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| Sunday, May 15, 2005 | PRIOR ISSUE - ARCHIVES |
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| Sheena Easton Headlines, Judas Priest & Queensryche At Bay, Hopkins VS Taylor, Studio 54 Evolves, "American Idol" Tours Vegas, Steve Wyrick Vacates, "Turning the Tables" For Rita, Hot Lava Luau, "Tropical Passions" Cuban Style, Cosmopolitan Another Mega-Resort, 'Winning Will Find You' Returns, BBQ Book On Shelves, Todd's Unique, More... | |
Grammy Award-winning performer Sheena Easton began a four week run last Friday at the Aladdin, the future home of Planet Hollywood. She will perform nightly except Tuesday in the new 302-seat Aladdin Showroom located in the space formerly known as Sinbad's Lounge, between the casino and mezzanine levels. Tickets are $55 and $45 for theatre seating and $35 for cabaret-style seating plus tax and service charges, call toll free 877-333-9474. After Easton's show, the heavy velvet curtains will open and the room will revert to a lounge.
Easton was born in Bellshill, Scotland, and attended the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. In 1982, she won a Grammy Award as Best New Artist for "Morning Train," which was later followed-up with a Grammy for Best Mexican-American Performance for "Me Gustas Tal Como Eres," a duet with Luis Miguel. Other popular duets include "We've Got Tonight" with Kenny Rogers, and "U Got the Look" with Prince.
Her multifaceted career has spanned two decades including Broadway, starring roles on popular television programs such as "Miami Vice" to animated films "All Dogs Go to Heaven," Currently she is starring in the PAX TV show "Young Blades," which started airing last February.
The legendary heavy metal band, Judas Priest, with special guest Queensryche, will make a tour stop at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on Saturday, July 9. Tickets are $36.75, $47.25 and $68.25, call 702-632-7580.
Judas Priest is a band that was formed more than 30 years ago in Birmingham, England. This is the group's first full headlining tour in 15 years and they are promoting their new album, "Angel of Retribution," with 10 original tunes.
Grammy nominated Queensryche released their self-titled, self-produced debut album in 1982. The band recently released "Live Revolution," a double live album.
Undisputed middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins will face undefeated middleweight heir apparent Jermain Taylor in a fight being billed as "NeXt in Line" on Saturday, July 16 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The event will be televised and distributed live on HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9 p.m. EST/6 p.m. PST. Tickets range from $75 up to $650 plus tax and service charges, call Ticketmaster at 702-474-4000.
The Hopkins-Taylor fight is a significant crossroad between an undisputed world champion determined to cement his legacy and a rising star who is ready to challenge for the throne.
The 40-year-old "Executioner," Hopkins (46-2-1, 32 KOs) is already assured a place in the Boxing Hall of Fame because of his amazing record and 10-year reign atop the middleweight division. The old-school warrior in his last bout on Feb. 19 scored a dominating 12-round decision win over highly ranked British contender Howard Eastman. Hopkins says he will retire on his 41st birthday next January.
Jermain "Bad Intentions" Taylor (23-0, 17 KOs) is a 2000 U.S. Olympic Bronze Medalist. The 26-year-old resident of Little Rock, Ark., has defeated former world champions Raul Marquez and William Joppy. His spectacular victory over previously unbeaten Daniel Edouard at the Staples Center in Los Angeles last February made him the most logical contender.
The legendary Studio 54 at the MGM Grand, open since 1997, is introducing three new bar designs: the Voyeur Bar; the Hot Bar; and the Steel Bar that add to the club's edgy, industrial design. Each bar creates its own special atmosphere while staying true to the original design theme. The club is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 p.m. until the early morning hours.
Located on the Mezzanine level, the Voyeur Bar is where patrons gather to watch people dancing below. At the bar, mirrors cut into a photo montage of changing steamy shots putting the guests right into the frenzied imagery.
The Hot Bar keeps the fire blazing off the dance floor. Swirls of red and orange engulf the atmosphere and ignite the mood in club goers.
At the Steel Bar, raw, cold steel, both in color and material, is utilized to convey the classic industrial element of the club and DJ booth with a contemporary twist. The Steel Bar is highlighted by edgy, yet rhythmic patterns that follow the beat of the house.
The 2005 "American Idol" Tour, featuring the top 10 finalists, will stop in Las Vegas at UNLV's Thomas & Mack Center on Aug. 18.
Under the new Planet Hollywood ownership, the showroom that magician Steve Wyrick vacated at the Aladdin is under construction and will become a part of a much larger 1,500-seat theater that should be completed in about a year.
Producer David Saxe, who operates the V Theater at Desert Passage, is adding a second 300-seat showroom. One of his shows is "Showgirls of Magic" at the San Remo, which will have to close on July 25 because the resort is being transformed into Hooters Casino. Maybe he'll move his show to the new showroom.
New York-New York headliner Rita Rudner has a novel, "Turning the Tables," that is set in a fictional Las Vegas casino ready for publishing. Two years ago her "Tickled Pink" book was a best-seller.
The Flamingo is going to introduce a luau of sorts on May 30. Patrons will eat indoors in the Paradise Garden Buffet and then move outside for entertainment by Hot Lava.
