Santana, Marie Osmond answer Davis’ personal calls to perform
Mark Davis likes what he likes. This is especially true of the entertainment vision at Allegiant Stadium for Raiders home games.
The music playing during breaks in action might come right off Davis’ iPod. He especially loves his classic rock, towering horns and a sonic sound. He has his personal faves among entertainers. He has the clout to make a call and deliver a superstar to sing the national anthem at a preseason game.
That’s how Marie Osmond returned to Vegas for the first time this weekend since her show with brother Donny closed at the Flamingo in November 2019. His long bond with Carlos Santana led to the guitar legend’s halftime performance.
#Righteous #DavidPerrico @raiders House Band lights the Al Davis Memorial Torch torch … metaphorically. @AllegiantStadm #RJNow @reviewjournal #NFL #Vegas #VegasNation #stadium pic.twitter.com/zkAVhpzwmS
— John Katsilometes (@johnnykats) August 15, 2021
“We will have great entertainment here, and it will be one of the most important things we do here,” Davis said. “But I am really happy that Marie Osmond, who has one of the greatest voices, is here. And Carlos is Carlos, a superstar. I’m just thrilled they had the a desire to do this.”
Hello .#NoybelGorgoy @Raiders #DavidPerrico @AllegiantStadm @reviewjournal #RJnow #NFL #Raiders pic.twitter.com/2Rq1YL4zF5
— John Katsilometes (@johnnykats) August 14, 2021
David Perrico, the newly installed Raiders House Band frontman, said the team designed a pregame setlist specifically for a Raiders’ crowd. The band floored it through “Let’s Groove” by Earth Wind & Fire, “25 or 6 to 4” by Chicago and “Feel This Moment” by Pitbull.
“We get to do all the different genres,” Perrico said just after his band’s 30-minute set. “It’s what the Raider Nation wants. The R&B, the funk, the soul, rock. The energy here calls for that.”
Davis was effectively in the moment Saturday. Asked what’s next for his Vegas-fashioned Allegiant showcase, he said, “I’m not looking past today. We have another month to think about that.”
Some @Raiders royalty: #MarkDavis #CarolDavis and #SallyOtto, wife of #NFL legend and #Raiders great #JimOtto @l#RJNow @reviewjournal pic.twitter.com/CSWn1etvLm
— John Katsilometes (@johnnykats) August 14, 2021
Sisolak absent
Gov. Steve Sisolak was not part of the Raiders’ ribbon-cutting ceremony Saturday. This raised a few eyebrows (well, at least mine) as such elected officials as Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman and Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo (running against Sisolak as a Republican) were on hand. A Sisolak spokeswoman said the governor wasn’t available this weekend but “hopes to catch a game in the future.”
Oscar in the house
While the current Las Vegas mayor introduced herself to various Raiderettes, former Mayor Oscar Goodman took a moment at the ribbon-cutting to talk NFL. He doggedly pursued an NFL team when he was in office from 1999-2011.
Ladies and gents … The Goodmans! @mayoroflasvegas @OscarBGoodmanLV @Raiders #RJnow @reviewjournal #RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/BoH2wZJVbq
— John Katsilometes (@johnnykats) August 14, 2021
Throughout Goodman’s three terms, the NFL held an oft-combative view of Las Vegas, resisting talk of a franchise relocating here because of open sports betting, and turning back the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Bureau’s bids to air Vegas commercials during the Super Bowl.
But there was the ex-hizzoner, standing at the entrance of a Las Vegas Raiders game at Allegiant Stadium.
“This is absolutely awesome, to go from a little horse town to the sports capital of the entire universe,” Goodman said as he clutched a plastic Raiders cup containing a liquid that had a fragrance consistent with gin. “I tried my best, in office. I went to the NBA, NHL, Major League Baseball. I had my beef with the NFL and their antagonism toward Las Vegas. But once that went away, and we had the NHL come to Las Vegas, we are seeing what’s happened. It is a great day for this city.”
Raider Nation, indeed
It seemed Davis couldn’t stop smiling at the pregame ribbon-cutting ceremony. He was joined by his mom, first lady of Raider Nation Carol Davis. Especially touching was the presence of NFL and Raiders legend Jim Otto and his wife, Sally, who participated in the ceremony.
Several moments of co-mingling unfolded at the event. As Carlos and Cindy Santana awaited their introductions, a masked and muscular gent in a Raiders golf shirt approached while holding his commemorative scissors.
He started, “I have to introduce myself, I’m Napoleon McCallum …”
Santana immediately recognized the former Raiders great.
From earlier @SantanaCarlos #NapoleonMcCalllum @AllegiantStadm #RJNow #Stadium #RJnow @reviewjournal #Raiders pic.twitter.com/LVO27cE3DA
— John Katsilometes (@johnnykats) August 15, 2021
“I know you!” Santana said. “I am a fan!”
McCallum played for the Raiders in 1986 and again from 1990-94. Santana played for them at halftime.
A different sort of palace
Heidi Sarno Straus and her husband, David Straus, were among those volunteering to unfurl the giant American flag during Osmond’s rendition of the national anthem. Heidi Sarno’s father, Jay Sarno, was the iconic resort magnate who founded Caesars Palace and Circus Circus. (Vegas insider note, if you ever want to catch the Sarnos’ attention, call out, “No apostrophe!” because the family is forever correcting the errant spelling of “Caesar’s Palace.”)
A first for everything
Pop Strings singer Fletch Walcott looked at home onstage at Allegiant Stadium. But he’d never been in any such facility before Saturday.
“I’ve never seen an NFL game in person before, never been in a stadium like this,” Walcott said from the side of the band’s stage. “The first time I’ve ever been to an actual game is right now.”
Cool Hang Alert
Todd English’s Olives restaurant at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas has adopted a nifty live-music program. Caught the wickedly talented Angelina Alexon last Sunday, and she is back again this Sunday.
David DeCosta (who played Sinatra in Rat Pack Production shows) is a featured performer. Such top-line Vegas vocalists as Christina Amato, Nieve Malandra and Kai Brant all appear at English’s cool hang. Music schedule is typically 6-11 p.m. weekdays, 6 p.m.-midnight weekends. No cover, and try the Very Vanilla Souffle. Really. Find this delight on my IG feed.
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.
