‘I took your phones!’ and some Celine in Bruno Mars’ return

The best song you haven’t heard is “I Took Your Phones Away” by Bruno Mars.

This is the pop superstar’s next big hit, or could be, if he ever records it. But you likely won’t be able to listen to this ditty unless you are at one of Mars’ massive listening parties at Park Theater.

Mars opened his first show since early 2020 on Friday, expressing his gratitude to be performing before a live audience. “We did the math, and it’s been 16 months since we’ve been on our stage.” Mars said. Then he added the night was especially special because …

“I took your phones away! I took your phones away!” It’s an actual song, or snippet of a song. Mars premiered this ditty in 2019, when he originally directed that all phones and smartwatches be “pouched” for his concerts (my phone was locked up, but my watch remained).

The capacity crowd of 5,200 laughed and cheered, as Mars went on to state that anyone holding a cellphone was unable to dance properly.

Mars also ventured to the keyboards and performed a few songs he has and hasn’t written, which have helped fuel his passion for music. “Forget You” by Cee Lo Green was one, with Mars and the audience singing the original, profane lyric. “I never thought I would have a whole audience shouting that back at me,” Mars laughed.

He then intro-ed into “My Heart Will Go On,” the Celine Dion classic from “Titanic.” He stopped after a few lines, saying, “I didn’t write that one! as the crowd roared. So Mars moved from the keyboards to center stage and performed the full number, his Hooligans filling in. Mars joked that nobody (including Celine) would hear this version because the phones were disabled.

Mars has sung the song at least once before, the weekend after he originally locked up the phones. But it is the first time it has been performed in the Strip’s COVID reopening. We have tried to glean comment from Dion about this unexpected tribute. We will check back, if she does.

Fate of Fator

The first 10 minutes of Terry Fator’s show at New York-New York are fairly mind-blowing. I’ve been alternating whether to specify how that performance opens, and hold off spoiling the moment for now. It’s a vocal and ventriloquial display that even those who don’t dig the dummies (or rather, figures) will will find amazing.

A Strip headliner since opening at The Mirage in 2008, Fator is set to end his series at the former Zumanity Theater on July 25. Expect him to move across the casino to Liberty Loft, the upstairs venue that overlooks the hotel sportsbook. From that position, the sportsbook reads like the Nasdaq readout on Wall Street.

Entertainers and would-be headliners have kicked the tires of that venue for the past half-dozen years. It’s previous seating capacity has been about 300. The only significant event I’ve attended there was the “One Night For One Drop” pre-party in 2017, which showed its potential for inspired renovation as a theater.

‘Sexxy’ to the pier

Jen Romas is hitting the beach and riding the surf and making waves and other aquatic metaphors with her “Sexxy” offshoot. Romas and her beau, personal trainer and adult-event entertainer Rico Bozant, were booked at 1212 Santa Monica on Sunday night. The venue is a two-story restaurant with an after-hours lounge and private event space.

Romas and Bozant have teased that they will appear together in at least one number in the new “Sexxy” show at Westgate Cabaret. The heads-up surfaced in social media posts of an erotic number from the deck of the Stirling Club pool, with the message, “Who’s coming to see us at Westgate?” I’ll check “Yes,” for starters.

Neither Romas nor Westgate officials are yet specifying the format of “Sexxy’s” return. We should have definitive word on dates, prices and format by the end of the week. But it is anticipated this will be a smaller-scale production returning to the Westgate stage. The show typically ran with eight cast members, pre-COVID.

Now, Romas is performing in Santa Monica with Bozant, and also aerialists Patricia Bouchebel (“Tournament of Kings” at Excalibur) and Jessica Delgado (late of Rose. Rabbit. Lie. at The Cosmopolitan).

During COVID, Romas has previously performed “Sexxy” at Dreamland Drive-In at Fresh Wata Studios in Las Vegas, and continues the show’s weekend residency at Larry Flynt’s Hustler Club. That show is planned to continue after the Westgate production reopens, with Anne Martinez continuing as primary singer and Natalie Brown (from “Vegas! The Show”) and Rockie Brown (of Velvet Elvis and her songwriting partnership with Jason Tanzer) picking up swing assignments.

“Sexxy” has been a unique Las Vegas success story since Romas opened the show in January 2015. We’re eager to see the next iteration.

Cool Hang Alert

Season 5 “America’s Got Talent” champ Michael Grimm continues his 7:30 p.m. Thursdays residency at Piazza Lounge at Tuscany Suites. Grimm has just released his latest single, his cover of “America The Beautiful,” and it is beautiful.

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.