Poll : 13 August - 26 August 2014

Analysis

Since we first posted this poll, there has been even more seismic activity on the show front, with the abrupt and indefinite closure of Celine's show, the total closing of the Clarion, and with it the Wolf Theater, and the non-opening of a second show, Viva Veracruz, at Planet Hollywood. Meanwhile, we did a quick tally and counted no less than 19 music-artist/genre tribute shows, of one form or another. Your votes spoke volumes; we'll let your email feedback do the rest:

• I miss live music in the lounges. As a Baby Boomer, I'm not going to clubs but my choices are limited. Last trip we spent time at the Trop and Paris because they had bands in their lounges. It's fun: you have dinner, see a show, gamble, and dance. I wish more casinos had live music."
  
  
• "The prices are stupid expensive. The last show I paid anywhere near retail for was LOVE and I still felt disappointed with only 25% off. For FREE (MyVegas slots on Facebook) my wife and I saw Zumanity and ended the show as the happily married old couple slow dancing and kissing on stage. [Ed: Aw! Good for you.]
  
  
• "I would like to see the cirque shows go away and have them replaced with Broadway shows. Look how long Jersey Boys has been playing. It was much better than the movie. I loved Mamma Mia also. Sorry to see that it closed so soon, but maybe it had run its course at Mandalay Bay." [Ed: Vegas has tried with Broadway shows -- Hairspray, The Producers, Avenue Q, Spamalot etc. and they all flopped. (This writer saw three of those and adored Avenue Q and the furry orange taxis it used to advertise itself, got a hoot out of Hasselhoff in The Producers but was unimpressed by the rest, and thought Spamalot was a painful embarrassment, so I would venture that production quality and other factors definitely applied here, in addition to finding an unreceptive audience in Sin City.) It seems that the Smith Center, where touring productions can be accommodated, has opened the window and some acclaimed Broadway productions have graced its stages, so check their event listings. But Broadway on the Strip has a lousy track record.]
  
  
• "My wife and I are 'all cirqued out!' We've seen so many shows over the years that it's hard to find anything new. One thing we both like is good music. We look for shows off-Strip at locals bars and casinos. There's some pretty amazing talent out there: Red Rock, Cannery, M Resort and Vamp'd are just a few. Check 'em out!" [Ed: A solid tip -- check the recent QoD we ran on 8/19/14 with regard to some off-the-beaten path entertainment options.]
  
  
• "I ALWAYS watch to see what comedians, concerts, and performers are in Vegas when I visit. I find that the acoustics, sight lines, and show productions are better in Vegas than other venues. Expensive? Sure, but Elton John's Red Piano at Caesars was a once in a lifetime visit. And comedy variety? Outside of LA or NY, you won't find more comedy at a reasonable price. But you can't drag me or give me free tickets to a Cirque Du Soleil show."
  
  
• "I like to see -only-in-Las-Vegas' shows -- big, splashy, glittery, wow-inducing productions. Most of the Broadway shows have been disappointing, except for Jersey Boys [Ed: See our prior comment]. I would like to see concerts by real singers and musicians, like Tony Bennett, Michael Buble, Adele, Ed Sheeran, Caetano Veloso, Sting, Lorde and many others who don't lip-sync their way through a show." [Ed: So, we guess Britney's off your to-do list, then LOL. Lorde has played here a couple of times lately, and there were rumors about Adele but nothing materialized. Saw Sting at Red Rock opening and he was awesome, but that was a private poolside gig. Smug? Hell, yeah!]
  
  
• "I usually try to do a cheaper show or two while in town (Mac King, Jeff Civilico, etc), along with one "bigger" show (something Cirque, Blue Man, etc). Either way, I'm always looking for a deal, whether it's the LVA book, an online discount code, or I happen to see something walking past a Tix4Tonight booth." [Ed: That's the way to do it!]
  
  
• "Why can't folks enjoy a show in their seats? Unless I'm on a front row somehow, forget about it. Recently I read a positive show review here on LVA. The writer said,'the audience was on its feet the entire time.' Thanks for the warning, fella, I'll mark that one off my list."
  
  
• "Typically, when we see a show, it is for a musical group or a comedian, who happens to be here, the same time that we are. I did make the exception for Zumanity for my 40th birthday and that was a show worth the money!"
  
  
• "I prefer novelty shows, such as Zombie Burlesque, Shag With a Twist, and the marvelous Little Legends (celebrity impersonations by little-people performers). And I still enjoy good lounge acts you can dance to, e.g,. The Nite Kings Motown revue that plays weekly at Sam's Town and The Orleans.' [Ed: Toni -- yes, I know this is you, and you know I know haha! -- check out the previous QoD ref. if you missed that one re alt. ent. options around these parts, some within stumbling distance of Frankie's Tiki Room. Jus' sayin' ;-)]
  
  "I saw Danny Gans around 2002 and hated the show so much that I didn't see another Vegas show until last year when, on a dare, I saw Carrot Top. Loved it. On my next trip, I plan on seeing Absinthe! ;-)" [Ed: Whoa, there'll be no stopping you now! We're so happy you got your show mojo back. There's plenty more good stuff where those two came from.]