“BRETT’S VEGAS VIEW”
DATE: Sunday, Oct. 18, 2015
BY: Jackie Brett
VEGAS COLUMN
JANET JACKSON’S TOUR WILL MAKE 2016 STOP AT LAS VEGAS ARENA
Janet Jackson will bring her Unbreakable World Tour to the Las Vegas Arena Saturday, May 14. The rescheduled date replaces the two sold-out shows she had at the AXIS Theatre and cancelled due to illness. Her new album “Unbreakable” recently debuted on Rhythm Nation Records/BMG.
Jackson has won six Grammy Awards, two Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, a nomination for an Academy Award along with dozens of American Music Awards, MTV Video Music Awards, BET Awards and Billboard Music Awards. Jackson is a published author, choreographer, dancer, businessperson, philanthropist and one of biggest-selling artists in popular music history.
REBA, BROOKS & DUNN ADD SEVEN MORE DATES AT CAESARS PALACE
Country music powerhouses Reba, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn due to overwhelming demand have added a performance at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on Monday, Dec. 7 along with six shows between May 3 and 14 next year.
Since opening in June 2015, “REBA, BROOKS & DUNN: Together in Vegas” has performed nine consecutive sold-out shows to 38,000 fans. The trio will return to Caesars Palace with another sold-out run Dec. 1-12. The two-hour production features more than 30 hit songs backed by a band of 10 players from both of their touring bands. The set includes solo and joint performances of their signature tracks. Tickets range from $59.50 to $205 for their 7:30 shows.
PETE ROSE SPORTS BAR AND GRILL OPENS ON THE STRIP
The new 9,000-square-foot Pete Rose Sports Bar and Grill opened on the Strip across from Aria with Pete Rose attending with his family. The ground floor eatery with an outside 2,000-square-foot patio celebrates Rose’s historic baseball career with photos and art installations throughout along with 32 high-definition televisions for sports viewing.
Some notable guests in attendance for the grand opening included the casts of Thunder from Down Under, Chippendales, X Burlesque, Jersey Boys, Rock of Ages, and X Comedy.
The Pete Rose namesake restaurant with a menu created by Executive Chef Brian Littlejohn is open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Guests left with a bottle of either
Pete Rosé or Charlie Hustle Red, two signature wine varietals that benefit Rose’s Hustle for Heroes Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to decreasing suicide rates in military veterans through education, training and counseling.
HARVEST BY CHEF ROY ELLAMAR IS REPLACING SENSI AT BELLAGIO
After about a decade, Sensi closed in mid-September at Bellagio. The dining space is currently being transformed into Harvest by Roy Ellamar and expected to open in December. Sensi was known for its stone-accented décor with a well-known water feature at the front that is being replaced by an open atmosphere plus an exhibition kitchen and a lounge with wood flooring.
Chef Ellamar is a Hawaiian native who grew up in a family of farmers and fishermen. He has been at Sensi since 2008 and now Harvest is being built around his cooking philosophy, which is more about the ingredients and farm-to-table concept. Small plates at the new restaurant are going to allow diners to sample his different ingredients and flavors.
BUFFALO WILD WINGS OPENS FIRST STRIP LOCATION
This week, Buffalo Wild Wings® opened the brand’s first Las Vegas Strip 24-hour wings and sports bar location inside Miracle Mile Shops. With 7,200 square feet, this location is the first in Las Vegas to maintain a retail section and features 63 HDTVs for watching sports. The new venue offers an extended happy hour every Monday through Friday from 2–7 p.m. and 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. with draft beer selections from $4 to $6 and food and liquor specials for $4.
Celebrating its grand opening, the sports bar and grill is hosting a Blazin’ Challenge Contest at 4 p.m. Oct. 19-23. The fastest competitor finishing 12 wings made with the restaurant’s spiciest sauce in six minutes will receive a booklet for free wings for a year from the Miracle Mile Shops location.
