GREGRIO, Dec. 15 thru 24, 2007

SAT. 15TH

I had a 7am SOUTHWEST flight...at 8:45 I was at the RIO registration.
I'd called ahead on Wednesday to tip 'em off I was coming and to keep an eye on the rooms I like.
'Rose' had blocked me in for my favorite, it was occupied, but by 1pm I was in and unpacking.
Life at RIO is about the same. CLUB RIO is still closed...RUB, the new BBQ joint that replaced BOMBALEOS still hasn't opened yet, TILTED KILT has been replaced with a new Irish Pub called McFADDENS, the seafood buffet is closed for remodeling, and the MASQUERADE BAR at the far end of the Village has had a total make over...it looks great with lots of new bar top video poker (lots of play choices) AND (lots of terrible pay schdules) but hey...it looks good!

To EVERYONES surprise (especially the dancers) the entertainment company who puts on the 'SHOW IN THE SKY' canceled 10 days of performances at the last minute...NO CHRISTMAS SHOW THIS YEAR. No real explanation either other than they want to move away from the 'kid/family' friendly Show and make it more adult.

They had a tree set up inside the front doors and on the stage, garlands hung through out, Santa hats wondered about along with some left over black cowboy hats from the rodeo.
Out in the Convention Center parking lot, they were building a HUGE dirt down ramp for World Famous Motocross Star ROBBIE MADDISON who will attempt to JUMP the length of a football field while Champion Drifter and Stunt Driver RHYS MILLEN attempts the first-ever back flip of an OFF-ROAD RACING TRUCK ...all on NEW YEARS EVE at the RIO. Watch it LIVE on ESPN.

MY 1ST SHOW was LYNYRD SKYNYRD over in the JOINT at the HARD ROCK.
It was their last Show of 2007, no warm up band, and it WAS A PARTY!
All the hits, one after another...their 'no risk' Show runs l ike clock work.
They had invited a little boy and his family from 'MAKE A WISH' up on stage for the (almost) last song...'SWEET HOME ALABAMA'.
The kid sang on the chorus and just had a blast!
'FREE BIRD' (of course) ends the night.

SUN. 16TH

I've never done a 10 day trip before and certainly couldn't put in as many hours of gambling as I do on the normal 5 day trips. I took t he Harrah's shuttle over to CAESARS COLOSSEUM BOX OFFICE to find Show tickets for the March and June trips.
The objective was to save the outlandish service charges TicketMaster charges. Got a good seat for BETTE MIDLER, 1STMEZ 5, $127.27, March 5th and ELTON, REAR ORCH 4, $250.00, June 3d.

I had breakfast with a stranger at the AUGUSTUS CAFE...(she started it)...asked where I was from and the morning went on from there.
She couldn't get home to Canada that day due to the weather and had to book another night at CAESARS. Breakfast was expensive, luke warm, and
I'd never go back. (save for of course if you meet a cute Canadian while waiting in line...)

MY 2ND SHOW was TOM JONES at MGM's HOLLYWOOD THEATRE.
Its Not Unusual for groups of hard core TOM JONES fans to be sitting at all the down front tables. Hands in the air, blowing kisses, shouting "i love you',
passing notes up to the stage...(the pantie tossing) comes towards the end of the Show during 'Its Not Unusual' and 'You Can Leave Your Hat On'.

Tom looks and sounds great. Sporting a goatee beard, devilish smile and eyes that flashed all sorts of suggestive glances to the audience...he had the crowd in the palms of his hands.
9 piece band, 2 back up singers, great seats all around and a full house.
No surprises during his Show...he sings a big variety of songs, all his hits and its just a real good evening of entertainment.
After the Show, I needed Spagetti...headed over to BELLAGIO, checked out the CONSERVATORY and their Christmas display (beautiful) and ate in the Cafe...always good!.

