Wyrick to make magic at Hilton

Do magicians have as many lives as cats? The ever-resurgent Steve Wyrick keeps counting early next month, when he begins Life No. 5 at the Las Vegas Hilton.

In one sense, a fifth venue in 14 years isn't so unusual. Rick Thomas (who will be Wyrick's new neighbor at the Riviera) and Dirk Arthur also are among the Las Vegas magicians who venue-hopped in the 2000s.

But Wyrick's resurgence is more remarkable after his last venture -- a self-operated theater at the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood -- crashed to the tune of a $54 million bankruptcy filing.

"It was a super disappointing, very difficult time in my life," Wyrick says of losing the theater in late 2009. "The theater obviously had significant debt service. Hey, there's a lot of stories out there like that."

Wyrick's attorney says a discharge is pending but expected in the bankruptcy case. Court records show no filings since March. The magician says he has no investors and no partner but the Hilton on the joint venture, but acknowledged developer Carl Ross purchased his magic props in bankruptcy court to lease back to him.

Prospective casinos could see the glass as half-full and look at Wyrick delivering a consistent, competent magic show for the better part of 14 years in Las Vegas.

The half-empty skeptics could ask how many more chances he deserves. Is it really a solid business plan to be the third or fourth choice among magic shows? Will Wyrick be more interesting to people now than he was before?

"I've always made money with my show. My show has always been profitable," Wyrick says, if show grosses against expenses were separated from the larger theater operation.

Hilton marketing executive Rick White said the casino isn't gun-shy about magic as a genre after "Triumph" proved a nonstarter during the winter (closing before it ever had an official opening night).

"There have been a lot of very successful magic and illusion shows. ("Triumph") was a whole separate issue," White said. Wyrick "does have a solid track record, (and) he's always had a big, dramatic show." The Hilton's large stage will give him space to "spread his wings."

Wyrick says his Hilton gift shop will be supported by branding ventures with Ford and American Chopper, and the larger show will be promoted by national television exposure. "Shortly, there will be a couple of very interesting things announced."

The new show, subtitled "Ultra Magician," also will bring four or five new illusions with an emphasis on video technology. The show itself "always has to get better, or else it becomes stagnant," Wyrick says. "That's my new motto: 'Under-promise, over-deliver.' " ...

Michael Grimm's self-titled, major-label debut album comes out Tuesday on Epic Records, but fans got a sneak preview Monday on the singer's old stomping grounds, the Ovation venue at Green Valley Ranch.

It was Grimm's home stage before he won "America's Got Talent" last year. Nonetheless he admitted to a case of nerves on Monday, joking more than once "I think I need a drink."

"They were all seated and staring at me instead of dancing," he explained by phone the next day.

The new songs seemed more than confident. They never strayed outside the boundaries of soulful, credible roots rock, yet one could still hear the hit single potential of the ballad "Suddenly You Are" or his cover of Alicia Keys' "Fallin'."

"It's just American music," Grimm said of the album that was mostly recorded live in a Los Angeles studio, preserving Grimm's goal of keeping it "very real sounding, not something that sounds like it's been put together and processed so much."

The new album was produced by Don Was, who helmed the Rolling Stones' "Voodoo Lounge" and Bonnie Raitt's best work. Was recruited a band of top-rank L.A. players and called in Ann Wilson and Travis Tritt for guest duets.

Grimm's old boss Bill Medley surprised him by showing up Monday to belatedly bestow a Review-Journal Best of Las Vegas award for Best Singer (a staff pick).

Grimm worked in Medley's road band before his winning run on "Talent." Medley told the audience he first heard of Grimm when a friend invited him to "come down and see what you sounded like when you were 22."

"I said, 'Screw him, I don't want to hear him,' " Medley joked. Now he proclaims Grimm's new disc to be "the greatest album I ever heard." ...

The retro little downtown hotel Aruba will host weekly performances of "Strip The Play" each Wednesday starting next week.

Perhaps because of its proximity to the Olympic Garden, the murder mystery -- a detective goes under cover as a stripper to solve the murder of a topless-club owner -- includes an advertising slogan/disclaimer: "This is a play, not a strip club. Actresses, not strippers."

The concept bears similarities to "Tease," a musical take on the stripping life, which played at the former Blue Note club (now Krave) in 2002. This one ran in Los Angeles venues including the Hayworth Theatre.

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