Celine Dion not likely to return until 2024

We’re still balancing optimism with false hope on Dion’s status as a Vegas headliner. The superstar’s return to the Strip and long-delayed premiere at Resorts World Theatre remains undecided. Dion has not booked dates at the venue since calling off her original set of performances in November 2021.

The hotel had initially held dates for Dion this month, possibly to cross-promote her movie release and return to the stage. But our best intel is the new timeline for Dion’s return is 2024.

All timing is of course based on Dion’s ongoing battle with Stiff Person Syndrome. The superstar has suffered from random muscle spasms, preventing her from moving forward on her performance career.

Dion still has international dates on her “Courage” tour scheduled, beginning Aug. 26 at Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam and closing Oct. 4 at Helsinki Hall in Finland. She’s next scheduled March 6 in Prague. Dion’s plans for performing live in Las Vegas hinge on her tour plans. Watch for any changes to the “Courage” series to sort out Dion’s Resorts World options.

In the interim, resident headliners Katy Perry, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan and David Blaine occupy most weekend dates at Resorts World through the end of the year.

Dion has promoted “Love Again” through social media posts, and contributed five new songs to the soundtrack. The first single, the film’s title track, was issued April 13. Dion recorded the music and her scenes in the movie months before she specified publicly her health struggles.

Dion plays a fictionalized version of herself in “Love Again,” which reviewers have classified as either sappy, or inspirational because of Dion’s performance. A lyric from the song “Love Again”: “No, you won’t be alone through the highs and the lows/You know you got me/Wherever you go.” Fans can hope that is a forecast of a comeback.

Jazz us up

UNLV’s Jazz Studies program has picked up four more DownBeat Student Music Awards. UNLV Jazz and Commercial Music Director Dave Loeb’s musicians won five honors in this year’s competition, bringing the total to 44 since the program began submitting work in 2010.

The DownBeat awards are prestigious in the world of jazz education, with hundreds of musicians, educators and professionals having been honored over the years. UNLV’s 2023 honorees:

Large Jazz Ensemble: Graduate College Co-Winner UNLV Jazz Ensemble I – Loeb and Nathan Tanouye.

Jazz Combo: Graduate College Outstanding Performance Joe Williams Scholarship Honors Quartet – Loeb with outstanding soloist Toscha Comeaux.

Small Vocal Jazz Group: Graduate College Outstanding Performance – Studio Scarlet, Lara Vivian Smith.

Latin Group: Graduate College Outstanding Performance UNLV Latin Jazz Ensemble – José Pepe Jiménez.

We’ve said before, in a drumbeat of support, UNLV’s jazz program turns out brilliant musicians who have performed behind some of the greats. Such international headliners as Dion, Lady Gaga, Jonas Brothers, Kelly Clarkson, Andrea Bocelli, Bette Midler, Donny and Marie Osmond and David Foster have recruited UNLV’s graduates and professors to fill orchestras and big bands. These artists can’t be awarded enough.

‘Rock of Ages’ revisited

Fans of the rock musical that ran at The Venetian and Rio from 2012-2016 recognized cast member Becca Kotte as one of Rod Stewart’s backing singers at the Colosseum. Friday, I caught Stewart’s show again — which is righteous — and he and Kotte sang the cover of “It Takes Two.” Stewart originally recorded the song with Tina Turner, some 23 years ago.

And, strings

Vegas musician Chandra Meibalane, is celebrating her 10th anniversary as a violinist in Stewart’s band. Meibalane was a part-time musician and also a chemist when called into the gig. Suffice to say, Stewart has cost the world a chemist, but gained a virtuoso.

Meibalane is a member of David Perrico and the Raiders House Band, as is her husband keyboard great Otto Ehling. All of these developments made possible by Sir Rod.

He’s what?

Clint Holmes, who has built a playground in my mind, turns 77 Tuesday. Seriously. He’s performing an all-requests show at Myron’s on Monday, which I believe is about sold out, but hit the Smith Center website anyway, or catch Holmes anytime. The man continues to amaze.

Making waves

Vegas continues to enforce — enforce, I tell you! — the yacht-rock phenomenon. Kevin Sucher’s band, The Docksiders, opened a Thursday night residency at Notoriety Live this week. The buoyant performance was boosted by super-strong support from the Vegas entertainment community.

The Windjammers, headed up by Jerry Lopez of Santa Fe & The Fat City Horns, continue to set the genre’s music standards at The Copa at Bootlegger Bistro. And, the impressively produced Yachtley Crew, returning to Kaos at the Palms on June 9-10. This show is the only yacht rock performance near water (well, Soak pool). Cannonballs optional.

Cool Hang Alert

If Steph Payne’s there, I’m there. That’s how it is these days. We’re hitchhiking on the “Steph Payne Express” Saturday at Gatsby’s Lounge at Gambit Henderson. This is a night dedicated to road-trip hits, and should be a blast (especially if you arrive in a 1967 Mercury Cougar HELLO!). Dinner and drinks at 6:30 p.m., show at 8 p.m. Go to AEGroupLV.com for intel, and hit Waze for directions.

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 Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.