MON. 17TH

Have I ever mentioned I've got a 9'x12' (almost plasma) WIDE SCREEN in my RIO room?
I get up early. Its dark. The floor to ceiling windows are like one big plasma screen. With the lights in the room OFF...the Strip glows out in front of the windows. The KLAS chan.8 morning news from the television reflects on the windows directly on the area the BELLAGIO sits on the horizon.
You can watch TV and the Las Vegas Strip all at the same time while waiting for the sun to come up!

6:15am and the low horizon is just turning orange behind the Strip. 6:40am the sky is a bright baby blue with orange clouds scattered above.
To the right of BELLAGIO, the silhouette of CITY CENTER reminds me of the early construction of the 'Death Star' from STAR WARS. The raw steel framework towering above the now finished silver-blue mirrored exterior...
8 cranes posed in different posissons where they quite work yesterday.
Passing by on the Strip side the other day and looking into the heart of the construction, the depth of the project is VERY IMPRESSIVE!
6:55am...the cranes are moving. Its back to work on CITY CENTER.

MY 3D SHOW was...LOVE.
I had one of my favorite seats, FRONT SECTION 102 (back row) E.
I would still always suggest SECTION 200 or 209 for first time viewers, but if ya want to feel like you're right there in the middle of it all, the last rows of SECTIONS 102,101,107 or 108 are LOTS OF FUN!
The BLACK BIRD scene has changed again (surprise surprise) from my Sept. viewing. It seemed several others had too. Most changes were centered around choreography and DID seem to make the Show look tighter.
I love watching the WOW factor on the folks faces who are just seeing tht Show for their first times...its such a great Show.

TUE. 18TH

I'm on the floor and gambling around 7am.
NO Jack Pots or real big hits...just enough little wins to keep the FUN alive and I'm done with gaming by noon. (for the day)

Walked over to play PALMS using my 3xPoints coupon from the LVA POV.
I hooked up with 'misterKeno' Matthew from www.everythinglv.com/forums for dinner at BLUE AGAVE. On the suggestion form 'Westie' I chose the SHRIMP COCKTAIL and HOUSE SEAFOOD PAN ROAST...very,very good.

Another reason for walking over to the PALMS...I wanted to re position my earring. I thought HART & HUNTINGTON could do it but they only do tattoos and recommended The PIERCING over on N. Sahara...(I'm better hung now)

MY 4TH SHOW was LAUGH OUT LOUD with the SCINTAS over in the SHIMMER LOUNGE at the LAS VEGAS HILTON.
Their NEW Show starts with a video of them wondering around town asking folks..."do you know what LOL means?" or "what makes you laugh out loud?". Some of the 'average person on the street' they run in to are Carrot Top, GEORGE BUTNS (RICH LITTLE), JOAN RIVERS (FRANK MORINO), MAYOR GOODMAN (MAYOR GOODMAN), and The Chippendales (SIMON,THEODOR and ALVIN).

Its a NEW Show and its a lounge Show. SHIMMER is small, new and cozy (same room where you'll find MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL)
Comfy chairs, small tables...a good looking room and stage. They've got a new look, new cloths, new delivery and a 3 piece band.
Theres a lot more opportunity for them to interact with the audience but the larger 'headline' feel of the old RIO days are gone. They each get turns for songs, impressions, and jokes routines too. The Show is more casual...ITS FUN and they give you the normal SCINTAS 100% PLUSS of entertainment.

WED.19TH

Another fantastic sunrise from the RIO's 13th floor. The leftover clouds from our Callyfornia storm were drifting across that morning. Small layered scalloped clouds...the looked like marshmallows, created a brilliant fire orange, one point perspective disappearing off into the horizon over CAESARS PALACE. To top it off (last thing I'd expect to see thirteen floors up)...
a black butterfly came flying/bobbing past the window, lol!

