Davidsen’s 10th will be Bow Tie affair
YOU talk to Kenny Davidsen about why his show at an off-strip lounge works, and pretty soon it is clear — why wouldn’t it?
Top-flight live entertainment. No cover charge. No parking fees. Centrally located, just a few somersaults east of the Strip on Flamingo Road. The confidence that even if you don’t know who is hosting, the night is going to bounce. You are likely to see something special, such as boxing broadcast great
Al Bernstein summoning “Georgia,” the cast of the touring “Jesus Christ Superstar” taking over the room for a full night, or Enoch Augustus Scott of “Zombie Burlesque” going full-costumed Joe Exotic and winding up in someone’s lap. Usually Bernstein’s.
There’s a lot to be said, and sung about, for Davidsen’s Bow Tie Cabaret shows at the Tuscany’s Piazza lounge. The showcase celebrates its 10th anniversary at 8 p.m. Friday. The show runs into the a.m., until it’s time for the stragglers to enjoy steak and eggs. Expect a late night, and a great night.
Performers on the bill include busy Las Vegas pros Tyriq Johnson, Jenn De La Torre, Sandy Knights, Scott, Krystal Goddard, Christian Brady and Christina Balonek. In Friday’s format, singers will perform the songs they first sang with Davidsen.
This is a long list, of course, dating to Davidsen’s opening night at the T Spot on March 10, 2013, when Joe Dinunzio hosted. The next week was Vegas opera favorite Mark Giovi. Week three was Kelly Clinton-holmes, a night that helped kick off the series Davidsen envisioned as “Don’t Tell Mama on steroids.”
Mama was Davidsen’s gig in Manhattan before he arrived in Las Vegas in March 2009, to work at the Mama’s outpost on Fremont East. He continues his Wednesday and Saturday night shows at the club’s latest location at Neonopolis.
“I had the decision to either move to Florida or come out to Vegas with my parents,” Davidsen says. “I told them, ‘I am not moving to Florida.’ So, we looked at some places that had live entertainment, like the Bootlegger, to see what the scene was like here. I liked the people in the entertainment community here, from the beginning.”
Davidsen moved from the T Spot, now renamed the Copa Room and highlighted by
“The Rat Pack Is Back” stage show, in February 2015. He has since welcomed 221 guest hosts, with Anne Martinez, Jassen Allen and Glo Vivelo topping the list with double-digit numbers. Except in rare instances (like when a media guy hosts a charity event), all of these hosts have been professional singers.
With his various gigs, it’s not uncommon for Davidsen to sing more than 60 songs a week. He’s still the bandleader for Monday’s Dark, since that show’s inception nine years ago. Davidsen also owns more than 70 bow ties, which is still more than his fantasy leagues (another story for another time), though he says “The gap is narrowing.”
Davidsen is well aware of how to survive in the no-cover Vegas entertainment culture.
“I’m an entertainer, but
I’m also a liquor peddler,” he says with a laugh. “Bar sales are very important to a show like this. You have to create a room that is a hang.”
Credit Tuscany owner
Brett Heers for his personal passion for live music. The Tuscany’s Piazza pops with high-quality, live music every night, with such wellknown performers as Rita Lim (Sundays), Craig Cantor (Mondays), Michael Grimm (Tuesdays), Ashley Fuller (Wednesdays), Knights and Celina Sasso (Thursdays), and a rotation of Tom Mazzaro, Carmine Mandia, Joelle Righetti and Michael Monge on Saturdays.
Davidsen’s Friday night showcase anchors all that programming. To lay his foundation, Davidsen years ago made friends with such popular lounge stars as Chris Phillips of Zowie Bowie and Skye Dee Miles.
“I learned in the first year, to make this a success, you have to throw a party,” Davidsen says. “You have to create some energy, some warmth, and a scene that people want to be around.”
The show’s free-form quality was evident one night a few months ago when rock icon Sebastian Bach of Skid Row was in the room. Davidsen’s band has a long-running joke, led by Vegas singer Jerry Jones of Fifth Avenue, who intros “Tom Sawyer” by Rush.
Jones sings the opening lines, “A modern day warrior, mean-mean stride. Today’s Tom Sawyer, mean-mean pride.” Then Davidsen cuts the music with “That’s all we know!”
Bach is a major Rush fan. He took the mic himself, planning to sing the full song. He started and again the band stopped, with Bach calling out “That’s all they know!” Davidsen just shrugged.
“What can I say?” the bandleader says. “It’s a party.”
Cool Hang Alert
If you can’t catch Frankie
Valli at the Westgate this weekend, know that ace Valli tribute artist Mark Maynard plays Coop’s Cabaret & Hot Spot from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday. Coop’s has hit the accelerator after gaining its liquor license last month. Check out this show in its rapidly filling lineup at coopscabaret.com.