Westgate developing ‘Superoke’; Vegas legends Santa Fe returning

The Kats! Bureau at this writing is the International Theater at the Westgate. The venue is usually home to Barry Manilow’s Las Vegas residency, but not today. NFL games are playing on the high-def screens, where it is Las Vegas Raiders QB Derek Carr asking, “Could this be the magic?”

It was, as Las Vegas beat the Carolina Panthers 34-30.

Across the hotel, the Superbook is operating at a little less than half of its 2,200 capacity. Hotel officials have actually mapped out a plan to bring karaoke into that venue. Hotel guests would sing to tracks, with videos played across the book’s vast LED screens. An island in the stream, as it were. We’re calling it “Superoke.”

The karaoke setup is not allowed under pandemic reopening restrictions, as it qualifies as an entertainment event. But bookmark that idea on the hotel’s extended forecast. It’s a good one.

Virtual ‘Healing’

Santa Fe & The Fat City Horns are returning “The Healing” to the Copa Room at Bootlegger Bistro. The band reunites on its Facebook Live page 6 p.m. Monday. Band leader Jerry Lopez says the first three or four performances will be no charge, then the shows possibly will move to pay-per-view. Lopez says the buy-in would be $10, possibly higher. I’d suggest higher, like by double.

“I want to make sure we can pay the crew and the guys a little money,” Lopez says. “If we can get 200-300 people watching we could be onto something.”

The shows will run about 50 minutes, a slightly shorter variation of “The Healing” at Copa Room, and a mix of covers and originals.

Also, on Oct. 1 the performances might need to move from Facebook to the band’s website or a performance-ready platform. Facebook has promised to crack down on live-music events posted on its site, enforcing existing rules from 2018. Many musicians, singers and DJs would likely need to move to a new platform or risk having their shows taken down.

Facebook’s own policy reads, in part, “You may not use videos on our products to create a music listening experience. We want you to be able to enjoy videos posted by family and friends. However, if you use videos on our Products to create a music listening experience for yourself or for others, your videos will be blocked and your page, profile or group may be deleted. This includes Live. Unauthorized content may be removed.”

We will update what happens with that policy, and certainly with Santa Fe. But the band lives on, and so does “The Healing,” for decades a live-music mecca for the band’s loyal following.

Righteousness from The Space

Righteous Brothers Bill Medley and Bucky Heard return for their second of four livestreams from The Space at 6 p.m. Tuesday. Stand-up great, actor and club proprietor Brad Garrett is among the unbilled “drop-ins.” He and Medley are longtime friends. The show posts at thespacelv.com, which links over to broadwayworld.com, where you can also buy in for $30.

At 6 p.m. Friday, Travis Cloer and Christian Hoff return “The Rockin’ Retro Drive-In Show” to the series. The performance is $25. Bandleader Christian Lash is on keys and Eric Tewalt on sax. Tewalt is also in the Santa Fe lineup, easily recognizable by the Golden Knights sticker on his instrument.

Cloer and Hoff are building a brand with these “Retro Drive-In” shows, which usually play at drive-ins, as the title indicates. I caught the show in Escondido, Calif., a few weeks ago. Great performance in a unique environment. As I say, if Cloer is there, so am I.

And! We note the new collaboration Roux, a pairing of column faves Anne Martinez and Lisa Marie Smith. The show offers shuffled arrangements of familiar tunes, borrowing from rock, jazz, emo, electro pop, folk rock and musical theater. Maybe we’ll hear some skiffle, too.

The band is led by Smith’s trumpet-playing fiance, Isaac Tubb, joined by Kevin Mullinax, Rob Stone, John Wedemeyer, Dan Ellis, Mark Corbin and Scott Teeple. Aces everywhere.

Martinez and Smith are accustomed to this re-imagined format from their days in the “Baz” mash-up at Palazzo Theater. The new act’s name refers to their collective hair color.

He believes in defense

A famous ex-NFL star and Las Vegas resident dodges the sportsbooks.

“I don’t bet,” O.J. Simpson says. “Everybody asks, ‘Who you betting on?’ I bet these guys I play fantasy with, but I don’t really bet.” He did say he would have bet “an equal amount of money on all the unders” during the NFL’s first weekend. Simpson says the defense is ahead of the offense in the first week. OK. He explains it all on his @RealOJ32 Twitter feed.

Something we’ll see …

A crowd chanting “Am-bi-ent! Am-bi-ent!” at a Las Vegas venue offering live music. I would bet that happening at Saddles N Spurs Saloon. Everything is “ambient” at Bobby Kingston’s place, except for the band’s whiskey shots between sets.

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.