From: Norm Johnson For: Column for 03-14-2022
Along with three of my friends, we headed for the Smith Center in downtown Las Vegas last week to see a friend perform in Myron’s Room. That’s the room where just about every local entertainer in our Village has performed at least once. The first entertainer to open the room 10 years ago, and its first residence performer was my friend, who was also there last Wednesday waiting for Myron(himself)to introduce him. It was Standing Room Only as Clint Holmes walked slowly onto the stage and as is his style, wasted no time getting into his first of 16 musical journey’s he was taking us on this very special evening—"Take it Uptown.” And what a journey it was!
This was without question, the best show I had ever seen him in: and I’ve seen him a lot!
What really made this a journey, like none other, was the short films and videos he was able to use and explain to those who were unfamiliar with his career, which spans a wee bit more than 50 years. Holmes is well known by us locals of always giving 100% when on stage. This particular performance was 150%. He was that damn good! And another little bit of trivia was that the backup singer was his wife, Kelly Clinton. Oh, yeah, another little bit of news, was the return of his long-time friend and former conductor, Bill Fayne as conductor and keyboard. Besides Fayne there was Bill Zappia (also on keys), Steve Flora (bass),Eric Tewalt(sax), and Jakuba Griffin (drums).
Over the many years of recordings Clint Holmes has had only one major hit, a little ditty titled, “”Playground in My Mind,” which was released in early 1972 and “went nowhere.” But, like he told the audience, in December it went crazy and hit the top 100 and kept climbing. And, of course, he sang his big hit.
For close to 100 minutes Holmes showed videos of him hosting the Joan Rivers show, one where not only did Holmes follow a guest star into a pool of water on stage in his suit but challenged Ms. Rivers to jump in also. She did it dressed to the “Nines.” He showed a short film about his idol Mr. Sammy Davis, Jr. followed with his rendition of “Candy Man.” There was an interview he did while working for Entertainment Tonight with the Australian singer-songwriter, musician, and entertainer, known for his flamboyant stage persona, Peter Allen that was preceded with the song “”Sometimes When We Touch,” and followed with “Up a Lazy River.”
Clint’s special guest was Naomi Mauro who performed “Some Other Time,” followed with a duet with Clint on “Cloudburst” and “I Want to be With You.” She is a beautiful singer and added just the right touch to the evening. Clint finished out the evening with “How do you Keep the Music Playing,” “Bluesette,” and “My Own Song,”
THIS AND THAT QUICKLY:
With another special friend I had a fabulous dinner experience at the La Fleur Restaurant inside Mandalay Bay. Had not been there for a while, and I heard it was under new management, so decided to check it out. I was able to get a nice reservation and when we arrived the manager of the room, Eric Sorenson greeted us (I later learned that he greets all guests as they arrive) which is a nice touch.
We ordered out pre-dinner wines, and when the dinner arrived it was quite a presentation; I had a perfectly prepared Filet, while my guest had a beautiful salmon salad. Through out the dinner Eric would stop by and check on us, as he did with all guests we noticed. Not only was the dinner fantastic but the desert was perfection. The price tag may have been a wee bit above average but was well worth it. I promise you will not be disappointed. When arriving tell Eric that Norm sent you.
Las Vegas Mini Grand Prix, the 7-acre, multi-million-dollar amusement and family fun center, located minutes from the Las Vegas Strip, is excited to announce a new partnership with Piff The Magic Dragon, the wildly popular comedic magician performing in the Flamingo Hotel’s Showroom.
The partnership is just one piece of a year full of promotions, events, specials, and surprises as the leader in go karting celebrates its 30th year in business. The park has long featured a Dragon Coaster, creating fond family memories for three generations! So, it’s only fitting, as part of the new partnership, the LVMGP will officially name the roller coaster, the PIFF THE MAGIC DRAGON COASTER. The partnership also features a new package that combines an LVMGP experience with a ticket to the show.
Since breaking out on America’s Got Talent in 2015, Piff the Magic Dragon has won the heart of America through his Vegas residency, network television appearances and non-stop touring. For the past six years, Piff has headlined the iconic Flamingo Hotel and Casino in the heart of the Las Vegas strip, with over 250 shows a year. In 2020, Piff was crowned the winner of TBS’ Tournament of Laughs, triumphing over his heroes Jeff Ross, Natasha Leggero and Judah Friedlander. In 2019, he was voted one of Variety’s Top Ten Comics to Watch and scooped Best Comedian, Best Magician and Best Headliner at the Best of Las Vegas Awards.
“We are super excited to partner with PIFF! His show is so much fun! Our roller coaster is so much fun! Our new DOUBLE DRAGON PACKCAGE is double fun”, says Jim Laughlin, the park’s general manager. To learn more about what’s included in the DOUBLE DRAGON package, or to book yours, visit www.lvmgp.com.
The opera is heading to Laughlin. Edgewater Casino Resort’s E Center and Murphy Broadcasting are set to host a night of famous ballads and arias with “Tenors, Baritones and Sopranos – A Night at the Opera” concert at 7:00 p.m. Saturday, April 2.
“Laughlin draws music lovers of all genres, and we’re thrilled to be able set the stage for a romantic evening with award-winning songs and the storytelling that comes through listening to some of the worlds’ most beloved operas,” said Sean Hammond, senior vice president and general manager of Aquarius Casino Resort and Edgewater Casino Resort.
