Williams adds shows; Manilow’s on sale
TO borrow a term used in craps, Robbie Williams is rolling box cars at Wynn Las Vegas. It’s double-sixes for Williams’ schedule at the Encore Theater. The British showman, pop artist and TV star has added six dates to his existing six-show schedule at the theater. The new shows run June 19-29, and tickets go on sale at 7 a.m. Tuesday. (They’re $59.50 to $200, minus fees, and available at Wynnlasvegas.com or 702770-9966.)
Meantime, Barry Manilow has announced on-sale dates for his 2019 performances at the Westgate. Manilow’s shows are set for select weekends beginning Feb. 14-16 through June 13-15. Tickets for those shows are from $39.95 to $329.75 (minus fees) and go on sale at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Westgate, 800-222-5361 or at barrymanilow.com or westgatelasvegas.com.
Manilow’s return coincides with the hotel’s 50th anniversary. It opened as the International in 1969, with Barbra Streisand as the first headliner in the International Theater and Elvis Presley as the showroom’s first resident superstar.
“Barry Manilow is the rare talent who can consistently deliver a concert of hits that thrills our guests night after night,” David Siegel, founder and CEO of Westgate Resorts, said in a statement. “He is an iconic, once-in-a-generation performer, and we are thrilled he has chosen to make our famed International Theater his home as part of the Westgate’s 50th anniversary year in 2019.”
Manilow closed his 2018 series at the hotel in energetic and mischievous fashion. On Friday, he kicked the lyrics to one of his famous hits, “Even Now,” restarting the song while saying, “Now you know this show isn’t lip-synced!” After dancing through the Donna Summer/disco version of “Could It Be Magic,” he called his familiar line, “What is your 75-year-old grandfather doing tonight?”
Himself an able showman, Williams, headlining in the “Robbie Williams Live In
Las Vegas” production, has sold out his original run of six shows from March 6-16. Williams has sold 77 million records internationally as a soloist and with the band Take That. He’s won 18 BRIT Awards, the British annual music honors, and has the record for most BRITS won by an artist (13 as a soloist, five with Take That).
Swift ticket sales are nothing new for Williams; his 2006 world tour moved 1.6 million tickets in a single day.
Along with his wife, Ayda, and Simon Cowell and Sharon Osbourne, Williams is a judge on “The X Factor” in the United Kingdom and has just wrapped a world stadium tour.
Burton’s baaack
Lance Burton is on the “eight-to-10-year plan.”
“It’s my new thing,” he says. “I’ll wait another eight to 10 years, and pop back in.”
Tah-dah! For those keeping track of this reappearing act, Burton retired from his long-running (and consistently successful) magic production at Monte Carlo in September 2010.
Since, the universally respected Master Magician performs sporadically in the city where he was an illusion superstar for decades. But he is back this weekend, at Orleans Showroom for “Lance Burton & Friends.” The shows run 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Burton’s friends are fellow artists Fielding West, Michael Goudeau (his sidekick and featured act at Monte Carlo) and Keith West.
Also this week, Burton’s 2015 movie “Billy Topit” makes its Las Vegas debut MYLV-TV channel 21 (Cox Cable channel 12) at 8 p.m. Wednesday.
“It’s exciting. The entire cast lives here and it was shot in its entirety right here in Las Vegas,” Burton says. Such Burton friends and Vegas stage performers as Criss Angel, Johnny “The Great Tomsoni” Thompson, Louie Anderson, Frankie Scinta, Mac King, Gabriella Versace, Jeff Mcbride, Russ Merlin and Michael Holly make cameos in the film.
Burton has performed live in Vegas when he can link the show to a charity. A portion of the proceeds from his Orleans Showroom gigs are going to Variety — Children’s Charity of Southern Nevada. He’s also serving as grand marshal of the annual Opportunity Village Great Santa Run on Dec. 1 in downtown Las Vegas.
Burton is firm about keeping his life in retirement intact. He stepped away eight years ago after a 14-year run as a marquee star at Monte Carlo, which named its theater for him. The venue was eventually pulled apart to make room for the Park Theater.
His most recent ticketed performance leading to his weekend shows was at Route 66 Casino Hotel in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Sept. 1.
Burton has no live dates on the books after this weekend.
“I do have plans for the Super Bowl,” he says. “I’ll be watching on TV, hopefully eating some pizza.”
And content as a retiree, no doubt.
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. Monday:
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