‘Gold Rush’ $100k bet; Melody Sweets show; ‘Fantasy’ starts 18th year
Not only has “Gold Rush” become the No. 1 rated show for the Discovery Channel, but now that the new eighth season has debuted, it became the No. 1 show on all of television last Friday night. And Las Vegas played a central role in that premiere when gold miner Todd Hoffman was filmed a year ago placing a $100,000 wager against fellow reality co-star Parker Schabel during the Con Expo convention.
He bet big to win and beat his rival in this season’s total gold count. Now Todd is returning here next Thursday through Sunday for appearances at the SEMA auto convention. Check up on his wager and talk about his hoped-for winnings while doing the impossible of collecting 5,000 ounces of gold by running three plants at once in Colorado — a feat no miner has ever achieved.
Ever confident Todd believes he can pull in the most gold this season and he’s certainly put his money where his mouth is.
FUSE FINALE
Meantime the one-hour, season 6 finale of Fuse TV’s “Big Freedia Bounces Back” on Tuesday, Nov. 7, will be explosive when she takes over Sin City for a show-stopping performance. I can only reveal that the newly sober Queen Diva battles her legal problems to bounce her career back on track via Vegas, but it causes great drama in her New Orleans home base. Tip to watch: Reigniting her live shows could ruin her reputation and career.
MELODY’S SHOW
Here’s the problem with Vegas show business. You have a stunning female singer. Your audience hands out thunderous applause and standing ovations. The comedian — or should I say, comedienne — has a six-gun speed of wild off-the-cuff humor and jokes that have the audience in stitches. Add in a lineup of sexy burlesque dancers strutting their stuff and an original boylesque routine with nearly nude Mr. Gorgeous and an ice-cream cone prop and you are witness to one whopping hit production much needed on the Strip. So whats wrong?
Well, “The Sweets Spot” with Melody Sweets is only a series of one-night shows, and the next one at the Smith Center isn’t until her birthday on Dec. 19. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a nightly endeavor but it deserves at least a regular weekly or monthly slot. It’s simply too good to be a once in a while creation. Especially now that Melody is available after relinquishing her six-year run the night before as the opening act in “Absinthe” at Caesars Palace where she sang and dangled nightly from the roof in a green striptease gown that she peeled off on the way down.
“The Sweet Spot” is no inexpensive makeshift production. Melody spends good hard-earned money to produce a knockout show that should pack an empty venue or under-performing lounge on the Strip. It’s a guaranteed winner and her fifth outing at the Smith Center’s Cabaret Jazz salon was packed with an enthusiastic appreciative crowd.
From the getgo, with magician Penny Pibbets playing a zany vampire contessa the humor was rocking. It continued with the hilarious abrasiveness of New York’s edgy sarcasm of Murray Hill. As MC he/she held control with rapier insults and razor-sharp humor throughout the 90-minute shindig. Selecting three audience members for an impromptu Halloween costume contest while walking the crowd, he/she held sway with an act better than anything seen on a television game show. It was only right that the glamazon vampire beat out the professional freelance chef stud and a costumed Pharoah wearing open-toe sandals! Central casting could not have chosen better. Totally hysterical!
Melody shed the jacket of a revealing red burlesque gown to prove underwear has its place as she belted out Eartha Kitts’ “I’d Rather Be Burned as a Witch” that featured her Bat “Crazy” Girls: Kalani Kokonuts, Bettina May, MsRedd, LouLou D’vil in fishnets and one-piece leotards. Eartha got a second tribute with Melody going from a witch to a devil with “I Want To Be Evil.”
The temperature got even hotter with The Stripper as Miss Buttercup played a bandaged mummy in keeping with the Halloween themed show. Melody performed “MonsterMash,” “Ghostbusters” and Dusty Springfield’s “Spooky.” Vocalist Jassen Allen joined her for “I Put a Spell on You” and New York’s Goliath-sized dancer Mr. Gorgeous wore almost nothing in his act performing “Bump & Grind” with an ice-cream cone prop. Melody’s joint numbers with the angel feathers of Miss Tickle on “Fly Away,” Michelle L’Amour doing “Voodoo You” and Celine Dion’s violinist Crystal Yuan were killers.
Lon Bronson’s band of Andrew “The Fury” Friedlander, Neil Maxa and David Perrico on horns and Mark Pardy on drums and frantic rimshots, Jimmy Mcintosh on guitar, pianist Brian Triola and Danny DeMorales on bass were phenomenally tight and on target. They couldn’t have been better. Melody even sang her signature “Slice of Heaven” song without having to hang from the Absinthe ceiling and that had the fans on their feet.
