Chuck Rounds' LV Entertainment News

A monthly Las Vegas Entertainment Newsletter

Chuck Rounds' Las Vegas Entertainment News

March 2010

March is here, and it is springtime in Las Vegas...and what a beautiful spring we are having. It seems that there is something innate that is built into the core of our being that senses this time of renewal for the earth...the emergence from the cold winter, and the new growth in the flora around us. There have always been celebrations in the spring honoring that spirit of rejuvenation. It is the end of winter. Spring is about re-birth, life after death, and a fresh start after a cold period in our lives. Spring brings us hope.

Our economy even seems as if it is showing signs of thawing...the winter of our economy has lasted for a couple of years now...and slowly, very slowly we are seeing signs that may indicate a budding growth...it is small, but it is enough to give us hope in what has been a devastatingly long winter. It is still a tough time, but that is no secret to anyone...and yet, there are hundreds of conventions coming into town; students from all over the country will make Vegas their Spring Break destination; there is St. Patrick's Day; March Madness; pools are opening up, and there are even some bright spots in the entertainment industry

March is one of the best times of the year to come to Las Vegas. This is the time to get new things going. In Vegas, just like in any other city in the country, Spring-cleaning will occur (both for ourselves and our entertainment,) and we'll have more garage sales than at any other time of the year.

One thing that won't be renewed is the Dancers' contracts at the Cirque show, "Believe." At the end of this contracted period (which will be June) there will be no more dancers in that show. It's sad...the dancers were the best part of the show. There are all kinds of speculation as to what this bodes... The primary thought is that this is signaling the beginning of the end of this production that has been a tremendous failure for Cirque. The show might continue for a while just as a magic show with Criss Angel while the contract finishes up. It's no secret that Cirque and Angel have had an extremely strained creative relationship, and there has been talk of Cirque trying to get rid of Angel from even before the show opened...but they had signed a ten-year contract. Word is that the contract was re-negotiated down to three years, and the theatre would then be used to house resident touring shows.

When "Viva Elvis" opened this past month at Aria in City Center, there was the feeling in the air that we have had enough...that we had reached our saturation point for Cirque shows in this city. Now, "Viva Elvis" is a wonderful show, and this feeling had nothing to do with that, but we are now at seven Cirque shows in this town, and it feels like that's more than enough. I think that we're done with new Cirque shows for a while.

Lily Tomlin, one of America's most brilliant comediennes, will perform her unique brand of comedy in the Hollywood Theatre at MGM Grand March 11 - 17 at 8 p.m. nightly. Throughout her extraordinary entertainment career, Tomlin has received numerous awards including six Emmy Awards for her groundbreaking TV specials, two Tony Awards for her hit Broadway shows "Appearing Nitely" and "The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe," Jane Wagner's critically acclaimed play, a GRAMMY for her comedy album, This is a Recording, two Peabody Awards for Edith Ann's animated special "Just Say Noël" and the HBO documentary film "The Celluloid Closet."  In 2003, Tomlin received the prestigious Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.

Singing sensation Clint Holmes brings his powerful voice and magnetic stage presence back to the Suncoast Showroom, March 13 and 14. Holmes' fans know him as more than just a singer. He's famous for making every performance original and captivating audiences with his charisma and signature style. With a long history of entertaining audiences in Las Vegas, Clint is known for his six-year run in Clint Holmes at Harrah's. Named Las Vegas' "Best Singer" for four times and "Entertainer of the Year" three times by readers of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Holmes' fame stretches far beyond Southern Nevada. He was also Atlantic City's "Entertainer of the Year" three times, and starred in Clint Holmes' Sophisticated Rhythms, a dynamic stage show that traveled through music from the 1940s to the present.

Jeff Dunham is coming to the Colosseum at Caesars Palace at part of his 2010 International "Identity Crisis Tour" on March 19th & 20th. Since rising to the pinnacle of stand-up comedy success, Jeff Dunham has continued to break records, set landmarks, and expand his reach and appeal while also enjoying the love and loyalty of many millions of fans. After being named the highest-grossing live performance comedian by Pollstar for the second continuous year, Dunham continues to pack and sell out arenas, theaters and other major venues across North America on his "Identity Crisis" tour.

Sporting events will bolster the economy in Vegas this month. The biggest of these sports event is the March Madness tournament. Every sports book in town will be packed throughout the event. These events bring in a lot of people, and when the game is over, all these folks want something else great to watch.

There will be a St. Patrick's Day parade in Downtown Las Vegas, and every Irish Pub in the city will put on some sort of celebration.

...In addition, remember that clocks spring forward March 14th.

As far as all of the other entertainment goes...during the first week of the month...
Las Vegas Wranglers
Orleans Hotel Through - Apr 3rd
David Copperfield
MGM Grand Through - Mar 10th
Winter Championship & Open Cutting
South Point Casino Through - Mar 3rd
Tegan & Sara
Mandalay Bay Mar 2
Killswitch Engage w/ The Devil Wears Prada and Dark Tranquility
Mandalay Bay Mar 3
Queen Nation
Las Vegas Hilton Mar 3
Jason Alexander as Donny Clay
Planet Hollywood Mar 4 - 7
Barry Manilow - Opening March 2010
Paris Las Vegas Mar 5 - 8
El Chapo de Sinaloa
Mandalay Bay Mar 5
Engelbert Humperdinck
Orleans Hotel Mar 5 - 7
George Lopez
Las Vegas Hilton Mar 5 - 6
Ray Romano & Kevin James
Mirage Mar 5 - 6
Zappos.com WCC Basketball Championships
Orleans Hotel Mar 5 - 8
Bon Jovi: The Circle Tour
MGM Grand Mar 6
Crossroads of the West Gun Show
Cashman Center Mar 6 - 7
Experience Hendrix Tribute Tour
Hard Rock Hotel Mar 6
Neal McCoy
Silverton Hotel Mar 6
Psychic Medium John Edward
Flamingo Las Vegas Mar 6
UNLV Men's Basketball vs Wyoming
Thomas and Mack Center Mar 6