After a short session downstairs on the GREEDY THEY ONLY LOVE ME FOR MY MONEY slot machines, I'd made a 12:00 appointment to tour the BONEYARD where many of the old Las Vegas signs lay waiting to be restored and planced around town again.
$15.00 donation, two holding yards, and 1 1/2 hrs. worth of tour...it was worth it. The signs are place here and there...some stacked, some spaced apart. Bits and pieces, huge letters, lots of broken neon tubing, faded colors and rust stand waiting for their turn to return...
Lots of versions from years past of the GOLD COAST and BARBARY COAST sings...the ATOMIC letters of the STARDUST sign along with the latest version from the implosion are there with the HUGE tower part of the sign (neatly cut into 3 pieces)
One of the two sculls from TREASURE ISLAND are there...one of them had broken when they brought it over.
The signs are donated to the BONEYARD, they don't get all of 'em. Some signs are bought by wealthy fans of Vegas...a (better) guest of the BARBARY COAST wanted the...'T' and got it.
The City contributions are the two lots. The BONEYARD has a 90 year least at a dollar a year. The City also restores and places 'some' of the signs.
Many have been placed around town already. The SILVER SLIPPER was going out the day after our tour (there were 12 us us) to be referbished.
The BONEYARD is in North Las Vegas, across the street from CASHMAN FIELD, next to the CHILDRENS LIBRARY/MUSEUM. You'll need and appointment by calling MELANIE COFFEE, 702.387.6366

MY 5TH SHOW was 'O'.
Its been 7,8,? years since I've seen 'O' and its my least favorite CIRQUE Show. Like with KA`, the 'stage' is a true marvel! Solid, Water, Shallow, Deep...its very amazing. I didn't remember the Pre-Show the two clowns put on. I DID remember the giant RED CURTAIN going up and was waiting for that!
The fire/water theme of 'O', along with the rich dark colors of costumes and stage backgrounds, keeps the mood (for me) on the dark side.
By the same token, the combination of visuals created from the lights, costumes, water and stage textures are just beautiful but again (for me)
repetitious.
I'd also forgotten how steeply terraced the seating is. Good views from almost everywhere.

In the past, I've always been in the balcony. This time I chose the floor...SECTION 203, ROW P, $93.50.
It was a LIMITED VIEW seat. Theres a safety rail on the stairs leading to the seats. Yeah...its in your lower line of view, but didn't bother me that much...
(it might some folks)
The 2nd and 3d rows/center balcony is still my choice for seats.

THUR. 20TH

After some semi successful session on TEXAS TEA, TRAIN DOLPHINS, TRAIN PENGUIN, and DANCING DOLPHINS, I took the shuttle to CAESARS again.
The RIO to CAESARS run is the shortest/quickest shuttle ride Harrah's offers.
It shoots over the Flamingo Road hump and turns in right at the AUGUSTUS TOWERS, HOWEVER...until further notice, it must deal with using the Strip and the main entrance to CAESARS due to the construction of ANOTHER new tower next to AUGUSTUS.

I had lunch with 'The King Of Kurtopia' Kurt and his wife from www.everythinglv.com/forums at MESA GRILL. We'd planned on RAO's but they're now closed for lunch.
Later, I wondered the FORUM SHOPS for a while, then back to RIO to sleep off my Mahi Mahi.

MY 6TH SHOW..............Blue Man Group.
Be AWARE, be ALERT, be ENTERTAINED...its such a fun Show.
Read, laugh, (PAPER), participate, color, (PAPER), sound, interaction, (PAPER), music, digital graphics, (PAPER), percussion, goo, (PAPER), plumbing,
PVC pipe, drumming, fine Art, (PAPER), paint balls, Stay Puff Marshmallows, Capt. Crunch, Jello, one woman-one man (from the audience) WILL be in the Show and...did I mention PAPER?
Lots and lots and lots and lots of PAPER (all recycleable of course) and lots and lots of FUN!
After the Show I ate at GRAND LUX...had my fav, Rustic Lasanga.

FRI. 21ST

Seven days into my trip and I'm bored.
Gaming hasn't gotten any better, food options without a car are pretty slim...
hmmm...got it/problem solved (I went back to bed)
When I got up later that afternoon, I turned on the TV and found The Wizard of Oz' just starting. I haven't watch the whole movie, start to finish, in YEARS and it took me right up to...SHOW TIME!

