Las Vegas Shows Reviews

Las Vegas Shows and Entertainment:
George Wallace Show Tickets and Reviews

• George Wallace Picture Gallery (coming soon)
• George Wallace - Show Tickets
• George Wallace Performing At: Flamingo Hotel and Casino

The George Wallace Show Gets Better

Reviewed May, 2006 by Phil Arnold

The George Wallace Show in Las Vegas has been in town for a little over two years, and it has gotten better. The show was good two years ago when I saw it, but I think Wallace is even more comfortable with Las Vegas audiences than he was before. In many ways he plays the audience like a skilled fisherman.

He evaluates the audience as he goes, and adjusts to the audience. If you go and see shows on back-to-back nights you are likely to see 75% different material than you did the night before. What will you see when you go see George Wallace at the Flamingo Hotel and Casino? You will see a very funny show. You know that Wallace is going to talk about “I be thinking,” how he has been observing people and situations, and he will offer some common sense, but really funny suggestions and solutions.

He will pick on some people in the audience, joking good-naturedly about audience members, often related to various professions. If you are a lawyer, or work at an airport, you might get picked on. And if you are a prison guard who is wearing an orange jump suit, you might get picked on. It is going to vary considerably from night to night. But one common ground is that George Wallace is going to be funny.

The night I saw the show, there was a gospel singer, who looked awkward coming out of the audience to sing, until she let her voice float across the big room. And the guy sitting next to me was a Rodney Dangerfield impersonator who did about five minutes of material after Wallace came down into the audience to have some more fun.

George Wallace emphasizes you never know what you are going to see at the G.W. show. It could be Frank Grata doing Rodney Dangerfield, and getting a lot of laughs, or it could be Chris Rock getting up on stage and doing 30 minutes. I think Wallace just loves the way his show varies, and the very real possibility somebody unexpected will show up at his show. In a lot of ways, I think his show is probably as old school Vegas as it gets right now because you never know who may be in the crowd, and who you as an audience member might get to see at the show.

But the main thing is Wallace is really funny, and not just to one group of people, but across cultural and age divisions. Everyone can feel comfortable with George Wallace, except when they are laughing so hard they are starting to hurt. There is another bonus about George Wallace. Yes, he really works hard to promote his show, which has been alive for over two years, when it was originally expected just to last a few months. Don’t forget your camera for the meet and greet after the show, or you can always buy a T-shirt which he is all too happy to sign.

But mainly he is an extremely friendly man on stage, somebody that almost everyone in the audience can identify with, and laugh with. In case I haven’t said very much about George Wallace and his show, let me give you this opinion. This is the best comedy show in town, bar none. This is the best late show in town of shows that only has the late show time slot. And in my opinion, the George Wallace show is the second best show in town.

If I want to go see a funny show in Vegas, this is my first choice. You never know what exactly you may see. You never know who you may hear, but one thing for sure, you know you are going to see a very funny show, and that makes this show such a great value. I rate this show a 9.5 out of a possible 10, and say check it out if you are in Las Vegas and have a chance to see it.

• George Wallace Picture Gallery (coming soon)
• George Wallace - Show Tickets
• George Wallace Performing At: Flamingo Hotel and Casino

Return To Las Vegas Shows Reviews Main Menu

Looking For More?
Las Vegas Headliners and Concert Listings

Comments(0)

Las Vegas Shows and Entertainment:
Blue Man Group Show Tickets and Reviews

• Blue Man Group Picture Gallery
  
• Blue Man Group Streaming Video: Dial-Up or Broadband
  
• Blue Man Group Show Tickets
  
• Blue Man Group Performing At: Venetian Las Vegas
  

Blue Man Group at Venetian Las Vegas

Reviewed May 2006
by Nancy Hruska

Why are the people in the front row wearing plastic covering over their clothes? Why is there an oversized DNA strand on stage? What are those brass figures in each corner of the showroom? These peculiar embellishments aren’t often found in top of the line Vegas entertainment so curiosity is peaked by even the most sedated audience members.

Far before the world renowned Blue Man Group show’s curtain slides, those waiting for God only knows what, share the same questioning cocked head…what in the world?…what on earth are they going to do with that? And this disorientation, this vacation from the norm, is exactly what the show celebrates: curiosity, experimentation, and the human condition. These three endearing blue men explore the world through witty comical and even thoughtful outbursts that can’t help but capture the hearts of everyone.

Expressionless, investigative, they reveal themselves and start the show with the obvious intention of getting themselves and audience members in trouble. Plastic covering in the front row is now recognized as imperative due to drum number where in which flying paint is as prevalent as the percussion itself. (Paint is a consistent and necessary ingredient in this outlandish recipe for visual and sensual fun).

