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The Killers’ Brandon Flowers to pay homage to Reid, ‘an unlikely fan’

Updated January 8, 2022 - 1:01 am

Brandon Flowers calls him “one of our more unlikely fans.”

The founding front man of The Killers was referring to the late Sen. Harry Reid.

Flowers is among those asked to perform for Reid on Saturday at The Smith Center. Flowers is one of just two entertainers slated to perform at the event, and the only Nevada representative. Rock legend Carole King is also in the program.

President Joe Biden, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer will speak at the service. Former President Barack Obama will give the eulogy.

Flowers remembers meeting then-Senate Majority Leader Reid in 2009. The powerful elected official was indeed a Killers aficionado.

“We were rolling through D.C. and we got this invitation to go to the Capitol,” Flowers said in a phone chat Friday afternoon. “We ended up in his office, and was kind of taken aback by how gracious and humble he was in person.”

Flowers was also taken aback by Reid’s knowledge of the band’s music.

“He was familiar with my solo records, and the Killers,” Flowers said. “ ‘Read My Mind’ I remember coming up as a favorite, and ‘Be Still’ was another favorite, and that’s what they’ve asked me to perform.”

“Read My Mind” is from the 2006 album “Sam’s Town.” Be Still” is from the 2012 “Battle Born.”

Flowers is performing along with Jake Blanton and Ted Sablay, both on acoustic guitars. Those two musicians have performed with the Killers over the years, the Holiday Havoc Night 2 in December 2017 at Pearl at the Palms.

Flowers said Reid recalled attending Basic High School with Flowers’ parents, Jean and Terry; and also his aunt Barbara.

“I was really surprised by how he remembered those days back in Henderson,” Flowers said. “He was really talked fondly of my aunt Barbara.”

Reid called over to a senate senate colleague during that visit.

“It was kind of funny, he summoned Chuck Schumer and had me do an impromptu version of ‘Home Means Nevada,’ a cappella, right there in the office,” Flowers said, chuckling. “We just kind of stood in a circle, and it took me right back to my own upbringing in Henderson, sitting in a circle and having our music teacher teach us that song.

“It was a warm moment, and he was a warm man.”

Warwick’s Stirling residency

Dionne Warwick has signed a residency deal a the Stirling Club at Turnberry Place, as confirmed Friday by her producer Joey Battig. Longtime Vegas entertainment types will appreciate “residency” describing this run, opening March 24 and running 46 weeks.

Doors are at 6:30 p.m., show at 8 p.m. Thursdays, Saturday and Sundays. Tickets are $125-$150, with $199 VIP packages, open to non-members (onsale information is to be announced). The Stirling Club Showroom is to be set up as an ornate living room, with 175 seats.

Warwick most recently headlined 165-seat Cleopatra’s Barge at Caesars Palace, where she performed from September 2019 through the COVID shutdown in March 2020.

Warwick is an icon in contemporary music, with a string of hits including “Walk on By,” “Anyone Who Had a Heart,” “Message to Michael,” “Promises, Promises,” “A House Is Not a Home,” “Alfie,” “I Say a Little Prayer,” “This Girl’s in Love with You,” “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again,” and “Do You Know the Way to San Jose.”

She’s most recently been played by Ego Nwodim on “SNL’s” “Dionne Warwick Talk Show.” Warwick turned up on the show in November and sang “What The World Needs Now Is Love” alongside Nwodim.

“Why are you perfect?” Nwodim, as Warwick, asked Warwick herself. The superstar responded, “My darling, I’m not perfect. I’m just very, very good.”

Poitier on the courts

Clint Holmes was a friend of the late acting legend Sidney Poitier for about 50 years. After Poitier died Thursday at age 94, Holmes remembered the Academy Award-winner turning him on to tennis.

“He came to see my show in the Bahamas way back in the ’70s, asked me if I played tennis,” Holmes posted Friday on Facebook. “I didn’t, but in an effort to be around him I told him I did.”

Being an advanced player, it didn’t take Poitier long to see Holmes was new to the game.

“Once he saw me ‘play,’ he paid for my first lesson, by his teacher,” Holmes said. “By the end of my five-week run, I was a tennis fanatic and have loved the game ever since.”

Holmes added that experience “let me see what a generous, down-to-earth man he was. We lost a true giant.”

The Raiders Show

Ever proud of their entertainment production, the Raiders have enlisted the ubiquitous Lil Jon for the halftime show of Sunday’s game against the L.A. Chargers at Allegiant Stadium. The Grammy Award-winning rap star has been a regular attendee at Vegas Golden Knights games, and has also adopted the Raiders as a favorite Vegas pro franchise.

“I been going to games all season, I’m looking forward to turning up Allegiant Stadium the Lil Jon way,”Lil Jon said in a statement issued by the Raiders. “Yeahhh!”

Yep, that was the official statement from the frequent Vegas headliner.

Lil Jon has also performed at Toshiba Plaza during the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoff, and has also cranked the VGK siren.

Tori Kelly, co-star in the “Sing 2” computer-animated comedy, is set to sing Sunday’s national anthem.

High-mileage Cruiser

A few responses on social media took note of my post about the Madden Cruiser’s appearance set for Sunday at Allegiant Stadium. This was the late John Madden’s primary means of cross-country travel. He hated flying. I’d noted the mileage was 80,000, which was accurate — for the Greyhound’s annual mileage.

On Saturday, the Madden Cruiser’s odometer read 633,721.

The original Greyhound was converted into the Madden Cruiser in 1987, and will be on display for ticketed fans Sunday, on the west side of Allegiant Stadium.

Cool Hang Alert

Grandview Lounge at South Point kicks it with piano great Wes Winters 6 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and “The Dirty at 12:30” comedy show at 11:59 p.m. Fridays. The latter is “explicit” and guests must be 21 or older to attend. Both are no-cover.

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.

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