Branzino and bravado in Las Vegas Strip dinner show
It’s New York Strip, with a side of sequins.
I caught the return of the Lío dinner-cabaret experience at Mayfair Supper Club at Bellagio on Tuesday night. “Dangerous Nights” closes Sunday. This is the latest variation of the Lío show, which ran during F1 weekend in 2023 and premiered at the club in 2021.
The “Dangerous Nights” theme is to pretend this is your last night on Earth. What would you do? I mean, other than order the Grilled Branzino.
Some snap thoughts:
— There is a time to take a social media pic of the Saffron Risotto. During a torrid dance number performed by a hot Lío dancer just 4½ feet from the table is not that time (apologies to that artist, it will not happen again).
— Be ready for sultry, gender-bending numbers. The cast is mix-and-match, they love on each other on the stage and in the crowd. “Cell Block Tango” from “Chicago” is performed by an all-gentlemen troupe. Also, the dancer who looks like Jimmy Garoppolo, isn’t.
— Groove when told. Again, don’t let the cuisine (such as, the delectable Hamachi Crudo) interfere. When the emcee tells you to rise, do it. This is what Lío is all about. And don’t be alarmed if a guy in an open, red-sequined shirt starts grinding on anyone else at the table. He works here.
—We can use more of this. The Lío show has run three courses – the dinner menu is four courses – in Las Vegas. Maybe there’s a plan to add it to the city’s supper-club menu. I like its adventurism, and so will tourists who think they have seen it all in a Vegas dinner show. Until you catch this production, you haven’t.
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.