Music, which is the true soul of the show, takes no time introducing itself. The band, stashed away in every corner of the stage high and low, dressed in fluorescent paint suits so the black light effect reveals something like video game skeleton musicians, explodes with powerful chords, monstrous percussion, and dramatic rifts. The sound is utterly deviant and shakes the core of everyone, no matter what.

The trio likes to experiment with their own musical expresssion though not through conventional composition. Rather, their exploits of sound include playing plumbing pipes, PVC indeed. Some of their original instruments include the “Tubulum,” a 4″ PVC pipe with rubber reeds on the end struck with drumsticks. Another, the “Drumulum,” is a drum with a sliding PVC pipe under it to adjust pitch. These among others get everyone moving as the blue men have an enviable knack for playing things that are normally attached to a toilet.

Art is certainly not an element to be left out of their weird formula for entertainment. One dared to work their genius by catching innumerable gumballs in their mouth then decorating a canvas in a way which paint brushes would be of no consequence and completely useless.

But ultimately, probably the favorite thing these blueberry epidermis triplets love to to do is mess with minds; in particular those malleable brains already confused and stuffed in a showroom. Whether they’re taking people on stage and shaking their world up a bit with twinkies and paint or going the more subliminal route so individuals are out their heads still in their seats, these blue soldiers have a method for it all. Poking fun is the underlying theme of it all. One demonstration of light hearted humility is a little number called howtobearockstar.com. The audience is taken through Dance 101 with horrible overly satirical dance moves and singing lessons in order to “fake it til’ you make it” and achieve pop star status. The victims: media and pop culture, but one ought not to take offense. After all, these hue challenged guys like to sit around and see how much stuff they can fit into their mouths.

A light show near the end of the production nearly caps off the journey through sensation. Stunning imagery and earth moving sound wrapped up neatly in a premise that makes fun of the fast and furious digital age leaves both senses and intellects truly stimulated. But one sense is still missing…touch. Without warning this is remedied as back to front of the audience comes a sea of paper. Rolls and rolls of paper. Endless to the point where no one knows which way is up. Why? What could this possibly represent? Nothing maybe, or perhaps it was just to bring smiles. Everyone smiles because now all the nonsense makes sense, even the odd brass statues. The DNA, beautiful on it’s own, but better with curiosity, wit, sound, joy and all the wonderfully weird things about being human certainly not to be forgotten.

• Blue Man Group Picture Gallery
  
• Blue Man Group Streaming Video: Dial-Up or Broadband
  
• Blue Man Group Show Tickets
  
• Blue Man Group Performing At: Venetian Las Vegas
  

Return To Las Vegas Shows Reviews Main Menu

Looking For More?
Las Vegas Headliners and Concert Listings

Comments(0)

Las Vegas Shows and Entertainment:
Fab Four Beatles Tribute Show Tickets and Reviews

• Fab Four Beatles Tribute Picture Gallery (coming soon)
• Fab Four Beatles Tribute Show Tickets
• Fab Four Beatles Tribute Performing At: Aladdin Hotel and Casino

Fab Four Beatles Tribute

Reviewed May, 2006 by Phil Arnold

So you are going to see a show by a band impersonating the Beatles. What do you suppose the show is going to be like? I figured it would be some guys in wigs who would play a few songs and well, that would be it.

The Fab Four is better than that. Let’s get too it. The best thing about the Fab Four, a Beatles tribute band is their sound. They sound like the Beatles, and they do a great job of playing the Beatles music. Listening to this show was like watching and listening to a musical autobiography.

The first part of the show, introduced by an Ed Sullivan impersonator, was from the early Beatle’s years. You got to see and hear Help, Hard Days Night, and I Wanna Hold Your Hand. Now when I was kid, the babysitter used to come over and play the Beatles on the radio, and wish she could go see the Beatles when they came to town. Of course back in the mid-60s the teenaged girls of America could wish to see the Beatles, and desire to see their concert, but they would never have heard the Beatles over the screams.

And so Sunday night at the V-Theater in early December, I had an advantage over the screaming masses of young girls in America in the 60’s. I could sit back and enjoy the Beatle’s music. Yes, imagine the Beatles in a club playing and playing and playing some more. Imagine getting to hear the guitars, the keyboards, the drums, the bass, and the harmony of the group. And that is what I enjoyed most about the Fab Four.

I didn’t care about an actor looking like Paul, or an actor being John Lennon exactly. No, I got to hear them sing and play. And listening to the Fab Four makes you realize that the Beatles were probably the best Rock and Roll music writers ever…with apologies to Pete Townsend.

