Tony Orlando closes out 61-year Las Vegas career — PHOTOS
Tony Orlando isn’t retiring after all.
“I’m available for weddings, birthdays, bar mitzvahs,” Orlando said Monday morning. “Any party you have, look me up.”
Not really. The entertainment legend closed his Las Vegas stage career over the weekend with three sellouts at South Point Showroom. Thus ends a 61-year run as a recording and TV star, a 51-year career as an opening act and later headlining star in Las Vegas. Orlando originally played the Riviera, Las Vegas Hilton and later Orleans Showroom and South Point Showroom in his multi-decade career.
South Point owner Michael Gaughan and entertainment director Michael Libonati made sure Orlando had the dates and room for his Vegas sendoff.
The headliner’s final appearance is Orlando’s final performance is set March 22, at Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun’s 10,000-seat amphitheater
Orlando was generous in his final performances. Every musician was afforded a solo. The singers were given ample time under the spotlight. Singalongs were plentiful. The 79-year-old hit maker played the classics, but front-loaded the famous numbers in an early medley of ““Tie a Yellow Ribbon Around The Old Oak Tree,” “Candida,” “Knock Three Times” “Say, Has Anybody Seen My Sweet Gypsy Rose” and “He Don’t Love You (Like I Love You).”
Orlando’s ticket prices on secondary-market sites spiked as he prepped for Friday’s show. Seat Geek posted a pair of VIP booth seats for $710 apiece. Brokers were offering seats for between $200-$300; the prices opened at $60. Orlando said, “I’m a regular Taylor Swift!” as he shut it down with a showman’s flair.
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 X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.