Buffalo Wild Wings was founded in 1982 and headquartered in Minneapolis. The menu specializes in 21 signature sauces and seasonings ranging from Sweet BBQ™ to Blazin’®. Currently, there are more than 1,125 Buffalo Wild Wings locations.
MADAME TUSSAUDS UNVEILS WORLD’S FIRST BRUNO MARS WAX FIGURE
International pop superstar Bruno Mars has been immortalized in wax at Madame Tussauds Las Vegas to celebrate his 30th birthday. The “Uptown Funk” star is on display inside the Music Room, which is home to fellow music maestros such as Miley Cyrus, Nicki Minaj, Stevie Wonder, etc.
Mars is an 18-time Grammy Award nominee and multi-Grammy winner. In 2014, he made NFL history with the most watched Super Bowl halftime show that amassed a record breaking 115.3 million viewers, and was the youngest artist ever to serve as the sole NFL Super Bowl halftime headliner. Mars most recently teamed up with Mark Ronson on the smash hit “Uptown Funk.”
LOS LOBOS WILL ROCK THE HENDERSON PAVILION
Latin-American rock legends and Grammy winners Los Lobos will headline the Henderson Pavilion on Saturday, Nov. 7 at 8 p.m. Their appearance comes on the heels of the release of their latest album “Gates of Gold,” which is the group’s first complete studio album since 2010. It features 11 tracks influenced by blues, rock, soul and traditional Mexican folk music. Tickets start at $15.
SOME HOT NEWS ITEMS
After several contract extensions resulting in a successful 11-month run, “Frank--The Man, The Music” starring Bob Anderson with a 32-piece orchestra will perform its final show in the Palazzo Theater on Saturday, Nov. 28. In December, The Venetian will begin preparing the stage for a new show to open in early 2016.
The Beatles REVOLUTION Lounge at The Mirage closed its doors last week to develop a new concept in 2016.
Stoney’s Rockin’ Country reopened last Friday in Town Square with season three winner of NBC’s “The Voice” Cassadee Pope performing.
Pawn Plaza next to the TV’s famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop opened last week with presidential candidate Senator Marco Rubio doing a special ribbon cutting ceremony with Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman. Only one open retail space is left.
On Sunday, Oct. 25, Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art will offer a 50 percent discount to commemorate Pablo Picasso’s birthday. This special pricing for “Picasso: Creatures and Creativity” will be applied to the general admission ticket price of $19.
CRAZY GIRLS’ CELEBRATES 28TH ANNIVERSARY AND NEW HOTEL
“Crazy Girls” made its first live performance at the Riviera on Sept. 25, 1987, and closed there earlier this year with the hotel’s permanent closure. With a solid 28-year history on the Strip, the sexy revue starring seven ladies moved to Planet Hollywood after an overhaul to the theatre. A private anniversary celebration is taking place this week.
COMMUNITY HERO WILL LIGHT ETHEL M® HOLIDAY CACTUS GARDEN
On Nov. 10, Ethel M® Chocolates will light its 22nd annual Holiday Cactus Garden in Henderson. This year, the honor of flipping the switch to more than a million holiday lights at the Ethel M Chocolate Factory and Cactus Garden will go to a local community hero.
Ethel M is accepting nominations on the Ethel M website through Oct. 27 of those who have made a difference in Clark County this year through philanthropic efforts, community service or any other good works. From Oct. 28-Nov. 6, the community can vote for their favorite Community Hero at EthelM.com.
D AND GOLDEN GATE WILL OFFER ‘NOT YOUR FATHER’S ROOT BEER’
To further elevate their beverage programs, the D Las Vegas and Golden Gate are partnering with Small Town Brewery to bring Not Your Father’s Root Beer (NYFRB), a root beer-flavored alcoholic beverage, to Downtown Las Vegas. Based out of Wauconda, Ill., the award-winning NYFRB has consistently sold out at taverns across the Chicago area. With root beer taste and color, NYRFB 5.9% has earned a “World Class” rating of 96 on BeerAdvocate.
