‘Believe’ it: Cher tune joins fountain playlist
Cnow shares a stage — an aquatic stage — with Elvis, Gene Kelly and Henry Mancini. The contemporary music icon and master of reinvention has been added to the soundtrack at the fountains of Bellagio. “Believe,” her 1998 hit, was unveiled late Wednesday night before an adoring throng of fans milling about the Strip.
Cher, who earlier in the evening resumed her headlining run at The Park Theater, created a stir when she turned up for the event just before 11 p.m. Her number was preceded by the medley from Tiësto’s “A Town Called Paradise” and joins such famed numbers as “Viva Las Vegas” as sung by Elvis, “Singing in the Rain,” from Kelly and Mancini’s “Pink Panther Theme.”
“Believe” joins a lineup of 25 songs played at the fountains. No numbers have been removed.
“It’s an honor to be part of the MGM Resorts entertainment family and to be included in such a spectacular landmark on the Las Vegas Strip,” Cher said in a statement after the presentation, which she viewed along with execs from MGM Resorts International and AEG Live, co-producers of her Park Theater show.
Cher’s show opened in February 2017, and its current run continues until Feb. 3.
She returns again May 2-19.
This really is us
The cast of the NBC series “This Is Us” shot for a second consecutive day at the Hard Rock Hotel. The crew took over the Magic Mike Live Theater to continue work on a yet-to-be-announced episode. Series co-stars Milo Ventimiglia, Mandy Moore and Sterling K. Brown reportedly were at the Hard Rock for tapings Wednesday and Thursday.
XS, indeed
At Wynn Las Vegas, “The Hail Mary” is not a 61-yard TD heave from Vikings quarterback Case Keenum to wideout Stefon Diggs to beat the New Orleans Saints. No, it’s a VIP package at XS Nightclub to watch “The Big Game” on Feb. 4.
For $25,000, or the price of a pre-owned Ford Fusion, 20 guests can enjoy a bottle of Dom Perignon Luminous, six bottles of Grey Goose with cocktail mixers, one case of Bud Light, a dozen bottles of Fiji water and another dozen cans of Red Bull.
The club also offers less extravagant packages, named “The Touchdown,” “Field Goal,” “Extra Point,” and “Safety,” for parties of two to eight. And it would be good to note that “The Big Game” itself will be shown on the club’s video system.
Quick blast from Paris
I took in a sneak peek at “Inferno,” the new Paris Theater stage show, Thursday afternoon. A snap observation: Remember the volcano at The Mirage? This show feels a lot like that volcano, but indoors.
“Inferno” opens at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday. It is to be joined in that theater by a musical centered on a blonde icon. We’ll spark up coverage of that show later.
That Feb. 17 date
Clint Holmes’ co-headlining run “Soundtrack” at the Westgate Las Vegas International Theater begins Feb. 14 and runs Thursdays through Sundays. The show will be dark Feb. 17, but fans hoping to see Holmes in action can head to the M Resort, where he’ll be headlining that evening.
Notoriety tuning up
Vegasville scenesters should keep this under-development club on their radar: Notoriety, which is taking over the space formerly occupied by Krave Massive at Neonopolis. The Best Agency Chief Executive Officer Ken Henderson signed the lease this week to move forward on the live music complex (which is a side project and not connected to The Best Agency operation), and construction is just underway.
Henderson says he is hoping to be open by the end of May, or June at the latest. Notoriety is a multivenue fortress that will serve emerging and established performers.
“This is going to be awesome,” says Henderson, who is nobly making a move for something to hit the mark in that Krave Massive space. It’s been about 57,000 square feet of unused potential since Krave was shut down by state officials in 2013 for permit violations. Before that, the space was the site of Galaxy 11 movie theaters.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@ reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @ Johnnykats1 on Instagram. As of 9 p.m. Thursday:
1. Las Vegas high school student accused of rapes of classmates
A Palo Verde High
School student was indicted Wednesday on sexual assault charges after authorities accused him of raping at least four teenage classmates while he attended Shadow Ridge High School.
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After more than 25 years, Wolfgang Puck’s Spago in the Forum Shops at Caesars will serve its last meal Jan. 27.
3. Sexual harassment probe forced out exhenderson police chief, sources say
A sexual harassment investigation forced out Patrick Moers as Henderson’s police chief last year, but city leaders concealed the reason for his ouster and misrepresented the nature of his separation, the Las Vegas Reviewjournal has learned.
4. Lake Havasu City couple charged with murder in child’s death
A Lake Havasu City, Arizona, man and his girlfriend face a first-degree murder charge following Sunday’s death of their 2-year-old daughter.
5. Both Gruden coaches pursued Raiders new DC Paul Guenther
On Wednesday, Paul Guenther spoke to reporters for the first time since joining the staff of Jon Gruden, new Raiders coach and older brother of his close friend Jay.