Sharp-dressed mayors take in ZZ Top
ZZ Top invited a rocking trio as its opening act at the Venetian Theatre on Wednesday night. Two Las Vegas mayors and a downtown resort operator.
Call ’em ZZ Not Top, but they had a blast.
Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman, ex-mayor Oscar Goodman and Plaza CEO Jonathan Jossel visited frontman Billy F. Gibbons before the show and stayed for the whole dance.
“I haven’t been up this late since my bar mitzvah,” said Oscar Goodman, who did knock back a Bombay Sapphire martini and asked repeatedly if he could watch the concert from the monitor in the green room. Also in the mix, longtime Las Vegas hospitality veteran and Keep Memory Alive board member Mike Severino, who is heading up the planning committee at the 25th annual Power of Love gala Saturday night at Resorts World Las Vegas.
The Goodmans met Gibbons at Oscar Goodman’s dinner series event in June, hosted by Jossel and his team at Oscar’s Steakhouse at the Plaza. Oscar Goodman had asked Gibbons about the band. Gibbons told him he should check it out himself, and so it was.
Carolyn Goodman remarked to the group before that the night was another instance of Las Vegas’ sense of community: “I wouldn’t live anywhere else in the world but Las Vegas.” The couple sat with Jossel and had a great time. Last we saw, they were a step ahead of the crowd during the show-closing “Tush,” smiling all the while.
Hear and now
Dolby sounds good to MGM Resorts International.
The audio-entertainment company and owner of Park Theater have announced that venue has been renamed Dolby Live at Park MGM. The renaming is in time for the return of Lady Gaga’s “Jazz + Piano” residence production at the theater beginning Thursday night.
Plans for the new name were first evident in July, when the letters were being removed from the Park Theater signs, and reports surfaced that a new sound system was being loaded in.
Dolby Live is also the first performance venue of its kind to use Dolby Atmos, a new audio-immersive technology unique to the newly named theater.
“Joining our slate of premier offerings for immersive entertainment, such as the Dolby
Theater in Hollywood and the hundreds of Dolby Cinemas around the world, Dolby Live is the ultimate experience for enjoying live music in Dolby Atmos,” Dolby Laboratories President and CEO Kevin Yeaman said in a statement. “As we continue to grow our presence in music, Dolby Live will offer consumers more ways to enjoy a Dolby Atmos experience while deepening and expanding our engagements with the artist community.”
The installation has been going on for months at the former Park Theater. The Dolby Atmos playback system was custom-designed for concerts inside the 5,200-seat venue, but is also capable of supporting such live experiences as musicals and esports, among other events.
Dragons’ pass to Waller
Imagine Dragons’ rapidly rising Tyler Robinson Foundation Rise Up gala is honoring Raiders tight end Darren Waller when the event resumes to full capacity Oct. 22 at Wynn Las Vegas’ Outdoor Pavilion. Waller is to receive the first TRF Inspiration Award, recognizing his recovery from opioid and alcohol abuse to forge a successful NFL career. His Darren Waller Foundation focuses on supporting youths and families in Southern Nevada.
Also being honored are Matthew Frazier and John C. Kish Foundation (TRF Legacy Award) and Richard Rundle Elementary School (Team
TRF Honoree). Intermountain Healthcare has been announced as TRF Community Impact Honoree.
Comic actor Joel Mchale is back as host this year.
The TRF gala drew about 880 guests and raised $3.2 million at the 2019 event at the Wynn. Overall, the charity that focuses on pediatric cancer has raised $7.7 million. The Dragons are again set to perform to cap the night.
‘Fantasy’ at 22
“Fantasy” at Luxor continues to set the standard among adult revues in Las Vegas. The show is celebrating its 22nd anniversary since it opened as “Midnight Fantasy” in 1999. Highlights from Wednesday’s Vip/media show and calendar release event included a terrific “Roxanne” number, the stylish use of royal blue gloves and white chiffon for Indiana’s “Solo Dancing,” and vocalist Lorena Peril’s singing and crowd interaction. It was a six-snort night, very funny (inside joke there).
Comic Shayma Tash leveled the place with her QVC Lady bit, pulling a purse from an audience member and describing the contents as if trying to sell them on the on the air. Producer Anita Mann continues to evolve the show, a reason it has never flagged since the “Midnight Fantasy” days lo so many years ago.
Cool Hang Alert
Vegas faves Colin Cahill and Mackenzie Fly perform “Live Is Beautiful” at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at The Space, the latest installment of the venue’s “Wine Wednesdays” series. Cahill says of the husband-wife show, “It’s our first time doing something like this in town, so it’s sure to be a huge success or complete disaster. But either way, entertaining.” We predict the latter. Plunk down $25 to find out.
The Review-journal is owned by the family of Dr. Miriam Adelson, the majority shareholder of Las Vegas Sands Corp., which operates the Venetian.