New plans in works for Stations

Judy Alberti came back to her old job and an unusual problem.

After two years away, Alberti recently returned to Station Casinos and her former job of vice president of entertainment, replacing Joe Santiago.

"I felt like I was Rip van Winkle. I took a nap and woke up and time had passed," she says, noting Red Rock Resort went up in her absence, and Green Valley Ranch opened its Ovation venue.

But right away, there was some scheduling to figure out: Boulder Station is remodeling its buffet and commandeered The Railhead -- the company's first real concert venue -- as a temporary buffet. The move took place this week and could last until November.

That means 15 concert acts getting moved to other Station properties, starting with comedian Jim Breuer on July 11 (now at Green Valley Ranch) and country band Diamond Rio on July 12 (now at Santa Fe).

Alberti had been with Stations for 12 years, five at the helm of entertainment, before leaving in 2006 to manage the Dodge Theatre in Phoenix. Four months ago, she moved to Foxwoods Resort in Connecticut to run a new 4,000-seat theater for MGM Grand.

Short-term plans include being "very price-sensitive on tickets," Alberti says. A Sammy Hagar show at Red Rock Resort on Aug. 8 had its ticket price trimmed about $10, to $55 per ticket.

And this Saturday launches a new Red Rock poolside series called "Bottle Rock It," which will run weekly through Sept. 27. Guitarist Slash and his Blues Ball Band (har-har) inaugurate the series and plan to return twice more before the series wraps in September.

Slash continues the all-star approach he has used in the past with Camp Freddy. The first outing promises Jerry Cantrell of Alice In Chains and drummer Jason Bonham. Tickets are $30; a wine tasting benefits Springs Preserve for another $15. (I know these guys aren't getting any younger, but shouldn't that be a Jack Daniels tasting?)

The second concert on July 12 brings Perry Farrell of Jane's Addiction/Porno for Pyros fame; tickets for that one are $20. ...

The Stations folks haven't heard much of late from a would-be concert competitor, the Canyon Club inside the Four Queens. But don't count the club out yet.

The original Canyon Club in Agoura Hills, Calif., is sort of a suburban House of Blues, making weeknight concerts convenient for valley folks. The Las Vegas offshoot opened early this year with plans to twin-book concert acts at both locations. But except for the rare home run, such as Testament last April, club owner Lance Sterling found it takes more effort to market a concert in Las Vegas, and that both the House of Blues and Boulder Station are geographically much closer.

Now the Four Queens management, Terry Caudill's TLC Casino Enterprises, has stepped in to provide "greater operational control" of the club, says Four Queens spokeswoman Lisa Robinson. Sterling still is involved, particularly in booking the concert acts. But club staff and food service for the "Marriage Can Be Murder" dinner show are now on the casino payroll.

A new spate of concert acts will help the partners "try a few things and see what works best in that room," Robinson says. Bookings include the Zac Brown Band on July 13, Ambrosia on Aug. 2, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy on Aug. 14 and Enuff Z'Nuff on Aug. 16.

One thing that won't be tried again for the time being is using the room as a budget nightclub alternative to Pure, Tao and the like. ...

When last seen in "Mesmerized" last year at the V Theater, hypnotist Marc Savard was swimming in late-night, raunch-comedy waters. Now he has cleaned up his act for a new early show that is so clean, a 9-year-old went onstage as a volunteer.

Savard is working the L.A. Comedy Club, the upstairs room at Trader Vic's in the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood. His 8 p.m. show is Mondays through Thursdays, leaving Fridays through Sundays free for the stand-up comedy. ...

In case you missed the news on our Vegas Voice blog, Cirque du Soleil has pushed the previews of "Criss Angel -- Believe" back two weeks because of technical delays. Previews now begin Sept. 12 instead of Sept. 1, and the private party to officially open the show has moved from Sept. 12 to Oct. 9. ...

Tony Sacca fans -- and we know you're out there -- have another chance to see the local TV host's new live endeavor, "Vegas The Show," at 4 p.m. Sunday at the Plaza hotel. Tickets are $30 for the multimedia look back at Las Vegas from the 1930s to now.

Mike Weatherford's entertainment column appears Thursdays and Sundays. Contact him at 702-383-0288 or e-mail him at mweatherford@reviewjournal.com.