Bill Medley, Victor Drai set for Legends Awards in Las Vegas
Bill Medley often talks of the days when the Righteous Brothers opened for the Beatles.
“Thousands of people, every night, would scream at us — ‘We want the Beatles!’ ” is Medley’s line. Another, “We were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, along with Elvis — Costello.”
Both are true, actually, in Medley’s illustrious career as an architect of “Blue-Eyed Soul.” On behalf of his late partner, Bobby Hatfield, Medley is being honored with a Casino Entertainment Legend Award at the Casino Entertainment Awards on Oct. 10 at Vinyl at Hard Rock Hotel.
Another entertainment trailblazer, Victor Drai of Drai’s Nightclub, Beach Club and After Hours at The Cromwell, is being honored with an award that evening. The event is sponsored by the Sixth Annual Global Gaming Expo, which is honoring a total of nine casino artists, officials and venues. Past Casino Entertainment Award Winners include Wayne Newton, Jerry Lewis and Tony Orlando.
The Righteous Brothers, currently headlining at Harrah’s Showroom with vocalist Bucky Heard singing Hatfield’s parts, were the first rock act to headline a Strip hotel. Medley and Hatfield arrived in 1964 — the same year they toured with the Beatles — for a run at the Sands. The duo performed up to three months a year in Las Vegas for decades (including a successful series at Orleans Showroom) until Hatfield’s death in 2003.
Drai is a trend-setter in the Strip nightlife scene, who developed Tryst and XS at Wynn Las Vegas along with his clubs at Cromwell. His original Drai’s After Hours, a high-end nightclub and restaurant, opened at then-Barbary Coast in 1997. Among other achievements, he is among the first operators to arrange bottle service at his clubs, and is a former movie producer (with “The Woman in Red,” “The Man With One Red Shoe” and the “Weekend at Bernie’s” films on his resume).
Hit the Casino Entertainment Awards website for a full list of nominees.
Black and White is back
Miss Behave of the “Miss Behave Game Show” at The Back Room at Bally’s and Norma Lyman, “Empress of the 80s,” co-host the 32nd annual Aid for AIDS of Nevada Black & White Party on Saturday at Daylight Beach Club at Mandalay Bay. The event runs from 8:30 p.m.-11:30 p.m., and is a fundraiser to benefit AFAN’s client service programs for individuals living with HIV/AIDS in Southern Nevada.
This year’s theme is “Escape to Paradise” (I thought that was the theme every year), designed to take guests back to the 1980s (so, pack a Walkman). Several culinary stations will be set up at the Daylight club space. Performers include Tenors of Rock, Blue Man Group, Murray Sawchuck, David Goldrake, the Queens of Piranha Nightclub and East Side Riot. Also set to appear are the casts of Penn & Teller, Chippendales and Sexxy production shows.
General admission tickets are $80, with VIP tickets $125 and group packages set at $1,200 and $2,000. Go to afanlv.orgfor ticket and scheduling info — and also fashion tips.
Machine of Mariah
Mariah Carey, back for another run at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace (“The Butterfly Returns” will perform through Sept. 10) premiered her slot machine Saturday at Caesars. Upon payout, the game plays Carey’s hits “Dreamlover,” “Emotions,” “Fantasy,” “Heartbreaker,” “It’s Like That” and “Make It Happen.” I call out “Make it happen!” every time I gamble already, so find me at this machine.
Perrico and P-40
Trumpet ace and adept bandleader David Perrico is producing a new band, Pop 40, set to perform regularly at Cleopatra’s Barge at Caesars Palace. P-40, as I am now calling this ensemble, opens Sept. 14 and plays 8 p.m.-10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, leading to Perrico’s Pop Strings performances.
Perrico’s fiance, Lily Arce, and Fletch Walcott share singing assignments and are backed by keyboardist Joe Spraker, guitarist Cameron Tyler and bassist Marcus Vann.
P-40 is off when Paul Shaffer & The Shaf-Shifters headline the Barge, and that run starts Thursday night. More on Viva Shaff Vegas in an upcoming column.
Random Elvis factoid …
Not of Presley or Costello, but Vegas musician Elvis Lederer (of Zowie Bowie and Überschall) lives in a Paradise Palms home once owned by Johnny Carson.
Flame on
Hearing the term “aggressive fire” in reference to the new “Jump” show planned to replace Criss Angel’s “Mindfreak Live” at Luxor. This would be planned fire, where the acrobats perform in a new style of fire suits. A concept at this point, from what I understand.
Cool Hang Alert
Sometimes we must belabor the obvious, but the above-mentioned Zowie Bowie makes the scene swing Thursday and Saturday nights at 3rd Street Stage at the Fremont Street Experience and Fridays at Rocks Lounge at Red Rock Resort. Front man Chris Phillips is closing in on 52 years old, and still performs a David Lee Roth-inspired leg kick, straight from the 80s. We’re about the same age, and he is a man after my own heart, if not hamstring.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.