Las Vegas Strip benchmarks for Bronx Wanderers, ‘Crazy Girls’
SEATTLE — The Kats! Bureau at this writing is in the press box at Husky Stadium, where the University of Washington played host to the Oregon Ducks in a Pac-12 crucial. The rivalry dates back 119 years, so long ago that wagers on the first game were placed at Old Mormon Fort sports book.
As one would anticipate, the noise in the stadium was earth-(and booty) shaking as the top-25 rivals went at it. This is the type of atmosphere UNLV would hope to achieve someday at Allegiant Stadium. There is nothing quite like top-tier college football. In a thriller, No. 12 Oregon rallied to beat No. 25 Washington 35-31.
#TheScene ... pic.twitter.com/ozVaq3AZeg
— John Katsilometes (@johnnykats) October 19, 2019
More catch-up work from the scene back home:
Grand numbers for BW
The Bronx Wanderers joke about how they determine their set list for the show at Mat Franco Theater. This process stops just short of fisticuffs, as young Vin A. has prevailed to tear through Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk” each performance and patriarch Vinny Adinolfi gets all of his Frankie Valli and the Four Season hits.
But there was no debate about working up a new closing medley, which invokes The Beatles’ “Hey Jude,” the ending suite from “Abbey Road,” and a tribute to “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” subbing in “Bronx Wanderers family rock ‘n’ roll band” as the lyric.
That flourish was developed in time for the guys to celebrated their 1,000 show in Las Vegas this month, splitting between Bally’s and Linq Hotel. Remarkably, Adinolfi the Elder has never missed a show, owed to his great medical team and not because (as insiders have claimed) he is a hologram.
Actually, Vin A. has said his father won’t miss a show because he doesn’t trust the band in his absence. Something about performing a Van Halen medley. Whatever, if that ever happens, I’ll be there and I’m bringing Diamond Dave with me …
This ‘Crazy’ moment
“Crazy Girls,” the longest-running topless revue ever in Las Vegas, also celebrated a passage of time this month: It’s 32nd anniversary. The show is the closest reminder of the “Crazy Horse Paris” revue at MGM Grand, for its scale and use of lighting. It’s much more a cabaret-style experience than in its days at the Riviera, where it performed for 28 years before moving to Sin City Theater at Planet Hollywood in 2015.
The show is unique for its use of a full cast member — Dani Elizabeth —- in multiple roles as show emcee and comedy performer. Around the horn, the cast is peppered with talented and beautiful performs (stage names here) Bell, Ginger, Sarah, Jojo, Taylor, Skyler. Swings are Lauren, Kathryn, Jenna, Alex and Lizzy.
“Crazy Girls” producer Norbert Aleman — whose wife, Jennifer Aleman, is the show’s director and choreographer —- happily recalls the days when the show’s “No If Ands Or …” backside billboards and taxi tops caused such a stir in the city. There was actually an effort among public officials to ban the vistage entirely. But because this is Vegas, you can still see the bronze statue — the rear ends shiny from the frequent rubbing of visitors —- at Planet Hollywood. See the show, too, 32 years on, but still a crazy scene.
Somers goes Gaga
Suzanne Somers and her manager and husband, Alan Hamel, were in the crowd Thursday night when Lady Gaga took a spill off the stage while being carried by a zealous fan. OK, over-zealous, considering the tumbling aspect …
Hamel took Somers to the show as part of her 73rd birthday present (marked the day with a nekkid pic on her IG page).
As Hamel said Friday, “Suddenly the roar of 6,000 people went totally silent for the longest moment, and we all thought the worst, until Gaga said, ‘We’re OK!’ ” he added, “Lady Gaga is clearly the performance artist of our generation.”
The couple plan to return to “Jazz + Piano” at Park Theater on Nov. 9.
Midnight ‘Gambler’
An innovation in Brian Newman’s set list in his return to NoMad Restaurant: “The Gambler” by Kenny Rogers. It’s a swank-ified arrangement, one of the best from Newman, who introduced it with, “This is the perfect song for this town.” Maybe he speaks from experience.
Jaclyn McSpadden again joined the band, unleashing her cover of “Creep,” which is the song that prompted Gaga to tell the Vegas singer, “You are special.”
Gregg with 2Gs
Drumming master Gregg Bissonette joins our friends in the UNLV Jazz Ensemble I at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Judy Bayley Theater. Dave Loeb, the “guy” behind the music you hear on “Family Guy,” directs. (Tickets are $10, a mere pittance, available at unlv.edu/pac/tickets or 702.895.2787).
Bissonnette is a mainstay with Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band, and has also backed David Lee Roth and Maynard Ferguson. He will perform selections from Buddy Rich and also the Ferguson catalogue, and is to perform with the UNLV Honors Trio that performed at the Monterey Jazz Festival after winning the College Combo Division at the Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival in 2018.
Bissonette is an entertaining guy away from the drum set. He once called in with, “This is JLo. I understand you want to interview me.” After a half-dozen questions, I figured it out.
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.
