Las Vegas Nevada News Feed

WHAT: Tickets to the seventh annual Hoodie Awards are now on sale for the Saturday, Aug. 15 ceremony at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. The Hoodie Awards, hosted by Steve Harvey, is an award show like no other. The show honors local business establishments, religious and community leaders, churches and high schools for their contributions and excellence within various neighborhoods. This award show, best described as the Oscars with an urban beat, features a diverse and talented group of celebrities, actors, comedians and recording artists who present non-traditional awards to the stars of the community. The Freedom Party will be held Friday, Aug. 14 in the Mandalay Bay East parking lot and will feature food and entertainment.

WHEN: The Freedom Party: Friday, Aug. 14 7 p.m. – 4 a.m.
2009 Hoodie Awards: Saturday, Aug. 15 7:30 p.m.

WHERE: Mandalay Bay Events Center, Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, NV 89119

TICKETS: Tickets priced at $125, $106.95 and $96.45 (not including applicable service charges) are now on sale and available at the Mandalay Bay Events Center box office and at all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (select Smith’s Food and Drug Centers and Ritmo Latino). Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mandalaybay.com or www.ticketmaster.com. The Freedom Party is included in the ticket price.

Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino

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Since their founding more than 35 years ago, KC & The Sunshine Band has had an enormous influence on the direction of modern pop music. On April 17-19, the legendary act will invite fans to “Shake Your Booty” at The Orleans Showroom, where they will be making a three-night appearance.

KC & The Sunshine Band Tickets

KC & The Sunshine Band made their debut in 1973, when lead singer Harry Wayne “KC” Casey and bassist Richard Finch released their first single, “Blow Your Whistle,” which quickly rose to the Top 15 on the R&B charts. But it was their 1975 self-titled album that made KC & The Sunshine Band a household name. The album reached triple platinum status, and songs “Get Down Tonight,” “That’s the Way (I Like It),” “Boogie Shoes,” and “Rock Your Baby,” all spent time as No. 1 hits. The album made KC & The Sunshine Band the first act to score four No. 1 pop singles in a 12-month period, with three of the songs reaching the top of the R&B charts as well.

KC & The Sunshine Band struck triple platinum again with their 1976 release, Part 3, which featured three additional No. 1 tracks – “I’m Your Boogie Man,” “Shake Your Booty,” and “Keep It Comin’ Love.” The act followed its two smash albums with a series of No. 1 hit singles, including “Please Don’t Go” and “Yes, I’m Ready.”

In addition to a long string of No. 1 hits, KC has received three Grammy Awards for his work, and has also been named Best R&B Artist at the American Music Awards. His music has been featured in more than 75 movies, including Saturday Night Live (for which he won a Grammy as Best Producer), Forrest Gump, Boogie Nights, Rush Hour and Austin Powers in Goldmember.

KC & The Sunshine Band Tickets

Orleans Hotel and Casino

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Yanni, the multi-platinum recording artist, Grammy-nominated pianist, composer and producer, is gearing up for his first United States tour in four years and will make a stop at the Mandalay Bay Events Center Saturday, June 27. The “YANNI VOICES” tour will feature Yanni’s acclaimed orchestra, comprised of musicians from around the globe, along with four singers delivering an enchanting and hypnotic live experience. The concert is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m.

Yanni Tickets

Long known for his engaging and spectacular live performances, Yanni brings a new and exciting dimension to the show with the addition of four extraordinary vocal talents – Nathan Pacheco, Ender Thomas, Leslie Mills and Chloe. The four performers were featured on his recent PBS special and also play a prominent role on his new album, YANNI VOICES, scheduled to be released March 24.

Under Yanni’s finely honed direction, the tour will re-interpret his classic compositions with powerful lyrics and intoxicating vocals transporting the audience into a world of beautiful music and stunning visuals. The tour will include spectacular choreography, magnificent costumes and dynamic imagery shown on state-of-the-art screens.

Over his 30-year career, Yanni has staged multiple tours for millions of fans worldwide. He has performed at world-renowned venues including the Acropolis, Taj Mahal and Beijing’s Forbidden City. His U.S. tours in 1995, 1998 and 2003-2005 each finished in the Top 10 concert tours of the year, as ranked by Performance and Pollstar. Yanni has sold more than 20 million albums and has a total of 35 gold and platinum records.

Yanni Tickets

Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino

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The Five Star World Poker Classic tournament returns to Bellagio Wednesday, April 1 with the first of 13 No Limit Hold ‘em tournaments. The month-long event concludes April 18-25 with the Season VII World Poker Tour® (WPT) World Championship. To compete, players may either pay the $25,000 entry fee or earn a seat by participating in one of the seven super-satellite tournaments held throughout the first three weeks.

