Archives
June 2006
6/30/06
Beatlemania Is Back: The Beatles 'Love' by Cirque du Soleil Opens With Galaxy of Stars -- NEW PHOTOS
6/29/06
6/28/06
6/27/06
6/26/06
6/23/06
6/22/06
6/21/06
6/20/06
6/19/06
6/16/06
6/15/06
6/14/06
6/13/06
6/12/06
6/12/06
6/9/06
6/9/06
6/8/06
6/7/06
6/6/06
6/5/06
6/5/06
6/2/06
6/1/06
Friday, June 30, 2006
It may well go on the record books as the biggest celebrity turnout of all time for a Vegas premiere -- if not the entire world! The guest list for the world premiere of the new Beatles 'LOVE' musical from Cirque du Soleil at the Mirage is extraordinary. The two surviving Beatles, Sir Paul McCartney, and Ringo Starr, will be joined by the Beatle widows Yoko Ono, Cynthia Lennon and Olivia Harrison, along with their children Julian Lennon, Sean Ono Lennon, Blair Harrison, and Dhani Harrison.
(Click on the Luxe Life Photo Album to the left for new 'LOVE' stage shots)
It’s a highly significant reunion between John Lennon’s widows Yoko and Cynthia who, according to my newspaper pals in London, have been embroiled in a long bitter feud – the longest in showbusiness? - since his death. With them both flying into Vegas, it may indicate they’ve patched up their differences and have made a truce -- well at least for one night! Original Beatles producer Sir George Martin and his son Giles, who both re-mastered all the 130 recorded components from the original Abbey Road recordings into the soundtrack for the new show, will be on the red carpet with them.
The remainder of the guest list boggles the mind: It includes our hometown heroes, singer Phyllis McGuire plus illusionists Siegfried & Roy, with their Havana Nights producer Lynette Chappel and a slew of stars jetting in from both coasts and as far away as London for the royal British themed weekend: Siegfried & Roy, Prince, Sheila E., Woody Harrelson, Billy Crystal, Tony Bennett, Megan Mullally, Eddie Murphy, Busta Rhymes, Virginia Madsen, John Densmore (The Doors), Jennifer Coolidge, Michael Richards, Elisha Cuthbert, Sean Avery (LA Kings), Brian Wilson (Beach Boys), Eliza Dushku, Rachel Leigh Cook, Dylan McDermott, Gina Gershon, Jason Patric, Dita Von Teese, Shannon Elizabeth, Helen Mirren and Taylor Hackford, Neil Patrick Harris, Elizabeth Berkley, Deborah Harry, Heatherette, Dhani Jones (Philadelphia Eagles), Victoria Tennant, Roberta Flack, David LaChapelle, Danny Gans, George Wallace, David Brenner, Kevin Nealon, Wayne Brady, Paul Reiser, Chris Ferguson, Carrot Top, Melissa Rivers, Eric Idle, Colin Hay, Richard Marx, Billy Squier, Edgar Winter, Gus Van Zant, Annie Duke, Nigel Lythgoe ('So You Think You Can Dance'), Steve and Maureen Van Zandt, Jeff Lynne (ELO), Dave Stewart (Eurythmics), Phyllis McGuire, Mitsou Gélinas, Ginette Reno, André-Philippe Gagnon, David Foster and Humberto Gatica, among others.
We’ll have full photo coverage of the red carpet and grand-gala from our ace-lensman, Scott Doctor, when we post our next Luxe Life journal right after the July 4 holiday. Cirque officials confirmed George Harrison’s widow, Olivia Harrison’s surprise revelation that Vegas was not their first choice for the Cirque production. She said that even before her husband died from a losing cancer battle they wanted to launch it first in London and then they all agreed to do it in New York. But as a result of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, it was decided to move it to Vegas.
Just hours before the eagerly anticipated “world premiere curtain up,” LUXE LIFE was invited to the former Siegfried & Roy theater, (It underwent a complete makeover increasing by a thousand seats to 2,200 in the round for the $165 million music-packed show). And you can click here for our previous Luxe Life coverage ands exclusive interviews with Guy LaLiberte, Cirque’s founders and his creative team on 'LOVE.'
