I've seen many shows over the years, but have to say that Jubilee at MGM, long before it became Bally's, stands out above all others. That was my first time in Vegas and casinos, and certainly the first production like that I'd ever seen. Dumbstruck seems an appropriate word. Other old-time favorites include Siegfried & Roy at the Frontier, La Cage at the Riviera, maybe Nudes on Ice at the Plaza just for the ridiculousness of it, and more recently Mama Mia at Mandalay. The list of shows I've found so-so, disappointing, not worthy of remembering, or downright rip-offs is a lot longer.
So for me it wasn't a typical Vegas show but an acoustic concert series. Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds played 3 shows at PH in Dec 2009 and another 3 in Dec 2010. We went to 5 of the 6 shows over the two years. I still love listening to the Live in Las Vegas album as I was there! Also noteworthy of the Dec 2010 dates, it is to this day my largest winning trip.
Shows are probably the main thing my wife and I do when we are in town (and when they are open!!) Here is my list: Carrot Top - Saw him many times on the Tonight Show, and LOVED his act. He did a show in Milwaukee in 2002, and it was awesome! Our first visit to Vegas in 2008 we saw him at the Luxor (front row center), and it was even better than we remembered! Have seen his show a total of 8 times (so far!). Our favorite show in Vegas!!! Penn & Teller - Remember seeing them on TV many times back in the day, and went to see them on our second visit to Vegas in 2009. Very excellent show! Have seen them a second time, and will definitely go and see again someday. The Phantom - Fantastic show, and so glad we saw it before it went away. LOVE - AWESOME show! Have seen twice, and will be seeing more times in the future. KA - Good show, but was much better when they still did the full-blown final scene Zarkana - We actually liked this show a lot, and was sad to see it close. Mystere - Our first CDS show, and loved it! Will see it again someday. Jersey Boys - Probably our second favorite show in Vegas! Only got to see it once before it closed, but it was such an amazing show!!!!! Elton John - WOW! He loves to perform, and it showed! So glad we got to see him before he stops performing! Terry Fator - Loved the show the first time, but were disappointed the second time. Too many off-color jokes with so many kids in the audience (all of which he blamed on the puppets!). I know it's Vegas, but this used to be more of a family-type show, and we were very disappointed, and not surprised the Mirage didn't renew his contract. Michael Jackson ONE - A few great scenes, but overall it was a bit disappointing. Tape Face - We missed his show a couple of times because he was off on a couple of our trips, but we finally did get to see it, and it did NOT disappoint!!! I even got called up to participate in one of the routines. So fun!!!! Veronic Voices - This was a "free" show (only had to pay the $2.50 TM fee per ticket), but it turned out to be an amazing show!!! Spirit of the Dance - My wife loves celtic dancing, so i took her to see this show. I actually ended up enjoying it as well. Post Modern Jukebox - This show was done in the 1OAK nightclub at the Mirage, and it was the perfect venue for this show. AMAZING show, and sorry to see that it didn't last for very long. The only "miss" I can think of is Puddle's Pity Party. I found out after the fact that he actually did some shows in Vegas. Would have LOVED to see his show!!!!
I saw " Sandy Hackett Presents The Rat Pack "........something like that ? It was at The Sahara many years ago - It was FANTASTIC !!!!! The band was blasting away - The Sinatra singer was UNBELIEABLE ( saw another version at The Plaza 8 - 10 yrs ago.......it was fun - I have photos with Marilyn Monroe ! ) . I passed on " Rodney Dangerfield " in Vegas........wish I had gone. . I did see Don Rickles in what would be his last " tour " . . My wife dragged me to WAYNE at Stardust........at least, I can say I saw him. I believe he's done the exact same show for over 30 yrs ?........exactly the same..... . Mystere was very good - "Love" .....I was bored - " Dion " ....I skipped
Love is far and beyond my favorite show in Vegas, but I'm biased because I grew up listening to Beatles records. I used to have framed first-presses of "Meet the Beatles!", "Rubber Soul", and "Abbey Road" in my office, back when offices were a thing. I enjoy Ross Mollison's stuff, and thought Vegas Nocturne at RRL was phenomenal, so while I haven't seen Absinthe, I want to once it reopens. There's a lot of overlap between those shows and America's Got Talent; it's how I discovered Piff. I really, really wanted to like O, but I probably wouldn't repeat it, whereas I've seen Love a half-dozen times. EDIT: I still have the framed albums, they're just not in my no-longer-existent office.
I liked Lido at The Dust and Cher at Caesars. The Rat Pack Is Back was really good at the Plaza. Good luck.
