Shelton, Mars star Super Bowl weekend pop-ups
It was the Bruno and Blake show on the Strip the night before the Super Bowl.
Blake Shelton and Bruno Mars performed pop-up shows at their respective, and new, nightspots on Saturday.
Shelton and his pop-superstar wife, Gwen Stefani, waded into a packed house at Ole Red Las Vegas, the four-level honky-tonk in front of the Horseshoe Las Vegas. The couple dueted on “Ole Red,” the song that of course inspired the club’s name; and “Happy Anywhere.” The also teemed on “Nobody But You” during Stefani’s “Tik Tok Tailgate” show prior to the Super Bowl.
Mars and his Hooligans backing band played an hourlong set to kick off The Pinkyring at Bellagio. Mars started at about 11 p.m., after his appearance at Dolby Live at Park MGM. Janelle Monae performed “Tightrope” with Mars’s band. Babyface, who now has a home in Vegas, sang “Every Tie I Close My Eyes.
Mars also unleashed “Treasure,” “That’s What I Like,” “Shake Your Body,” and “Rock With You.”
Lady Gaga arrived to support her friend, Brian Newman, who has a hand in directing the music program at the club — which is to feature the Hooligans. Gaga and Newman had just arrived from performing at “The Dinner Show” Super Bowl party and concert hosted by Mark Davis.
Gaga and Newman played a truncated version of “Jazz + Piano” at Davis’ show. Expect more dates for her residency to be added, possibly as soon as June. And Newman, Gaga’s longtime friend and bandleader, will take up the epicenter of in the middle of that production, and also Mars’ slick new club.
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.
