Ralphie May
South Point Casino Aug 29 - Aug 31
Ramon Ayala w/ special guest Sueno Norteno
Mandalay Bay Aug 29
Richard Cheese & Lounge Against the Machine
Hard Rock Hotel Aug 29
Todd Rundgren, Lou Gramm, Bo Bice, Christopher Cross & Denny Laine
Texas Station Aug 29
Animevegas Convention
Renaissance Las Vegas Hotel Aug 30 - Sep 1
Bill Cosby
Buffalo Bill's Resort Aug 30
David Spade
Planet Hollywood Aug 30 - Aug 31
Gary US Bonds, Booker T, Chris Montez, Brian Hyland & Goodfellas
Cannery Casino Aug 30 - Free
Ice Cube
Mandalay Bay Aug 30
Las Vegas Gun & Knife Show
Cashman Center Aug 30 - Aug 31
Lewis Black
Mirage Aug 30 - Aug 31
Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers w/ Mother Truckers
Mandalay Bay Aug 30
SMV: Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller, & Victor Wooten
Texas Station Aug 30
Southern Blues Concert
Cashman Center Aug 30
Strippers and Hustlers Ball
Orleans Hotel Aug 30 - Aug 31
The Tubes
Santa Fe Station Aug 30
Thunder
Texas Station Aug 30
Richard Cheese & Lounge Against the Machine
Hard Rock Hotel Aug 31
Toad the Wet Sprocket
Mandalay Bay Resort Aug 31