Title: Chuck Rounds LV Entertainment News 9/08
Tags: Las Vegas News
Blog Entry: Chuck Rounds' LV Entertainment News A monthly Las Vegas Entertainment Newsletter Chuck Rounds' Las Vegas Entertainment News September 2008 The happy and sad times of September are upon us...parents are happy that the kids are back in school, while the kids are sad that school is back in session. Businesses are happy that the convention season is about to begin, but businesses have been very sad because of the beating they have taken because of the economy. I think that most of American is happy about the pending election, but also very sad that official campaigning has begun, and we'll have to endure the next couple of months of campaign ads. The economy has hurt us all. Tourism and gaming are down in Las Vegas...people don't want to pay for the gas that it will take to get across the desert. The foreclosure rate of homes in the city has been staggering. The budget cuts in the schools have been unconscionable---parents are being asked to pitch in and buy the supplies for all of the classrooms...it seems that even paper and pencils have been eliminated from the state budget. The economy has taken its toll on the shows in town as well. Over the summer, there have been about a dozen strong shows that have closed... "Spamalot," "Hats," "Toxic Audio," "Second City," Gordie Brown, Ronn Lucas, Rosanne Barr, "Ooh La La," and even "The World's Greatest Magic Show," just to name a few. There have been a bunch of smaller shows as well...some that opened and closed so quickly that they never even merited a mention. Of all of the shows that are going away, I think that I'll miss "The World's Greatest Magic" the most. It was a great show in an unfortunate location, and in spite of tremendous ticket offers, was never able to draw the crowds that it needed. It made a tremendous run at it, but when the going got tough, people decided not to venture over to the Greek Isles...it is a shame. The only positive note on all of this is that more shows are offering discount tickets and half price tickets than ever before...It is a great time to get a good bargain on show tickets. There are a couple of shows that will be opening in the near future that will hopefully spark a lot of interest...Donny and Marie Osmond will be the newest headliners in the Flamingo Showroom. Beginning Sept. 9, the duo will delight audiences of all ages with their iconic style of entertainment, the 90-minute extravaganza will highlight Donny & Marie's greatest hits in a multimedia spectacle presented on a custom designed stage with multiple video screens and a large cast of dancers. This will mark the first time in 29 years that they will have performed an extended residency engagement in Las Vegas. The Cirque du Soleil production of "Believe," starring Criss Angel will open at the Luxor in October...tickets have now officially gone on sale, and the show promises to in fact be...unbelievable. The trends of fall in Las Vegas are very much the same as elsewhere in the country---it's time to get back to work, summer break is over. The pools and pool parties are starting to close, and the big business of conventions is on the horizon for our city. We finally get a break from the summer heat and fall (which is one of the best times of the year,) is upon us. The NFL is getting started---which means that sports books across the city will be happy, and thousands of wives will be seeing shows, as thousands of husbands are watching and betting on the games. Olympia Weekend...the most prestigious event in the world of bodybuilding, returns to the Orleans Arena, September 25 through 28, 2008. Mr. Olympia is a bodybuilding competition held annually by the International Federation of BodyBuilders (IFBB). Winning this event is considered to be the highest accolade in the professional bodybuilding field. Fitness enthusiasts from around the world will take part in Mr. Olympia, Ms. Olympia, and Fitness and Figure Olympia Championships. In keeping with the storied tradition of the Binion's legacy, Binion's Gambling Hall & Hotel has unveiled a new version of the famed $1 Million Display that, over the last five decades, has brought millions of visitors for a chance to pose with $1 million. Binion's new $1 Million Display holds exactly one million dollars and is structured in a pyramid design of acrylic glass boxes filled with cash denominations ranging from ones to one hundred dollar bills. The new display is only one of many changes taking place at Binion's during the remodeling and refurbishment of the property. The $1 Million Display is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Photo subjects must be 21 or older...