So whats wrong with Vegas showbiz when you have such a fabulous show? It all costs money and you need a venue on the Strip to fill the seats. Somebody has to gamble and give Melody her own sweet spot as a regular Vegas headliner. So much better to spend the extra and serve up the highest quality late-evening entertainment than cheap rent-a-room productions. The sooner the better!
LONG LIFE
When Oscar Hammerstein predicted to his partner Richard Rodgers in 1956 that “The King & I” was their best work and would live longer than any of their other plays I don’t think he had any idea that the new incarnation of the musical that premiered on tour last night at The Smith Center would be so spectacular — still! Oscar and Richard’s wives (both named Dorothy, coincidentally) actually suggested the true-life memoirs of a 19th century English governess to the King of Siam’s children would make a successful show, which premiered for the first time on Broadway in 1951 and has been revived every decade since. The 1956 film with Yul Brynner received five Academy Awards including Best Actor for the bald-headed superstar.
Last night’s premiere was truly beautiful and compelling with superb singing, acting and several of the adorable 60 children the real king of Siam fathered. Our Marie Osmond from the Flamingo actually played the role of the governess, Anna Leonowens, in one of Broadway’s four revivals. Bravo to Jose Llana, Heather Botts and Joan Almedilla who played the three leading roles. This was superb theater — complete with fine acting and sensational singing. It’s not to be missed and runs with another seven performances tonight through Sunday evening.
‘FANTASY’ MAKES IT 18
The other big success show this week was with the gorgeous topless “Fantasy” girls at the Luxor and the start of their 18th never-miss-a-night year of shows, which coincided with the launch of their new “ Black & White and Nude All Over” 2018 calendar featuring Vegas dancer Mariah Riveria on the cover — nude. The shapely sirens greeted guests on the red carpet and contributing photographer Tom Donoghue was front and center for photo. Former Jennifer Lopez beau, Cris Judd, choreographed two of the naughty numbers and “So You Think You Can Dance” star, Mandy Moore, created the opening and closing numbers for all 12 femme fatales who performed on stage in 14 different sensual scenes plus comedian Sean E Cooper. The pin-up calendar by photographer Oscar Picazo is the hottest of the annual erotic agendas that began in 2007 and has now become a tradition.
NATIONAL TOUR
To promote their new Jukebox CD being released next Friday, Nov. 3, the Human Nature foursome who headline at The Venetian will hit the road for a national tour to 14 cities from Boston and New York to Palm Springs and Mesa, Arizona. Brothers Andrew and Mike Tierney, Toby Allen and Phil Burton from Australia will also promote their Jukebox Concert from The Venetian which debuts Thanksgiving weekend on PBS-TV. The group has sold more than 2.5 million albums, earned 27 platinum awards and five Top 10 hits since signing to Sony music Australia two decades ago.
CONGRATULATIONS
Female Vegas boxer Ana Julaton will take time away from Brooklyn gym training in New York on Saturday night when she will receive the Sports Award at the seventh annual Outstanding Filipino Awards at Carnegie Hall. Ana talked about her recent Bellator MMA flyweight fight she lost to Lisa Blaine in her American debut in Uncasville, Connecticut.
http://mmajunkie.com/2017/10/ana-julaton
Now she’s preparing for the next Bellator 186 bout in Penn State’s Bryce Jordan Center next Wednesday. She won her first four fights in the ONE championship bouts in Asia. Her fighting partners here in Vegas include former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir.
MATT GETS MULTIYEAR RESIDENCY
Hit entertainer, showman Matt Goss confirmed today the wicked whispers and racy rumors that he will return to the Las Vegas Strip, headlining an extended engagement at The Mirage. He’ll debut inside 1 OAK Nightclub Saturday, Dec. 2, with impassioned performances that combine intoxicating vocal sets, big band instrumentals and old-school glamour. It’s the first of its kind in the venue. And his earlier shows at Cleopatra’s Barge in Caesars Palace drew comparison to the Rat Pack, and numerous accolades have proclaimed him “The New King of Vegas.”
Matt who is bringing his multipiece band, sultry backup singers and Dirty Virgins dance troupe to the new live-music experience at The Mirage said: “ “Since I was 17, I’ve been singing professionally and entertaining audiences all over the world. And after all my incredible career highs, I can honestly say I have never felt more proud and excited to start my show, “Matt Goss at The Mirage.’”
His December shows run through Dec. 30 and he’s got additional dates already planned for January and February. Matt returns to Las Vegas after a recent engagement at the legendary O2 Arena in London, which sold out in a record-breaking seven seconds. As lead singer of the band BROS alongside his twin brother, his debut album went platinum seven times and remained on the UK chart for an astonishing 84 weeks. He has taken the stage at such world-class venues as Carnegie Hall, Madison Square Garden, The Royal Albert Hall and The London Palladium. He’s championed our city’s reputation as the worlds top entertainment destination through his hit song “Lovely Las Vegas.”
