The calendar stops for ‘Pin Up’ on March 4
The concept of “Pin Up” at the Stratosphere is to flip the calendar forward, advancing time every month. The show, in fact, has turned back the clock — to a wondrous time when hotels funded these shows through healthy gambling profits.
“Pin Up” was unique in modern-day Las Vegas, the rare show financially supported by its host hotel rather than an outside producer. How long Stratosphere officials would continue to pour money into an aggressive, talented and expensive adult revue has long been a topic of debate around the VegasVille entertainment scene.
We got the answer Sunday night, when the cast and crew of “Pin Up” were informed that the show will shut down March 4. That’s four years to the date that the production opened at the Strat.
The star of “Pin Up” throughout its run, Claire Sinclair, had lobbied to make the anniversary the show’s sendoff. The show will have surpassed 1,000 performances when it closes.
“There were a lot of rumors going around that we’d close sooner. I talked to (Stratosphere entertainment executive) Matt Mascali and asked if we can make our four-year anniversary our final show, since we are so close to that milestone,” Sinclair said in a text message Sunday afternoon. “I’m thrilled he made it happen. I’ve been here four years. When we started I didn’t think I’d ever be able to say that.”
Sinclair will continue to pursue interests in Las Vegas. She is in the process of developing a boutique, themed hotel in downtown Las Vegas (eight rooms, with varying themes, similar to the Madonna Inn on California’s Central Coast). Sinclair, the 2011 Playboy Playmate of the Year, was consistently the featured celeb in the show; one favorite moment was the night she stripped to pasties, off script and in defiance of hotel officials, for an audience filled with Yelp reviewers.
Otherwise, the dance team and musicians, all of them talented artists who performed high-energy production numbers, are now seeking work. That’ll be a challenge in a city where, by unofficial count, 29 shows have closed since the start of 2016.
The future of the Stratosphere Showroom is in the hands of Red Mercury Entertainment, which took over the booking of the venue last year. Red Merc has a hit with “MJ Live,” routinely filling the showroom. Expect a new show, likely something with similarly familiar music to move in by April.
As for “Pin Up,” Sinclair said: “I’m grateful for all of my time at ‘Pin Up’ and I’m ready for the next chapter of my life.”
NO PHANTOMS IN THIS SHOW
A spirited moment from Styx keyboardist Lawrence Gowan during Saturday’s “Renegades in the Fast Lane” concert production at the Venetian Theater: Gowan said he’d just learned that the theater was built for “Phantom – The Las Vegas Spectacular” and began to play the musical’s theme song. He played beautifully for several moments, truly inspired, then stopped and said, “That’s all I know.”
Another unexpected turn was the run through “Hallelujah” by Gowan with Tommy Shaw on acoustic guitar. The rest of the show was, as expected, a full-force rock show. Co-headliner Don Felder turned up after the opening spree of Styx standards (highlighted by “Too Much Time On My Hands” and “The Grand Illusion”) and jacked up the crowd with such Eagles classics as “Life in the Fast Lane” and “The Long Run.”
And (spoiler alert), for anyone curious about which song closes this extended engagement – which runs again Wednesday, Friday and Saturday — it’s … “Renegade.” Not “Hotel California,” and I think this is because the members of Styx far outnumber the one ex-Eagle.
‘HE GONNA CRY IN THE CORNER’
That’s what Chris Brown has promised in his latest Instagram post promoting a fight that is not yet announced. This is the reported three-round bout pitting Brown against his rapper rival Soulja Boy, with Floyd Mayweather and Mayweather Productions as the promoter.
Saturday’s video on Brown’s IG page shows both hip-hop stars training — I mean, “training” – as an anonymous announcer dramatically announces “Weighing in at 112 pounds! Souuulja Booooy!”
Keep in mind that MGM Resorts officials say nothing has been confirmed, even though a Facebook page has been set up promoting a fight at MGM Grand on March 25.
We’ll see. But an informed source who knows both of these guys says Brown would “destroy” his feisty, but sinewy, opponent. Bet accordingly.
WHO WAS WHERE
In the room Saturday night at Tao for French Montana’s set, Lance Kendricks and Kenny Britt of the L.A. Rams. Friday, Las Vegas native and Washington Nationals star Bryce Harper dined at La Cave at Wynn Las Vegas. Harper reportedly ordered tomato and mozzarella flat bread, grilled shrimp and mini burgers topped with chipotle mayo and mushroom duxelles. Yum.
ELVIS AT 82
On Sunday, I misstated the age Elvis Presley would have been on his birthday, Jan. 8. He would have been 82. And a great way to hear from Elvis fans is to misstate such facts.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section, and Fridays in Neon. He also hosts “Kats! On The Radio” Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on KUNV-FM 91.5 and appears Wednesdays at 11 a.m. with Dayna Roselli on KTNV Channel 13. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.