The WPT World Championship begins Saturday, April 18 and Sunday, April 19 at noon with two separate flights. The event continues Monday, April 20 with all competitors who have retained chips from their original allocation and concludes with the televised final table Saturday, April 25.

The Seniors No Limit Hold ‘em tournament also will return to Bellagio April 13-15 along with the Club WPT No Limit Hold ‘em tournament scheduled for Thursday, April 23. Entry fees for all of the tournaments range from $500-$5,000. Participants can register for all of the Five Star World Poker Classic tournaments in the Bellagio Poker Room.

Jack McClelland, director of poker tournament operations at Bellagio, is hopeful for another strong championship and said, “Our no limit tournaments and satellite events always have been well-attended and we hope to continue the trend this year. We anticipate more than 500 participants in this year’s championship including a heavy international contingent from countries including England, France, Denmark, Germany and Turkey, among others.”

California resident David Chiu captured the 2008 WPT World Championship at Bellagio in what was one of the largest comebacks in poker tournament history. He earned his first WPT title and the first place prize of $3,389,140 after two-and-a-half hours of heads up play against three-time WPT Champion Gus Hansen. Hansen, who finished second among the 545-player field, earned $1,714,800 for his second-place outing. The four players Hansen knocked out at the final table included former NFL Kicker John Roveto, well-known professional poker player Cory Carroll, Tommy Le (brother of WPT Champion Nam Le) and amateur Jeff King.

WPT Enterprises, Inc. (Nasdaq: WPTE) is one of the most recognized names in internationally televised gaming and entertainment with brand presence in land-based tournaments, television, online and mobile. WPTE has led innovation in the sport of poker since 2002 when it ignited the global poker boom with the creation of the World Poker Tour® (WPT) television show. Based on a series of high stakes poker tournaments, WPT now is broadcast globally and will premiere its all-new seventh season on Fox Sports Net’s national sports network in the United States in 2009.

WPTE also offers a unique online subscription and sweepstakes-based poker club, ClubWPT.com, which operates in 38 states across the U.S. Additionally, WPTE owns and operates WPT China, a multi-media company based in Beijing specializing in television production, online and mobile games supporting the WPT China National Traktor Poker Tour™. WPTE has a 10-year exclusive partnership with the China Leisure Sports Administrative Center to market and build the sport of poker in China. WPTE also participates in strategic brand license, partnership and sponsorship opportunities. For more information visit www.worldpokertour.com. WPTE is a majority owned subsidiary of Lakes Entertainment, Inc. (Nasdaq: LACO).

Bellagio Resort and Casino

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Starting March 12, 2009, Dinner in the Sky will begin offering five dinner “flights” a day every Thursday thru Sunday. For the month of March, special introductory rates are being offered for those anxious to be among the first to experience the newest and the boldest dining opportunity in Las Vegas.

Beginning at sunset and running thru the evening, 22 guests per flight will be taken 18 stories high for 360-degree views of the famous Las Vegas Strip and skyline from their comfortable perch that is part of the specialized Sky Box.

“This concept is a perfect fit for the excitement and energy of this city and it is a great “Las Vegas” story for people to tell back home. We have gotten a lot of positive feedback from people who have experienced this and we are extremely excited to be able to offer this experience to people on an ongoing basis,” said Michael Hinden, president of Dinner in the Sky.

Not your average dinner with a view. Dinner in the Sky is a breathtaking experience that gives its passengers the red carpet treatment from the word go. With the thrill and excitement of a fantastic show starring the lights of Las Vegas, combined with a fine dining al fresco experience complete with gourmet hors d’ oeuvre, a selection of entrees and champagne service, this is a night that will not be soon forgotten.

Reservations are available now and can be made online at www.dinnerintheskylv.com or by calling 702-257-7303 or 8774skydine. Guests must meet a minimum height requirement of 59 inches or 150cm to be safely secured in the seats.

The Dinner in the Sky experience is available for private functions and is the perfect venue for branding opportunities and charitable or fundraising events. Special rates are available for non-profit organizations. Please contact the Dinner in the Sky for more details.

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Las Vegas Cast Features Artists From THE LION KING Productions Throughout World.

The Lion King Tickets

Casting has been announced for the Las Vegas production of Disney’s THE LION KING. The eagerly awaited sit-down production will leap onto the Mandalay Bay Theatre stage with preview performances May 5, and celebrate its official opening May 15. It will join the seven other highly successful companies of THE LION KING currently running all over the world, including New York, London, Hamburg, Paris, Tokyo and Fukuoka, as well as the North American National Tour. Tickets will go on sale to the public March 14.