And congratulations to DJ Diplo who has been a resident with the dual decks at Wynn hotels since 2012. He’s just had his residency there at Encore, XS and Intrigue nightclubs extended through 2019. The Grammy-winning superstar artist behind the 1s and 2s continues to be one of the biggest draws at the Wynn venues.
SATISFACTION
What’s Devil’s Night without a little “Sympathy for the Devil”? Celebrate Halloween rock ‘n’ roll style at “Exhibitionism” in the Palazzo this weekend. The Rolling Stones are taking $10 off the admission ticket price if you show up in a Halloween costume. Now that’s “Satisfaction.” “Exhibitionism” is the largest touring experience of its kind ever to be staged, and the first time in history the notorious British band has unlocked their vast private archive exploring the very beginning of their history to the Stones’ superstardom of today.
TRIO OF CONTENDERS
In a process that started in mid-June and included review of qualifications and proposals from numerous globally recognized design teams, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority has narrowed the choice down to three Vegas finalists competing to become the designer for the Las Vegas Convention Center District Phase Two Expansion project: RV Architecture/Friedmutter Group, TVS Design/Design Las Vegas and Populous/Klai Juba Wald/LGA/ZimmerRay. Each finalist had one hour to present their design, followed by a question and answer session.
A recommendation of a design team will be forwarded to the LVCCD Committee at its Tuesday, Nov. 7, meeting. Based on that meeting and the committee’s approval, the final design team will vote on the recommendation at the regular LVCVA board of directors meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 14.
The designs focus on the convention center’s 1.4 million-square-foot expansion, which will include at least 600,000 square feet of new exhibition leasable space. The Phase Two expansion and Phase Three renovation are expected to support nearly 14,000 construction jobs and nearly 7,800 full-time permanent jobs upon completion. The project is expected to generate an additional $2.1 billion in economic activity during construction and, upon completion, an annual incremental economic impact of $810 million while attracting more than 600,000 additional visitors each year.
Overall, the tourism industry generates $60 billion in total economic impact to Southern Nevada’s economy supporting 407,000 jobs and $16.9 billion in local wages and salaries representing 44-percent of Southern Nevada’s total workforce.
The LVCC District Expansion and Renovation will be completed in a phased approach with a projected completion date of 2023. Construction of the Phase Two 1.4 million-square-foot expansion is projected to be complete by 2021. The next phase will be the complete renovation of the existing 3.2 million-square-foot facility. The directors say that the phased approach will ensure that no business will be displaced during the construction and renovation.
BIKE BIRTHDAY
As Ride Bike Share celebrates its first birthday on Friday, Nov. 3, nice to know it now has 21 stations and 180 bicycles throughout downtown. During its first 12 months, more than 9,000 riders bought passes for over 18,000 rides for 60,000 miles of pedaling to burn more than 2.3 million calories and eliminate over 56,000 pounds of carbon monoxide from the valley air. Our Regional Transportation Commission is looking to add five new stations this coming year.
QUICK PICKS
The rare exotic “cats” of Vegas magician Dirk Arthur will return to the Westgate in a new residency starting Nov. 15. In addition to his magic, Dirk promises a rare snow leopard, a bobcat and fun magic with a live white duck named “Aflack” … Former American Idol winner and Bally’s resident headliner Taylor Hicks headlines a Vegas Strong benefit being held tonight during the 26th annual Magnificent Mile Lights festival parade in his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama. Taylor returns here Dec 8 to the Red Rock Resort with his first new single in seven years, “Six Strings & Diamond Rings.”
TONIGHTS TIPS:
— The Righteous Brothers are joined by singer Loretta Holloway, musician Jimmy Hopper and comedian Kathleen Dunbar as Dennis Bono’s guests for his cable TV and radio internet show at the South Point.
— The six-night Rock of Horror Halloween bash gets underway at the Fremont Street Experience with celebrity magician Ed Alonzo, Frank and the Steins and a series of flash mobs!
— The Flying Lotus jazz electronics will perform its live hip-hop 3-D concert at the Brooklyn Bowl in the Linq.
— Passafire light up Vinyl in the Hard Rock hotel.
— Teens and seniors from the Las Vegas community shine with their intergenerational art exhibition at the Ryan Elisabeth Reid and Sprat Artistic Ensemble presentation at the Core Academy. Ryan is the granddaughter of former Sen. Harry Reid and a daughter of former Clark County Commissioner and gubernatorial candidate Rory Reid.
