Las Vegas
Las Vegas News

Sunday, August 21, 2005 PRIOR ISSUE   -   ARCHIVES
Sheryl Crow Headlines, Howard Hughes' Chrysler On The Block, Centrifuge Concept Bar, Tony Bennett Downtown, Alan Parsons Joins Philharmonic, "Buck Wild" Opens, Mentalist Stays On, "World's Fastest Hands" On Telethon, Dale Chihuly Blows Donation, Debbie Reynolds Honored, San Gennaro Feasting, Steve Wyrick Plans Entertainment Complex, Kenny G Plays Lake, Hawaiian Guitarists Appear, Young Guns Of Comedy On Stage, Baseball Winter 2008, Cannery Casino Get To Grow, More...

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by Jackie Brett
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Singing sensation Sheryl Crow will entertain at the Epicurean Club of Las Vegas' "Night of 100 Stars" annual scholarship fundraiser, on Saturday, Oct. 22, at the Hard Rock Hotel. The elaborate pool party will feature delicacies prepared by world-class chefs from the finest Las Vegas restaurants. Tickets are $500 per person; contact Jaclyn Ford at 702- 248-3312.

The event will include a silent auction and a live auction of dining and travel opportunities. One highlight of the live auction will be a dream dinner at the MGM Grand Mansion prepared by 2005 World Chef of the Year Heston Blumenthal of The Fat Duck Restaurant in Bray, England; renowned French chefs Joël Robuchon (named "Cook of the Century" by the Guide Gault Millau) and 2004 Best Chef in North America Thomas Keller of the French Laundry restaurant in Napa, California. The Ferragamo family, an internationally renowned fashion dynasty, and Antinori family, an aristocracy of the wine world, have donated an eight-night stay in a family estate and personal tours of Florence, Italy, and the surrounding wine country. Airfare for the trip has been donated by Alitalia Airlines.

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The Auto Collections at the Imperial Palace is putting a piece of history up for sale when the 1954 Chrysler New Yorker, previously owned by legendary recluse Howard Hughes, hits the auction block at the 2005 Hershey Auto Auction, Oct. 5 - 8.

Howard Hughes' Car Up For Auction

The Chrysler was owned by Hughes during his years living in his suite at the Desert Inn. It has been customized with an elaborate air purification system, which cost more than the purchase price of the vehicle. The sky blue New Yorker has a mere 1,600 original miles and has been displayed for years at The Auto Collections. The New Yorker will be on display at the Imperial Palace until Sept. 25.

Centrifuge is a new concept casino bar at the MGM Grand. The distinctive 77-seat circular designer bar offers live entertainment and a creative drink menu. Centrifuge comes alive at night when the staff takes to the bar and several raised platforms to perform both freestyle and choreographed dance numbers to a progressive music mix. The cocktails are even incorporated into the design as bartenders infuse them with fruit and display them around the bar in Louis Treize baccarat crystal bottles.

MGM Centrifuge Bar

The MGM Grand now offers four distinct venues under one roof. A vibrant bar - Centrifuge; a booming dance club - Studio 54; a sultry ultra lounge - Tabú; and a swanky Teatro Euro Bar.

The incomparable Tony Bennett will return to the Golden Nugget's 400-seat showroom for a three-night engagement, Sept. 22-24. The celebrated singer and 12-time Grammy winner will perform his personal favorites from the "Great American Songbook," as well as selections from his latest CD, "The Art of Romance." Tickets are $165, call 866-946-5336.

Bennett's daughter, Antonia Bennett, is scheduled to perform her jazz vocal stylings in the Golden Nugget's Oasis Lounge, Sept. 23-25. She has been entertaining audiences since the age of four and performed with musical greats such as Count Basie, as well as with her father. She is a graduate of the prestigious Berklee School of Music,

The Aladdin, future home of Planet Hollywood, will host Dennis DeYoung, former singer and songwriter of Chicago-based rock group STYX, and the members of the Alan Parsons Live Project on Saturday, Oct. 8. Members of the Las Vegas Philharmonic will accompany the 8 p.m. performance in the 7,000-seat Aladdin Theatre for Performing Arts. Tickets are $65 and $55 plus tax and service charges; call Ticketmaster at 702-474-4000.

