Celebrities in L.V.: Drake, Future, George Strait, Kacey Musgraves, Wanda Sykes, Flavor Flav, Susan Anton, Frankie Avalon
In the midst of blockbuster headliner shows by country king George Strait and rap royal Drake, both at T-Mobile Arena this weekend, we shouldn’t forget that Sunday marks the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The world — and especially our country — has never been the same.
The horrific violence sadly changed our lives and the way we travel. I remember clearly being in Las Vegas when the morning news was interrupted by the breaking headlines. Friends in Hawaii woke me with calls to tell me that they’d been rousted through the night with instructions to go to underground shelters as “the end of the world” was nigh. Not quite as dire but certainly as we knew it. It was the beginning of the War on Terror.
We sat transfixed in front of our TV sets almost all day long in a state of disbelief. Then the reality of grounded flights set in, with thousands of Las Vegas guests stranded here or paying small fortunes for limousine rides to East Coast cities. Hotel occupancy dipped dramatically to less than 20 percent, and The Venetian owner Sheldon Adelson was the first to offer in tandem with two airlines free flights and hotel accommodations to help get Las Vegas back on its feet.
I still proudly wear every day the timeline bracelet a New York firefighter gave me when I traveled on one flight here from Newark Airport in New Jersey. He made it from twisted metal of wreckage from the World Trade Center. It’s never left my wrist.
Our weekly Celebrities in L.V. heralds a brighter time, but I didn’t want 9/11/16 to pass without a mention. Let’s never forget those who died and the heroes who rose to the occasion the day.
Now on to the weekend’s attractions. Besides Sunday’s “Summer Sixteen Tour” with Drake and Future at T-Mobile and his after-party at Hakkasan in MGM Grand, we have the legendary George Strait resuming his STRAIT TO VEGAS shows at T-Mobile tonight and Saturday with opening act Kacey Musgraves.
Check out my interview in today’s Friday Neon of the Las Vegas Review-Journal with songbird Susan Anton, with the full Q+A online. The “Golden Girl” sings for her supper at Cabaret Jazz in The Smith Center for the Performing Arts tonight and Saturday. You don’t want to miss her. Marvel at her power punch voice and beauty at nearly age 66.
Proof that the heatwave is still with us a little longer for swimsuits: The Rehab bikini invitational at The Hard Rock Hotel and Mrs. Vietnam World at The Orleans. Proof that showbiz stars never retire: Pat Boone’s two-night engagement at Suncoast and Frankie Avalon’s weekend gig at South Point Showroom.
If you’ve been saying to yourself that you’ve got to catch Mariah Carey and her 18 No. 1 hits at The Colosseum in Caesars Palace, this is the weekend to do so. Sunday is her last show of the year, and no new dates for 2017 have been posted … yet.
We’ve got a slew of stars, concerts and parties to fill the weekend, so, without further ado, here’s Robin’s Royal Rundown:
FRIDAY, SEPT. 9
MUSIC
George and Kacey are at T-Mobile.
Mariah is at The Colosseum.
Susan is at Cabaret Jazz.
Pat is at Suncoast.
Frankie is at South Point.
Billy Idol’s FOREVER is at House of Blues in Mandalay Bay.
Pepper and Katastro are at The Hard Rock Hotel Pool.
38 Special and The Marshall Tucker Band are at Sunset Station.
Bayside, The Menzingers and Sorority Noise are at Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas at The Linq Promenade.
King Lil G is at Vinyl in The Hard Rock Hotel.
Emo Night Brooklyn is at BBLV.
COMEDY
Ron White is at The Mirage for two days.
Wanda Sykes is at Treasure Island.
OF SPECIAL NOTE
Tickets are on sale for Maxwell and Mary J. Blige at T-Mobile on Dec. 9.
The High Roller Reining Classic Horse Show & Western Gift Show is at South Point all weekend.
Knockout Night is at Downtown Las Vegas Events Center.
The Linq Hotel headliner magician Mat Franco celebrates his first anniversary with a donation to The Animal Foundation.
PARTY PATROL
DJ Shift is at Wet Republic in MGM Grand.
Lil Jon is at Hakkasan.
DJ Yo Yolie is at Bond in The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 10
MUSIC
Las Vegas Philharmonic: Cabrera Conducts Mahler is at The Smith Center.
The Zombies are at Golden Nugget Showroom.
Almost Awake, Eddie Jayy, The Perks, Odd Solutions and Incarnate are at Vinyl.
High Voltage: AC/DC Tribute is at BBLV.
Smashing Alice is at Lounge at The Palms.
Average White Head is at Aliante.
Los Tucanes de Tijuana is at Primm Valley Resort.
OF SPECIAL NOTE
Dessert Before Dinner benefiting Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada and featuring Rio headliner magicians Penn & Tenner is at Caesars.
The End of Summer Festival and Car Show is at Cannery.
Mrs. Vietnam World is at The Orleans.
PARTY PATROL
The Rehab bikini invitational is at The Hard Rock Hotel.
Lost ’80s Live is at Mandalay Bay Beach.
Sam I Am and Earwaxx are at Foundation Room in Mandalay Bay.
DJ Fergie is at Wet Republic.
DJ Tiesto is at Hakkasan.
DJ Dash Berlin is at Marquee Nightclub in The Cosmopolitan.
SUNDAY, SEPT.11
MUSIC
Drake and Future are at T-Mobile.
Frank LaSpina is at Cabaret Jazz.
OF SPECIAL NOTE
Flavor Flav hosts an NFL viewing and book signing party from 4 to 6 p.m. at Rockhouse in The Venetian. The rapper recently launched his fried chicken on the menu at Rockhouse.
PARTY PATROL
Flux Pavilion is at Rehab.
DVBBS is at Endless Sundays at Wet Republic.
Drake’s after-party is at Hakkasan.
Thomas Jack is at Marquee Dayclub.
DJ Crykit is at Bond.
Enjoy the weekend, and we’ll see you back here Sunday with the chef who has made a career out of chocolate. Matthew Silverman once worked for Wolfgang Puck when he was just 17 years old and now is head chocolate maker and chef at Hexx in Paris Las Vegas. Out went the pizzas and pastas and in came chocolate beans from Ecuador, Venezuela and Peru.
