Aha! Funny you should ask. It was back on 6/18, when we ran a QoD about where to catch live blues in Las Vegas, that we first came across details about this festival. Since then? Nada. Hence, we confess to having totally forgotten about it, what with all the other myriad events that have been announced and taken place in the interim.
So, what of the Sin City Soul & Blues Revival? Why the deafening silence?
Some digging around revealed that evidently there has been some kind of major falling-out between former host the Rio and the event organizers. There's a lawsuit pending so neither side is saying anything about what went down, but it was a mere week ago that an announcement was posted on the official website for the event, explaining that it was no longer possible for the festival to take place at the Rio, but that the Riviera had stepped in gallantly at the 11th hour and was now going to host. (Apparently, we weren't the only ones out of the loop, since the Las Vegas Review-Journal featured a write-up posted as recently September 12, in which the organizers were quoted as referring to the Sin City Soul & Blues Revival as the "most comfortable blues festival on the planet" thanks to the 40-plus bands on "two air-conditioned stages, plus one at the Rio’s fabulous pool!" Urm, not so much.)
There will still be poolside music however, thanks to the heroes of the hour at the Riv, who've also made performance spaces available at The Royale Pavilion, The Top of The Riv, and The Casino Lounge Stage. Room packages were also made available but sold out fast. The good news is that tickets are still available for all three days (with significant discounts for locals) and the band line-up is impressive, featuring the likes of the Robert Cray Band, Los Lonely Boys, Tab Benoit, Tedeschi-Truck Band, and many others. There will be discounted drinks and dining options for ticket holders -- check the FAQ link below for more information.
We're intrigued to discover what happened behind the scenes, but as the organizers triumphantly posted on the event's FAQ page, "The Show Must Go On!" and thanks to some fast moves by the Riv (most unusual in this city where corporate wheels tend to crank pretty slowly and impulse decisions featuring the word "yes" are almost unheard of), go on it will. Without any additional information, we're loath to make too much comment, but it does seem like yet another instance of Caesars Entertainment doing something unpopular, while the new management at the Riv continues to impress us with its customer-friendly approach.
We hope everyone involved has a great time and that the event is a huge success.