DeYoung will perform with his five-piece band as well as the 35-piece orchestra.

The Alan Parsons Live Project's new album, "A Valid Path," makes a leap into the world of computers and electronic music. It is filled with polyrhythmic drumbeats, soaring guitar solos provided in part by Pink Floyd's David Gilmour, and a number of new collaborations. The show fuses dance loops and heavily processed vocals with stylish chord progressions and the harmonies of the Las Vegas Philharmonic.

"Buck Wild" is the new country-themed variety show at the Sahara Hotel and Casino featuring country music, dancing and a live band. Performances are at 7 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and the 9 p.m. topless adult-only shows are Monday-Wednesday and on Saturday.

The Rampart Casino at The Resort at Summerlin has extended The Mentalist, Gerry McCambridge, for a second time with performances through September in the Addison Lounge. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the main casino cashier.

McCambridge has studied memory techniques, body language, hypnosis, linguistics, statistics, law of averages, non-verbal communication, magic, acting, theater, and stand up comedy. He says, "Mentalism is the art of riding the fine line between intuition and illusion."

Local magician Steve Dacri, who is known as "the fastest hands in the world," will be joining the parade of celebrity guests who will perform during the 21-hour Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon taking place Sept. 4 and 5. The fundraising television special will move this year from CBS Television City in Los Angeles to the International Ballroom of The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Musical impersonator and comedian Stephen Sorrentino, who this month won the male impressionist of the year for the third year at the International Guild of Celebrity Imposters and Tribute Artists (IGCITA) "cloney awards" will host and perform at the Annual San Gennaro Feasts being held in Los Angeles and Las Vegas.



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The Italian festival honoring Saint San Gennaro and featuring ethnic food vendors, a carnival midway and live entertainment is being held for the 26th year in Las Vegas from Sept. 13-18, on 61 acres at 100 Grand Central Parkway in northwest Las Vegas. General adult admission is $7 or $10 for two and there is a fee for food and games. For information, call 702-286-4944.

Dale Chihuly, world famous for his glass blown sculptures and chandeliers, has donated his latest work of art to the Nevada Cancer Institute (NVCI) to illuminate the entrance at its flagship clinical research facility in the Summerlin district of Las Vegas that will formally be dedicated on Sept. 23, 2005.

The chandelier is the premiere piece of a larger art collection featured at the NVCI facility. It hangs approximately 18 feet, weighs nearly 1,000 pounds and is comprised of 550 pieces of glass. It incorporates the colors found in a neighboring water wall including shades of blue, yellow and red. The chandelier took more than one year to create, from concept to installation.

Desert Passage at the Aladdin has signed a multi-year, $30 million agreement with magician Steve Wyrick to develop a 22,000-square-foot entertainment complex featuring a 500-seat theatre, ultra lounge and magic shop that's slated to open later this year. The new multi-level facility will be located inside the mall just 30 feet from a planned 2,000-room luxury tower, which is slated to break ground in December.

The new theatre, which will be located on the second level of the facility, will include stadium seating. The complex will also be home to TRIQ, a signature ultra lounge located on the first floor.

Wyrick's new show will be in the theater and with a larger stage, he plans to introduce four new colossal illusions.

Award-winning saxophonist Kenny G, acknowledged as the most successful instrumental recording artist in contemporary music history, will perform his artistry on the outdoor floating stage of Lake Las Vegas Resort's Reflection Bay on Sept. 9, at 8 p.m.

Tickets are $100 for Reserved VIP seating and $49.95 for General Admission plus tax and fees, call Ticketmaster at 702-474-4000.

