’Caveman’s’ Burke weighs in on raucous neighbors
The Kats! Bureau at this writing is Vue Bar at the D Las Vegas. We do have a good Vue of an old Fremont Street visage, the El Portal theater sign. That business is now a gift store specializing in Indian wares.
Several years ago, Burlesque Hall of Fame officials hoped to take over the location for their new museum. After a long sequins (heh) of events, BHoF wound up at its current home in the Arts District.
I’m here to get a last Vue of Kevin Burke as the star of “Defending the Caveman,” across the hall at the D Showroom. That room abuts the 3rd Street Stage, where several rock acts have played in the Fremont Street Experience’s Downtown Rocks concert series.
Just this summer, The Cult, Eddie Money with Jefferson Starship, and Dokken have headlined. Molly Hatchet (Aug. 11), Melissa Etheridge (Aug. 31) and Ratt with Sebastian Bach (Sept. 29) are upcoming. Past headliners include Cheap Trick and Joan Jett.
Burke has heard them all, through the wall. Who was the loudest?
“Cheap Trick,” Burke said. “I can tell you, without question, they were the loudest. By a long shot. No one’s come close.”
Totally ramped
Van Halen, another legandarily loud-and-proud band, once shouted, “Jump.”
Now it’s Cirque du Soleil’s turn.
I expect that to be the title for the company’s next show at Luxor, and as previously noted it will be an extreme-sports production. BMX, motocross, those types of wheeled props, are planned for the show.
Cirque has not presented extreme sports extensively in its Vegas shows (though in-line skaters perform on dual half-pipes during the “Help” sequence in “Love”). But Cirque has toured an extreme-sports-themed production, “Volta.”
Cirque du Soleil Senior Vice President Jerry Nadal said in January that the company was ditching live acrobatics for the upcoming production, which replaces Criss Angel’s “Mindfreak Live,” closing Oct. 28. The new Luxor show’s time line and further details to be revealed.
Catching up with D&M
Donnie & Marie Osmond have just returned from a U.S. tour to their eponymous showroom at the Flamingo Las Vegas. In an anecdotal example of how fickle the Vegas entertainment market is, Wednesday’s show was one of the softest crowds in the duo’s decade at the Flamingo.
However, business is closer to normal for the rest of the month. Donny & Marie have no complaints; they do have a gigantic building wrap on the Flamingo, their fourth over their decade on the Strip.
The duo frequently mention that they started with a six-week run at the hotel in September 2008. They remain one of the busiest resident shows on the Strip, with 140 performances in this year’s schedule, and continue to upgrade the show’s numbers, having added a new opening and several new costumes.
Both Osmonds say their favorite moment in the show is not actually in the show. It’s the meet-and-greet afterward.
“There was a lady the other night, in the front row, who cried through the entire show,” Donny said in a recent interview. “We met her after, and she said, ‘I’ve waited 40 years to see you, and this was one of the greatest nights of my life.’”
Marie added, “You talk about what is a destination show; we feel that all the time. If you want to know why we work so hard, that’s why.”
Cool hang alert
Jazz fans (and I know you are out there, because of all the questions) know that Lisa Gay is at the Dispensary Lounge at 2451 E. Tropicana Ave. at 10 p.m. Saturday. Gay and her backing band of Mike Clark on keys, Jason Langley on bass and Mike Tramontana on drums continue to advance the Dispensary’s solid rep as a quality jazz hang. Wynton Marsalis once dropped in, about five years ago, after his performance at The Smith Center.
This isn’t to imply Marsalis will be there Saturday.
But Gay and the guys will be. Just head to the famed waterwheel. You’ll find them there.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.