Which I do, so I loved Spamalot (tho I did not see it in Vegas) My trips to Vegas are almost always planned around specific concerts, and they are usually short, so there are many shows I still need to see and many that I have missed. Am a big Beatles fan, so I tend to come in when Ringo Starr or Paul McCartney are in town. I was very happy to have seen McCartney when he was the official opener for The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel a few years ago (The Killers actually played the first real show the night before, but they didn't count ). That's a smaller venue than Paul usually plays so it was a tough ticket, but me and several friends managed to get them. It was also general admission, so most of the day was spent sitting on the casino floor waiting in a long line until they opened the venue doors. Bit of a mess, but I managed a decent spot near the front. My last visit to Vegas was in 2019 when he played 2 shows at T-Mobile. Aerosmith was in the middle of their Park residency, so Steven Tyler stopped by on the first night to guest on a song with Paul. That was a fun mess; I don't think they rehearsed it I was hoping for April and Robbie Williams this year, but we all know how that turned out. (saw Robbie in 2019; first US shows by him in a very long time and he was great). and of course being a Beatles fan, I have seen LOVE a few times. I am sorry to have missed Elton John's shows, and I heard that Lady Gaga's solo piano show was very, very good. And I've enjoyed reading everyone's lists. Some of you have seen some excellent shows over the years!
I would LOVE to see Norm MacDonald, so so funny. I'm really glad I saw Steely Dan while Walter Becker was still with us at CP. At one point he gave an awesome, sermon-like monologue on gambling and life. It was a very sloppy, thrown together trip but it turned out great. SD seemed to play Vegas almost every year so I could have easily said, nah I'll go next year it was also my first time in the Colosseum and I loved it! I hope I can see Morrissey there but I want to wait a bit longer - he has rescheduled a few times already and I don't want to get stuck with a ticket. I also really enjoyed The Rat Pack is Back - saw it at the Rio but I think the new location might be even better.
I only saw it once, but it was fantastic. The "Enigma" show was fine, but the "Piano Jazz" show was amazing. Separately, her bandleader (Brian Newman) had a fairly-regular performance at NoMad Bar. She would show up very often, but unannounced.
I agree many shows in Vegas are downright rip-offs. But if you put them in the context, you realize that they are actually cheaper than playing slots or table games, if you can get the same value of entertainment. I know that's an over stretch because no show on earth can be as entertaining as slot machines (or Video Poker if that's your favorite), when you are winning.
shows were never at the top of my list when going to Vegas, but I saw Motley Crue at Hard Rock about ten years ago. Paid way too much for tickets, but the show was great. Considered seeing Def Leppard last year, but skipped it in favor of gambling. Now I see they're touring next year along with Poison so I may have to catch a show when they are near. I really should see some of the shows that have been mentioned, but most of my travelling buddies are too cheap or we can't agree on which show to see.
Best list: AC/DC at MGM Grand Garden Jennifer Lopez Planet Ho Bruno Mars Park Theater Carrot Top, that one surprised me. Hubs had to drag me to that one & I was sore the next day from laughing so much. One Michael Jackson Any Hockey game at T-Mobile. That’s a show within itself. Our worse list: Cirque shows, Zarcana & the Elvis one both at the Aria. KA we both had a great nap during it. Backstreet Boys at Planet Ho. We walked out on that one. I was pretty much done when they didn’t hit the stage for an hour and half after it was suppose to start. The first Cirque Criss Angel show that was put on at the Luxor. I was madly in love with him until that night. I just didn’t get it at all. I would love to see his new Mindfreak show at Planet Ho but my hubs who never turns me down on anything, refuses to go after that fiasco.
I'm not longer a show person, but in the past … I would always see at least two comedy clubs and never disappointed Entered Carrot Top, bitching & moaning – Exited laughing Vinnie Favorito Absinthe Lido de Paris, Folies Bergère, Jubilee! ~ all more than once Siegfried & Roy @ New Frontier & Mirage Splash EFX! Three-four Cirque shows George Carlin ($20 @ Sahara ~ Yes, I'm that old) Only two shows that I didn't enjoy – Louie Anderson/Yakov Smirnoff together & Rita Rudner
I just watched the movie The Punisher and it turns out that John Pinette appeared in that move. I never knew he was in any movies.
I’m reading that several posters saying they paid too much. If you say it’s too much it would be interesting to know what that too much was. One persons too much may not be much compared to other show nor if your accustomed to paying more in another city/state or d Ed pending on where you’re sitting. Also if you felt the show was terrible anything is too much.
Penn & Teller: The first show I ever saw in Vegas and it was also the last show I went to on a trip last year with my son for his 21st. Great entertainment and brilliant magicians. Tom Jones: Again seen him on my first trip to Vegas, a great singer and showman. Elton John: Another one I saw on my first trip, brilliant show. Rod Stewart: Seen him twice in Vegas and it was a great show both times. Shania Twain: Great show and I was glad I got a chance to see her live. Mariah Carey: Put on a great show and could still hit those notes. The Who: Definitely the best show I have seen in Vegas. Terry Fator: I have seen him twice and he is so talented, not just a ventriloquist. Jay Leno: I thought he was very funny and even as a Brit the jokes were not lost on me. Journey and Def Leppard: A double headed concert at the T Mobile Arena, fantastic show from both bands. David Copperfield: He puts on a great show and we were lucky to be sat right next to the stage, still couldn't work it out though.
I've seen both of these, but not in LV. LOL, not for virgin ears! Although I enjoyed Mystere and O (I think if you fell asleep at one, and woke up at the other, you might not notice it) I think that two Cirque shows are adequate for one lifetime.
