‘Bee Gees Show’ a tasteful tribute that encourages fans to dance

God, how we hated the Bee Gees.

And "The Australian Bee Gees Show" makes us ask, "Why?"

Time is the great leveler. And it seems like disco won the war long ago.

But back then, in ways only snotty little 17-year-olds in Pink Floyd T-shirts could explain, those warbling chipmunks seemed to threaten the very existence of good groups. You know, like Kansas.

A fine objective reviewer I am for your tribute show, right?

Disclosing those old grudges might make me more objective, however, in stating this is a credible and -- my, this is hard to say -- even tasteful effort that's trying to stay put at the Excalibur, after touring the world since 1996.

I'm squarely behind a key and possibly controversial decision: to perform the whole show in "modern dress." Instead of the usual costume changes for Beatles or Elvis tributes, this group sticks to the late '90s look that defined the Bee Gees on their last big go-round: a televised 1997 concert at the MGM Grand Garden, followed by limited touring.

To waste time changing in and out of the disco suits would again reduce the songs to an era, while "How Deep Is Your Love" and "Nights on Broadway" have really become standards that transcend the polyester and four/four thump.

The full-length tribute includes less-heard tunes such as "Massachusetts" and "Holiday," reminding a lot of us the group had a career before "Saturday Night Fever."

The trio doesn't even sound like chipmunks when gathered around a single microphone for deeper-throated harmonies on "New York Mining Disaster 1941 (Have You Seen My Wife, Mr. Jones)," "I Can't See Nobody" and "Run to Me."

The singers do hold character, referring to one another by their Bee Gees names: Michael Clift is the long-haired and bearded Barry Gibb, sharing most lead vocals with dapper David Scott as Robin Gibb, the one member of the five-piece group who doesn't play an instrument. Wayne Hosking is the late Maurice Gibb, holding down harmonies and keyboards in front of Tony Richards on bass and Mike Mitchell on drums.

Three video screens keep the show from bogging into visual sameness. There's vintage footage of the real Bee Gees if you must see the disco suits, along with speeded-up shots of the Strip on "Tragedy" and home movies of the group's world travels on "To Love Somebody."

Sound issues were the real drawback in the room that's shared with "Thunder from Down Under" and isn't used to mixing the complexities of a full band. One of the more obscure songs was so garbled I couldn't even make out enough words to Google the lyrics.

But who needs lyrics for "Stayin' Alive"? What you need is a dance floor, which you don't see much in Vegas showrooms. The group (and producer Adam Steck) were smart enough to save some space in one corner, encouraging fans to lace up their boogie shoes for a medley of disco hits that fell within the extended Bee Gees family ("Shadow Dancing" by brother Andy, etc., the Bee Gees-penned "If I Can't Have You" by Yvonne Elliman, etc.)

"It started off very nicely. It'll build up," the Maurice character jokes of his "club." And quite probably, so will this show. As well it should -- unless there's a Pink Floyd tribute in town.

Contact reporter Mike Weatherford at mweatherford@ reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0288.