STRIP SCRIBBLES
*Extra security will be on hand tomorrow morning for the parents who will be escorting their kids to MGM Grand’s box office in a desperate bid to get tickets for the January 18 and 19 Hannah Montana concerts by Miley Cyrus. Now on a 55-city tour, Miley Cirus has been breaking box office ticket sales records ,and the demand has been so incredible at some venues around the country that police have actually had to settle arguments and disputes between moms and dads battling for tickets for their children. Even Billy Ray Cirus himself has been telling arenas how to tackle the enthusiasm!
*Congratulations to Miss Kansas Amy Wilson for being voted the National Finals Rodeo new 2008 Miss Rodeo.
*Even though the annual Billboard Awards—which have been held in Vegas—were scrapped this year, we hear that the chart records and stars show will be reformatted and return next December as normal. Anschultz Entertainment, which operates The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, say the year-off will allow them to re-theme it for the FOX-TV network to be “more dramatic and compelling.” The eventual plan apparently is to move it to the new sports-and-concert arena they are building behind Bally’s on the Strip.
*Next week the official announcements will be made about “America’s Party”—the downtown extravaganza for New Year’s Eve that ties into the Gucci fireworks fiesta along the Strip to ring in ’08. This year, seven Strip hotel rooftops will be used to fire off the amazing show that pretty much exceeds anything else like it in the world. The theme of the fireworks display this December 31 will be “The Best is yet to Come,” featuring swing and big band musical elements from yesterday and today.
*I promised my friend Stephen Sorrentino I’d give him a little extra plug for his “Voices in my Head” show that he’s presenting up at the Suncoast for three nights starting this evening.
It’s a classic Vegas stage show with showgirls, dancers, extravagant costumes complete with his comedy and extraordinary impressions. He has an unparalleled ability to move at breakneck speed on every kind of musical instrument from piano, guitar, saxophone and flute while doing uncanny right-on impressions of Joe Cocker to Luciano Pavarotti, and his segment on Sir Elton John is a show stopper. Stephen’s cousin is The Boss, Bruce Springsteen, so you know musical talent runs in the family. Our hometown entertainer has been named “Male Impressionist of the Year” by the International Guild of Tribute Acts. So go see Stephen, who has opened on the Strip for such headliners as Dana Carvey, Dennis Miller and Patti LaBelle, now that he’s got his own starring show you’ll have a truly great time. Now I have to be fair and tell you what else is happening around town in what we, around here, affectionately refer to as the ROYAL ROBIN RUNDOWN:
Fri Dec 14:
*Songwriter Ronnie Van Zant led Southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd through the 70’s and right into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. Their “Sweet Home Alabama” became an American anthem, and it’s on the play list for two nights as the Rolling Stone magazine-ranked “100 Greatest Artist of All Time” raise the roof at the Hard Rock.
*Comedian Robert Schimmel, a Howard Stern favorite, returns to the Monte Carlo for two nights with his raw—sometimes edgy—adult humor, and he picks this anniversary date annually to celebrate his medical thumbs-up for beating cancer exactly seven-years ago today!
*The entire family can go celebrate the Holiday Season with the Nevada Ballet Theater as they start a run through until December 27 of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite on campus in the Judy Bayley Theater at UNLV.
* The Price is Right with two FREE concerts for two consecutive nights; first at Red Rock it’s the Squirrel Nut Zippers, and out at Green Valley Ranch Flynnville Train punches your ticket to ride.
*Brian Culbertson’s Soulful Christmas pulls into the Boulder Station with an all-star jazz lineup for the Holiday show featuring sax-player Gerald Albright, vocalists Howard Hewett and Victoria White and guitarist Nick Colionne.
*Country favorite Keith Anderson sings and plays guitar for two nights at the Santa Fe Station, and singer song-writer Phil Vassar will prove “Love is a Beautiful Thing” at Green Valley Ranch as they wrap-up the music of the National Finals Rodeo shows which features its last but one—the 9th—rodeo rider challenge tonight.
*Playboy model and WWE finalist Taryn Terrell celebrates her birthday at Diablo’s Cantina in the Monte Carlo resort with fellow models Dana DiCillo, Vanessa Raia and Sara Stokes as the sinful “tequila vixens” serve up the blonde beauty’s candle-laden birthday cake!
Sat Dec 15:
*The final night of Celine Dion’s five-year amazing run at the Caesars Palace The Colosseum. Oprah Winfrey will be in the audience and we’ll chat with the Canadian songbird in between her tears as she leaves us for a year-long world tour. Our last conversations with Celine will be right here at Luxe Life on Monday morning.
*It’s also the final night of the National Finals Rodeo—the 10th round—and gets underway at 5:45 p.m. at the Thomas and Mack. Immediately afterwards is the PRCA World Champions Award Ceremony.
*Blue Collar comic Larry the Cable Guy makes no apologies for his wild redneck hysterical humor, and he’ll fill the Orleans Arena on closing night of the National Finals Rodeo.
*Avant-garde musician and makeup mistress, Bjork has been a best selling artist for 15-years, and she headlines at the Pearl in the Palms. A knockout fashion conscious beauty from Iceland, she’s a former member of the Sugarcubes and has Ratatat as her opening act.
Sun Dec 16:
*The four vocalists led by Bill Fayne who make up the Las Vegas Tenors promise there’ll be holiday songs and carols galore at their Christmas concert in the Hilton.
*Body English nightclub presents its Bench Warmer holiday party as the Hard Rock throws its Dorm Days frat-fun-filled party spreading out over the resort’s 10th and 11th floors. Folks who bring an unwrapped toy for the Toys for Tots drive get free admission before midnight.