(which is a shame...I got my picture with the million dollar display when I was 12.) "V-The Ultimate Variety Show" is celebrating its sixth year in production. "V" originated at the Venetian in 2002 and moved to the V Theater in 2003 when producer David Saxe bought the theater in the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino. August 16th was the 31st anniversary of the death of Elvis Aaron Presley. Still very much alive in Las Vegas, homage was paid to him by of fans at the statue of him in the lobby of the Las Vegas Hilton. One of the best family events of the year is the 29th Annual San Gennaro Feast, they promise to be bigger than ever with more Italian entertainment, food, music and carnival rides. This huge Italian Festival is expecting over 150,000 attendees. The Feast will be held at 4245 Grand Canyon Drive and West Flamingo Rd., in the Grand Canyon Shopping Center, Sept. 9 through Sunday Sept. 14. The State Fair-sized carnival featuring more than 60 spectacular rides and game-midway will accompany the Italian Festival the biggest we ever had. ...and right after the Italian festival is the Greek Festival. The Magical Forest at Opportunity Village is now looking for volunteers. It takes 70 – 90 volunteers a night to run the event, and it is one of the great celebrations in our city. To get involved contact Debbie Smith at 702-880-4081 or write her at: smithd@opportunityvillage.org Mexican Independence Day is now celebrated in Las Vegas, and September is jammed with some of the brightest and most notable Latin artists around. September is a busy time with a lot of great headliners coming into town. The first week of the month has: Cher Caesars Palace, Through Oct 5 Steve Dacri: Impossible Magic SIX TABLES RESTAURANT, Through Nov 30 David Copperfield MGM Grand Hotel, Through Oct 1 UNLV Football Sam Boyd Stadium, Through Nov 22 Bob Dylan Hard Rock Hotel Sept 1 Judas Priest Palms Casino Sept 1 Motorhead w/ Misfits, Airborne, Vallient Thor, Year Long Disaster Mandalay Bay Sept 4 Alice Cooper, "Psycho Drama" Orleans Hotel Sept 5 - Sept 7 Billy Bob Thornton & the Boxmasters Hard Rock Sept 5 Brian Culbertson Santa Fe Station Sept 5 Collective Soul Hard Rock Sept 5 David Allan Coe Cannery Casino Sept 5 David Brenner Suncoast Hotel Sept 5 - Sept 7 Harvest Festival Art & Craft Show Cashman Center Sept 5 - Sept 7 NHL Rookie Exhibition Game - Anaheim Ducks vs. San Jose Sharks Orleans Hotel Sept 5 SCORE Primm 300 Primm, NV Sept 5 - Sept 7 Shinedown w/ Red & Jet Black Stare Mandalay Bay Sept 5 Vicki Lawrence South Point Casino Sept 5 - Sept 7 Petula Clark Cannery Casino Sept 6 Skid Row Sunset Station Sept 6 Young Dubliners South Point Casino Sept 7 The Second week brings: 2008 High Roller Reining Classic Mandalay Bay Sept 9 - Sept 14 Free Brian Wilson Buffalo Bill's Resort Sept 9 Cracker Hard Rock Sept 9 Donny & Marie Osmond Flamingo Sept 9, 2008 The Temptations Orleans Hotel Sept 11 - Sept 14 Billy Idol Hard Rock Sept 12 Gabriel Iglesias Monte Carlo Sept 12 - Sept 13 John Davidson Suncoast Hotel Sept 12 - Sept 14 Lady Antebellum Green Valley Ranch Sept 12 Log Home & Timber Frame Expo Cashman Center Sept 12 - Sept 14 Luis Miguel Caesars Palace Sept 12 - Sept 15 Mary Wilson South Point Casino Sept 12 Paul Rodriguez, Frank Lucero, Manny Maldonado & Gene Pompa Treasure Island Sept 12 Polo Polo Mandalay Bay Sept 12 Ray Romano & Brad Garrett Mirage Sept 12 - Sept 14 Shawn Barker - A Tribute to Johnny Cash Santa Fe Station Sept 12 - Sept 13 Sister Hazel Sunset Station Sept 12 Al Green Buffalo Bill's Resort Sept 13 Alan Parsons Santa Fe Station Sept 13 Amanda Miguel & Diego Verdaguer Las Vegas Hilton Sept 13 An Evening with Jaguares Mandalay Bay Sept 13 Casamayor vs. Marquez MGM Grand Sept 13 Enrique Iglesias and Aventura Mandalay Bay Sept 13 Eric Burdon & the Animals and Rare Earth Cannery Casino Sept 13 Eve 6 Sunset Station Sept 13 Jesse McCartney w/ the Higher Mandalay Bay Sept 13 Las