by Jackie Brett Send Me E-mail

The Paris Hotel may have finally found an anchor production for its 1,450-seat showroom with the Queen musical "We Will Rock You." It's important to understand that unlike a true Broadway musical, the show has a simplistic plot and is mostly a fun tongue-in-cheek, sci-fi futuristic satire held together by a catalogue of music by Queen. The humor and nuances have been tailored for the Las Vegas and American market.

Globalization is complete and the time is 2040. On Planet Mall all musical instruments are banned. The Company Computers generate tunes that kids download in the new Ga Ga world. But alas, there is resistance. Underneath the gleaming cities, down in the lower depths live the Bohemians. They are rebels who believe that there was once a Golden Age referred to as The Rhapsody when kids formed their own bands and wrote their own songs.

The quest is to find a buried guitar that will bring live music back to the worlds. The heroes are two punk outsiders, Galileo and Scaramouche. They are extracted from society by the Global Soft Corporation for their rebellious notions, but escape to the outside world with colorful outlandish characters including a befuddled old-hippie.

The campy villains are the Killer Queen and her sidekick who has an exaggerated William Shatner appearance.

"We Will Rock You" is an extremely high energy show with great production value that includes six gigantic plasma screens. It is backed by a live eight-piece band. The long concert-like finale with everyone standing resounds with "We Will Rock You," "We Are The Champions," and "Bohemian Rhapsody." You are energized at the end and come away understanding why the show has been a huge hit in England and other countries.

The All American Bar & Grille (AAB&G), one of the most popular restaurants at the Rio recently reopened after a $3 million renovation. It is open daily from 11 a.m. For information, call 702-777-7777.

The all new AAB&G departs from the traditional home-style American steakhouse and injects the traditional bar / grill concept with accessible dining in contemporary surroundings.

Shaped by revered architect Paul Steelman, the new look features upscale earth tones, rock, fire and water elements, redefining itself as a current American themed restaurant with a Spirits of America sports lounge featuring 10 plasma screen televisions.

The eclectic menu allows for both a quick bite to eat and a more leisurely dining experience. Entrees include a selection of AAB&G half-pound burgers, bacon wrapped Chilean sea bass and an assortment of Rio certified Black Angus Beef dry aged steaks.

The Imperial Palace recently opened a new multi-level entrance from the Las Vegas Monorail connector. The multi-million dollar Hotel Access features numerous architectural and design features with a Japanese influence, including a 40-foot-tall bonsai tree that features dragonflies and fiber optic accent lighting.

Opening in conjunction with the launch of the Las Vegas Monorail, the Hotel Access was built into the resort's existing parking structure and provides and intersection between the hotel, casino, tour lobby, garage and monorail walkway. From the large hanging lanterns to the 25-foot tall slate waterfall, the Hotel Access pays homage to Japanese culture and architecture. The Japanese influence continues in the red columns and carpet that reflects the walking stones in Japanese pools.

The Hideaway Showroom inside the Silverton located three miles south of the Strip, off I-15 at Blue Diamond Road, will welcome Southern-fried rockers .38 Special to the stage on Friday, Oct. 1 at 8 p.m. Tickets for .38 Special are $19.99, call 1-866-946-4373 or 702-914-8557.

.38 Special has produced an exciting sound for the last 20 years. Formed by Donnie Van Zant (brother of Lynyrd Skynyrd's Ronnie Van Zant), the band released two albums in 1977 and 1978, but it with was the popularity of the 1979 release "Rockin' Into The Night" that saw their popularity rise.

In 1981, .38 Special finally hit it big with "Wild Eyed Southern Boys," which contained the Top 40 hit "Hold On Loosely." "Special Forces" was an even bigger success in 1982, producing two Top 10 hits, "If I'd Been the One" and "Caught Up in You." Between 1983 and 1986, .38 Special released two more successful albums, "Tour de Force" and "Strength in Numbers." In 1997, the band released its comeback album, "Resolution." These days, .38 Special tours the country in support of their new material and tried-and-true classics.

The Silverton will present Davy Jones in The Hideaway Showroom on Saturday, Oct. 2 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $19.99, call 1-866-946-4373 or 702-914-8557.

Jones invaded teen hearts and homes as the breakout heartthrob of the 60s television classic "The Monkees," which won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Television Series of 1966 and was an international smash. Album sales surpassed all records and continue to be best sellers 30 years later.

His show biz start actually began on Broadway long before when he originated the role of the Artful Dodger in the production of "Oliver," which earned him a Tony Award nomination at the age of sixteen. Theatre still remains his first love.

Jones' most famous guest spot is the classic episode of "The Brady Bunch," which remains the most aired re-run in television history. He also appeared in the 1995 film, "The Brady Bunch Movie."

As an accomplished author, Jones has written the second edition of his autobiography, "Davy Jones: Daydream Believin'," which updates his life and career to the present.

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