MY 7TH SHOW... a 50% (?) OFF tic for KA`.
The seat was in the left/front section about half way up...SECTION 101, ROW F, SEAT 1 on the isle.
...real fun seat if you've see the Show before from the UPPER REAR seats where I think the best views are, but its too close if you're seeing KA` for the first time.
Sitting that close, you see all the wires, pulleys, fake arrows, the 'pulled' strikes/punches during a fight scene...
You're up close and personal to all the gears and workings of the giant stage.
You see the massive thing twist and turn, up and down...which is cool, but robs the viewer of much of the wonderful illusion that KA` presents.
The special effects work so much better for your eyes if you sit back further.
The 'under water' scene (one of my favorites) looks very different close up and the illusion the the final fight battle...the Artists defying gravity isn't the same. The Show was great...always is, but I suggest SECTION 202.

SAT. 22ND

I'm only playing a bit in the morning now...just enough to keep the ever popular ADT on its toes. The casino was so slow, my 'Change' friends and I
had more fun yackin' it up and having fun than wastin' precious time in
Las Vegas gambling! lol

MY 8TH SHOW WAS JOHNNY MATHIS HOLIDAY SHOW.
Back to the LAS VEGAS HILTON again, this time, the main show room and a first row balcony seat (EXCELLENT)
The balcony is a great place to watch/listen to music there.
Its steep, the seats aren't very big and the leg room is similar to a SOUTHWEST airline flight BUT...the sound and view is great!
The wood balcony bulkhead (no brass rail to spoil your view) always has a fresh new coat of glossy black paint, but still can't hide all the years of nicks and scars of ware that have accumulated since folks views ELVIS performing down on the stage below.
Are they the best seats?...Its Not For Me To Say but Chances Are they were the best to watch JOHNNY MATHIS do his thang...(Barry Manilow too)

With a full stage backdrop of a little small, snow covered town...lights glowing in the windows of the houses and church, he breezed through most his favorite songs, both hits and Christmas standards.
Accompanied by a 34 piece orchestra, the sound was WONDERFUL!
He looks great! His velvet voice still easily hitting every note...the audience broke into applaud over and over again through out the OVER TWO HOUR SHOW.
Its so great to watch these ageless performers deliver such a wonderful evening of entertainment...it can make one (dare I say...) Misty.

After the Show, I stopped in at 'FELINIS'...a little Italian joint inside the Stratosphere . An ex employee of a friend of mine works there and I stopped in to have a late bite and say hi.
Speaking of Italian...I forgot to mention I finally got into and ate at
CAFE MARTORANO up on the mezzanine of RIO's MASQUERADE VILLAGE.
Last trip the didn't seat 'singles'...its changed.
This is the place run by the hard ass, tattoo covered, head shaved cook hailing from South Philadelphia by way of Fort Lauderdale.
Its simple, old-school Italian-American home cooking and was pretty good.
In his own words, Montorano says..."Absolutely no changes or substitutions.
This is how I cook. Please enjoy and don't break balls!"
This guy has thrown people out because they complained the music he plays was too loud! lol
Theres no menu or prices to view...they explain at your table whats offered that evening (and don't mention prices) It was good, but not great and I won't be going back (cost me over eighty bucks)

SUN. 23D.............MY LAST NIGHT!

I had a nice, casual morning...slept in til almost 6am. Room Service brought up coffee as they did all the other mornings, I pre packed and headed downstairs for my final beating. If I was going to hit any Jack Pots, I felt it was going to be today...WHAT MUST I HAVE BEEN THINKING!...BEAT UP, SPIT OUT...NOTHING/NADA/ZIPPO!

'Rose' in registration printed my SOUTHWEST Boarding Pass at noon and I spent the rest of the day visiting, eating, and waiting for my BIG SHOW!

