Las Vegas Show Tips (La Reve, Legends, & X-Burlesque plus Other Info (4/09)

VEGAS HAS TALENT (2009):    

During a recent Spring Break trip to Las Vegas, Nevada, my companion and I had an opportunity to see a variety of shows that truly convinced me how much talent there is, in Vegas.  Of course, we had to work for it….

Getting around:  Allow for a 20 to 30 minute walk from inside one hotel to another.  Each Casino is huge, like a theme park, and since Vegas shares Disney’s “We want your money”  business ideal, your journey may be costly.  We found a crowded, double-decker bus that goes up and down the strip, to downtown, for a few bucks.  A monorail (that’s a 20 minute walk from the hotel entrance to the monorail entrance) connects MGM with other hotels.  It should be free, or maybe 50 cents.  Nope.  It is $5.  per person, per ride, even one stop, one way.  Cabs.  A two mile cab ride on the Strip can run about $15., due to extended red-light waits.

We drove into Las Vegas and found back streets, to avoid the always congested Strip.  Of course we had to dodge the unforgiving, dedicated motorcycle cops, who seemed to be on a “seek and destroy” mission for unsuspecting out-of-towners.  Of course we had to deal with road construction issues, as well.
We somehow found the only hotel in Las Vegas that won’t allow you to park your own car.  Mandatory valet.  If I was without a car and playing the odds, I’d have done well finding this undisclosed and unpleasant surprise.  (Signature Hotel)

What happens in Vegas….will cost you.  I remember when a hotel room could be gotten for a bargain, buffets were $3 and $4, and drinks were cheap or free.   No more.  Nice rooms are in the hundreds, a good buffet is priced near $30. And generic cocktails go for $12. and up.

When visiting Vegas, unless you are going to a show, if you want value, I offer 4 helpful words:  GET OFF THE STRIP.  We found a gambling visit downtown, or an amazing buffet at the new “M” hotel, for instance, (the undiscovered “jewel” a few miles south of the Strip) is where locals go to get away from crowds and get value for their money.  Smart.

Amidst the intense crowds, overpriced gouging, traffic snarls, eye-burning cigarette smoke, constant noise, and city-condoned “basura-trolls” who line the sidewalks nightly and whose job it is to litter every square foot of public walkway with “girls for sale” calling cards, there is a diverse selection of live shows; something for everyone.  And the show talent is amazing!

Shows We Saw:

Legends in Concert:   Harrah‘s. This is one of those shows that pulls the audience into a live, “best of” concert moment, recreating the style, look, mannerisms,  and vocals of legendary singers.
Though the show performances are subject to change, this night’s featured performances were tributes to Tom Jones, Whitney Houston, The Temptations, and the seemingly ubiquitous, Vegas-Elvis.  Jay Leno hosted.
This long-running show is tight.  The flawless blend of concert lighting, mixed with laterally displayed, intermittent vintage video clips, sharply synchronized with each performer’s sung words, offered a neat package of stage visuals.  None of this would work without the precision timing of a great band director, and a talented live band.
Song selections were well chosen, offering both variety and familiarity.
The Tom Jones tribute was amazing, mostly due the vocalists’ timbre and high note reach.  Of course his look and mannerisms were “right on”.
Listening to Whitney Houston was a highlight.  She sang the songs we wanted to hear, incorporating beautiful costume changes, and superbly choreographed backup dancers.  Yet what moved me the most was her complete and total commitment to the artist, especially in the slow songs.  She captured her audience.
The Temptations, for those who don’t remember, was a multi-harmonic vocal group that incorporated synchronized hand and dance moves, with matching costumes and sang some of the best soul-hits from a previous generation.  This was a while back, when there was real music, not RAP.

These guys pulled it off and pulled us in to that time, that look and those songs with an “over the top” energy filled performance.
Elvis Presley is one of those tributes that can end the show and always leaving the audience satisfied.  Familiar, sexy, exciting, melodic and, of course legendary, he’s been dubbed the “king”.  His vocal tribute was far from disappointing, even if you’ve seen a lifetime of Elvis tributes.
Legends In Concert is a high-quality, up beat show that kept us completely entertained.  The show is also available in various cities across the country.
http://www.legendsinconcert.com/locations/las-vegas/ call (702) 369-5111

Le Reve  (our featured show choice)

“Le Rêve” (The Dream), the evocative aqua spectacle in-the-round.

Upon first glance, the viewer sees a pond on the floor, ornate fabrics on the ceiling, a theatre in the round, with seats no more than 12 rows back, and little else.  We are seated.  We are wondering, how and where a show is going to take place.
The audience does not know the technical ingenuity that lurks beyond this minimal façade.  Few know the “pond” is 29 ft. at its deepest.  In the dim of pre-performance seating, we don’t realize there are 2 million watts of lighting power, 400,000 watts of sound power, (the largest Las Vegas audio system) and 15 underwater speakers.  The 68.5’ wide pond/pool holds over a million gallons of water, around 90 degrees warm, uses rain, snow and multiple visual effects.  There is a cast of 86 performance artists, representing 17 countries, 12 married to each other, all scuba-certified, and 16 below-water scuba assistants; there are 3 miles of control tubing driven by 10 pumps moving over 13,000 gallons of water a minute to create bubble, fountain and water effects.

