Raiders-Steelers anthem will have Vegas, WWE flair

Sunday’s Raiders-Steelers game is where a storied NFL rivalry meets WWE meets Michael Jackson tribute shows.

All during the national anthem.

WWE ring announcer and Vegas singer Samantha Irvin is performing the anthem prior to the rivalry tilt at Allegiant Stadium. Irvin’s participation in the game’s entertainment is a way to remind fans of Wrestlemania 41, over two nights April 19-20, also at Allegiant Stadium. (And was it not Raider legend George Atkinson who introduced “The Lariat” to athletic competition?)

Irvin is also an experienced stage performer, in Las Vegas and nationally. The vocalist whose legal name is Samantha Johnson has appeared in Cirque’s “Michael Jackson One” at Mandalay Bay, and David Saxe’s “Vegas! The Show” at Saxe Theater Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood.

Irvin was the lead singer in the Jackson tribute production “Thriller,” and has performed on “America’s Got Talent,” and “I Can See Your Voice.” We’ll see more of her in her WWE role next spring.

What else … Irwin’s nickname is Samantha The Bomb, and she has a tattoo of The Beatles’ “Abbey Road” cover on her right biceps.

Ex-Raiders defensive back Vann McElroy will light the Al Davis Memorial Torch during pre-game. McElroy was a third-round draft pick in ‘82. He played nine seasons, 101 games (88 starts) with 31 interceptions and a touchdown. McElroy was a member of the Raiders’ Super Bowl XVIII victory over Washington.

The torch-lighting tradition debuted Oct. 18, 2011, with John Madden firing the flame. In Las Vegas, Carol Davis, Al Davis’s widow and the First Lady of Raider Nation, was the first to light the flame on Sept. 21, 2020.

As always, we advise getting to the stadium about an hour before kickoff, which is 1:05 p.m. Sunday.

The halftime performer is being kept quiet, for the moment. Person might or might not be named for a state. David Perrico and the Raiders House Band — which continues its 10 p.m. Friday shows at Front Yard at Ellis Island through the season — performs throughout. Catch us at Club Kats, which is what I’m now referring to the space between the Davis Torch and main stage. Grooving, as always, is optional.

The Franco moment

The Raiders-Steelers rivalry was intense in the 1970s but led to long friendships in the decades that followed. Franco Harris and ex-Raiders linebacker Phil Villapiano became close in the years after retirement. This is despite Harris racing past Villapiano (who looks like he was clipped on the play) during the “Immaculate Reception.”

The mutual respect was apparent at the Raiders’ party in Canton, Ohio, in August 2022, after Cliff Branch was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Harris arrived midway through the party and it was like the crowd moved toward him.

Several Raiders greats (Charles Woodson, Tim Brown, Marcus Allen and Raymond Chester among them) and even non-Raiders luminaries (ex-Bills Jim Kelly and Bruce Smith and former Oiler Warren Moon) waded over to say hello.

Harris would pass away that December. This event was among his last public appearances. On a night when Diana Ross closed the show, Franco commanded the spotlight.

Comin’ up

On the topic of spotlights, some shows upcoming in VegasVille:

— Motown legend Smokey Robinson returns to Encore Theater at Wynn on April 2 and April 4-5. This is Robinson’s 50th-anniversary celebration production, so we anticipate all the hits (ducats on sale now at TicketMaster.com or VenetianLasVegas.com).

We ran into Robinson this month at the Dream Awards at Aliante’s Access Showroom, where he and Johnny Gill of New Edition introduced honoree Jeffrey Osborne. The performance was iconic — iconic, I tell you! All of those men can still bring it.

— Speaking of which, New Edition is back at Encore on Oct. 30 and Nov. 1-2. Look for my chat with Bobby Brown in advance of that opening date. To say he’s lived a life is putting it mildly. But we shared in a sandwich and great convo a couple weeks ago in the place Herb Caen often referred to as El Lay.

— Electronic artist Anyma makes his Strip nightclub debut on Dec. 30 at Wynn’s XS Nightclub. Anyma joins The Chainsmokers, Swedish House Mafia and Elaine Wynn as famous people who have performed at the nightclub.

Anyma’s Wynn debut coincides with his Sphere headlining run in Afterlife’s “The End Of Genesys,” which also opens Dec. 30.

— Foster The People is playing BleauLive Theater at Fontainebleau on Feb. 8. It’s the platinum-selling rockers’ “Paradise State of Mind” tour; tickets onsale Oct. 15 at fontainebleaulasvegas.com. The announcement is joined by the release of “Lost in Space PNAU Remix,” which is out “everywhere,” says the band.

— The Venetian Theatre continues its strong headlining series with Atlanta outfit Collective Soul on Jan. 17-18, followed by the return of indefatigable classic rockers Styx on Jan. 24, 25, 29, 31 and Feb. 1, 2025. Tickets to all those shows are on sale at ticketmaster.com.

— Top comic/actor Jim Gaffigan is back at Encore Theater from May 28-May 31 (on sale at TicketMaster.com). Gaffigan typically sells the place out. We will know within the month if his Tim Walz impression is still in play.

Gaffigan debuted the portrayal on “SNL’s” Season 50 opener hosted by Jean Smart, and returned last weekend, which was hosted by fellow Encore Theater headliner Nate Bargatze. Bargatze has nine dates booked at Encore Theater from Jan. 8-March 22.

Might we recommend

The great singing impressionist Bob Anderson is returning to Italian American Club Showroom on Oct. 18-19. He’s performing a dual tribute to Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett, in fine voice and full makeup for both legends (for intel and tickets, go to IAC.com).

Anderson is backed by the Joey Singer Sextet, led by the great Vegas pianist and bandleader. Shows are at 8 p.m., go to iacvegas.com for intel.

Displaying impressive touring dexterity, Anderson’s extended schedule includes performances at Niagara Falls Casino, Los Cerritos Center in California, Fontainebleau in Miami Beach, and two shows at Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall on Dec. 21. This is Anderson’s second visit to the regal New York City venue, following his debut at Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage in December ‘21.

Tease this …

A few days ago we teased to a country act coming to Sphere. Several astute readers/followers guessed Zac Brown Band, after Brown told comic/podcast host Theo Von he was developing a show for the bulbous wonder. But we are hearing from multiple informed sources Kenny Chesney is planning to play Sphere. As they say, we’ll stick around and find out.

ZB’s retro kick

Let’s play Cool Hang Alert “Jeopardy!,” shall we?

“Zowie Bowie for $500, Kats.”

“The answer: Country, folk, polka.”

“What are music styles Zowie Bowie has not attempted?”

“That’s right!”

Zowie Bowie founder Chris Phillips, who in nearly two decades in VegasVille has gone Top 40, vintage-Vegas big band, some rap and EDM, is taking on a new format with “Retrovoxx,” an ’80s New Wave revival.

The production’s debut is 8:30 p.m. Sunday at Ken Henderson’s Notoriety Live. Phillips and his three-piece band are dialing up Depeche Mode, Duran Duran and (yes) a little David Bowie, with a modern-day punch.

“I want a show that makes people feel good, without the stress of today’s world,” says Phillips, who celebrates his 58th birthday at midnight. “It’s an experience, more than a cover band.”

Cool Hang Alert

Nashville singer/songwriter Zach Ryan is 6 p.m. Sunday and country, Southern rock, blues and R&B band Noah & The Marshals are 6 p.m. Monday at Ole Red Las Vegas. Blake Shelton’s Strip-facing, honkey-tonk fortress has solid acts throughout the week. No cover. Go to OleRed.com for intel.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.