I asked my friend, Alan Hills, the ‘LOVE’ company manager, to pen a few last minute thoughts:
The cast and crew are heading into the final countdown. As spectacular as the show was when we first presented it to a live audience on May 13, this past month has developed the production into a much tighter, more spirited and finely tuned show. The audience reactions over this past month have been incredibly helpful in fine tuning everything from the amazing music mix by Sir George and Giles Martin to the timing of lighting and show automation cues so critical to the overall effects we are achieving. The cast is treated to a standing ovation at every performance. The audience fills the room with a virtual tide of joy and excitement! The creative team is putting their final touches on the show during the last rehearsals. As with any Cirque show, it will continue to grow and develop over time, but we are ready to open and show the world this amazing new production called ‘LOVE.’
In fact, when I talked with director Dominic Champagne, he told me: “When Sir Paul McCartney saw it last weekend, he gave me ‘notes.’ He asked me to slow the continuity so that the audience had time to applaud between scenes. I gave into him immediately. He was enchanted by the show and he knew the entire audience was too, so he wanted them to feel emotionally in-between so the feelings weren’t lost. This truly is a marriage of the magnificent words and music of The Beatles and the magic we’ve come to know as Cirque. Let’s just hope that everybody will understand their message that where once was a bombsite from war, there could come a green garden of peace.”
And music maestros Sir George and Giles Martin (pictured above), who transformed all the old analog recordings into a full digital remix, told me in their music sound-room backstage: “ Paul was awestruck. He just couldn’t believe that music he’d written in his bedroom or in a van when he was a teenager was winding up in this mega-show in Vegas. As we show it to the world, we are entirely happy with what we have created from their music, which remains as the true star of the show. We’ve seen people crying as it brought back incredible memories. People have told us it was just like being at one of their live shows from years ago.”
They revealed that the 95-minute soundtrack will be extended to about 110 minutes for the fall release of the CD, but it will be up to Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr to have the final choice on the additional material to be included. “We’ make musical suggestions, but their word will be final,” said Sir George.
The director commented during our video shoot for an upcoming Luxe Life All Access tour: “I don’t think of it as a musical. Nor is it a rock show. You cannot call it a play and it definitely isn’t another Cirque show. So you can only describe it as totally unique. Cirque is not out front this time, The Beatles are, their music is. We are small compared to their greatness. We chose the music not as their greatest hits but as the songs to give us the most magical theatrical elements.“
My favorites already? The grand-piano filled with soapy bubbles for ‘Strawberry Fields,’ the human and mechanical yellow rubber boots stomping to ‘Lady Madonna,’ the underwater ballet for ‘Mr. Octopus’s Garden’ and the absolutely heart-stopping amazing skateboarders and the acrobat on the 360-degree rotating plank 30 ft. above the stage -- without any safety protection at all -- moving to the music of ‘Help.’
Beatlemania is back, even bigger than the ‘60s. Go see it and you too will understand that ‘All you need is Love.’
STRIP SCRIBBLES
Cirque’s new Beatles show is grabbing all the attention, but it’s other spectacles around town still get plenty of attention: Steven Spielberg’s son Max celebrated his 21st birthday here taking all his friends to see KA at MGM Grand - his second visit this year following one on his younger sister’s birthday!! … Leonardo DiCaprio caught “O”, with a group of friends including Bar Refaeli, his new 20-year-old Israeli swimsuit model girlfriend and actor Lucas Hass at Bellagio. They arrived thru a secret side entrance just in time to see “curtain up” but vanished immediately afterwards without going backstage to meet the cast ... Meantime, hotel mogul Steve Wynn has begun planning the changes he wants in his ‘Le Reve’ show -- removing gymnastic elements and inserting dramatic, provocative and sensual dance choreography.
ROBIN'S ROYAL RUNDOWN
Congratulations to the first chef of Vegas: Chef Andre Rochat, who celebrates his 26th anniversary tonight at his Andre’s downtown restaurant. He spearheaded good cuisine in 1980s, which was 11 years before Wolfgang Puck started the celebrity-chef craze here. His special $150 per person menu includes wondrous wines, crackling champagnes and fabulous food. It’s a heaven on earth dining experience but if you prefer to walk the wilder side of Vegas here’s the full list of other bodily experiences that await in what we affectionately call ROBIN'S ROYAL RUNDOWN:
Friday,
June 30
Gala Premiere of The Beatles ‘LOVE’ by
Cirque du Soleil at the Mirage
944’s weekend long partybash at the
Palms continues into Monday morning.
Blue Man Group previews ‘Live at The
Venetian’ CD at the hotel’s Acquaknox restaurant.
