From Old School to New Kids — Everybody ’ s Playing Casinos
There was a time it was considered uncool for entertainers to play the casino circuit . No more . In LasVegas , AC and at every stop along the way , contemporary and iconic performers are bringing in fans of every era .
By Marjorie Preston
In November , Wayne Newton announced that his residency at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas would continue through 2020 — the legendary crooner ’ s 61st year in the business of show .
These days , old-school entertainers like “ Mr . Las Vegas ” are sharing the stage with rock ‘ n ’ rollers , country bands , hip-hop artists and even rappers . Stroll the Strip these days and you ’ ll see marquees promoting vintage metal bands ( Aerosmith ), ’ 80s phenoms ( Backstreet Boys ), and contemporary performers ( Drake , Lady Gaga , Bruno Mars ) along with the likes of Barry Manilow and — of course , eternally — Cher .
The sheer breadth of entertainment gets everyone in the door and on the floor , even those who don ’ t typically gravitate toward casinos .
“ The casino demographic is still age 60-plus and down to the early 40s or so , people who are still gambling , but younger ones want things to do as well ,” says veteran entertainment buyer and talent manager Bill Talarico .
“ The only reason you don ’ t see more residencies in Atlantic City is that it ’ s not as much as a resort destination as Las Vegas . But when Vegas residencies take a break — for example , Elton John — the AC casinos can pick up those shows .”
Down Memory Lane
Talarico ’ s resume includes stints at the Trump Taj Mahal , Trump Plaza and Bally ’ s in Atlantic City , back when Nevada and AC were the only games in town . He ’ s been entertainment director at Atlantic City ’ s newest property , the Hard Rock Hotel Casino ; served as tour director for Harry Connick Jr ., Patti Austin and the Gipsy Kings ; and engineered stage productions for the Temptations , Liza Minelli and the Everly Brothers .
He ’ s seen it all , and says nostalgia acts will always go over “ because of the memories . That ’ s what draws people and makes those shows viable in the market . If it didn ’ t touch their heartstrings , they wouldn ’ t come out .”
As writer Shaun Assael somewhat cynically put it , to mount a boffo Vegas show , “ All you had to do was brush off the old act and play to people who didn ’ t see you the first time around because they were busy raising kids and putting food on the table .”
But that ’ s the nature of nostalgia , and comedy acts are potent draws too . Comedians of a certain age and era have the same sort of sentimental appeal — witness the successful pairing of Steve Martin and Martin Short , whose current
Lady Gaga in Las Vegas
Elton John in his Million-Dollar Piano show at Caesars
Bruno Mars has made Vegas his home away from home
global tour includes stops at Atlantic City ’ s Borgata and Hard Rock Live in Hollywood , Florida .
Martin himself has said he and Short initially wanted to do all fresh material . But their audiences demanded at least a taste of the comic routines they loved back in the day .
50 CASINO STYLE 2019