BRITTNEY & SPARKS MORNING RADIO SHOW CELEBRATES FIRST YEAR
KOMP 92.3’s new morning show, “BS in the Morning with Brittney & Sparks,” is celebrating one year on-air in Vegas with two events on Friday, Oct. 23. Starting in the morning the duo will broadcast their show live from the top platform of Slotzilla at the Fremont Street Experience. Later that evening, they’re having a free, open to the public, adult listener appreciation party at Banger Brewing at 450 Fremont St., #135 from 7–9 p.m.
Brittney comes to Lotus Broadcasting from Charlotte, N.C., and Sparks hails from Cleveland, Ohio. The two first met when they each moved to Las Vegas to be paired together to host the new rock and roll morning show.
FERRARO’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT WILL CELEBRATE 30TH ANNIVERSARY
The family-owned and operated Ferraro’s Italian Restaurant and Wine Bar will celebrate its 30th anniversary this November with a special anniversary menu priced at $30.30 per person. Offered Nov. 6-8 and again Nov. 13-15, the menu features four courses spotlighting the restaurant’s best-loved, authentic Italian fare. In recognition of this milestone, Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn G. Goodman will declare Friday, Nov. 6 “The Ferraro Family Day.”
THE RANGE 702 CELEBRATES THREE YEARS WITH A NEW LOCATION
The Range 702, Nevada’s largest shooting facility, is officially opening at a new location this month. The move comes as the company’s three years of success enables them to build a purpose-driven gun range spanning nearly 17,000 square feet, with 16 shooting lanes, including a 720 square-foot luxury VIP suite featuring four shooting lanes.
SECOND RISE LANTERN FESTIVAL LIT UP THE SKY
A crowd of more than 10,000 people gathered in the desert outside Las Vegas for the second RiSE Lantern Festival, this time at the Moapa River Reservation. The traditional lantern festival simultaneously released 20,000 biodegradable flame lit lanterns into the night sky at 9 p.m. with a fireworks display around 10:30 p.m. This year the event went off without a hitch like it had with last year’s transportation fiasco.
SAMMY’S WOODFIRED HONOR OUR TROOPS
All Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza & Grill locations and Sammy’s Restaurant & Bar in Henderson will celebrate Veterans Day by offering the choice between complimentary hummus served with grilled herb flatbread or garlic cheese bread on Wednesday, Nov. 11 with no purchase necessary to all veterans and active service members with a valid military ID. In addition, all locations celebrate veterans year-round with an ongoing 20 percent discount with military ID.
WANDA JACKSON VISITS BACKSTAGE BAR & BILLIARDS ON HALLOWEEN
Smash Magazine will presents a special Halloween night show with the “Queen of Rockabilly” Wanda Jackson taking the stage at Backstage Bar & Billiards downtown on Saturday, Oct. 31. Supporting acts will include the Delta Bombers, the Yawpers, Eddy Bear and the Cubs and DJ’s Lucky La Rue and Catman. Doors open at 8 p.m. with the show beginning at 9 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance online at smashmagazine.com and $25 day of show.
Jackson is an American singer, songwriter, pianist and guitarist who had success in the mid-1950s and 1960s as one of the first popular female rockabilly singers. As rockabilly declined in popularity in the mid-1960s, she moved to a successful career in mainstream country music with a string of hits between 1966 and 1973. Jackson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an Early Influence in 2009.
OPPORTUNITY VILLAGE HOLDS FIRST HALLOVINO AT MAGICAL FOREST
On Wednesday, Oct. 28, Opportunity Village will host the inaugural HallOVino at the Magical Forest from 5:30-8:30 p.m., sponsored by Southern Wine & Spirits and Lee’s Liquor. The adults-only wine tasting event is to create awareness for Opportunity Village’s Legacy Society, which is comprised of members who have chosen to make a deferred gift to Opportunity Village.
