Elvises headed to Hilton

It's hard to say if "Viva Elvis" picked the best or worst possible week to go on vacation. All that's certain is the Elvis action shifts back to its historic home at the Las Vegas Hilton, with an Elvis invasion today through Saturday.

"The Heart of the King" is a full-on Elvis convention, complete with today's premiere of a film documentary of the same name about Elvis impersonators, and a competition for at least 40 tribute artists running through the weekend.

There's a Saturday afternoon celebrity panel and a Saturday evening concert surrounding impersonator Shawn Klush with real alumni of the '70s Hilton era, including drummer D.J. Fontana, the Sweet Inspirations, the Imperials and Las Vegas-based comedian Sammy Shore.

Klush's manager, Daniel Lentino, organized the event as one of many he has staged. He wants it to be the first of many. It conspicuously steers clear of Graceland's "Elvis week" every August. And Lentino says he hopes future events will be integrated with Cirque du Soleil's "Viva," which is co-produced by the Presley estate's owner, CKX Inc.

"They approved everything we're doing," Lentino says of the estate. "They could not license this particular festival this year. They wanted to, but because of their solid deal with Cirque they were unable to officially license it. Next year they're thinking they might be able to do that."

Landing at the Hilton when "Viva" was on summer vacation was coincidental, he says. However, he adds, "even though we consider the Hilton off-Strip, the Cirque people do not," he says of a no-compete clause that would have to be ironed out for future cooperation. ...

There are always some people who like you and some who don't. The B.B. King Blues Club at The Mirage is in similar shape this week.

Its stock is high with Rosann Braun and others helping organize a marathon fundraiser for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation today. It promises nine bands, two magicians, a comedian and anyone else they can fit into the 6:30 p.m. event before everyone goes home.

"I'm just a mom trying to fight for a cure," Braun says of her efforts to help the foundation because it helps her 5-year-old diabetic son, Michael. "I don't think it will make millions, but it's a start."

Braun originally hatched the idea for the fundraiser with singer Michael Grimm. But he's on "America's Got Talent" now and instead yields the stage to the likes of Yellow Brick Road, Dangerous Curves, Nuff Said, Desert Outlaws and the Bradd Cordle/Jim Scott Band. Admission is $30.

On the other hand, the band Blues Storm is miffed with the club for the abrupt cancellation of Sunday afternoon "Celebrity Jams." Carol Nash, who books Blues Storm, said the club pleaded poverty, but it was "very embarrassing" to tell a dozen performers the bad news.

A club spokeswoman said it was more a misunderstanding over whether the jam was to be a series or one-time event and there were issues with some of the music not being up to the club's standard. ...

If you have been meaning to check out Terry Fator's show but haven't buckled down and picked a night, how's Aug. 1 sound? Fator does an extra show that night -- which is otherwise his same theater, same time, same ticket prices -- and donates the whole gate to the Public Education Foundation for local schools. Plus, he's throwing in an extra $350,000 to the foundation. ...

The Thunder from Down Under Showroom at the Excalibur will be slightly less crowded after comedian Louie Anderson leaves at the end of this month. The afternoon offering, "Defending the Caveman," will move into Anderson's evening slot.

That will make eight weekly shows for "Caveman" starting July 30; each night of the week plus one matinee, for old time's sake, at 3 p.m. Wednesdays.

It sounds like there is no Excalibur initiative to line up a new afternoon tenant, but I'm sure their phones are ringing. ...

Finally, a Styx tribute band called Rockin' the Paradise plays the Fremont Street Experience today through Saturday. This raises several questions. When the real group plays here so much, does that create more or less demand for a tribute band? (The current version of the real Styx was here in May and twice last year. Estranged singer Dennis DeYoung was here in March.)

Does the guy who now covers DeYoung's songs in the official Styx sound more like him than the guy in the tribute band?

And does the guy who plays Tommy Shaw in the tribute band hate "Mr. Roboto"?

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