Club Tequila at the Fiesta Rancho in North Las Vegas has different theme nights including Firefall doing a concert on Friday, May 17. Tickets are $19.95 plus tax at the front desk.
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La Femme (pronounced "La Fahm") at the MGM Grand will be dark June 14 to 28, and return Wednesday, June 29. The show is an exact replica of the acclaimed show Crazy Horse in Paris, famous for its productions celebrating beautiful women and the art of the nude since 1951. Cuban "Tropical Passions" at the Sahara is a large-scale variety show featuring Latin music, the 22-piece Tropicana All-Star Orchestra, and a cast of 30 dancers and other entertainers. Hoover Dam has extended tours an extra hour daily through Labor Day. The visitor center opens and tickets go on sales at 9 a.m. until 5:15 p.m., and the center closes at 6 p.m. The Rio recently airlifted by helicopter a 40,000 pound (20 tons) staircase in three sections up to the Voodoo Caf‚ and Lounge. The staircase will be erected and connect outdoor patio floors 50 and 51. The complete installation will take approximately eight weeks and include demolition, structural steel erection, pouring concrete, painting, glasswork, and lighting. The new stairs will be a sinuous, sexy, winding staircase featuring platforms for go-go dancers on both sides, and a DJ booth across from a special VIP seating area. The curving architectural element will begin on the upper level, the Voodoo Lounge, and descend in a wild curve around the dance floor on the lower level observation deck outside the Voodoo Café. The open ironwork railing incorporates a number of intricate carved metal voodoo symbols for love, sex, and money. The Cosmopolitan another planned Strip mega-resort is teaming with Hyatt Hotels to manage the resort's 2,700 rooms and condos under its ultra-upscale brand, Grand Hyatt. Backed by billionaire George Soros, the Cosmo will be a $1.5 billion casino located just south of Bellagio on nine acres that surround the Jockey Club. A thousand of the Cosmopolitan's rooms will be earmarked for hotel guests; the other 1,700 will be privately owned studio and one-bedroom condos that will go into the hotel-room mix at the owners' discretion. Groundbreaking is planned for late summer with a grand opening scheduled for 2008. The Cosmopolitan will be the Hyatt's first presence on the Strip. Customers at Harrah's Las Vegas and the Rio can participate in Harrah's "Winning Will Find You" promotion supported by Coca-Cola and Blockbuster and have a chance to win cash from $2,500 up to $1 million. Customers visiting Harrah's Las Vegas, Rio or any of the 18 other participating Harrah's-operated casinos nationwide simply show or sign up for their Total Rewards player loyalty cards to receive a free 12-pack of Coke® or Diet Coke® and a voucher for a free Blockbuster movie rental. Customers can also play online at Harrah's website. Customers at Harrah's Las Vegas and the Rio will also receive a collectible "WinFinderSM" key chain that could be worth up to $1,000. One in every seven WinFindersSM distributed at the casinos will light up within two hours, awarding customers up to $1,000 in cash. Thirty-eight specially marked cans of Coca-Cola classic are inside 12-packs distributed at the participating casinos, which are each guaranteed two winning cans. Each eligible recipient of a winning can will receive a place in Harrah's 2005 $1 million "Winning Will Find You" event being held at Showboat - the Mardi Gras Casino in Atlantic City. Each participant in the 2005 $1 million "Winning Will Find You" drawing is guaranteed to win at least $2,500 and one person will walk away with $1 million. Memphis Championship Barbecue creator Mike Mills is debuting his first book, "Peace, Love, and Barbecue: Recipes, Secrets, Tall Tales and Outrageous Lies from the Legends of Barbecue" (Rodale, May, original paperback, $19.95). Coauthored by his daughter Amy Mills Tunnicliffe, the book includes a one-of-a-kind collection of recipes, photographs, and behind-the-scenes stories with an insider's take on the world of American barbecue. The book is available at retail bookstores nationwide. For purchases made through the restaurant (in-store or online), the reader will receive a copy personally signed by co-author Mike Mills, as well as a free bottle of Memphis Championship Barbecue's "Magic Dust" dry rub. Mills has 10 restaurants and four are Memphis Championship Barbecue restaurants in Las Vegas There are hundreds of books about barbecue, but this is the first written by an authentic pitmaster. Known as "The Legend," Mills is the only three-time Grand World Champion of the Memphis in May International Barbecue Festival. Sammy's Woodfired Pizza at 6500 W. Sahara Avenue has reopened after a total remodel job transforming the restaurant from a garden-style design to a very contemporary look with an earthy color scheme of carmel and chocolate accented by deep coral displayed in deep wood and stone treatments. There's also reconfigured dining areas, new all black servers' uniforms, and 23 new selections that are mostly tapas dishes. In addition, Sammy's Woodfired Pizza Nevada locations are now selling its own made fresh daily line of salad dressings. Had heard about Todd's Unique intimate restaurant at 4350 E. Sunset being divine, but recently found out for myself that it's truly a gem. Todd is the chef who worked for years at Bally's and decided to strike out on his own. He also holds regular reasonably priced wine dinners that you can learn about on his Web site.
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