Individual tickets are $50, which includes wine samplings, hors d’oeuvres, and Magical Forest attractions. HallOVino tickets will also come with two general admission tickets for Opportunity Village’s Magical Forest, valid through the 2015 season.
MORE HALLOWEEN-THEMED NEWS
The Haunted Harvest at the Springs Preserve will be held again Oct. 23-25 and 30-31 from 5-9 p.m. The family-friendly atmosphere will have a Spooky maze, trick-or-treating, live entertertainment and more. Tickets are $6 and free for ages 2 and under.
On Saturday, Oct. 31 from noon to 2 p.m. will be the chef/instructor Chanh Boupha Pumpkin Carving Event at the Walker Furniture’s atrium with two winners receiving his 80-pound carved pumpkins in a drawing along with free face painting from noon-4 p.m. and free hot dogs and soda from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Halloween at Downtown Summerlin® will be an afternoon of family fun with Treat Street from 3-6 p.m. on Oct. 31 featuring trick-or-treating with Downtown Summerlin retailers, a dog costume contest called “Rover Runway,” arts and crafts and more. Kids can also trunk-or-treat at the classic Ford and Mustang car show, where more than 50 cars decorated in Halloween décor will be on display. Also, guests are invited to stop outside the Macy’s Promenade from noon to 6 p.m. for a free “Wacky Family Portrait.” Printed and digital photos can be sent directly to a guest’s Shutterfly account.
STUDENTS COMPETE IN FORAGER CULINARY SHOWDOWN
Three culinary students will face off in the Intuitive Forager Culinary Showdown on Saturday, Oct. 24 at noon at the Farmers Market at Downtown Summerlin. Students will be allotted 25 minutes to execute their dish. There will be three cooking stations equipped with a ‘mystery box’ of selected organic produce and a pantry of salt, pepper, olive oil, butter and herbs.
The lead judge and master of ceremonies will be Chef Shawn McLain of Sage and 550 at Aria, with participating judges Chef Geno Bernardo of Herringbone at Aria and Mark Andelbradt of Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill at Downtown Summerlin.
MORE NEWS CLIPS
Madonna will be appearing at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Saturday, Oct. 24.
PBR Rock Bar & Grill, located inside Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood, is once again celebrating PBR (Professional Bull Riders) World Finals Week, hosting live music performances, rider signings and rock-bottom drink prices, Oct. 21–25.
Laugh Factory headliner Jay Black brought 18-year-old Josiah Ojerio, a young man battling cancer, on stage at the New Tropicana last week to make the announcement that Southern Nevada Make a Wish Foundation was granting his wish to see a live taping of SNL last weekend in New York City.
The 15th annual NHRA Toyota Nationals will be held Oct. 29-Nov.1 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas. The event is the penultimate race of the 2015 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season and fifth of six during the Countdown to the Championship playoff.
The Plaza with Downtown’s only bingo room and the highest bingo payouts in the city will hold its next $150,000 Super Bingo Tournament, Nov. 15-17.
The District at Green Valley Ranch in Henderson will hold “Stroll & Toast,” an evening filled with wine and beer tasting, food samplings and music on Saturday, Nov. 7 from 5-7 p.m. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Light of the World Childhood Cancer Foundation, Inc. The first 200 tickets are $30 with the price then increasing to $40.
EDC DONATES TO THREE LOCAL CHARITIES
Earlier this month Insomniac donated $105,000 raised through this year’s Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) ticket sales to three local nonprofit organizations, honoring the company’s commitment to giving back to the communities where their festivals are produced. This year’s recipients include the Injured Police Officers Fund, Emergency Medicine Resident Research Fund and HELP of Southern Nevada’s Shannon West Homeless Youth Center. Tickets for EDC 2016 are now on sale with the festival returning June 17-19.