‘Superman Returns’ -- IMAX
premiere at Brenden Theaters in the Palms with Shaquille O’Neal ‘s Star
presentation
Pink comes home to prove she’s very
much alive with the I’m Not Dead Tour at the Mandalay
Bay Beach
Comedy is king with Andrew Dice Clay’s
loud vulgar version at Mandalay Bay; Wayne Brady at the Mirage tonight and
tomorrow and from small screen to live on stage, Craig Ferguson at The Orleans
thru Sunday night
Chuck Mangione blows smooth jazz at the
Suncoast thru Sunday night
The Mount Charles Jazz Festival plays
away in cooler climes thru Sunday night
Funky soul from Kool & The Gang
(pictured) tonight and tomorrow at the Silverton
Countrytime with Dwight Yoakam at Star
of the Desert
Saturday,
July 1
More ‘LOVE’ but solo this time with
Ringo Starr at Mandalay
Bay
Original Beach Boy Brian Wilson goes
solo at the Cannery
The Scorpions sting with their
blistering power at the Hard Rock.
Artist Christian Lassen unveils a
$500,000 Lamborghini painted in his unique Hawaiian sea-styles at his gallery
in the Forum Shops in Caesars.
Sunday,
July 2
Sunset Thomas joins the X Girls at the Aladdin
as a guest star.
The Beach Boys bring the sounds of summer
‘urfing USA’
to where-else but Mandalay
Bay’s
Beach!
Trisha Yearwood has those country hits
cranking at the Cannery.
Monday,
July 3
Christopher Cross sails into Lake
Las Vegas
with pop-rock-folk music of America
for a patriotic Independence Day celebration
Grammy singer-songwriter Lisa Loeb
plays a poolside concert at the Suncoast
Social Distortion, Hawthorne Heights
are just two of the headline groups for the Red, White & Boom festival at
Desert Breeze Park with Jeff Beacher as MC.
Tuesday
July 4
Poison will kill with its unique hard
rock appropriately at the Hard Rock Hotel.
Red White & Boom continues on track
with Train and Away Station – playing until the end of the line!
Stars & Strippers Celebration at
Light in The Bellagio.
SPECIAL
NOTE
A Happy July 4th Holiday Weekend to everybody. Enjoy your 4-day break. Luxe Life will be back again on WEDNESDAY with the full ‘LOVE’ opening glitter and glamour. Then, Thursday we’ll have the start of two special weeks of great guest columnists while I take a much needed vacation break over in Italy. Some good Vegas friends, who represent all the wonderful worlds of this city: entertainment, nightlife, luxury services and business, have kindly come to my rescue to ensure the wonderful world of Luxe Life continues in my absence. Everybody from Rita Rudner, Carrot Top, Rich Little and a host of other stars have picked up pen to paper and will turn in daily guest columns so click here everyday while I’m away for your regular Luxe Life journal, but with a completely different viewpoint!
CONTACT US
You can share your LOVE in a musical note with an
email to robinsvegas@aol.com For HELP
to ensure you don’t miss one magnificent memo in the new high-pitched edition, click
here
or at the 'Alert Me' up top if you’d like to know simultaneously as
the brand new Luxe Life is posted.
Go to AOL Vegas for much more on hotels, casinos, restaurants, nightlife, and everything Las Vegas! Check our travel section for great deals on hotels, airfare and much more! And when visiting Vegas, be sure to see Las Vegas Magazine in your hotel suite featuring a print edition of AOL Vegas Luxe Life, and an incredible directory of attractions, shows and restaurants.
robinsvegas at 9:00:00 AM PDT Blog about this entry |
Add to del.icio.us | 
digg this
Beatlemania Is Back: The Beatles 'Love' by Cirque du Soleil Opens With Galaxy of Stars -- NEW PHOTOS
It may well go on the record books as the biggest celebrity turnout of all time for a Vegas premiere -- if not the entire world! The guest list for the world premiere of the new Beatles 'LOVE' musical from Cirque du Soleil at the Mirage is extraordinary. The two surviving Beatles, Sir Paul McCartney, and Ringo Starr, will be joined by the Beatle widows Yoko Ono, Cynthia Lennon and Olivia Harrison, along with their children Julian Lennon, Sean Ono Lennon, Blair Harrison, and Dhani Harrison.
