Michael Jackson show takes another swing in Las Vegas
The Kats! Bureau at this writing is Java Vegas at the Orleans, where the WiFi’s high and the fruit plate underrated.
Soon will be “MJ The Evolution,” the recurring Michael Jackson tribute show, a survivor from the Mosaic on the Strip era. The show is also honoring what would have been Jackson’s 66th birthday, shared by entertainment great Earl Turner, who is in the house.
Michael Firestone is back as the principal Jackson, with Caja Pearson repping Jackson in the ’70s and ‘80s and John Robinson portraying the young Jackson (Robinson reached a national TV audience by performing with Nas at the 2022 Grammy Awards).
Guitar great Christian Brady, whom we met as a member of hard-rock outfit Hellyeah, is music director. The band in this show crushes it.
“MJ The Evolution” is not to be confused with (though it sometimes is) Cirque’s “Michael Jackson One” at Mandalay Bay, “MJ Live” at the Sahara, or any Jackson tribute performer on Fremont Street.
The “Evolution” performance is a one-off, for now, as Orleans Showroom finds its way after “Jersey Boys” closed in June. Producer Dean Coleman’s ofSPR & Promotions is in talks to return this show to the off-Strip hotel. Coleman also envisions returning “Love U2 — A Tribute to U2,” and Elyzabeth Diaga’s “Queens of Rock” production, and possibly adding a Motown tribute to his cache.
In the interim, Coleman is touring “Evolution” in China and Europe from October through January. The plan is to organize a multishow, rotating residency in Las Vegas three times a week beginning in February.
While not at all a lock for such a venture, the 850-seat Orleans Showroom is has the production capacity and size to host multiple production shows. The play here is you need a rotation of productions with familiar names and music to keep the concept fresh.
A single production, three times a week, in that venue, is a massive challenge. Just ask “Jersey Boys” about the viability of such a schedule.
Boyd exec Marty Giovi is actively booking the showroom. I’m encouraged to know that venue is holding true to its original purpose as a live-entertainment space.
Impress your friends, or not, by knowing Bill Medley of the Righteous Brothers designed the venue, at the request of original Orleans owner Michael Gaughan. So it needs to stay.
Viva Bruno!
We usually note, “What works in Vegas” in this space. But what works in Mexico is Bruno Mars. The “24K Magic” superstar and (occasional Vegas lounge singer) grossed $6.3 million at the Estadio GNP Seguros on Aug. 11.
The show, in the middle of a three-concert run at the 90,000-capacity stadium, was Mars’ largest-selling performance ever in Latin America. He also sells out every show at Dolby Live at Park MGM, and packs The Pinky Ring at Bellagio, whether he’s there (as he has been this week) or not.
Keyed up
Which Vegas piano virtuoso is now in the same strata as Sergie Rachmininoff, Duke Ellington, Vladimir Horowitz, Jon Batiste, Harry Connick Jr., and Yuja Wang?
Raja Rahman, a Juilliard School graduate and president of Nevada School of the Arts.
Rahman has joined the family of Steinway Artists, who play the renowned company’s instruments exclusively in live performances. The honor also ensures those on the Steinway roster have access to resources available to the company’s global retail and dealer network, which includes finding rehearsal space, technical assistance and concert services.
Rahman is also the only Nevadan (at least, that we can find) on the Steinway Artists list.
It all means that Rahman, whom we knew originally as half of the “Jarrett & Raja” music-and-magic tandem, is a rock star in the classical-music culture. He’s taken on a noble cause, too, working the magic for kids pursuing performing arts, music and visual arts at NSA.
A little Love
Coming off a great chat this week with Beach Boys legend Mike Love, for an upcoming column, we share the famed front man is being honored with a shrunken head at The Golden Tiki in Chinatown at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.
This is a chance for Love to meet some commoners in Vegas and promote his Club Kokomo Rum line. He joins such shrunken luminaries as Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul, Vince Neil, Sammy Hagar, Rod Stewart and Carrot Top (yours truly is also honored, in the interest of disclosure, and the experience is a little disquieting).
The Beach Boys play The Venetian Theatre on Wednesday and Sept. 6-7. Fans are offered a VIP package, where they can meet Love, share the love and sample cocktails.
‘AGT’ fallout
A read of the tea leaves indicates Luxor Theater will continue to serve as a ticketed venue, with smaller one-offs or weekend shows, for the foreseeable future. The theater has been dark since “AGT Presents Superstars Live” packed up and left in May.
The theater boasts a distinctive provenance, having hosted Blue Man Group, two variations of Criss Angel’s magic production, and the ill-fated Cirque show “R.U.N” over the decades.
Cool Hang Alert
“Nashville Unplugged” at Rhythm & Riffs founder Aaron Benward created the Amazon Prime series “God. Family. Football.” Benward, the show’s executive producer, has arranged a meet-and-greet with series star Denny Duron from 3:30-5 p.m. Friday, prior to the “N.U.” performance. Duron is a former star QB at Louisiana Tech, currently head coach at Evangel University in Springfield, Missouri.
There is no cover, ever, for “Nashville Unplugged,” for one of the coolest lounge hangs in this city.
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.
