NFL announces draft entertainment for Las Vegas

Las Vegas Review-Journal

3 years ago

David Perrico leads his Pop Strings Orchestra at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Monday, June ... — David Perrico leads his Pop Strings Orchestra at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Monday, June 28, 2021. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto

Linq headliner Mat Franco is shown during a taping of “Live with Kelly and Ryan” at Paris Theater on Sunday, November 17, 2019. (Ronda Churchill/ABC Entertainment)

“America’s Got Talent Las Vegas Live!” judge and comic Howie Mandel and champion Kodi Lee are shown at Luxor on March 12, 2022. (John Katsilometes/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @JohnnyKats

Kodi Lee is the Season 14 champion of “America’s Got Talent” and co-star of “America’s Got Talent Live!” at Luxor. (Kirvin Doak Communications)

The Jabbawockeez perform in their production, "Timeless," at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2020. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto

Sean and John Scott are shown during “Absinthe’s” 11th-anniversary celebration on Wednesday, April 13, 2022. (John Katsilometes/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @JohnnyKats

The NFL has done its homework in scouting Las Vegas talent.

A pair of “America’s Got Talent” champions, the cast of one of the hottest shows ever on the Strip and the new Cirque du Soleil production will represent the city in the upcoming NFL Draft.

The league on Friday announced the entertainment for the April 28 Day One festivities at the NFL Draft Red Carpet at the Fountains of Bellagio and also Draft Theater at Caesars Forum behind the High Roller at Linq Promenade. The draft runs from April 28-30.

David Perrico and the Raiders House Band is the event’s dedicated house band for all events at the Draft Theater.

The live entertainment at the Draft Red Carpet stage begins at about 5:30 p.m., following the parade of draft prospects at 1:45 p.m. Set to perform are the casts of “Absinthe,” which this month celebrated its 11th anniversary at Caesars Palace; “Mad Apple,” the new Cirque show opening May 12 for previews at New York-New York; and the hit dance production “Jabbawockeez” at MGM Grand.

The Las Vegas Academy Singers, winners of a dozen Grammy awards, will also perform “Lift Every Voice” from the Red Carpet venue.

Segments of the red-carpet action will be be televised as part of NFL Network’s NFL Draft Kickoff show. Melissa Stark and Michael Irvin will anchor the coverage and interview prospects live from the scene.

At the Draft Theater, Kodi Lee, the season 14 champ of “AGT” and a co-star in “America’s Got Talent Live” at Luxor, is set to sing the national anthem. “AGT’s” season 9 champ and Linq Hotel resident headlining magician Mat Franco is then set to perform at 5 p.m. Perrico’s band is performing throughout the events.

Las Vegas bands yet to be announced are also planned for each day and night of the draft. At the close of each day of selection, the NFL is hosting free concerts at Draft Theater in its NFL Draft Concert Series (which seems laid out like a vast Cool Hang on the Strip).

Access is on a first-come, first-served basis and is standing-room only, with all headliners to be announced. The entire complex at Caesars Forum is dubbed the NFL Draft Experience, the event’s football theme park.

Draft Experience hours of operation are noon-9 p.m. April 28, noon-9 p.m. April 29, and 8 a.m.-6 p.m. April 30.

The Experience is free and open to the public for all three days of the draft. For free entry, fans are required to register for NFL OnePass at NFL.com/OnePass. Fans can download the NFL OnePass app to play games at Draft Experience, receive digital content and glean more information about the attraction.

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.