MY 9TH SHOW...BRIAN SETZER ORCHESTRA
SETZER and his orchestra put on a great Christmas Show! I went over to the
HARD ROCK early (under the light from the FULL MOON...) and ate at Mr.LUCKY's. Had the (not on the menu) Steak and Shrimp special.
The JOINT was sold out. I had a second row seat/almost center in front of the stage.
The curtain goes up, the band kicks in, and a VERY FAT ELVIS dressed up like SANTA gets the crowd in the mood (it was Brian)
After the intro, Brian comes back on...suit, vest, jacket and tie...his signature
orange Gretch guitar slung low, pompadour bouncin' and STARTED ROCKIN'!
He puts a great Rock A Billy twist to old Christmas standards while his
THIRTEEN PIECE HORN SECTION kicks ass along with a stand-up bass player, drummer and 2 backup singers.

He played some cuts from their latest 'classical' CD...'WOLFGANG'S BIG NIGHT OUT', midway in, the horns take a break and Brian, bass player and drummer join him out front for some STRAY CATS hits...during which the GRINCH (in full, very cool costume) crashes 'Stray Cat Strut' and shares a guitar solo with Brian...lol, it was pretty cool and lots of fun.
The horns come back, the crowds inhibitions go away, and the JOINT GETS A ROCKIN'.

The night ends with a BIG version of 'Rock This Town'...(this all means nothin' if you're not a fan huh, LOL!)...THEN for an encore, they come back and play the music from the NUTCRACKER followed by a killer, rockin' version of JINGLE BELLS and towards the end of the song...the JOINTS' sky opens up and...
IT STARTS TO SNOW...ALLL OVER EVERYONE...VERY, VERY COOL!

MON. 24TH...CHRISTMAS EVE and its time to go home.

Great trip/LONG TRIP.
I like my normal 5 day stays better, but this one was LOTS OF FUN!
I almost didn't get to leave though.....................

I headed to the elevator to go up and get my suitcase. A HUGE Chinese family was there waiting also. 2 elevators come, they cram into one, another guy and myself get in the other one.
Push our floor buttons, door closes, lights go out on the floor button panel and we're not moving. The door won't open. WE'RE STUCK!
We ring the EMERGENCY BELL. The Chinese family next door RRIINNGG their
EMERGENCY BELL AND KEEP RINGING IT...NON STOP...CONTINUOUSLY.
We can hear them pounding on the door and yelling. We use the telephone and call SECURITY and in about 5 minutes...the door just open. No one outside, no SECURITY, they just open and we're ALL set free.
Needless to say, I used the other bank of elevators to go up and down...

McCARRAN was a breeze, flight left at 12:05 and I was walking in my front door at 2pm.
NEXT TRIP: March 2 thru 6

 

great report

Awesome report Greg. I've seen Johnny Mathis 4-5 times and he puts on a fabulous show, he still "got it"

 

That's cool, hope he's doing well these days.

You hit some very cool shows.

 

Thanks.......always love your reports..........glad you had fun!!

 

LOVE the report!! Thanks so much for taking the time to post it. Sounds like you had a great time!!

 

Great Report. Fifteen days is a long time to spend in Vegas; I don't think my gambling budget could survive that long. I gotta hand it to you; you saw alot of shows and gambled enought to keep the offers coming. Too bad you didn't hit anything big.

 

Great TR, Greg!

 

Great TR! Glad you liked Setzer, I love that show! I listen to the CD every christmas!

 

As always, your enthusiasm is infectious. Sounds like you had a lot of fun. Oh, and aren't you the carrot cake junkie, or am I thinking of someone else?

 

another report full of fine detail, especially on shows. Thanks so much. Your information has been so helpful and was for my last trip to Spamalot.

 

Awesome entertainment experiences. I am counting my days down........

(PS - Unless the show fairies shine upon me, I haven't had enough money to buy my Elton John ticket. But thank you for the great advice a couple of weeks ago).

 

Thanks for the replies EVERYONE...hope there was some info there for ya!

