Celebrities in L.V.: George Strait, Twenty One Pilots, Bonnie Raitt, Frankie Valli, R. Kelly, David Cassidy
It was more than 50 years ago that Francesco Castelluccio burst onto the music scene with his unusually powerful falsetto voice. It propelled his group The Four Seasons to more than 30 Top 40 hits. Even now at 82, that voice is in tip-top shape, and Frankie Valli is still belting his hits “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” “Sherry” and “Rag Doll.”
His weekend concert at The Pearl Theater at The Palms proves that “Jersey Boys” should’ve never closed at Paris Las Vegas after its six-year run on the Strip. I have a new song title for him: “Too Good To Be True”! In age, Frankie is the grandfather of pop music, but he’s as young as ever in performance.
The last time Frankie and I chatted, he told me that he has absolutely no intention of ever retiring: “It keeps me alive. It keeps me young. What else would I do? I never get tired of this music, and I love it as much today as I did when we started out!”
Frankie is just one of this weekend’s music highlights. Bonnie Raitt precedes him at The Pearl by a day. We also have the jazz genius of The Ramsay Lewis Trio at The Smith Center, R. Kelly at The Joint at The Hard Rock Hotel, David Cassidy at Golden Nugget, new Grammy winners Twenty One Pilots at Mandalay Bay and George Strait and Kacey Musgraves at T-Mobile Arena for two nights.
It’s an embarrassment of riches as Cher continues her residency at Park Theater at Monte Carlo, Jennifer Lopez shakes it at Axis at Planet Hollywood, Diana Ross rules at The Venetian and Sir Elton John rockets on at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. He had a moment this week when his children Zachary and Elijah, with husband David Furnish, saw him perform for the first time.
An outright plug to my pal actor John O’Hurley, who will be singing for his supper at Cabaret Jazz with my Las Vegas neighbor, George Bugatti. Two other items of note: We are at the halfway mark to this year’s Electric Daisy Carnival, the fifth in Las Vegas, and Pasquale Rotella’s EDC will be celebrating in style at Marquee Dayclub Dome at The Cosmopolitan.
The lineup includes DJs Carnage, Sander van Doorn, Andrew Rayel and Gareth Emery. The second item: The remaining three original MGM Grand lions — Peaches, Samantha and Tyra — celebrate their 20th birthdays at the nonprofit Lion Habitat Ranch behind The M Resort. Congrats to all — No champagne, but they’ll growl over their special birthday cake.
Now we’ll get ready to roar with this week’s Robin’s Royal Rundown:
FRIDAY, FEB. 17
MUSIC
George Strait and Kacey Musgraves are at T-Mobile Arena for two nights.
Bonnie Raitt is at The Pearl.
Ween is at Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas at The Linq Promenade.
Atmosphere is at House of Blues at Mandalay Bay.
360 is at The Orleans Showroom for two days.
Tyriq & Jamestown is at Aliante.
R. Kelly is at The Joint.
The Ramsey Lewis Trio is at The Smith Center for two nights.
David Cassidy is at Golden Nugget Showroom.
Boyz II Men is at The Mirage all weekend.
Beloved Las Vegas entertainer Earl Turner, who has performed with Gladys Knight and Lou Rawls, takes a “Journey” at South Point all weekend.
COMEDY
Louie Anderson is at Red Rock Resort for two days.
Sebastian Maniscalco is at The Mirage for two days.
Adal Ramones is at Texas Station.
OF SPECIAL NOTE
Tickets are on sale for George Thorogood & The Destroyers on March 11 and Blondie and Garbage on July 8 at The Pearl; Future at T-Mobile Arena on June 30; and Pitbull at Axis on July 21.
Jamz All Star Cheer & Dance National Championship is at The Orleans Arena all weekend.
The Fridays in February Sock Hop is at Suncoast.
“Finding Neverland,” with pixie dust and flying “Peter Pan,” is at The Smith Center all weekend.
David Copperfield is at MGM Grand all weekend.
SATURDAY, FEB. 18
MUSIC
Twenty One Pilots is at Mandalay Bay Events Center.
Frankie Valli is at The Pearl.
AFI is at The Joint.
Cher is at Park Theater.
Amaranthe is at Vinyl at The Hard Rock Hotel.
Grits & Biscuits is at HOB.
Russ Freeman & The Rippingtons is at Aliante.
The Flamingos is at Cannery.
Great White and Slaughter are at Eastside Cannery.
OF SPECIAL NOTE
Let Me Lick Your Plate Brunch and Bowling Tournament is at BBLV.
Dreamhack Masters E-Sports Competition is at MGM Grand for two days.
America’s top cutting horses and riders compete in “Mane Event III” at South Point Arena.
Ex-MGM Grand lions Peaches, Samantha and Tyra turn 20 at Lion Habitat Ranch.
PARTY PATROL
Insomniac’s Fifth Annual Halfway to EDC Las Vegas party is at Marquee Dayclub Dome for two days.
SUNDAY, FEB. 19
MUSIC
Chris Zemba & The Late Shift Band is at Sam’s Town.
George Bugatti’s Piano Bar and John O’Hurley are at Cabaret Jazz.
Check out our stories here and in Sunday Life of the RJ on Hollywood director and producer Brett Ratner’s filming stunt of Steve Wynn and Major Series of Putting Championship here this fall. I’m off to the snowy mountains of Utah for a two-day escape. Enjoy your weekend!