Kenny G is touring in support of his current and 15th album for Arista Records, "At Last...The Duets Album," featuring a star-studded line up: Leann Rimes, Chaka Khan, Gladys Knight, Earth Wind & Fire, Barbra Streisand, Yolanda Adams, Brian McKnight, David Benoit, David Sanborn, Richard Marx, and Burt Bacharach. He has produced eight No. 1 albums, recorded the best selling instrumental album of all time "Breathless," and sold over 70 million records worldwide, all in his 20-year career.

George Kuo, Martin Pahinui and Aaron Mahi are leading exponents of ki ho'alu or slack key guitar, the unique finger style developed by 19th century Hawaiian cowboys, in which the strings (keys) are lowered (slacked) to non-standard tunings, producing a lingering sound and characteristic resonance behind the melody. They will perform two shows at the California Hotel in the Ohana Room on Aug. 26. Tickets are $22, call 800-634-6505.

Known for his "sweet, old style" 1940s-flavored slack key technique, Kuo won a Na Hoku Hanohano (Hawaiian Grammy) Award for his instrumental album, "Aloha No Na Kupuna." Pahinui gained fame as part of his father's legendary Gabby Pahinui Hawaiian Band, both for his playing and voice that ranges from deep bass to a high falsetto. His recent album, "Ho'olohe" (Dancing Cat), also features Mahi and Kuo. Mahi, who combines classical training with Hawaiian traditions, is the former conductor of the Royal Hawaiian Band and assistant conductor of the Honolulu Symphony.

The blazing hot Young Guns of Comedy will take center stage on Sunday, Sept. 4, at 7 p.m. at the Aladdin. The comedy grouping consists of Arnez J, Earthquake, JB Smooth, Katt Williams, Lavell "Big Vell" Crawford, and Dominique. Tickets are $49.50, $39.50 plus tax and fees, and there is limited VIP seating, call Ticketmaster at 702-474-4000.

Arnez J, known as "the black Jerry Lewis," is currently co-hosting the number one radio show in Chicago on WGCI.

Earthquake was invited to guest star on the talk show "Real Time with Bill Maher" and has also appeared on "The Orlando Jones Show" and "Dennis Miller."

In 1999, JB Smoove landed his first big role in "Pootie Tang" and the next year was in "Stealing Harvard" and "Mr. Deed." Smoove is currently a cast member on the Fox TV show "Cedric the Entertainer Presents."

Katt Williams has performed at comedy clubs in Los Angeles and received rave reviews with his character Money Mike in "Friday After Next."

Lavell "Big Vell" Crawford was a finalist in the Comedy Central Laugh Riots Standup Competition and has headlined at the Montreal Just for Laughs Festival.

Dominque has been a comedy club fixture and she has performed on the legendary "Showtime at the Apollo"

For the first time, Las Vegas has been selected as the host city for the 2008 Baseball Winter Meetings, which attracts approximately 4,000 individuals, including top minor league and major league executives, and representatives from companies exhibiting at the Meeting's Baseball Trade Show, the largest baseball related trade show in the world.

Cannery Casino Resorts, LLC has announced plans for Oaktree Capital Management, LLC, and a Los Angeles-based private investment firm to acquire a 33 percent ownership interest in the company. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval by the Nevada Gaming Authorities.

Cannery Casino Resorts, LLC owns and operates the Cannery Casino & Hotel in North Las Vegas off I-15 and operates the Rampart Casino at the Resort at Summerlin. Both properties are local Las Vegas casinos. The proceeds will be used to refinance existing debt and to pursue the company's future growth initiatives.

Renowned actress and nightclub entertainer Debbie Reynolds will be honored as a 2005 Gaming Hall of Fame inductee by the casino industry on Sept. 15, at a fundraiser dinner at Bellagio. More than 50 people have been inducted into the Gaming Hall of Fame since its inception in 1989.

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Editorial Content Copyright(c) 2000-2005 Jackie Brett; Internet Presentation Copyright(c) Las Vegas Leisure Guide