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Raiders dial up Carl Weathers, Azalea and ‘Fight Song’

Updated October 24, 2022 - 2:05 pm

The Kats! Bureau at this writing is The Perch at Allegiant Stadium, Raider and Texans slamming it out on the field. Iggy Azaela turned it up at halftime, with “Fancy” and “Black Widow” in the mix

The bodysuits unveiled by Azaela and her dancers have expanded the horizons of Raiders’ gear, no question.

Pop artist Rachel Platten elicited chills with “Fight Song,” for five cancer survivors invited to the game as part of the leaguewide’s campaign to battle the disease. Raider alum and famed actor Carl Weathers illuminated the Al Davis Memorial Torch.

It was Weathers, as Apollo Creed who proclaimed, “There ain’t gonna be no rematch. I don’t want one.” That was at the end of the first of nine “Rocky” movies. “Creed III,” featuring the great announcer and thespian Al Bernstein, is out next year.

Regardless of the team’s performance, the Raiders entertainment team is dialed in.

On that topic …

Mark Shunock has taken on the VP of entertainment role for the Golden Knights, along with his in-arena announcing duties at T-Mobile Arena. Look for a heightened interest in Vegas artists contributing to the VGK home games, an effort that started this season with Frankie Sidoris’ “GKG” theme song. Shunock has taken on a lot, with his Golden Knights, Raiders, Top Rank Boxing and The Space commitments. It’s only going to get busier for him in the coming months.

‘The Worm’ turns

A project that has already been likened to “The Hangover,” (at least by Esquire), “48 Hours in Vegas” might have found its Dennis Rodman. Multiple outlets report 33-year-old film actor Jonathan Majors is interested in taking the role. The film is based on Rodman’s trip to Vegas during the 1998 NBA Finals.

The adventure was exhumed during the 2020 documentary “The Last Dance,” chronicling Michael Jordan’s years with the Bulls. The trip was nicknamed “The Rodman World Tour” by locals. The 6-foot-8 inch power forward hit the Hard Rock Hotel (now Virgin Hotels Las Vegas); the Drink (and Eat Too!), the since-razed building next to Virgin on Harmon Avenue; The Mirage; Club Rio; and the Las Vegas Hilton, now Westgate Las Vegas.

Majors has shown he can be inventive, as he showed while playing He Who Remains in the “Loki” series finale. Majors describe that role as “a very charismatic sociopath.” Playing Rodman should be a career-shaping opportunity.

Falling Star

Star Piano Cocktail Lounge, the former Sonny’s Saloon at 3449 S. Sammy Davis Jr. Dr., closed the weekend of Oct. 17. Efforts to reach club management this weekend have been unsuccessful.

Star Lounge opened in September 2021. The club showed some promise even as a standalone dive bar, with some top-line entertainment. But that model struggled, as the Sonny’s crowd wasn’t the right audience for Gatsby-styled live music. There were no video-poker machines at the new place, creating an even deeper challenge to keep the business afloat.

Lead investor Eduardo Cordova pulled off the project about four months ago to focus on The Garden in the Arts District. The lounge then ditched its piano-bar concept in favor of hookas and DJs. It’s a shame I never made it back.

But I am hearing from one informed individual the club might become (cough) a cannabis lounge. Don’t we already have a Stoney’s? Whatever, I just hope someone saved the piano.

All shook up, indeed

Harry Shahoian prides himself on punctuality. He’s often early for gigs. But over the weekend, the veteran Elvis tribute artist showed up to a wedding a full year early.

Shahoian was booked to officiate and perform in a wedding at Bellagio on Oct. 21, 2023. He locked the assignment in as Oct. 21, 2022. Or, Friday. He called out of his regular gig that night as front man in “All Shook Up” at Alexis Park, where he swaps the Elvis role with Travis Allen.

“I drove down, walked in, and it was, ‘What are you doing here?’ ” says Shahoian, who had his pompadour and Elvis suit ready for action. “I said, ‘I’m here for the wedding tonight.’ But there was no wedding. I showed the email and immediately saw the 2023.” Shahoian has just released his autobiography, “Follow That Dream,” available on amazon.com. The tome covers his entire career, including the past 20 years in Vegas.

This event is of course too late to make the book. Shahoian works up to 20 weddings a week, as an officiant and also performer. He does not know the couple who booked him in 2023, but says, “I’m looking forward to knowing them in 364 days.”

Cool Hang Alert

Shotgun Jefferson, a SoCal-based country band, plays Stoney’s Rockin’ Country at Town Square on Friday night. Doors at 7 p.m., show at 10 p.m., ages 18-over. The band is known to inspire the grooving and win over non-country fans. Tickets are $5 for ages 21-over, $10 in advance and $25 day-of for 18-21 (the feeling is, 21-over guests will spend at the bar, the life blood of such a booking). Go to stoneysrockincountry.com for details.

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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.

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