The second weekend includes:
Mountain West Conference Basketball Tournament
Thomas and Mack Center | Off-Strip | Sporting Event | Mar 10 - 13
New Found Glory with Saves The Day, Hellogoodbye, and Fireworks
Mandalay Bay Mar 10
The Wholigans
Las Vegas Hilton Mar 10
311 Day 2010
Mandalay Bay Mar 11
Jason Alexander as Donny Clay
Planet Hollywood Mar 11 - 14
Lily Tomlin: Not Playing with a Full Deck
MGM Grand Mar 11 - 17
Twiztid
Mandalay Bay Mar 11
Air Combat USA
North Las Vegas Airport Mar 12 - 14
B. J. Thomas
South Point Mar 12 - 14
Big League Weekend: Chicago Cubs vs. Chicago White Sox
Cashman Center Mar 12 - 13
Gladys Knight
Buffalo Bill's Mar 12
Jay Leno
Mirage Mar 12 - 13
Sevendust w/ Drowning Pool, Digital Summer and the Flood
Mandalay Bay Mar 12
The Yardbirds
Cannery Casino Mar 12
Clint Holmes
Suncoast Hotel Mar 13 - 14
Regional Dance Tournament
Cashman Center Mar 13
St. Patrick's Day Festival
Mandalay Bay Mar 13
Styx Legend Dennis DeYoung
Orleans Hotel Mar 13 - 14
Teena Marie and special guest Mary Jane Girls
Las Vegas Hilton Mar 13
Zac Brown Band
Hard Rock Hotel Mar 13


The Third weekend has...
Aeromyth
Las Vegas Hilton Mar 17
Silver Dollar Circuit 2010
South Point Casino Mar 17 - 21 - Free
David Spade
Venetian Resort Mar 18 - 20
Bill Bellamy
South Point Casino Mar 19 - 21
Carlos Mencia
Treasure Island Mar 19
Collective Soul
Silverton Hotel Mar 19
Jeff Dunham
Caesars Palace Mar 19 - 20
Marion Meadows, Paul Taylor and Michael Lington
Aliante Station Mar 19
Martin Lawrence
Palms Casino Mar 19 - 20
The Neal Schon Band
Green Valley Ranch Mar 19
Eddie Money and John Waite
Eastside Cannery Mar 20
Grand Funk Railroad
Silverton Hotel Mar 20
Hammerfall
Mandalay Bay Mar 20
Jo Koy
Mirage Mar 20
Sick Puppies w/ Conflict of Interest and Play For Keeps
Mandalay Bay Mar 20


The fourth weekend presents:
Bonfire: A Tribute to Early AC/DC
Las Vegas Hilton Mar 24
Chamillionaire & Paul Wall
Mandalay Bay Mar 24
Walking with Dinosaurs
Thomas & Mack Center Mar 24
David Copperfield
MGM Grand Mar 25 - 31
David Spade
Venetian Resort Mar 25 - 27
Air Combat USA
North Las Vegas Airport Mar 26 - 28
Bad Religion
Mandalay Bay Mar 26 - 27
Championship Bull Riding: Tuff Hedeman Vegas Shootout
South Point Casino Mar 26 - 27
Daniel Tosh
Mirage Mar 26 - 27
Garth Brooks
Encore Las Vegas Mar 26 - 28
Lionel Richie
Caesars Palace Mar 26 - 27
Spring Wine & Jazz Festival
Golden Nugget Mar 26
Stephen Pearcy - Lead Singer of RATT
Sunset Station Mar 26
The Lettermen
South Point Casino Mar 26 - 28
Bret Michaels
Buffalo Bill's Resort Mar 27
Don Felder - Hotel California Tour
M Resort Mar 27
Jay-Z w/ Young Jeezy and Trey Songz
Palms Casino Mar 27
John Mayer with Special Guest Michael Franti & Spearhead
Mandalay Bay Mar 27
Michel Legrand & Friends: Fifty Years of Music & Movies
MGM Grand Mar 27
Monster Jam World Finals 2010
Sam Boyd Stadium Mar 27
The Flying Karamazov Brothers
Orleans Hotel Mar 27 - 28
The Osmond Brothers
Suncoast Hotel Mar 27 - 28


And the fifth weekend of the month has...
WWE presents Smackdown
Thomas & Mack Center Mar 30
Major League Baseball: Dodgers vs. Reds
Cashman Center Mar 31
Chicago
Las Vegas Hilton Apr 2 - 3
Jay Leno
Mirage Apr 2 - 3
Alkaline Trio w/ The Dear & Departed and Chemistry
Mandalay Bay Apr 3
Emerson Drive
Aliante Station Apr 3
Jay & the Americans
Cannery Casino Apr 3
Melissa Etheridge
Buffalo Bill's Resort Apr 3
One Million Star
Palms Casino Apr 3
The Rivals: Hopkins vs Jones 2
Mandalay Bay Apr 3

For dates and times, be sure to log onto the Las Vegas Online Entertainment Guide: lvol.com.

Igoshows.com is, of course, the place to read the reviews of all of the shows that are in town so that you can be better informed as to what you should expect from a certain production. The reviews are updated as needed to give you the knowledge you need to spend your entertainment dollars better.

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