Las Vegas ‘BattleBots’ show is fired up again
It’s crash-course time for “BattleBots — Destruct-A-Thon” in Las Vegas.
The celebration of collision has returned to its self-named arena, after a nearly monthlong break.
The series resumed Friday at Caesars Entertainment Studios next to the Horseshoe Las Vegas on the corner of Flamingo Road and Koval Lane.
Producers had taken the ‘Bots down Aug. 10 for an overhaul, seeking to increase the box-office performance for a title that has a worldwide following. Caesars Entertainment officials are reportedly confident in the show’s viability, though the summer has been especially tough for ticketed shows across the city.
Series co-creator Trey Roski has displayed measured optimism in the show’s return.
“It takes a while for the marketing to kick back in,” Roski said in a phone chat Tuesday afternoon. “But I feel good. The arena looks good. Everything is fixed up and beautiful, and the robots are topnotch. The fights are great.”
The new “BattleBots” format alternates between the ongoing “Destruct-A-Thon” competitions, and its new “FaceOff” tournament.
“Destruct-A-Thon” shows are held at 6 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The “FaceOffs” events launch Sept. 20-22, continuing Sept. 27-29, Oct. 4-6, Oct. 18-20, and Dec. 20-22 (the entire schedule and lineup is at battlebots.com).
“BattleBots” premiered in March 2023. Its performances were halted for five weeks during F1. The show is again planning to go dark from Nov. 10-Dec. 1.
About 80 cast and crew members were sidelined when the show was taken down last month. About 40 were cast members who were laid off, and reportedly about half of them have lost their jobs permanently.
“Because it’s a different show now, we don’t need all the cast that we had before,” Roski said. “But pretty much everybody else is back.”
Original hosts Steve Judkins and Bil Dwyer are back in the “BattleBots” live production.
The “FaceOff” battles will be banked for the BattleBots’ YouTube channel, and across the company’s social-media platforms, reaching more than 17 million followers.
Roski said that more than a thousand robot owners have applied to participate in the series. About 100 will be reviewed on-site for actual competition. The facility adjacent to the studio venue, where robots are built, repaired and maintained, is still in operation.
The show rotates 13 robots in its competitions, and has been using about 10 in the return. A half-dozen more are being developed to premiere in a month or so.
“BattleBots” debuted on Comedy Central in 2000, later shifting to Discovery. The competitions have been seen in more than 150 countries. “BattleBots” has grown to more than 10 million social media followers, and more than 50 teams from the U.S., Europe, Asia, New Zealand, Australia and South America traveled to Las Vegas for the “World Championship VII” tournament last year.
In Las Vegas, the “BattleBots” fights have been held in a battle pit surrounded by reinforced plexiglass. Fans of all ages sit on metal bleachers outside the battle facility.
The attention to the recruiting of new teams, and attention to the machines, indicates the show plans to run through at least next year.
“The changes will actually make our television show that much better,” Roski said. “The robots will have time to practice driving in a real-world scenario. We’re trying to put them up against each other in a unique way. We think fans will love the new version.”
Cool Hang Alert
A man with a resume nothing short of stellar, Artie Butler headlines “Just For the Record” at The Composers Room at Historic Commercial Center at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Butler’s storytelling show weaves his career of crafting more than 100 hit singles, in collaborations with such icons as Louis Armstrong (“What a Wonderful World”), Barry Manilow (“Copacabana”), Neil Diamond (“Solitary Man,” “Cherry, Cherry,”) Neil Sedaka (“Laughter in the Rain,” Dionne Warwick (“I’ll Never Love This Way Again,” and Joe Cocker (“Feelin’ Alright”).
Butler’s song “Here’s to Life” was recorded by Shirley Horn and later Barbra Streisand. His music scores include such films as “What’s Up, Doc?” and “The Rescuers.” This is Butler at the piano, spinning stories and summoning the classics. Go to thecomposersroom.com for intel
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.