For the Las Vegas production, Disney hand-selected an international cast of performers who have won acclaim in productions of THE LION KING around the world, including New York, Taipei, South Africa, London, Los Angeles, Australia, Toronto, Shanghai, Paris and Holland. The cast includes nine South African natives, and three ensemble members, Joseph Rivera, Renata Renee Wilson and Deon Ridley from Las Vegas. The group assembled in Las Vegas on Monday, March 9th to rehearse together for the first time.

The malevolent and evil “Scar” will be played by Thom Sesma, whose credits include The Times They Are A-Changin’ , The Man of La Mancha, La Cage Aux Folles on Broadway and Thomas Andrew in Titanic, the national tour. Alton F. White will play the lion king “Mufasa.” Mr. White’s credits include THE LION KING’s Broadway company and national tour, as well as Ragtime, Tommy, The Color Purple and Miss Saigon on Broadway. Marvette Williams, a Los Angeles native, will play “Sarabi.” Her credits include the acclaimed musicals Hair and Tommy along with vocals in the film Tears of the Sun. Buyi Zama, a native of South Africa, will be the wise “Rafiki.” Ms. Zama has performed in seven productions of THE LION KING, including London, Sydney, Melbourne, Shanghai, South Africa, Taipei and the national tour; her credits also include backing as a vocalist for artists such as Whitney Houston and Rebecca Malope.

Kissy Simmons, a native of Floral City, FL, will be the lioness, “Nala.” She joins the Las Vegas cast from the Broadway production of THE LION KING and previously performed in the national tour. Mufasa’s son, “Simba,” will be played by Clifton Oliver, who is an alumnus of Douglas Anderson School of Arts and has numerous theatre credits including featured roles in THE LION KING’s Los Angeles production and national tour, in addition to Grease, Rent and Wicked on Broadway.

The meerkat “Timon” will be played by Damian Baldet, who has appeared in THE LION KING’s national tour in addition to productions of Frankenstein, Attempts on Her Life, The Rats Are Getting Bigger and Gone Missing. Patrick Kerr, who will portray “Zazu,” and appeared as KACL’s Noel on “Frasier” and recently performed in The Ritz on Broadway. Adam Kozlowski will portray “Pumbaa” the warthog and has appeared in Scrooge the musical on national tour.

The three hyenas will be played by Keith Bennett (”Banzai”), an original cast member of THE LION KING, whose additional credits include the Broadway productions of Oh, Kay! and The High Rollers Social and Pleasure Club; Jacquie Hodges (”Shenzi”), who has performed off Broadway in For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide and in the national tours of THE LION KING and Aida; and Robbie Swift (”Ed”), acting graduate from The Theatre School at DePaul University, who toured nationally with THE LION KING and recently played “Linus” in the West Coast premiere of Snoopy.

Performances in the role of “Young Simba” will be alternated between Duane Ervin and Elijah Johnson. The role of “Young Nala” will be alternated between Ruby Crawford and Jade Nelson.

Currently in its 12th smash year on Broadway and seen by more than 45 million people in 11 countries, Disney’s THE LION KING continues to reign as one of the most popular shows around the world. THE LION KING is the winner of six Tonyâ Awards including Best Musical, eight Drama Desk Awards, six Outer Critics Circle Awards, the New York Drama Critics award for Best Musical, the Evening Standard Award for the Theatrical Event of the Year, two Olivier Awards, a Theatre World Award, the Astaire Award for Outstanding Choreography, two Drama League Awards and a Grammyâ Award for Best Musical Show Album.

Director Julie Taymor became the first woman in Broadway history to win the Tony® Award for Best Director of a Musical. Taymor, along with Michael Curry, created hundreds of masks and puppets for THE LION KING. Choreography is by Garth Fagan, scenic design is by Richard Hudson, costume design is by Julie Taymor and lighting design is by Donald Holder. The book has been adapted by Roger Allers, who co-directed the animated film and Irene Mecchi, who co-wrote the screenplay for THE LION KING. The score features Elton John and Tim Rice’s music from the animated film along with three new songs by John and Rice, and additional musical material by South African Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Julie Taymor and Hans Zimmer. The resulting sound of THE LION KING score is a fusion of Western popular music and the distinctive sounds and rhythms of Africa, embracing the Academy Award®-winning “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” and the haunting “Shadowlands.”

The Lion King Tickets

Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino

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New York-New York offers a variety of exhilarating nightlife – all under one roof, for one low price. Don’t spend another night driving up and down The Strip or catching expensive cab after expensive cab to find something new to stimulate the night. Head for New York-New York, where with the purchase of the new $25 Value Passport, guests can party all night at a variety of venues, without breaking the bank.

