Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Columnist Joe Delaney: Pondering the Blue Man Group’s potential at Luxor

Joe Delaney's column appears Thursdays and Fridays. Reach him at 259-4066 or [email protected].

Some time has elapsed and considerable thought has been given to the 15-minute preview we witnessed by the Blue Man Group last Thursday. ... "Blue Man Group: Live at Luxor" is scheduled to open there in March. ... As we type this we are listening to an advanced promotional copy of a "Blue Man Group Audio" CD, due out in December.

Blue Man Group consists of three characters who work silently, robot-like, apparently bald and covered in cobalt blue paint, plus 16 multi-instrumentalists ... The music is almost entirely percussive, primal, tribal, using 50 drums, percussive tubing and zither-type instruments.

The format is a multimedia journey utilizing 11 projectors and five projection screens, a plot that defies a rational description. ... The Luxor show is expected to run just under two hours with no intermission, which seems like a lot of continuous percussion.

Aim big, hit big

There once was a time when every hotel showroom had a backstage memo that read, "No drum solos." ... Harrah's in Reno and Tahoe went even further and banned all profanity as well, including hell and damn. ... No further comment as regards the second taboo but the question remains as to Las Vegas audiences' reaction to just under two hours of incessant percussion.

Blue Man Group has had shows succeeding in New York City since 1991, in Boston since 1995 and Chicago since 1997. ... It should also be noted that each of these venues are small, less than half the size of the 1,200-seat Luxor Theatre. ... A factor?

All concerned at Mandalay Resort Group deserve credit for trying to take entertainment to another performance area. ... We did enjoy the inventive and exciting preview last week. ... Blue Man Group will either be the first big hit in the new millennium or an equally big miss.

Star-policy rundown

It's David Copperfield (Caesars Palace); The Four Tops (Desert Inn); Buddy Greco and Lezlie Anders, Friday only (Flamingo Hilton); Patsy Cline Tribute (Gold Coast); Bill Acosta (Luxor); Tom Jones plus Tommy Tune starring in "EFX" (MGM Grand); Siegfried & Roy (Mirage); Lance Burton (Monte Carlo); Righteous Brothers (Orleans); Alain Choquette (Paris Las Vegas) and Danny Gans (Rio).

Short visits: Queensryche, Friday and Saturday (Hard Rock Hotel); Sugar Ray, 7 p.m., and Long Beach Dub All-Stars with G Love and Special Sauce, 11 p.m. Friday; and the Indigo Girls Saturday (all at House of Blues).

The wonderful Pendragons are performing in the Sultan's Palace in Caesars Magical Empire through Nov. 13. ... Susan Anton has returned as the star of "The Great Radio City Spectacular" (Flamingo Hilton) where "Forever Plaid" could continue forever.

Thursday addenda

In response to a number of requests for the Cork and Carolyn Proctor's Suriname address, one can write to Peace Corps Suriname, Attn: Cork and Carolyn Proctor (SUR5), P.O. Box 9500, Paramaribo-Zuid, Suriname, South America. ... The Proctors are not due back in Las Vegas until September 2001. ... The last we heard Cork intends to resume his career as a comedian.

In our Friday column on show business siblings, we inadvertently omitted the Walkers, Kathy, Greg and Bill, co-starring with Steve Rossi and Sandy Hackett in the very funny satirical revue, "Washington Sex Capades 2000," Wednesdays through Sundays in Harrah's Improv Theatre.

More sibling additions: The Gumm Sisters, which included Judy Garland; and dancers the Condos Brothers, the incredible Nicholas Brothers and Berry Brothers. ... Are there any more that we missed?

More addenda

Nevada Ballet Theatre's 1999-2000 season starts with "Dracula," a Halloween season special, with choreography by Jill Eathorne Bahr and music by Bernard Herman, Arvo Part and Leon Janacek, plus an all-new "Monster Bash," choreographed by NBT Director Bruce Steivel and music by Vincenzo Bellini, Thursday through Sunday, UNLV's Judy Bayley Theatre.

Wayne Newton and his new deal in the Stardust with the Boyd Group will be discussed in this space on Friday. ... Is star policy making a long overdue comeback? ... It should never have been allowed to diminish. ... People elsewhere always ask who is playing in Las Vegas, not what. ... See you Friday.

archive