Coldplay, Lady Gaga, Kenny Chesney, Jay-Z among stars at IHeartRadio Music Festival
It’s being dubbed the biggest live music event in radio history, which, to borrow a line from comedian Doug Stanhope, is kind of like boasting about being the world’s prettiest Denny’s waitress: Has there really been that much competition of late?
Debatable as the question may be, there is no doubt that the IHeartRadio Music Festival is a massive event, with 19 of the biggest names in rock, pop, hip-hop and country coming to the MGM Grand Garden arena today and Saturday.
The lineup is impressive: Rascal Flatts, Black Eyed Peas, Jennifer Lopez, Jane’s Addiction, Usher, Sting and more are scheduled to perform in a festival tied in with the launch of the new I Heart Radio application and website, which allows listeners to tune into radio stations from across the country as well as create their own customized station.
And those are just a few of the artists who will be here.
The following acts also will be bringing plenty of hits:
Coldplay
They say their new record, "Mylo Xyloto," is going to be more intimate, which is kind of like a nude stripper saying that she is going to get more naked somehow. Can Coldplay really bare their souls any further? Are they going to come and whisper each and every song into your ear or something? Fed-Ex you their hearts?
Well, the band is probably speaking of the record’s sonics, as it’s supposedly more acoustic-based than past Coldplay efforts.
Still, don’t expect many twee moments live, where their arena-rock bombast is almost as outsized as their emoting.
Lady Gaga
What is there to say about Lady Gaga that hasn’t already been said, by her? She’s pop music’s greatest self-promoter, a megaphone of megalomania.
Honestly, though, Gaga’s not that provocative of a provocateur. Her predecessor Madonna raised eyebrows — among other things — by releasing sex books and writhing about in videos in front of burning crosses.
Gaga, for her part, dons meat frocks and occasionally dresses like a dude.
Still, her shows are undeniably fun, larger-than-life spectacles.
You can try to deny as much, but we can totally read your poker face.
Kenny Chesney
He’s country music’s biggest contemporary star, though Kenny Chesney’s toes-in-the-sand, tequila-for-breakfast jams seem way more indebted to Key West than Nashville. Dude even looks the part, with a tan shaded somewhere between George Hamilton and a leather attache case.
Like the sunny climes his tunes often evoke, Chesney, at his best, offers listeners a chance to get away from it all, transporting his boozy, blue-collar fan base to a place where life is seen through the pleasantly blurry vantage point of the bottom of a beer mug.
Carrie Underwood
She’s America’s sweetheart. But Snooki couldn’t make it to Vegas this weekend, so Carrie Underwood will have to do.
Underwood’s the ultimate girl next door — but only if you happen to reside beside a Barbie doll plant. She has a smile warm enough to melt the polar ice caps — penguins hate Underwood, but we digress — and her voice is like sweet champagne for your ear holes.
Seriously, Underwood is so damn wholesome, she makes angels seem like dirty pirate hookers by comparison.
Jay-Z
He’s the king of New York. But Donald Trump doesn’t rap, so Jay-Z reps the city with mogullike authority and a CEO’s bullet-proof self-confidence. As such, he’s the rare MC with a stage presence so commanding that he can make a big hall seem small, reducing arenas to the size of a corporate boardroom in feel.
John Mayer
OK, so forget the fact that Mayer’s seen more naked starlets than a Hollywood tanning bed, the dude’s enviable dating pedigree is still less impressive than his prodigious guitar chops. Pop-light piffle such as "Your Body Is a Wonderland" sometimes obscures the fact that Mayer’s a crazy good six-stringer, especially when it comes to the blues.
Not that the dude should ever have the blues, all things considered.
Contact reporter Jason Bracelin at jbracelin@ reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0476.