‘Walking in Memphis’ composer Marc Cohn strides back to Vegas
Highlights from around the VegasVille scene, where our headliners are at once beautiful and bulletproof:
WALKIN’ IN VEGAS
A few things to know about Marc Cohn, headlining at 8 p.m. Friday at Veil Pavilion at the Silverton:
—He wrote “Walking’ In Memphis,” which charted No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has been famously covered by Cher, among others.
—His first gig in Las Vegas was in support of longtime friend at the Andre Agassi Grand Slam for Children at the MGM Grand in August 1999.
—He has been shot in the head.
—He has survived that shooting.
“My doctors told me I’m the luckiest unlucky guy they’d seen in a long time,” Cohn said during a recent phone interview from his home in New York. “It was a situation where I was shot in the left temple, but because the bullet was a .22 and had gone through the window, it lost its energy and came about a centimeter from going through my skull.”
This was during a carjacking attempt in Denver in August 2005, when Cohn was on tour with Suzanne Vega. He still gets nervous while riding in cabs. “I think whenever I am in the back seat of any vehicle, it triggers something in me,” Cohn said. “But I was very fortunate. I just needed some plastic surgery to repair the wound on my temple.”
Cohn’s appearance at Veil is a dual celebration of the 25th anniversary of his eponymous 1991 album, which went platinum five years later, and his latest release, “Careful What You Dream: Lost Songs and Rarities.”
Cohn’s first appearance at Silverton coincides with Veterans Day, and the first 300 veterans are admitted free (GA tickets are $20).
Cohn’s music, including his monster hit, are inherently biographical. He recorded his first album very simply, absent instrumental or production gymnastics. “I felt I wanted an album that would stand up after many years,” he said. “My main intentions were to record something that seemed timeless, would not lose appeal, that was authentic. I wanted it to come across in an organic way, and that has been the way it’s been for all of my records.”
SCOOPFEST!
—Set for Friday, Saturday and Sunday is “Scoopfest,” a three-day marathon of magic, burlesque and repartee hosted by “Matt & Mattingly’s Ice Cream Social” co-hosts Matt Donnelly and Paul Mattingly. These are two of the top improv comics in the city, who also co-host “The Bucket Show” comedy showcase. The weekend’s events launch at 11:30 p.m. Friday with a podcast at Art Square Theater in the Arts District at 1025 South 1st Street (next to Downtown Crown Pub).
Joining the fray in that night’s variety show are Penn Jillette, Barry Brisco and Rich Binning of “Puppetry of the Penis,” the great comic performance artist Jimmy Slonina, bubble inhabitant Charlie Starling of “Absinthe,” musician Spadoni and comics “Gelato Steve” Marinelli and Carolyn Gilbert.
Hit the “Scoopfest” website for a full run of the weekend’s events. Sunday’s event begins at noon and is a live recording of “Penn’s Sunday School” at Show Creator’s Studio at 4465 West Sunset Road. During this event, Jillette will perform his first solo magic act. It’s a Teller-less situation, and as such, is not to be missed.
—An FOP (Friend of Penn), Lon Bronson, once more filled Cabaret Jazz at the Smith Center with his All-Star Band on Wednesday night. The show oversold, actually, about three weeks ago. Joining the crew was Larry Braggs of the current version of The Temptations. I missed this one, but I heard it was a whole thing. No surprise there.
—Cool hang alert: Freedom Beat at Downtown Grand. This place has it all: Great food as prepared by Chef Scott Commings (who won Season 12 of the TV show “Hell’s Kitchen”), 24/7 hours (hello); and live entertainment nightly. At Wednesday’s opener it was singer/songwriter Scot Little Bihlman playing an acoustic set. Booking the venue is the esteemed Judy Alberti, the former entertainment director for Station Casinos who now runs her own booking company. Watch for more entertainment to spill across Downtown Grand, with about 10 outdoor events in 2017 between Citrus Pool and the 3rd Street Stage. Alberti is on the case, and expect Downtown Grand to become “a thing” within months.
—Speaking of cool hangs, Pia Zadora is welcoming ex-Checkmates great Sonny Charles to her “Pia’s Place” dinner shows 9 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays at Piero’s. Charles started three weeks ago, Zadora keeps asking him back — and he keeps showing up. Show two-drink minimum; dinner is served in the room.
—On the topic of food and beautiful people, DW Bistro proprietor Bryce Krausman says the re-opening of the restaurant at The Gramercy will be Thursday night. This is a “soft” opening, though when I get there we’ll make some noise, with a splashier opening night party being planned for early December.
John Katsilometes’ column runs Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday in the A section, and Fridays in Neon. He also hosts “Kats! On The Radio” Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on KUNV 91.5-FM and appears Wednesdays at 11 a.m. with Dayna Roselli on KTNV Channel 13. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.