Hall & Oates have rockin’ Vegas memories
YOU might remember the hype around Y2K. John Oates certainly does. He lived through it, on the Las Vegas Strip.
“The time that really stands out for me in Las Vegas was the New Year’s Eve on the turn of the millennium,” said Oates, remembering the night of Dec. 31, 1999, when it was feared all computers would crash because they could not read the 2000 turn of the calendar.
“We were playing Caesars Palace. My son, Tanner, was 4 years old, wondering what was going on. We walked out of the casino, everyone came out and we walked out to Las Vegas Boulevard and waited for our giant marquee to go dark.”
False alarm. That sign remained alight and so has the act formally known as Daryl Hall & John Oates. The duo have sold more records than any duo ever and are playing a three-show series at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday..
The set list is dotted with what Oates calls “the usual suspects,” highlighted by the tandem’s six No. 1 singles: “Rich Girl,” “Kiss on My List,” “Private Eyes,” “I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do),” “Maneater” and “Out of Touch.”
Oates says to expect music to hold the night.
“No dancing. No costume changes, just a great band kicking butt,” is his quick-shot description of the show. He said he and his stage partner for more than 50 years (they met in 1967) keep fresh by picking their spots to avoid going stale on the road.
“This is a great music show in a great room,” Oates said. “Maybe we’ll change jeans, but other than that we’re not doing anything other than playing the music.”
Oates recalls the duo’s entry into Vegas, in 1977 at the Aladdin Theater for the Performing Arts. The venue, now the Zappos Theater, was the only Strip theater to feature in-the-moment rock acts.
But even then, Oates said, “Vegas was not hip. We were really on the fence, and saying, ‘God, is this even cool to do?’ But it was like we were just starting out, figuring what is the happening thing to do.”
The show was on Halloween. So, it was a party.
“If you didn’t see that show, you really missed out,” Oates said, chuckling. “It was offthe-hook nuts in Las Vegas. We do have some good memories there.”
Stefani gives back
Gwen Stefani has dedicated the first themed exam room for patients at Cure 4 The Kids’ outpatient treatment center at the One Breakthrough Way building on the Summerlin campus of Roseman University of Health Sciences.
Las Vegas artist Juan Muniz created the color-splashed walls, filled with sunflowers, one of her favorite flowers; bananas, a reference to her hit single ‘Hollaback Girl;’ and oranges, an homage to her hometown in Anaheim in Orange County.
“Working with Cure 4 The Kids Foundation is, sincerely, one of the greatest opportunities to arise from my time in Las Vegas,” Stefani said after Thursday’s ribbon-cutting event. “I am so humbled to have the opportunity to work with Cure 4 The Kids to support the children who are treated here and, in a small way, bring a bit of joy to what I know is a difficult journey.”
Stefani, concert promoter Live Nation and Caesars Entertainment are donating $1 of every ticket purchased to “Gwen Stefani — Just A Girl” at Zappos Theater to Cure 4 The Kids Foundation, which is Nevada’s only nonprofit childhood cancer treatment center. So far, ticket sales have netted more than $50,000 in donations. Some of the money will be used to help the foundation expand into a new wing.
A pair at Dice
As anticipated, Roseanne Barr turned up for Andrew Dice Clay’s headlining performance at the Tropicana Laugh Factory on Saturday night. Barr took the stage as Clay’s guest and hung with him in the green room afterward. The two comedy vets have known each other since the mid-1980s. But this was more than a social visit.
Barr and Clay are talking about touring together. Clay told me Thursday he was eager to investigate the partnership, and possibly return to a residency or series in Las Vegas. Laugh Factory manager and longtime stand-up Harry Basil is interested in bringing Barr into the club for the 7 p.m. slot when legendary impressionist Rich Little is off.
Separately, Suzanne Somers has contacted Barr about a “Suzanne & Roseanne”-type of co-headlining showcase. Somers’ husband and manager, Alan Hamel has been in contact with Las Vegas resort officials about that very idea.
But the rub here is, if the Dice-barr concept comes to fruition, it is highly unlikely Somers and Barr would also perform concurrently in Vegas. As they say in the poker room, Barr holds the cards.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His Podkats! podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/ podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal. com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @Johnnykats1 on Instagram. As of 9 p.m. Monday:
1. ‘Tanked’ canceled,
Las Vegas co-star’s wife arrested
“Tanked” is sleeping with the fishes. The Animal Planet reality show followed Brett Raymer, Wayde King and the employees of the Las Vegas-based Acrylic Tank Manufacturing.
2. Las Vegas arcade ‘speakeasy’ with secret door, Banksy art opens
Greene St. Kitchen, the Palms’ newest restaurant, opened Monday. In addition to lobster rolls and Tomahawk steak, the new spot is home to a collection of art belonging to Banksy and other graffiti and street art creators.
3. 3 suspects in El Cortez shooting appear before
Las Vegas judge
A judge set bail at $100,000 apiece on
Monday for three men facing conspiracy and attempted murder charges in connection with a weekend shooting at El Cortez.
4. Las Vegas police say Bellagio robber had previously held up resort
A man shot to death by a Las Vegas police officer after an armed robbery Friday night at the Bellagio is believed to have previously robbed the resort, police said Monday.
5. Golden Knights’ Marc-andre Fleury sustains lower-body injury
The goaltender is considered day-to-day, coach Gerard Gallant said. Backup Malcolm Subban started Sunday against the Edmonton Oilers.