'sunni'...YOU'RE RIGHT, Johnny still has it!

'doctor_al'...Matthew is doing OK. He has a job dispatching deliveries of construction
'blue prints' around town...saw lots of new copies of the missing Harrah's renovation room screw ups!
He's hooked up with that 'locals' last minute/cheap Show ticket thing...sees lots of Shows too!

'btodd'...FUN I HAD !!!

'weluvvegas'...thanks for taking the time to read it, THANK YOU

'gmoney590'...the trip was actually 10 days (it just felt like 15) My gambling budget survived ONLY
because I quit playing around Thursday, lol. After that, I just played $20-$40 a day to keep my
card active...probably screwed up my ADT score BIG TIME, lol.

'Don D'...CANCELED downtown New Years huh...GOOD MOVE! New Years seems like a total NO-FUN ZOO!

'KenO'...Brian's Christmas Show is GREAT! I've caught it a couple times at The JOINT over the years...
He's been out of the country on past holidays but GOT HIM THIS YEAR!
When I got home the other day I noticed he's playing our Paramount Theatre here in Oakland, Calif.
this Friday...no guarantee the XMAS Show is still happening (wouldn't think so) Golden Circle tics at
The JOINT were $86.50...Paramount wants $172.00 (think I'll pass...)

'skinny malinky'... YEAH, THE RIO BAKERY CARROT CAKE JUNKIE I AM!...be glad you're not, you'd have
to change the first part of your USERNAME lol.

'dewey089'...I'm so glad 'Matt' was a fine companion for you at SPAMALOT...real fun Show huh!

'jgates8'...save those pennies...ELTON IS WAITING FOR YOU! I found a good tic for my June trip at
the Colosseum Box Office this trip...NO 'TM' SERVICE CHARGE (up yours TicketMaster...beat ya!)

 

Great post, Gregrio;
You have planted some ideas in my head for shows now. I too will head for the box office to see about Bette. I hate Ticketmaster and refuse to play the "additional charge" game when they mark up your ticket 3 or 4 times before you can buy it online. I'd rather just not go. I refused to do it for the Producers, and just went to the public library and took out the video, then they were selling tickets for half price, and then.....THE END.
I think I'll print out your report and take notes! Thanks again.

Jimbo

 

Do what ya gotta do Jimbo...TicketMaster is a pain in the ass, but sometimes
you gotta us 'em if you want to see a Show. GO FOR IT...hit the BOX OFFICE
and see what you can find...you'll save a bit! GOOD LUCK SIR...lol

 

Sounds like you had a fun time, Greg! My goal for next trip is to finally see a Cirque show, so I love to read your TR's.

 

Hope ya do Jill!...just remember to check out the seating charts, choose a good seat thats
right for your budget and BOOK IN ADVANCE WITH THE BOX OFFICE...have FUN!

 

Great TR.

 

I want to be you!!!

Great report Greg! It's just what I needed to lead me into the last 2 weeks before I leave. All the gentle reminders of what Vegas has in store.

Brian Setzer ROCKS!! I saw his Chrismas show last year at the Ryman in Nashville. It was sold out and the crowd on was it's feet most of the time. I can only imagine what was going on at "The Joint".

I'm traveling to Vegas to specifically see Lisa Lampanelli at the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay. But after reading your report I'm going to add a "Vegas Show" to my list.
I know this is weird...but I cannot make myself go see "O". It's the clown-type faces or weird faces that throw me. I won't even walk past the store at the Bellagio. Creeps me out. I did go see LOVE though. And that guy that walked around with the flower during the pre-show almost had me gone!

Also, I always promise myself to make an appointment for the "Boneyard" but never have. Many country music videos have used the Boneyard as a backdrop. I think I'll wait because I really wanted to take a photo with the slipper. Wonder if it will be displayed downtown with many of the other referbished signs?

Thanks again Greg!

 

Thanks for sharing the detailed report...

 

Oh, she's great. We almost booked to go just to see her. She's so funny.