Las Vegas Review-Journal (Sunday)
Album shows Dion son no longer kid
THOSE of us who followed Celine Dion’s groundbreaking residency at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace remember her son Rene-Charles Angelil as a young kid in the home movies shown during the show.
Well, he has grown up, big time.
The 20-year-old son of Dion and the late Rene Angelil released the EP “Casino.5” on Jan. 11. The track list for the hip-hop release is “Mamba Mentality,” “Money, Thrills, and Rest,” “NO Ls,” “GG4 (feat. PAKKA)” and “LV.”
Angelil has produced an energetic, high-velocity verbal sprint peppered with references to his hometown of Las Vegas. In “LV,” the young artist raps, “I’m from Las Vegas, where it’s easycome, but hard-ta go.” And, “At night, I’m so bright, like the LV Strip.”
Angelil also unleashes the entire spectrum of adult language, and the EP carries a parental advisory warning.
One parent who approves and applauds is Celine herself, who tweeted Friday, “I’m so proud of my son. My love for him is so strong, and it touches me deeply that one of his passions is also one of mine.”
On Monday, she paid tribute to her son on his 20th birthday, referring to her late husband and also RC’s siblings Nelson and Eddy. “It’s hard to believe that two decades have already passed. You carry the colour of the sky in your eyes and that same blue is the colour of our love. Go out there and embrace life, and remember to never stop believing in yourself, because I believe in you. Remember also that your father is always watching over you and guiding you.”
Barring unforeseen circumstances, we anticipate Dion to be in the residency-headliner lineup at The Theatre at Resorts World after she finishes her world-tour commitments.
Merely thinking aloud, Angelil’s ambitious project would seem ripe for a cross-promotional opportunity at the hotel’s Zouk Nightclub and Ayo Dayclub. That place should be a haven for money, thrills and rest.
Life’s Mosaic
“M.J. The Evolution” is set to be the only Michael Jackson tribute show performing in Las Vegas. The new production is moonwalking toward (if that’s even possible) a March 6 opening at Mosaic on the Strip.
“Evolution” has played to a socially distant crowd of front-line health workers last week and should ramp up rehearsals next week. Michael Firestone and Daniel Atanasio are cast as two of the three M.J.’s in the show, with a younger Jackson from the early days of the Jackson 5 still to be picked. The show runs in three parts, youthful M.J., career-prime-“Thriller” M.J. and later “Black Or
White” M.J.
The show is loaded with former members of “MJ Live,” including Firestone and music director/guitar great Christian Brady .Thisisa real show, with a total of 15 cast members with and an eight-member dance troupe of four men and women. Co-producer and venue operator Dean Coleman of SPR & Promotions is running the show at a loss for a 50-person audience, wagering it will turn a profit after COVID subsides.
Coleman has a (sequined) vested interest in the Jackson project, having spent about three years luring the show to Vegas. As he says, “This is going to be something special.”
Elsewhere at Mosaic, “Kyle Martin’s Piano Man” tribute to Billy Joel and Elton John seems a goner. Martin posted on his Instagram page Friday he was sad to announce the show’s departure, saying it was one of COVID’s “casualties.” Martin promises this is not the end of the show forever. Fans never seem to tire of the Joel/ John combination, which has sparked dueling-piano shows the world over.
Mammoth opportunity
In a TV event brimming with Las Vegas originals,
Frank Sidoris and Wolfgang Van Halen’s Mammoth WVH rock band debuts on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” on Feb. 11.
Sidoris has appeared twice on Kimmel with Slash feat. Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators.
Kimmel grew up in Vegas, of course. Sidoris, a guitar virtuoso, is the son of Angela Stabile of Stabile Productions, which produces Piff The Magic Dragon and the “X Burlesque” and “X Country” adult revues.
Backing Engelbert Last week Engelbert
Humperdinck asked for prayers as he has tested positive for COVID-19 and his wife, Patricia Popea, battles Alzheimer’s.
Humperdinck has headlined in Las Vegas for decades and has been backed by two popular Vegas singers in the past decade. Anne Martinez toured with Humperdinck in 2014-15, followed by Autumn Johnson when Martinez joined “Jubilee!”
Vin? Aye!
Quick quiz, which among the following is the title of Vinny “Vin A.” Adinolfi’s upcoming album:
1. “Led ZepVin.”
2. “Vins N’ Roses.”
3. “Vin Morrison.”
4. “VINDemic.”
5. “VinC/DC.”
6. “Vin & Tonic.”
7: “Vin’s & Needles.” 8: “The Vin Number.” 9: “Vin Lizzy.”
10: “Oil & Vinny-Grrr.” The answer … is No. 4. The album is due out in a couple of weeks.