Nate Ludens
Michael Grimm performs at Ovation Lounge at Green Valley Ranch on May 9, 2011.
Thursday, June 18, 2015 | 5:15 p.m.
The self-proclaimed cork in the ocean is again rolling with the tide.
Michael Grimm’s latest foray into a Las Vegas residency has been cut short. His run at Vinyl in the Hard Rock Hotel was canceled effective today.
A hotel spokeswoman who issued the announcement cited “unforeseen circumstances” as the reason that Grimm, the Season 5 champion of “America’s Got Talent” in 2010, has had his run at Vinyl closed more than two months before it was to end Aug. 30. He opened May 29 and was to play Fridays through Sundays, four shows a week, through the summer.
Neither Grimm nor his wife, Lucie, have returned phone messages today asking for a reason why the series of performances was abruptly spiked.
Backed by an expert three-piece band and flanked by videos playing highlights of his career, Grimm’s opening performances sampled many new songs from his latest album, “Grimm,” which was self-financed largely through a Kickstarter campaign that raised $45,000 to help cover production costs.
In the show, Grimm covered “You Can Leave Your Hat On” as Lucie took to the stage and performed an abbreviated striptease. She also has acted as Grimm’s manager and brokered the deal that paired Grimm with the Hard Rock’s 500-seat performance venue.
In a column that appeared in Las Vegas Weekly leading up to the opening of the run, Grimm said of his career since winning the “AGT” championship: “That is about the way I feel since that show. A cork in the ocean, drifting with the current, wherever it takes me.”
It feels like it’s time to start surfing once more.
Vinyl, which opened in August 2012, is the intimate live entertainment venue at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, featuring a diversity of genres, including rock 'n' roll, jazz, blues, pop and even country.
The multifunctional room provides an intimate setting that puts the audience within an arm's reach of the performers.
The space, which is just under 7,000 square feet, can accommodate 650 guests. With a speakeasy atmosphere, Vinyl has an industrial look from its Chicago-common brick and cinderblock, distressed wood floors and an exposed, sky-high ceiling.
An elevated VIP section houses leather banquette seating and offers guests their own wait staff and an exclusive bar. The perimeter features a bar where guests can watch all the action. A state-of-the-art entertainment system offers high-definition screens on both sides of the main stage.
Arguably one the coolest joints in town, the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino houses some of Vegas' best entertainment, restaurants and nightlife.
At Hard Rock, it's all about the music. From the light fixtures made out of drum cymbals and guitar shaped door handles to stage costumes and tools of the trade of legendary musicians displayed on the walls, the hotel screams rock and roll. The Hard Rock's Joint has hosted some the biggest names in music — from The Who to Bob Dylan to hometown heroes, The Killers.Aside from the music venues, the pool at the Hard Rock is one of its biggest attractions. Spread out over 4.7 acres, the pool area features swim-up blackjack, a bar and grill, private cabanas, a bevy of secluded nooks, a waterfall and an extensive live music venue with a dance floor. During the summer, the pool transforms into the Rehab club on Sunday afternoons.
The resident nightclub Body English fuses European elegance with a rock star bachelor pad and it often a hot spot for visiting celebs and popular DJs. Vintage rock memorabilia lines the walls at Wasted Space, Hard Rock's anti-club.
Restaurants at Hard Rock are just as hip as the rest of the casino. Pink Taco serves up Mexican dishes, as well as a Central American and Caribbean menu. Nobu, one of five worldwide Japanese-specialty restaurants from famed Nobu Matsuhisa, satisfies a different taste. For round-the-clock cuisine, Mr. Lucky's 24/7, is sure to ease your appetite even after a Vegas-all-nighter.
Follow John Katsilometes on Twitter at Twitter.com/JohnnyKats. Also, follow “Kats With the Dish” at Twitter.com/KatsWiththeDish.
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