74°F
weather icon Windy

Santana geared up for Strip return, rock musical, Raiders performance

Updated September 15, 2022 - 5:16 pm

Carlos Santana doesn’t look like a guy who canceled several concert dates after collapsing onstage in Michigan two months ago. He doesn’t seem like a guy who underwent an emergency heart procedure in late-November, and generally defies his age of 75.

Santana today is the picture of health, a portrait of spirituality and a rocker ready to return to the stage. His immediate plans are to perform the national anthem along with his wife, Cindy Blackman Santana, at Sunday’s Raiders-Cardinals game, his second appearance for his hometown team at Allegiant Stadium. Santana then resumes his residency at House of Blues at Mandalay Bay on Wednesday night, continuing Friday and Sunday, and again Sept. 21 and 23-25 before returning in November.

We had ample ground to cover with the rock legend, since our most recent session in May. The latest from the Santana’s always-supernatural universe:

He is feeling groovy: Santana reports he fell ill through a combination of food poisoning and dehydration just before his July 5 at Pine Knob Music Theatre in Clarkson, Michigan, near Detroit. He’d been sick in Chicago the day before the Michigan concert. “Basically, what the doctor told me is, ‘Your stomach is (ticked) off right now. Just the thought of food is gonna make you throw up.’” He hadn’t downed enough water to offset those symptoms, and fell backward onstage in his next show. “It was hot, I was trying to be a trouper, then my batteries just went out. The next thing I knew, there were a lot of people around me, going, ‘What happened?!’ and putting IVs in me. But I am good, I did a stress test on the treadmill and everything is fine.”

He is working on a rock musical: Santana unveiled his concept for a production called “Ritual.” He said he was so excited about the project, “I couldn’t sleep last night.”

“Everyone has a ritual on this planet, including soccer moms,” Santana said. “I want to start with the pope with the chalice of wine, celebrating the blood of Christ. There are rituals in the music I make.” He’s recorded some African-gospel, instrumental pieces and has got several mock-ups of costumes on his phone. The project has been in development for about nine months. Santana is passionate about everything he touches, including this project. “I don’t want it to sound like I’m boasting, but but with total conviction and affirmation, I have something that will be bigger than ‘Lion King’ or ‘Hamilton.’” And Lin-Manuel Miranda (whose “Freestyle Love Supreme” moves into Venetian in November), Mr. Santana wants a conversation.

He’s planning a tour with Journey: “We want to do that in 2024, not in 2023, because both bands have been around the United States so much that we over-saturate. Of his longtime friend, protege and Journey founder Neal Schon, Santana says, “Neal is open to interacting. He’s open to trying out different songs, because he’s so locked in with Journey. But we can go anywhere, from the O’Jays to John Coltrane to Bob Marley. When we’re together, he’s able to take the hamster out of the cage.”

He’s committed to House of Blues through 2026: That’s the extension Santana announced in May. But other resorts would certainly be interested in a Santana residency, however it shakes out. “The owners of the House of the Blues are gracious enough that if I did want to make a change, it’s not like Kevin Durant where I would to leave them hanging,” he said, referring to the wayward NBA superstar. “It would be a soulful, sentient transition, if we get a better offer. They want the bet thing for me, and I want the best thing for them. We both want to complement life, and each other. They are a great partner.”

A first for Schumer

A favorite Vegas stand-up for more than a decade, Amy Schumer is headlining Nov. 5 at The Theatre at Resorts World. We have seen Schumer at the since-imploded Riviera, Mirage, The Comedy Cellar at the Rio and Chelsea at Cosmopolitan. Fantastic in everyperformance. Tickets onsale 10 a.m. Friday.

What Works In Vegas

Usher at Dolby Live at Park MGM. Promoter Live Nation has announced his eight remaining dates this year have sold out. That means all 25 shows this year will have wiped the place out. The sales have reportedly received a boost from improved convention business. His 2023 shows are onsale now.

On the headliner front…

A major Strip resident superstar with no shows on the books for 2023 is about to announce new dates, soon. Can’t wait to write about it.

The life of Murray

Last week, an interloper in the back hallway at Laugh Factory at the Tropicana was caught by security cameras performing a lewd act during Murray Sawchuck’s afternoon magic show. Sawchuck did the sensible thing, contacting TMZ to initiate a nationwide manhunt. No leads yet, folks.

That very same day, Sawchuck children’s magic book, “At Nighttime We Are All The Same Size” arrived in the mail. Illustrations by Oregon artist William Lotz. Also, Sawchuck and his wife, the showgirl Dani Elizabeth, moved into a new house in the Lakes neighborhood. The couple’s neighbors are Carrot Top, and Count’s Kustoms and Vamp’d rock club owner Danny Koker. This is the only homeowners’ assocation meeting in Vegas with a cover charge (ba-dum-bum).

The wives to rock it

Hearing reliably, and consistently, “Six,” a concert musical that revives the six wives of Henry VII, is the next show bound for Palazzo Theatre at The Venetian. The touring version opens at Reynolds Hall at the Smith Center on Sept. 20.

Cool Hang Alert

We thought we were familiar with every live-performance venue in this city. Not quite. “My Own Story: Greatest Hits” is set for 7 p.m. Friday at Philip J. Cohen Theatre at UNLV’s Student Union. Performance-theater artist and writer Alex Luu is bringing the first performance to the venue. The show is a series of personal stories delivered “in visceral, no-holds barred exploration themes such as identity, racism, family rituals/dynamics, and immigrant narratives.” No admission.

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.

THE LATEST