Green Day Las Vegas Strip residency is a rockin’ concept
The Kats! Bureau at this writing is the iHeartRadio Music Festival red carpet/media room at T-Mobile Arena. The best way to describe this enclave is to imagine a packed gate at an international airport. Except here, Green Day might walk in, which they just did.
Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tre Cool just stopped for photos. They were entertaining even just at that, with Armstrong grabbing Cool’s sticks and pretending to play. Mugging and smirking took the place of smiling and preening. Sadly, I did not have a chance to ask if the band might be in talks for a residency in Las Vegas.
Green Day could park it here for a dozen shows or so, no problem. There’s a venue just across from T-Mobile, of course, and also renovated theater near here. If Aerosmith, Def Leppard and Journey can lock in dates, so can these gentlemen. I’m not alone in this thought, either.
Seacrest’s take
Show host Ryan Seacrest is confident the list of top artists eager to headline in residency in Las Vegas will only grow.
“Look at the lineup tonight — Def Leppard, Green Day, Christina Aguilera as one of our presenters,” Seacrest said on the red carpet. ““What’s great about the Las Vegas residencies is, all artists want to play here because of the caliber of artists who are doing it. Aerosmith is in that group, too. … Vegas is a nonstop hit factory. You can see artists who were popular back in the day, current artists, and they love it because they can be here for a while and not have to travel.”
Seacrest also said that he unwinds by jogging on the strip, zigzagging through tourists on the sidewalks.
“It’s like a video game,” he said.”I put on my hat and my sunglasses. In the past nine years, nobody has recognized me.”
Smokey, HN reunion
Motown legend Smokey Robinson reunited with the act that famously sings legendary Motown songs: Human Nature at Sands Showroom at the Venetian. The Aussie quartet celebrated their 2,00oth show in Las Vegas dating to the spring of 2009 at the old Imperial Palace Showroom. Robinson had met Andrew and Mike Tierney, Phil Burton and Toby Allen shortly before that and signed on as presenter of the original Motown-themed show.
“I am beyond proud of these guys,” Robinson said from the stage. “As you can see they are the most talented guys in the world … spread the word because these guys are what’s happening!” That phrasing leads those listening to help generate ticket sales, a need for any act, even a longtime hit on the Strip.
What Works In Vegas
An alien-themed adult revue. That is not staged yet, and the concept is mine, but adult revues — male and female — still perform well in VegasVille. And, we have learned to ever-evolving astonishment, so do aliens.
ShowBuzz!
“Atomic Saloon Show” was not the first Spiegelworld production targeted for The Act space at The Venetian’s Grand Canal Shoppes. “Opium” was originally planned for there, but a series 0f events — including the early reporting of that reality — thwarted those plans. “Opium” wound up at the Cosmopolitan, of course, after that hotel’s plans to stage “Absinthe” were thwarted by Spiegelworld’s decision to split with co-producer Base Entertainment and keep that show at Caesars Palace. A lot of history, and a lot of thwarting, in this chain of events. …
Late-arriving note here, but Drew Hart has joined Yellow Brick Road. This happened at the start of the year, but is worth noting as the band continues to forge a solid following among locals. Hart, whom we enjoyed in the Van Halen segment of “The World’s Greatest Rock Show” at Strat, joins Mark Cole, David St. John, Jonathan Gilcrest and James Sloan in the current YBR lineup. The band headlines Friday nights at Club Madrid at Sunset Station and Saturdays at Rocks Lounge at Red Rock Resort. …
Cool Hang Alert
Catch the polka and Oompoporama — Oktoberfest with a pop vibe! — at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Park, and 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Balliwick Gastropub at the Orleans. This act is so, so talented, with Ginger Bruner on tuba and vocals, Nanette Fortier on drums, Tatiana Semichastnova on accordion and Johnn Jones on keyboard and vocals. The stein toasts are many; the cover charge is none or “nine,” if you are in Oktoberfest mode. And be ready for a fest.
PodKats
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.