Guns N’ Roses delivers a tidal wave of power on Las Vegas Strip
Somehow, as Guns N’ Roses attacked “Mr. Brownstone” at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace on Saturday night, I didn’t miss Celine Dion’s water curtain.
The water curtain was a stirring effect for eight years in Celine’s run at the Colossuem, unveiled for her classic “My Heart Will Go On.” But there are a time and a place for the water curtain. Friday and Saturday nights were not those times.
Guns N’ Roses produced a tidal wave of sound at the Colosseum for a three-hour rock extravaganza, a night when “November Rain” supplanted Celine’s signature shower effect. As one would expect, this show was loud and proud and bathed in dazzling graphics from the new LED screen at the back of the stage.
The idea of the overhaul was, in large part, to evolve the Colosseum’s scope as a rock hall. And Guns N’ Roses extensively rocked the new hall.
Examples were evident in every song, as GNR closed its “Not in This Lifetime” tour at the vaunted entertainment venue. There was the dizzying chase scene through a maze of TVs for “Welcome to the Jungle.” Blood streaming down the black-and-white images during the growling cover of “Live and Let Die.” The sharp images of the band members themselves, far larger than life, and the band’s powerful rosebush-pistols logo were what Caesars Entertainment execs had in mind when they retooled the venue.
GNR rose to the high expectations — and high ticket prices. What was the crowd’s demographic? Rich and 50-ish. The sad reality is the best way to observe the power of a Guns N’ Roses live show is mostly through social media. But over two nights, the band performed all of its hits (“Welcome to the Jungle,” “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” “Nightrain” and “Paradise City” had the place rocking) and some inventive twists: Glen Campbell’s “Wichita Lineman” (Rose has long been a fan of the Jimmy Webb composition), and “The Seeker” by The Who.
GNR also covered Bob Dylan’s “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door,” a famous shout-along. In Friday’s show, Rose tumbled onstage while backpedaling during the song (TMZ has posted video of the fall). He then wiped up the area from what seemed to be spilled liquid. But don’t blame the water curtain. That was taken down long ago.
Grammer’s schooled
The man who portrayed a doctor on two classic sitcoms toured the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health on Wednesday afternoon.
Kelsey Grammer, in town to promote his Faith American Ale beer, toured the medical campus and Keep Memory Alive Event Center. It was the first trip to the center for Grammer, who appeared as Frasier Crane on “Cheers” and “Frasier” from 1984-2004.
The veteran actor also portrayed Chicago Mayor Tom Kane, who had been diagnosed with Lewy body dementia in the Starz series “Boss.” LBD is among the diseases treated at the facility.
Dogged support
Gwen Stefani welcomed a quartet of service dogs-in-training from Michael’s Angel Paws of Las Vegas to her “Just A Girl” show at Zappos Theater on Saturday. She posed with the doggies prior to the performance; Saturday’s show was her final appearance of the year at Planet Hollywood.
Earlier in the week, Stefani accepted her Cure 4 The Kids Foundation Philanthropist of the Year Award. Her glass-and-metal award, in the design of sunflowers, was custom-made by Larry and Barbara Domsky of Domsky Glass.
That Strip ballpark
Expanding on the concept of a baseball stadium as an option for Las Vegas Resorts Festival Grounds, one major league franchise has been investigating a new home. The Tampa Bay Rays, who play at oft-derided Tropicana Field, have looked outside their home city for a new park. The Rays, an American League wild-card playoff team last season, have reviewed splitting their home games between St. Petersburg, Florida, and Montreal, where investors are moving forward to build a new stadium by 2027.
Incoming Circus Circus owner Phil Ruffin, who bought the Festival Grounds in the transactions, is reportedly asking about big-league stadium feasibility among the possible uses for the parcel. The Festival Grounds just hosted the three-day Day-N-Vegas hip-hop festival, drawing between 55,000 and 60,000 per day/night to the venue. The common baseball/hip-hop thread: In both activities, you flash the leather.
Great Moments In Social Media
On Halloween, Lady Gaga posted, “I’m gonna start lip-syncing.” I’ll read this as a joke, and also a reminder that she doesn’t.
I’m gonna start lip-syncing
— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) October 31, 2019
Cool Hang Alert
Catch the DJ electric violinist Lydia Ansel at Luxor’s Centra Lounge at 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Fridays are the new Lux Fridays, with drink specials, VIP bottle service and giveaways sponsored by Absolut Elyx and organic Red Bull. It used to be there were violin fans, and DJ fans, but not all at once. Ansel shows that fusing the two entertainment forms is possible. Grooving is encouraged but not mandatory; there is no cover charge.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His PodKats podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.