At times the show could be hokey, as the audience stood and danced during Twist and Shout. And yes, maybe it was a little strange when the audience stood and swayed their arms left and right, singing along with Hey Jude. It was a pleasure to hear this Tribute band skillfully play the music of the Beatles. Yes, you listen to the Fab Four and you remember how good the Beatles were.

There are three phases to this show. The early years with the already mentioned songs, the middle years in which the Beatles come out dressed as Sergeant Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. I think we can call this the psychedelic Beatles where they sing Get By With A Little Help From My Friends, their costume song, and Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds. It was great to sit back and hear the music from one of my favorite parts of Rock and Roll history.

And then they came out in their late Beatles costumes, Abbey Road type clothes. We got to hear songs like Yesterday, Hey Jude and Revolution. This show was good enough to be my favorite show that I saw on my last trip in Las Vegas. I give The Fab a 9.0 out of a possible 10, and of all the shows I have seen in Las Vegas, probably around 50 different shows, I consider The Fab Four to be a top five Las Vegas Show. Go and see it in a club type setting like the Beatles should have been seen in.

• Fab Four Beatles Tribute Picture Gallery (coming soon)
• Fab Four Beatles Tribute Show Tickets
• Fab Four Beatles Tribute Performing At: Aladdin Hotel and Casino

Return To Las Vegas Shows Reviews Main Menu

Looking For More?
Las Vegas Headliners and Concert Listings

Comments(0)

Las Vegas Shows and Entertainment:
Headlights and Tailpipes Show Tickets and Reviews

• Headlights and Tailpipes Picture Gallery (coming soon)
• Headlights and Tailpipes - Show Tickets
• Headlights and Tailpipes Performing At: Stardust Hotel and Casino

Headlights and Tailpipes

Reviewed May, 2006 by Phil Arnold

When I first heard about this show, I was thinking this is some serious double entendre. So if I read my double meanings with a sexual implication, this show should be about beautiful girls and fancy cars. In fact, it should be by its implication a topless show with a minimal amount of clothes.

I am not a huge antique car fan. So I was thinking this is going to be just another topless show. Well, it’s not just another topless show. It is certainly not your run of the mill topless show. There are in fact cars I liked in this show. There was a pre-1960 Ford Thunderbird featured during a Beach Boys tune, Fun, Fun, Fun Till Her Daddy Takes Her T-bird Away or whatever that tune is entitled. There is a song about a Pink Cadillac and several other Rock N Roll standards about cars and women. My favorite car was probably a mid-60s Pontiac GTO. There were also Corvettes and Chevy Bel Aires.

Without doubt the strength of this show is the beautiful dancers. There are ten or eleven of the most beautiful ladies you are likely to see in Las Vegas. Melania De Los Santos is one of the dancers, who came over from X-An Erotic Adventure. Meeka and Ruthe also came over from that show. That is a very strong core group of dancers to start off with. If Melania and Meeka are the lead dancers in this show, you know the quality of the overall chorus line is going to be very good.

I was sailing along enjoying the Headlights and Tailpipes, and the vintage music about cars, when a sudden change in the show nearly lost me. From out of nowhere, a former hyperspace Playboy playmate, let’s call her the Mistress, came out and sang kind of a Techno-pop song she had written. Well, I can take some Techno-pop, but I have never heard it with a vocalist. That was pretty unsettling to my musical sensibilities. And then she sang another one of her penned songs that sounded pretty similar. While I didn’t mind her taking shots at Hugh Hefner in song, it would have been nice if it sounded better. Then the next song was a long Rap song. I was ready to leave. My quota for a show is one rap song, but this followed two bad sounding songs.

What saved the show for me was a comic coming out after I was ready to leave by the name of Lonesome Dave. His wife had come out earlier, and she was somewhat funny, but not easy to understand since she was from the Dominican Republic. I thought I was going to have to put up with Lonesome Dave and his guitar doing country music, but he was really funny. So my mood was changed, and I was ready to watch the rest of the show.

Well, the rest of the show included a BMX bicycle group, which I wasn’t very enthusiastic about until they did some back flips off of ramps. I don’t know what bikes have to do with Headlights and Tailpipes, but I liked the flips. I am giving this show an 8.0 out of a possible 10. If you are under 35, don’t mind Tehcno-pop vocals and some Rap, then this is a show you will like even more than I did. I just wasn’t in the demographic. However, I am giving this show a passing grade with some reservations because the dancers are just outstanding.

• Headlights and Tailpipes Picture Gallery (coming soon)
• Headlights and Tailpipes - Show Tickets
• Headlights and Tailpipes Performing At: Stardust Hotel and Casino

Return To Las Vegas Shows Reviews Main Menu

Looking For More?
Las Vegas Headliners and Concert Listings

Comments(0)