Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Nine Groovy Things from Rock in Rio USA pre-Bruno Mars

2015 Rock in Rio USA-Day 4-Magic!

John Katsilometes

Toronto funk-reggae band Magic! performs on the Mercedes-Benz Evolution Stage of Rock in Rio USA on the final night Saturday, May 16, 2015, at MGM Resorts Festival Grounds.

You might be wondering, from this Rock in Rio USA experience on the Strip, “Whither the groovy-ness?”

It is all around us, especially as Empire of the Sun rocks the Main Stage as the fourth-to-last headlining act on the festival’s final night. Still to be heard from are Joss Stone on the Mercedes-Benz Evolution Stage and John Legend followed by Bruno Mars on the Main Stage.

Having just made what feels to be my 167th stroll around these grounds, we’ll note the 9 Groovy Things I Have Found on the Final Night of Rock in Rio USA. Enjoy:

9: Stilted Dominatrix Action: From a leather-clad, red-Mohawked Melanie Kramer, a performer I happen to run into in the strangest places. Today it was as she explained to a couple trying to take her photo: “No! You want me facing the sun! Not with my back to it!” So stilted. So bossy.

8. Elvis-a-Rama: Providing a Las Vegas element to a wedding ceremony at the Rock in Rio Chapel, veteran Elvis impressionist Brendan Paul once more singing “Viva Las Vegas” on acoustic guitar. He was about drowned out as Empire of the Sun began its set. Fittingly, the sun was actually setting when all of this unfolded.

7. The $20 fedora at Rocco’s at the Rock Street USA village: This place has an outpost at the Plaza, and its employees have attempted to sell me hats and cigars for a very long time — including for three previous days and nights at Rock in Rio USA. They finally got me.

6. The $33 flying-V booze guitar: Filled with just about any concoction of alcohol and mixer (rum and mango!), these guitars — straws dangling from their plastic bodies — are prevalent throughout the festival grounds. Sold at Coco Bongos at Rock Street Brazil, they hold 100 ounces of cocktail and feature the requisite image of the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign. An homage to the late Betty Willis, indeed.

5: The EDM spider stage: I saw very little of the performances at this venue, but the staging reminds me a lot of the giant claw used by U2 in its “360 Degree Tour” a few years ago.

4: The Rock & Fly zipline: The one attraction of the two signature rides that came off without interruption. The sight of fans soaring over the crowd at the Main Stage, while such acts as Big Sean roared through their sets, was uniquely entertaining.

3: The view from the Hilton Grand Vacation Suites just south of festival grounds: Much was made of the advantageous position of nearby such hotel-casinos as SLS Las Vegas, Circus Circus and the Stratosphere, but the best view of the Main Stage and even Mercedes-Benz Evolution Stage was from the Hilton towers.

2:Stone the Beetles: I am a sucker (for great live Las Vegas entertainment), and this band at Rock Street U.K. featured such personal faves as David Perrico, Andrew Friedlander, Tom Delibro, Michito Sanchez and Uli Geissendoerfer playing inventive arrangements of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones classics, among others. On Friday, Jerry Lopez of Santa Fe & The Fat City Horns clambered onstage for a take on “Wishing Well.” That is some good Rock in Rio USA action, my friends.

1: Terrra Celta: When the founder of the festival is spotted at the same act three times in four nights, it must be a righteous band. That’s where you could find Roberto Medina and event CEO Luis Justo dancing it up. Terra Celta is a glad mix of Brazilian and Celtic music, and that is the vibe Rock in Rio wants. When it returns in two years, we offer three words: More Terra Celta.

Follow John Katsilometes on Twitter at Twitter.com/JohnnyKats. Also, follow “Kats With the Dish” at Twitter.com/KatsWiththeDish.

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