(Click on the Luxe Life Photo Album to the left for new 'LOVE' stage shots)
It’s a highly significant reunion between John Lennon’s widows Yoko and Cynthia who, according to my newspaper pals in London, have been embroiled in a long bitter feud – the longest in showbusiness? - since his death. With them both flying into Vegas, it may indicate they’ve patched up their differences and have made a truce -- well at least for one night! Original Beatles producer Sir George Martin and his son Giles, who both re-mastered all the 130 recorded components from the original Abbey Road recordings into the soundtrack for the new show, will be on the red carpet with them.
The remainder of the guest list boggles the mind: It includes our hometown heroes, singer Phyllis McGuire plus illusionists Siegfried & Roy, with their Havana Nights producer Lynette Chappel and a slew of stars jetting in from both coasts and as far away as London for the royal British themed weekend: Siegfried & Roy, Prince, Sheila E., Woody Harrelson, Billy Crystal, Tony Bennett, Megan Mullally, Eddie Murphy, Busta Rhymes, Virginia Madsen, John Densmore (The Doors), Jennifer Coolidge, Michael Richards, Elisha Cuthbert, Sean Avery (LA Kings), Brian Wilson (Beach Boys), Eliza Dushku, Rachel Leigh Cook, Dylan McDermott, Gina Gershon, Jason Patric, Dita Von Teese, Shannon Elizabeth, Helen Mirren and Taylor Hackford, Neil Patrick Harris, Elizabeth Berkley, Deborah Harry, Heatherette, Dhani Jones (Philadelphia Eagles), Victoria Tennant, Roberta Flack, David LaChapelle, Danny Gans, George Wallace, David Brenner, Kevin Nealon, Wayne Brady, Paul Reiser, Chris Ferguson, Carrot Top, Melissa Rivers, Eric Idle, Colin Hay, Richard Marx, Billy Squier, Edgar Winter, Gus Van Zant, Annie Duke, Nigel Lythgoe ('So You Think You Can Dance'), Steve and Maureen Van Zandt, Jeff Lynne (ELO), Dave Stewart (Eurythmics), Phyllis McGuire, Mitsou Gélinas, Ginette Reno, André-Philippe Gagnon, David Foster and Humberto Gatica, among others.
We’ll have full photo coverage of the red carpet and grand-gala from our ace-lensman, Scott Doctor, when we post our next Luxe Life journal right after the July 4 holiday. Cirque officials confirmed George Harrison’s widow, Olivia Harrison’s surprise revelation that Vegas was not their first choice for the Cirque production. She said that even before her husband died from a losing cancer battle they wanted to launch it first in London and then they all agreed to do it in New York. But as a result of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, it was decided to move it to Vegas.
Just hours before the eagerly anticipated “world premiere curtain up,” LUXE LIFE was invited to the former Siegfried & Roy theater, (It underwent a complete makeover increasing by a thousand seats to 2,200 in the round for the $165 million music-packed show). And you can click here for our previous Luxe Life coverage ands exclusive interviews with Guy LaLiberte, Cirque’s founders and his creative team on 'LOVE.'
I asked my friend, Alan Hills, the ‘LOVE’ company manager, to pen a few last minute thoughts:
The cast and crew are heading into the final countdown. As spectacular as the show was when we first presented it to a live audience on May 13, this past month has developed the production into a much tighter, more spirited and finely tuned show. The audience reactions over this past month have been incredibly helpful in fine tuning everything from the amazing music mix by Sir George and Giles Martin to the timing of lighting and show automation cues so critical to the overall effects we are achieving. The cast is treated to a standing ovation at every performance. The audience fills the room with a virtual tide of joy and excitement! The creative team is putting their final touches on the show during the last rehearsals. As with any Cirque show, it will continue to grow and develop over time, but we are ready to open and show the world this amazing new production called ‘LOVE.’
In fact, when I talked with director Dominic Champagne, he told me: “When Sir Paul McCartney saw it last weekend, he gave me ‘notes.’ He asked me to slow the continuity so that the audience had time to applaud between scenes. I gave into him immediately. He was enchanted by the show and he knew the entire audience was too, so he wanted them to feel emotionally in-between so the feelings weren’t lost. This truly is a marriage of the magnificent words and music of The Beatles and the magic we’ve come to know as Cirque. Let’s just hope that everybody will understand their message that where once was a bombsite from war, there could come a green garden of peace.”