The “Night at the Opera” will feature 90 minutes of the very best arias, famous ballads, and beautiful music from some of the most popular operas performed by world-class artists. Concertgoers will enjoy selections from “La Bohème,” “Phantom of the Opera,” “Madame Butterfly,” “Tosca,” “La Traviata” and “Les Miserables,” among other award-winning song selections.
“This is the third time we’ll be presenting ‘A Night at the Opera’ at the E Center, and we’re humbled by the extraordinary support we’ve received from Laughlin locals and visitors alike for each performance,” said Rick Murphy, owner of Murphy Broadcasting.
Tickets start at $35 and are available for purchase now at www.Edgewater-Casino.com.Golden Entertainment’s Laughlin resort and casino properties will offer concert and room packages for fans. For more information about Aquarius Casino Resort, visit www.AquariusCasinoResort.com/Entertainment, and for information about Edgewater Casino Resort, visit www.Edgewater-Casino.com/Entertainment.
Situated on the west bank of the Colorado River, Edgewater Casino Resort features 40,000-square-foot state-of-the-art casino with a wide array of slot machines and table games. Edgewater is home to the E Center, a premier live entertainment and special event venue with intimate seating and state-of the-art sound and lighting. A variety of restaurants from fine dining to casual includes PT’s Express, Stockman’s Steakhouse and more.More information is available by calling (866) 352-3553 or (702) 298-2453 and on the website at www.Edgewater-Casino.com.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) Foundation and The Gratitude Project hosted the Fifth Annual Hidden Heroes Gala on Friday, March 4 at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas to celebrate and recognize the men and women of the LVMPD Fusion Watch.
The 2022 Hidden Heroes of the LVMPD Fusion Watch are trained civilian specialists and uniformed officers who work in a 24/7 real-time crime center and virtual crime-fighting unit responsible for the development and deployment of advanced technologies to prevent crime and terrorism in real-time across the Las Vegas Valley, and beyond.
Fusion Watch is responsible for proactive police work and patrol overwatch via its 600+ public safety cameras, gunshot detection systems, drone monitoring and enforcement, tactical workups, intelligence gathering, and much more. Fusion Watch personnel regularly help prevent and fight crime on an ongoing basis and help to keep our officers and citizens safe from violent crimes, sexual assaults and, robberies to misdemeanor crimes, alike.
“The Hidden Heroes Gala is annual event to honor and thank all the Hidden Heroes of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department,” said Nami Oneda, member, Board of Directors, LVMPD Foundation, and founder and president, The Gratitude Project. “It is a wonderful opportunity to meet the Hidden Heroes of the LVMPD and recognize their bravery, selflessness, and their commitment to serve. This event allows us to enjoy our everyday lives and feel safe knowing they are helping to protect us. It is our mission to honor and thank these heroes.”
Started in 2018 in collaboration with The Gratitude Project, the Hidden Heroes Gala benefits the LVMPD Foundation in raising important funds to support LVMPD programs.
“We are honored to partner with The Gratitude Project on this public awareness initiative, that raised $300,000 for programs and initiatives supported by the LVMPD Foundation, as we continue to work to strengthen the relationships between LVMPD and the community,” said Tom Kovach, Executive Director, LVMPD Foundation. “Fusion Watch’s hard work has a tremendously positive impact on public safety, operating virtually and hidden from the public as the unit and its personnel work to combat crime. For these reasons, we celebrate Fusion Watch men and women for their great service to our community as our 2022 Hidden Heroes.”
The Council for Responsible Sport has awarded a Silver certification to the Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lubeat the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.. The speedway met a set of criteria for social and environmental responsibility planning and is the first NASCAR event to earn this distinction – joining the ranks of major sporting events around the world, including the Waste Management Phoenix Open PGA tournament, the men’s, and women’s NCAA basketball Final Four, and the Major League Baseball All-Star game.
“We are very proud to be the first-ever NASCAR event to become a certified responsible event by the Council for Responsible Sport,” said Las Vegas Motor Speedway President, Chris Powell. “We hope this achievement and commitment will inspire other tracks, promoters and events in the sport to also take sustainable action for increased environmental and social responsibility.”
The Council for Responsible Sport is a not-for-profit organization with a vision for responsibly produced sports events and has been helping measure, manage, and verify the social and environmental impacts of events since 2007. “We have a longstanding relationship with Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Speedway Motorsports Incorporated and are proud to help build an increasingly sustainable approach to events,” said Bree Sandlin, Vice President, Shell Lubricants North America Marketing. “At Shell, racing is in our DNA, but we know for the longevity of the sport, we need to reduce the carbon footprint of motorsport events, and today’s announcement is a step in that direction.”
The Pennzoil 400 successfully implemented and demonstrated 36 silver certification standards across five categories and met environmental impact criteria during the 2021 race weekend. Key improvements at the track include the elimination of paper tickets and credentials, upgrading some track lighting to high-efficiency LED lights, repurposing signage, and other equipment, and adding a geothermal system to power the infield.
Shell and Pennzoil also worked with the track and in collaboration with the Joey Logano Foundation to support multiple community efforts including the “Convoy of Hope” where 35,000 lbs. of food was distributed to more than 1,000 deserving families and homeless groups.
“This is a significant accomplishment and on behalf of the entire Council staff and board I would like to say congratulations to Las Vegas Motor Speedway and the Pennzoil 400 on earning the Silver Level Certification,” said Kevin Phelan, Board Member of the Council for Responsible Sport. “Thank you for your contribution towards a world where responsibly produced sports events are the norm in a time when the world so needs acts of voluntary leadership towards a safer and more sustainable future.”
Well, gang, that’s about it for this visit. I’m outa here!