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The “iLuminate” crew is lighting up the stage at an earlier time at the Strat.
Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022 | 2 a.m.
When we last checked in with “Legends in Concert” at the Tropicana, it was wrapping up a sensational country-music version of its long-running tribute show during the NFR and holiday season, and host and perennial headliner Frank Marino had signed off after two years of continuing his legendary performance as Joan Rivers (actually less than that, of course, due to the pandemic’s impact on 2020). Marino was considering full-fledged retirement and planning to take the entire month of February off. Instead, he’ll reprise the role of Rivers for the next evolution of the show, “Legendary Divas,” opening at the Trop’s classic theater on February 2. Joining Joan onstage will be Celine Dion (Elisa Furr, who recently won TV’s “Clash of the Cover Bands”), Cher (Lisa McClowry), Lady Gaga (Tierney Allen) and Adele (Janae Longo). “We are thrilled to return for the fourth season in our namesake theater at Tropicana Las Vegas,” said the show’s COO Brian Brigner. “This all-new show feels like the ultimate celebration of women.” “Legendary Divas” will be performed Wednesday through Monday at 7:30 p.m.
At least two Strip productions are returning to the stage this month after a winter break with new and different schedules. Terry Fator’s “Who’s the Dummy Now?” is back at the Liberty Loft at New York-New York restarting this weekend on January 16, and Fator and his cast of puppet characters will be singing new songs and bringing the laughs at 7:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday. “iLuminate” is dancing its way back into the Strat Theater one day earlier, on January 15, moving from the late slot at 10 p.m. to a much more fitting 8 p.m. shift, with 2 p.m. matinees sprinkled in on weekends. The colorful dance-centric performance will have a schedule that bounces around a bit, but most weeks will see shows nightly except Tuesdays.
New concert and show announcements are a bit slow at the moment but things are starting to heat up as Vegas is making plans for 2022. This week’s arrivals include: The Love Affair Concert, from local station Jammin 105.7 FM, will return to the Orleans Arena on February 5 with R&B acts Zapp, Midnight Star, Rose Royce, GQ, Heatwave, Manhattans, Tierra and Bloodstone; Sammy Hagar will return to his rock residency at the Strat Theater on February 9, 11 and 12, and March 23, 25 and 26; Megadeth and Lamb of God have planned the long-delayed second leg of their co-headlining metal tour with guests Trivium and In Flames, and it lands at Michelob Ultra Arena at Mandalay Bay on April 9; And another heavy metal outfit, Parkway Drive, will play the Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas on June 3, with opening acts Hatebreed and The Black Dahlia Murder.
The new StarBase event space near Allegiant Stadium is rolling out another little piece of innovative entertainment in the form of Failed to Render, a hybrid comedy show featuring John Poveromo, Cory “Showtime” Robinson, Drew Marks and more on January 29. The comedians will perform live in person while simulcasting the show in the virtual world for fans at home to watch via VR headsets. Hologram company PORTL will present avatars of the comedians in the metaverse. Failed to Render has had more than 100,000 users join its digital comedy club via Microsoft’s AltspaceVR. Tickets are on sale at eventbrite and more info can be found at starbaselv.com.