The house lights dim, ceiling fabrics are sucked away, the water comes “alive“, and the incredible athletic performers set forth to put on a show never to be forgotten:
Production designers took the bold step of creating a uniformed performer appearance, in that the men looked the same, as did the women.  Not an easy task.  The men were bald and hair-less, the women wore matching outfits and headpieces.  All costumes are matched, custom designed, water-proof, flexible and require daily maintenance.
Of course there were aerial acrobatics, dancing, diving, constant submersion and ascent.
There was a simple boy meets girl,/good and evil theme running through the performance.  It was visceral, spectacular, and extraordinary.
We (the audience) are taken beyond the simple, flat-stage performance concept, into the reality of  a further dimension; where we surround this “core” of dynamic human energy that comes out of the ceiling, floats and dances in the air, then descends beneath the colorful and ethereal, liquid floor.
Some of the routines were soft and sensual, others mysterious and ominous, and the lighter Tango underwater, dance routine, had lilting flavors of a Busby Berkeley sequence.  Yes, the girls were underwater, while their legs dance a precision tango, all wearing water-friendly red stilettos.
Divers dropped from the ceiling, while juxtaposed performers offered choreographed acrobatics above our heads.  At times the water was lit brilliant red, while jets bubbled from below, given an illusion of hot lava. Performers utilized this “mood” to create still another dream sequence.  And each sequence had its own energy.

We were amazed that, with so much action, so many performers, each doing his own act, and with so much technical synchronization and scene transition, that the show flowed with such lucidity and eloquence.  It was beautiful, engaging, and seamless throughout.
The show built to a heart pounding crescendo, incorporating the boy/girl, sweetly laying together and lifted to the clouds concept.  At end, the ceiling exploded with enormous, colorful 3 dimensional floral creations, backlit, each a work of exquisite art.  Wow.
Le Reve is presented as a brilliantly produced and performed live art concept.  This writing may fall short of doing the show justice.  There was so much there.  For me this was more than a show, more than entertainment;  For me this was an experience of unforgettable, maximum visual fulfillment.  Highly recommended!

La Reve was created by founder and artistic director, Franco Dragone.   Presented exclusively at Wynn Las Vegas.
www.wynnlasvegas.com  or call 702-770-WYNN.

“X” Burlesque  (at The Flamingo Hotel)

It somehow seems fitting, that, when visiting the strip, adding a “strip” show to your outings may not be such a bad idea.  My lady friend and I opted to be more selective, and by recommendation, chose the “X” Burlesque show, at Flamingo for our last night.   It was like adding icing to our diverse selection of show choices.  And, this sexy revue was more than 90 minutes of eye candy.
In the intimate Bugsy’s Caberet showroom, at the Flamingo Hotel, 6 girls put on a dazzling performance of dance, seduction, choreography,  and non-stop entertainment.
The intense, often too loud music set the pace for these firm, fit beauties to fill the room with their smartly choreographed dedication to the performing arts.
Custom designed costumes accent their every move and every curve.
A healthy portion of the show was topless, mostly because not to would have been just wrong.
Each dance piece was uniquely self-contained.  Some were borrowed and modified from past musicals. One segment that clearly stood out, involved sensual feminine seduction, around a bathtub, with freeze-frame, snapshot poses.
In contrast, there was a piece with military outfits that was deliciously alluring.
We would have enjoyed the show in a better showroom, however.  The poor seating configuration allowed only about a dozen or so unobstructed seats in the room.  For the rest of the audience, we saw heads in front of us at all times.  I was un-lucky enough to sit behind the only classless guy in the audience wearing a cap.
Any routine that involved girls lying on the stage floor could not be seen at all, save the 12 select seats.  There appeared to be VIP seating for those chosen ones.
What we saw, we thoroughly enjoyed, however.
Bugsy Caberet; Flamingo Hotel, Las Vegas  (702) 733-3333
www.flamingolasvegas.com

The Mac King Comedy Magic Show

On our way to Legends In Concert, at Harrah’s, we saw a flyer for the Mac King show.
This is a very affordable, non-pretentious, family oriented, afternoon comedy and magic show.  It is sometimes intentionally silly, mostly funny, laced with down home illusions that you’ll talk about on the way home.  Take the kids, and buy a magic kit after the show.  Good time for all.  This relaxed blend of laughs and illusions is a strongly recommended choice for old-fashioned fun and value.
http://www.mackingshow.com/las_vegas/index.html call (702) 369–5111

Lastly:  It may be helpful for the reader to know that a simple on-line search will reveal these and the many shows Las Vegas has to offer, with descriptions, reviews, pricing, times and locations.  Have a good time.