Styx, Don Felder crank up Golden Knights fans at T-Mobile
The Kats! Bureau at this writing is the coffee bar at the Grand Luxe Cafe just outside the Palazzo Theater. “Baz: A Musical Mashup” is the resident show around the corner, and across the property Styx and Don Felder are warming up for their latest extended run at The Venetian Theater.
Their show, “Renegades in the Fast Lane,” runs this weekend, Wednesday and next Friday and Saturday.
Earlier, the full lineup performed a quick set for about a dozen guests at the theater, blasting through “Too Much Time on My Hands,” and “Hotel California.” We learned afterward that the rock stars are impressed by the Vegas Golden Knights, and why not? Felder and Styx keyboardist Lawrence Gowan took in Thursday’s game between the Golden Knights and New York Islanders at T-Mobile Arena. The two fired up the siren to open the third period, to explosive response.
“As a lifelong hockey fan, it’s great to see how hockey has exploded in the city, how much fun it was at the game,” Gowan said. “Just the opening, just that, was incredible.”
I asked Gowan who is his favorite team, and he said, “The Vegas Golden Knights!” But he can’t have been a Golden Knights backer all his life as a “lifelong fan.”
“Oh, first it’s the Toronto Maple Leafs,” he said. “But right now, the Golden Knights.” At least through end of the “Renegades” run.
‘Millionaire’ airs it out
“Who Wants To Be A Millionaire” has set its lineup for its Las Vegas Celebrity Week, the series of episodes taped last summer at Caesars Entertainment Studio at Koval Lane and Flamingo Road. Contestants played on behalf of their favorite charities.
Hosted by Chris Harrison, a man who really enjoys VegasVille, “Millionaire” airs 2:30 p.m. and 1 a.m. daily on KTNV Channel 13.
Robin Leach’s episode opens the run Monday (Leach continues to recover in Cleveland from a mini-stroke he suffered in November). He played for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Piff the Magic Dragon and showgirl sidekick Jade Simone (Feeding America) are Tuesday’s guests, followed by recurring “Menopause the Musical” guest star Cindy Williams (Operation Smile) on Wednesday, Penn & Teller (Opportunity Village) on Thursday and Friday; and Wayne Newton (USO) on Friday.
For full disclosure, this is the second consecutive year Newton enlisted me to serve as his lifeline. But being a lifeline doesn’t necessarily mean you will actually make it on the show.
Harris re-ups
Calvin Harris, the world-famous DJ who routinely fills Hakkasan Group’s mega-clubs on the Strip, is extending his partnership with the nightlife company through 2020. Harris regularly headlines Omnia at Caesars Palace, and Hakkasan Nightclub and Wet Republic at MGM Grand.
“We are thrilled to extend our partnership with Calvin, who has been an integral part of our artist roster since his debut at Hakkasan in 2013,” Nick McCabe, CEO of Hakkasan Group, said in a statement. “To have an artist of his caliber performing regularly in our venues allows us to continue our mission of creating extraordinary experiences and providing our guests access to the world’s greatest artists.”
On peak nights, about 6,000 club-goers wade into Hakkasan and Omnia to catch Harris fellow artists such as Tiësto, Steve Aoki, Martin Garrix and Kaskade, all of whom are on the company’s roster of artists for this year.
Excused tardiness
In Thursday’s opening of “Renegades” (yes, we have two “Renegades” shows on the Strip at the moment) at Cleopatra’s Barge at Caesars Palace, Jose Canseco explained why he was once late for an Oakland Athletics game against the Angels in Anaheim during the 1991 season.
He was visiting Madonna and got caught in traffic. The two were tight, if you recall, some time ago.
When he arrived at Anaheim Stadium, Canseco said the A’s manager Tony La Russa was furious and threatened to bench the wayward slugger. But when Canseco said he was with Madonna, he says La Russa told him, “Get dressed. You’re in the lineup.”
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.