Rock ‘n’ roll icon booked at age 91 in Las Vegas

Frankie Valli is booked to play a famous Las Vegas theater at age 91.

The recording legend has extended his residency series at Westgate’s International Theater on April 25-26 and Oct. 24-25. He turns 91 on May 3.

The hotel announced “The Last Encores” on social media Wednesday morning, the title an indication that these will be Valli’s final performances. Once more he’s backed by the terrific Four Seasons, with Las Vegas singers Justin Rodriguez and Noah Rivera alongside vocal vets Aaron Alexander Gordon and Craig Cady.

Oh, What a Night! Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons are bringing The Last Encores back to Westgate Las Vegas in 2025! Don’t miss this celebration of over 60 legendary years of unforgettable hits like "Sherry," "Walk Like a Man," and "Can't Take My Eyes Off You." 🎶

🎟 Presale… pic.twitter.com/vAlNBQbSFq

— Westgate Las Vegas (@WestgateVegas) December 4, 2024

The show returns Valli’s hits with the Four Seasons and his solo career, among them “Sherry,” “Walk Like A Man,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Rag Doll,” “December, 1963 (Oh What A Night),” “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You” and “Grease.” He’s notched seven No. 1 singles, 29 top-40 hits with the Four Seasons, and nine top 40 hits as a solo artist.

Valli is the oldest headliner in Las Vegas currently, but not all-time. George Burns was 98, two years before his death at age 100 and still under an extended contract, when he played his final Vegas show at Circus Maximus at Caesars Palace on Jan. 20, 1994.

Valli kicked off the exclusive Westgate engagement in October 2023, after headlining two shows in March of that year. The crowds have responded to the hit parade.

“It was very surprising that we did as well as we did,” Valli said during a chat on the International Theater stage in the week before the residency launched. The rock ‘n’ roll superstar was referring to his dates the previous March, saying, “I’ve seen Vegas shows over and over again. Not a lot of standing ovations. We must have had 10. It was spectacular.”

Valli answered online and media criticisms that he has appeared frail onstage, is using vocal backing tracks (which the legend consistently denies) and is a “pop prisoner,” a term used by the Washington Post.

Valli responded, through a spokesperson, “Nobody has ever made me do anything I didn’t want to do.”

Fans issue the verdict. From the Post, in a story from October.

“You go and see a 90-year-old guy who is performing, what do you think you’re going to get?” fan Kevin Smith said after watching Valli’s show at Boston’s Want Theatre from the 11th row. “He’s giving it his all and putting on a show. It’s like going to wrestling. … Is it a real wrestling match, or are you going to be entertained? And my son and I were thoroughly entertained from start to finish.”

Cool Hang Alert

Country, country-adjacent and rock acts take over Rhythm & Riffs at Mandalay Bay during NFR’s opening weekend. The retro-pop/modern country styles of Eddie and The Getaway are Thursday and Friday, Veteran Vegas rockers Garage Boys headline Saturday and Vegas country favorite Mach5 takes over Sunday. Slip on the boots and slip into the club from 8:30 p.m.-2 a.m. all nights, no cover.

A previous version of this story misstated the date for two Frankie Valli shows at the Westgate in 2023.

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 @ on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.