Vegas Mariachi Festival Planet Hollywood Sept 13 Neville Brothers Green Valley Ranch Sept 13 Rubber Stamp & Scrapbook Expo Cashman Center Sept 13 - Sept 14 The Black Crowes w/ Special Guest Howlin Rain Hard Rock Hotel Sept 13 The Marriage Experience Cashman Center Sept 13 - Sept 14 Rodeo De La Decada Tour Thomas & Mack Center Sept 14 Toadies Mandalay Bay Sept 14 Alejandro Fernandez The third week of the month features: Mandalay Bay Sept 15 Placido Domingo Planet Hollywood Sept 15 Sonora Show Mandalay Bay Sept 15 Terry Fator Las Vegas Hilton Sept 15 - Sept 17 Vampire Weekend Hard Rock Sept 15 Anaheim Ducks vs. San Jose Sharks Orleans Hotel Sept 16 Nina's Night Out featuring Jessica Simpson Palms Casino Sept 18 The Bangles South Point Casino Sept 18 Boyz II Men Orleans Hotel Sept 19 - Sept 21 Home Decorating & Remodeling Show Cashman Center Sept 19 - Sept 20 Janet Jackson Mandalay Bay Sept 19 Jay Leno Mirage Sept 19 - Sept 20 Michael Lington Santa Fe Station Sept 19 Paul Williams South Point Sept 19 - Sept 21 Rodrigo y Gabriela Hard Rock Sept 19 The Fab Cannery Casino Sept 19 Free Time Out for Women Conference Cashman Center Sept 19 - Sept 20 Tony Bennett Las Vegas Hilton Sept 19 - Sept 20 Tower of Power Suncoast Hotel Sept 19 - Sept 21 6th Annual Hoodie Awards - presented by Steve Harvey Orleans Hotel Sept 20 Billy Ray Cyrus Cannery Casino Sept 20 Children of Bodom w/ Between the Buried In Me and The Black Dahlia Mandalay Bay Sept 20 Foreigner Buffalo Bill's Sept 20 Keiko Matsui Green Valley Ranch Sept 20 Kid Rock Palms Casino Sept 20 Knock Out Kings of Comedy Planet Hollywood Sept 20 Lindsey Buckingham Hard Rock Hotel Sept 20 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series 350 Las Vegas Motor Speedway Sept 20 Seal Green Valley Ranch Sept 20 Common & N.E.R.D. Mandalay Bay Sept 21 The fourth week of the month presents: Arena Mountain-X Bike Competition South Point Casino Sept 24 Trapt Mandalay Bay Sept 26 Foo Fighters Hard Rock Hotel Sept 25 - Sept 26 Atmosphere w/ Blueprint and Abstract Rude Mandalay Bay Sept 26 Bobby Rydell Suncoast Hotel Sept 26 - Sept 28 Bonnie Tyler Cannery Casino Sept 26 Cecilio & Kapono Four Queens Sept 26 Jay Leno Mirage Sept 26 - Sept 27 Mr. Olympia Las Vegas Convention Center Sept 26 - Sept 28 Richard Marx Green Valley Ranch Sept 26 Roger Williams South Point Casino Sept 26 - Sept 28 The Osmond Brothers Orleans Hotel Sept 26 - Sept 28 Beauty Health & Fitness Expo Cashman Center Sept 27 - Sept 28 Charlie Murphy Mandalay Bay Sept 27 Great American Model & Talent Search Cashman Center Sept 27 Little Anthony & The Imperials Tropicana Resort Sept 27 Los Angeles Kings vs. Colorado Avalanche MGM Grand Sept 27 Louis C. K. Hard Rock Hotel Sept 27 Soul Express Santa Fe Station Sept 27 The Lettermen & the Vogues Cannery Casino Sept 27 Wine Amplified Festival featuring the Gin Blossoms & Sherwood Mandalay Bay Sept 27 Queensryche Mandalay Bay Sept 28 And the last week into October will bring: Chicago MGM Grand Oct 2 - Oct 15 Indian National Finals Rodeo South Point Casino Oct 2 - Oct 5 Las Vegas Bikefest 2008 Cashman Center Oct 2 - Oct 5 Acoustic Alchemy Santa Fe Station Oct 3 Dana Carvey Orleans Hotel Oct 3 - Oct 5 Hollywood All Stars Cannery Casino Oct 3 Mindless Self Indulgence Mandalay Bay Oct 3 Sheena Easton South Point Casino Oct 3 - Oct 4 Beach Boys Buffalo Bill's Resort Oct 4 Chelsea Handler Palms Casino Oct 4 Disney Playhouse Live! Orleans Hotel Oct 4 - Oct 5 Norm MacDonald Mandalay Bay Oct 4 Ray Romano & Kevin James Mirage Oct 4 - Oct 5 Santana w/ the Salvador Santana Band MGM Grand Oct 4 The Guess Who Cannery Casino Oct 4 For dates and times, be sure to log onto the Las Vegas Online Entertainment Guide : lvol.com . Igoshows.com is, of course, the place to read the reviews of all of the shows that are in town so that you can be better informed as to what you should expect from a certain production. The reviews are updated as needed to give you the knowledge you need to spend your entertainment dollars better. Now you can sign up to receive Chuck Rounds' LV Entertainment News in your e-mail box each month. Just enter your e-mail address in the box below and click on the "Sign Up" button: Send this link to a friend Copyright © 1998-2008 Charleston Communications All Rights Reserved
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