Drake mixes Michael Jackson collaboration, club gig at Omnia

Las Vegas Review-Journal

6 years ago

Paul Anka and Drake are shown after a recording session in February. The collaborated on Drake’s “Don’t Matter to Me.” (Paul Anka Productions)

Blue Man Group take part in a half time performance at center-court during the Las Vegas Aces and Indiana Fever WNBA basketball game at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on Sunday, July 22, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph

Singer Frankie Scinta speaks during the Tony Sacca Celebration of Life tribute at The Stratosphere Showroom on Monday, Feb. 6, 2017, in Las Vegas. (Glenn Pinkerton/Las Vegas News Bureau)

Frankie Scinta with the Scinta’s makes a New Year’s toast on stage during their show at the Plaza hotel/casino on Saturday, Dec. 31, 2016. Jeff Scheid/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @jeffscheid

Drake, Paul Anka, Michael Jackson, MGM Grand Garden Arena and the nightclub Omnia at Caesars Palace are all co-mingling this weekend.

Follow along:

Drake’s new single is “Don’t Matter To Me,” which features vocals from Michael Jackson taken from a 1983 recording session.

Anka was the other artist present, and co-wrote that song with Jackson.

Months ago, Anka posted a photo on social media from a session with Drake, then told me during an interview in May to watch for a collaboration — and the remastered “Don’t Matter To Me” is the result.

Jackson and Anka had been recording “This is It” and “Love Never Felt So Good” during that session in ’83, and Anka authorized the use of Jackson’s vocals for the new song.

Drake is headlining at MGM Grand on Friday and Saturday. Late Saturday (and we do mean late, folks) he’s making his debut at Omnia at Caesars Palace as host of his official concert after-party.

The set begins with resident DJ Zedd at 1 a.m., followed by Drake in what is likely to be a full sellout of the club. A stage is being constructed specifically for Drake’s appearance, a sign this will be a whole thing.

Remembrance Wall on ‘Tanked’

The unveiling of the new water installation at Las Vegas Healing Garden is going to be featured on the Animal Planet reality series “Tanked.” The show chronicles the happenings at Acrylic Tank Manufacturing of Las Vegas, operated brothers-in-law Brett Raymer and Wayde King.

ATM headed up the Remembrance Wall project, with custom design work by 3Form sustainable manufacturing company of Salt Lake City.

“Anything we could do, we would do,” Raymer, a 25-year-resident of Las Vegas, said after Monday night’s candlelight vigil at the Healing Garden honoring the 58 victims of Oct. 1. “It wasn’t just us. It was hundreds of vendors involved in the project. I look at as the gateway to heaven — that’s what they wanted us to create, and it really feels like that.”

The air date is yet to be announced. Season 15 of “Tanked” premieres Oct. 26 and runs through the end of the year.

Premier time

Frankie Scinta’s “The Showman” debuts at 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at South Point Showroom. This is the latest adaptation of Scinta’s stage show that moved out of Plaza Showroom this spring to make room for “A Mob Story.”

Fresh off a vacation in Sicily, during which pasta was reportedly consumed, Scinta is working it out onstage this weekend and is back Oct. 21-22 and Dec. 1-2.

Cool Hang Alert

The third annual Blue Man Group Las Vegas Drum-Off is 7 p.m. Saturday at Downtown Container Park. Five finalists will be drumming to your delight in a competition judged by members of the Blue Man Band from the production at Luxor, and Carlos Lopez of “Mystere” at Treasure Island.

The winner receives prizes valued at more than $5,000, including tickets to a BMG show with a VIP Behind the Blue experience, a drum kit, sticks and more rhythm-related stuff.

A performance by the Knight Line by Drumbots, the official drum line of the Vegas Golden Knights, is also on the bill. My man and Seahawks fan Chet Buchanan of KLUC 98.5-FM emcees, which is only appropriate because of his hair situation. Admission is free. But bring earplugs.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.