‘Caveman’ Burke on his raucous neighbors
THE Kats! Bureau at this writing is Vue Bar at the D Las Vegas. We do have a good Vue of an old Fremont Street visage, the El Portal theater sign. That business is now a gift store specializing in Indian wares.
Several years ago, Burlesque Hall of Fame officials hoped to take over the location for their new museum. After a long sequins (heh) of events, the hall wound up at its current home in the Arts District.
I’m here to get a last Vue of Kevin Burke as the star of “Defending the Caveman” across the hall at the D Showroom. That room abuts the
3rd Street Stage, where several rock acts have played in the Fremont Street Experience’s Downtown Rocks concert series.
Just this summer, The Cult, Eddie Money with Jefferson Starship and Dokken have headlined. Molly Hatchet (Aug. 11), Melissa Etheridge (Aug. 31) and Ratt with Sebastian Bach (Sept. 29) are upcoming. Past headliners include Cheap Trick and Joan Jett.
Burke has heard them all, through the wall. Who was the loudest?
“Cheap Trick,” Burke said. “I can tell you, without question, they were the loudest. By a long shot. No one’s come close.”
Totally ramped
Van Halen, another legandarily loud-and-proud band, once shouted, “Jump.”
Now it’s Cirque du Soleil’s turn.
I expect that to be the title for the company’s next Luxor show, and, as previously noted, it will be an extreme-sports production. BMX, motocross — those types of wheeled props are planned for the show.
Cirque has not presented extreme sports extensively in its Vegas shows (though in-line skaters perform on dual half-pipes during the “Help” sequence in “Love”). But Cirque has toured an extreme-sports-themed production, “Volta.”
Cirque du Soleil Senior Vice President Jerry Nadal said in January that the company was ditching live acrobatics for the upcoming production, which replaces Criss Angel’s “Mindfreak Live,” closing Oct. 28. The new Luxor show’s time line and further details are to be revealed.
Catching up with D&M
Donny and Marie Osmond have just returned from a
U.S. tour to their eponymous showroom at the Flamingo. In an anecdotal example of how fickle the Vegas entertainment market is, Wednesday’s show was one of the softest crowds in the duo’s decade there.
However, business is closer to normal for the rest of the month. Donny and Marie have no complaints; they do have a gigantic building wrap on the Flamingo, their fourth over their decade on the Strip.
They frequently mention that they started with a sixweek run at the hotel-casino in September 2008. They remain one of the busiest resident shows on the Strip, with 140 performances in this year’s schedule, and continue to upgrade the numbers, having added a new opening and several new costumes.
Both Osmonds say their favorite moment in the show is not actually in the show. It’s the meet-and-greet afterward.
“There was a lady the other night, in the front row, who cried through the entire show,” Donny said in a recent interview. “We met her after, and she said, ‘I’ve waited 40 years to see you, and this was one of the greatest nights of my life.’ ”
Marie added, “You talk about what is a destination show. We feel that all the time. If you want to know why we work so hard, that’s why.”
A new Pawn
Rick Harrison of “Pawn Stars” on History channel has picked over some of the more interesting items at Gold & Silver Pawn Shop.
The result is a new business, effectively named Rick’s Picks. This store will open in about two weeks at Pawn Plaza, the multicolored strip mall next door to Gold & Silver. These items are especially rare and fascinating. Included in the inventory are dinosaur skeletons, meteor pieces, artwork, firearms and sports and rock memorabilia.
The space is divided, with the front filled with inexpensive stuff that the whole family (especially kids) can touch and handle. The back is for more historical pieces, with information presented about each item. There is also a corner honoring Richard “Old Man” Harrison, the family patriarch, who died June 25 at age 77.
Cool hang alert
Jazz fans (and I know you are out there, because of all the questions) know that Lisa Gay is at the Dispensary Lounge at 2451 E. Tropicana Ave. at 10 p.m. Saturday. Gay and her backing band of Mike Clark on keys, Jason Langley on bass and Mike Tramontana on drums continue to advance the Dispensary’s solid rep as a quality jazz hang. Wynton Marsalis once dropped in, about five years ago, after his performance at The Smith Center.
This isn’t to imply Marsalis will be there Saturday.
But Gay and the guys will be. Just head to the famed water wheel. You’ll find them there.
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. Radio host Art Bell died of accidental drug overdose
Clark County coroner’s office says a mix of four drugs killed the popular chronicler of the paranormal in his home in Pahrump on April 13.
2. Four dentists accused of raping woman at Strip hotel
Four California dentists, including three brothers, are facing sexual assault charges after a woman accused them of raping her at a Strip hotel last weekend.
3. Las Vegas man hits $762K jackpot at off-strip casino
A Las Vegas man turned an early morning stop at Sam’s Town into a huge payday.
4. Four dentists released from jail in Las Vegas rape case
Four dentists accused of raping a woman at a Las Vegas Strip hotel have been released from jail on their own recognizance.
5. Two seniors fight over free food samples at Costco
Free samples briefly turned a Costco warehouse club into a fight club for two senior citizens. As of 9 p.m. Thursday:
1. Radio host Art Bell died of accidental drug overdose
Pahrump radio personality Art Bell died of an accidental overdose from a cocktail of prescription drugs, the Clark County coroner’s office said.
2. Las Vegas police talk with Jason Aldean’s manager outside his bus on Oct. 1
Forty minutes after gunfire ceased on Oct. 1, Jason Aldean was still in a bus behind the stage on the Route 91 Harvest festival grounds.
3. Man handcuffed at Route 91 during Oct. 1 shooting
A Las Vegas police officer appears to handcuff a talkative civilian at the Route 91 Harvest festival during the Oct. 1 shooting.