Acts like Cheech and Chong , ’ 60s stoners who once epitomized the pot-smoking counter-culture , have gone from “ underground to mainstream ” and are now staples of the casino stage ; their 2020 tour includes multiple dates at tribal properties , from coast to coast and also in the heartland ( look out , Iowa ).
Big Business
The diversity of entertainment now served up in casinos was reflected at the 2019 Casino Entertainment Awards , a highlight of the G2E trade show held each October .
In 2019 , the CEA Entertainer of the Year award went to Peter Noone , “ Herman ” of the ’ 60s-era pop group Herman ’ s Hermits , in a race that also included Manilow and country hitmaker Dwight Yoakam . This year , the still-youthful Noone will perform at a number of casinos including Mohegan Sun in Connecticut and his Las Vegas stomping grounds , the South Point .
Casinos and entertainers mine extra revenue from these shows with enhanced levels of patron access , says Talarico . “ That ’ s become big business . Now you can get a VIP pass to go backstage and meet performers like Keith Urban , Kenny Chesney and people on that level .”
For example , Live Nation subsidiary VIP Nation offers an “ Ultimate Experience Package ” where , for a price , an avid Ozzy Osbourne fan can slip the velvet rope at Osbourne ’ s No More Tours tour , visit the Prince of Darkness in his dressing room , attend a pre-show sound check , get goodie bags , posters and other memorabilia , and , oh yes , snap a selfie with the former Black Sabbath frontman .
“ People love that part — Instagram and social media have spawned a lot of the VIP experience ,” says Talarico .
High rollers may get the same treatment on a complimentary basis — though of course , they pay while they play .
Martha Reeves : From Motown Songbird to Casino Legend
The first time Martha Reeves and the Vandellas performed in Las Vegas , they shared the bill with none other than the King himself : Elvis Presley . That was 1970 . Today , after more than 50 years , Reeves continues to tour , backed up by her sisters Lois and Delphine , singing hits like “ Come & Get These Memories ,” “ Heat Wave ,” “ Nowhere to Run ,” “ I ’ m Ready for Love ,” “ Jimmy Mack ” and her signature tune , “ Dancing in The Street ,” which was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame .
Casino Style spoke to Reeves from her Detroit home , shortly after she received the CEA ’ s Casino Entertainment Legend Award . The honor recognizes lifetime achievement in the casino entertainment industry — recognition that Reeves richly deserves .
Casino Style : Can you share a few memories of your first time in Las Vegas ? Martha Reeves : I thought we ’ d really made it in show business when were asked to open for Redd Foxx in the lounge of the International Hilton . Elvis was there with the Sweet Inspirations . Ann-Margret was also on that bill , and Pearl Bailey , too , with the road show of ( Broadway musical ) Hello , Dolly !
Around that time , we did a three-month tour of one-nighters all across the United States . Smokey Robinson was the star of the show , singing all the hit records he and the Miracles made . It was 12 acts in the show with a 12-piece band on a broken-down bus , but it opened the way for all of our music to chart . It also opened the hearts of America to our sound , the sound of the Motown family .
Since then , we ’ ve played nearly every casino in Las Vegas : the Sands , Circus Circus , New York New York , and the Four Queens Downtown . It ’ s always been a thrill .
Your hits are timeless and so tuneful . It seems like it would be inevitable that your audiences would sing along , and maybe get up and dance too . There ’ s no “ maybe ” there , honey ! We look forward to it . People know all the songs , and I insist that they sing along — it ’ s a wonderful choir when everyone starts in with , say , “ Nowhere to Run .” Then it ’ s a nice place to be , a place of harmony and unity .
That ’ s how we started , and you know , music helped to settle a lot of the civil rights problems in the early years , when there were still segregated audiences . Back then , people were inhibited ; they didn ’ t think it was right to get up and sing and dance . Then Smokey spoke up at one of our events and said , “ Listen , let ’ s have fun . Our music is family music , so let ’ s all enjoy it as a family , together .”
I don ’ t think there ’ s a person in the world who wouldn ’ t join in and start singing if I were to break into Mary Wells ’ “ My Guy .”
Do you tend to see multiple generations out front at your concerts ? Oh yes , I think three generations come to see our show — grandparents , parents and grandchildren , all enjoying the music together .
You ’ ve been called the Queen Mother of Soul , and you ’ ve had a long and illustrious career . Do you plan to continue touring and performing ? Someone asked me recently when I ’ m going to retire . I told them , “ I am a bird . Birds don ’ t send in retirement papers . They just keep on chirping until they fall off the limb .”
When you ’ ve been onstage as long as I have — well , this is where my happiness is . I ’ ll sing until I can sing no more .
2019 CASINO STYLE 51