And music maestros Sir George and Giles Martin (pictured above), who transformed all the old analog recordings into a full digital remix, told me in their music sound-room backstage: “ Paul was awestruck. He just couldn’t believe that music he’d written in his bedroom or in a van when he was a teenager was winding up in this mega-show in Vegas. As we show it to the world, we are entirely happy with what we have created from their music, which remains as the true star of the show. We’ve seen people crying as it brought back incredible memories. People have told us it was just like being at one of their live shows from years ago.”
They revealed that the 95-minute soundtrack will be extended to about 110 minutes for the fall release of the CD, but it will be up to Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr to have the final choice on the additional material to be included. “We’ make musical suggestions, but their word will be final,” said Sir George.
The director commented during our video shoot for an upcoming Luxe Life All Access tour: “I don’t think of it as a musical. Nor is it a rock show. You cannot call it a play and it definitely isn’t another Cirque show. So you can only describe it as totally unique. Cirque is not out front this time, The Beatles are, their music is. We are small compared to their greatness. We chose the music not as their greatest hits but as the songs to give us the most magical theatrical elements.“
My favorites already? The grand-piano filled with soapy bubbles for ‘Strawberry Fields,’ the human and mechanical yellow rubber boots stomping to ‘Lady Madonna,’ the underwater ballet for ‘Mr. Octopus’s Garden’ and the absolutely heart-stopping amazing skateboarders and the acrobat on the 360-degree rotating plank 30 ft. above the stage -- without any safety protection at all -- moving to the music of ‘Help.’
Beatlemania is back, even bigger than the ‘60s. Go see it and you too will understand that ‘All you need is Love.’
STRIP SCRIBBLES
Cirque’s new Beatles show is grabbing all the attention, but it’s other spectacles around town still get plenty of attention: Steven Spielberg’s son Max celebrated his 21st birthday here taking all his friends to see KA at MGM Grand - his second visit this year following one on his younger sister’s birthday!! … Leonardo DiCaprio caught “O”, with a group of friends including Bar Refaeli, his new 20-year-old Israeli swimsuit model girlfriend and actor Lucas Hass at Bellagio. They arrived thru a secret side entrance just in time to see “curtain up” but vanished immediately afterwards without going backstage to meet the cast ... Meantime, hotel mogul Steve Wynn has begun planning the changes he wants in his ‘Le Reve’ show -- removing gymnastic elements and inserting dramatic, provocative and sensual dance choreography.
ROBIN'S ROYAL RUNDOWN
Congratulations to the first chef of Vegas: Chef Andre Rochat, who celebrates his 26th anniversary tonight at his Andre’s downtown restaurant. He spearheaded good cuisine in 1980s, which was 11 years before Wolfgang Puck started the celebrity-chef craze here. His special $150 per person menu includes wondrous wines, crackling champagnes and fabulous food. It’s a heaven on earth dining experience but if you prefer to walk the wilder side of Vegas here’s the full list of other bodily experiences that await in what we affectionately call ROBIN'S ROYAL RUNDOWN:
Friday,
June 30
A Happy July 4th Holiday Weekend to everybody. Enjoy your 4-day break. Luxe Life will be back again on WEDNESDAY with the full ‘LOVE’ opening glitter and glamour. Then, Thursday we’ll have the start of two special weeks of great guest columnists while I take a much needed vacation break over in Italy. Some good Vegas friends, who represent all the wonderful worlds of this city: entertainment, nightlife, luxury services and business, have kindly come to my rescue to ensure the wonderful world of Luxe Life continues in my absence. Everybody from Rita Rudner, Carrot Top, Rich Little and a host of other stars have picked up pen to paper and will turn in daily guest columns so click here everyday while I’m away for your regular Luxe Life journal, but with a completely different viewpoint!
CONTACT US
You can share your LOVE in a musical note with an
email to robinsvegas@aol.com For HELP
to ensure you don’t miss one magnificent memo in the new high-pitched edition, click
here
or at the 'Alert Me' up top if you’d like to know simultaneously as
the brand new Luxe Life is posted.
Go to AOL Vegas for much more on hotels, casinos, restaurants, nightlife, and everything Las Vegas! Check our travel section for great deals on hotels, airfare and much more! And when visiting Vegas, be sure to see Las Vegas Magazine in your hotel suite featuring a print edition of AOL Vegas Luxe Life, and an incredible directory of attractions, shows and restaurants.
robinsvegas at 9:00:00 AM PDT Blog about this entry |
Add to del.icio.us | digg this