Kick things off at New York-New York’s new Center Bar. Right in the middle of the action, the Center Bar provides the ideal spot to meet up with friends for a cocktail. The new Value Passport entitles you to one premium specialty cocktail. The bar’s fun and flirty drink menu offers such options as Sex, Drugs & Rock & Roll featuring Pink Vodka, Crème de Cacao and Grande Absinth, or the Big Apple with Bacardi Big Apple, Peach Schnapps and Sierra Mist. Bottle service also is available in the Center Bar making it the perfect location to linger the night away, comfortably ensconced in the ultra-relaxing lounge area, pampered by an attentive staff, while watching the five 42-inch flat-screen televisions or the action on the newly remodeled modern-Manhattanesque casino floor mere feet away.

Feeling more like a few beers with your pals? Pour 24 offers a selection of 24 American-made draught beers, served from a state-of-the-art tap system, as well as 24 bottled beers. Sipping beers like Big Sky Moose Drool and Kona Pipeline Porter you and your friends can’t help but have a blast as you work your way through our country’s best brews. The Value Passport puts your first pint in hand.

Time to let it all hang out. The Value Passport includes a ride on The Roller Coaster at New York-New York, so you and your friends can hang out – upside down at that!

Hungry but unwilling to leave all the fun? Nine Fine Irishmen, an authentic Irish pub imported directly from Ireland, features the best of Irish drink, food, music and entertainment. Your Value Passport gets you a pint (or cocktail if you prefer) to raise in toast while you join in the lively conversation and sample some good Irish grub.

When it’s time to take it up a notch and get actively involved, musical entertainment and “sing alongs” are offered nightly at The Bar at Times Square with the No. 1 rated dueling piano show in Las Vegas. Whether you prefer to people watch or provide others with something to talk about, this is a terrific place to hang out. You can join the show on stage, join in the singing from your seat or simply enjoy the experience hanging at the back and watching the fun unfold. With the Value Passport gaining you admission and a brew, you’ll be singing along with the crowd in no time!

When the hour comes to truly crank it up, visit ROK Vegas™, New York-New York’s sexy new nightclub, where your Value Passport not only gets you in the door, it also gets you to the front of the line as a VIP line pass. Offering the tops in technology-inspired nightlife, ROK Vegas™, mesmerizes club-goers with riveting mash-ups and rock-inspired imagery. From every angle, guests are surrounded by concert footage, live club feeds, lasers and animation all chosen by the intuitive Video Jockey (VJ). The DJ keeps the dance floor packed with high-energy mash-up sets cleverly choreographed to the images. Every detail of the club’s interior is designed for a comfortable yet enticing experience.

From start to finish, no matter what the night calls for, New York-New York has an ideal nightlife experience all under one roof. So skip the expensive, time-consuming trips down The Strip, grab a Value Passport at the New York-New York Box Office and make your next night out an affordable New York-New York night.

New York New York Hotel and Casino

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Zero Gravity Corporation (ZERO-G®), the first and only FAA-approved provider of commercial weightless flights, will host its exclusive ZERO-G Weightless Experience in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 21. The experience offered by ZERO-G is the only commercial opportunity on Earth for individuals to experience true “weightlessness” without going to space. This is the identical weightless flight experience used by NASA to train its astronauts and used by Ron Howard and Tom Hanks to film Apollo-13. G-FORCE ONE, ZERO-G’s specially modified Boeing 727-200 aircraft, will depart from Dulles International Airport. To book a seat with ZERO-G, please visit www.gozerog.com.

Each ZERO-G mission is designed for maximum fun. The aircraft’s interior is a zero gravity playroom, complete with padded floors and walls and video cameras to record the unforgettable moments. When experiencing zero gravity, guests can fly the length of an airplane cabin like superman, flip like an Olympic gymnast, pour water in the air and watch the droplets hover before their eyes, release a handful of M&M’s and chase them down like a game of human Pac-Man, and enjoy 10-times more hang-time than the world’s best basketball player. It’s not simulated; ZERO-G replicates the same levels of weightlessness enjoyed on Mars (1/3-gravity), the moon (1/6-gravity), and zero gravity. It’s an experience unlike any other!

ZERO-G guests will receive:

· Pre-flight training to maximize their ZERO-G Experience

· Private transportation to/from McCarran International Airport

· ZERO-G flight suit and patch

· Personal photography by a world-class photographer

· Post-flight re-gravitation party

· Weightless flight award certificate

· Branded ZERO-G gifts

· The chance to experience the rare and exalted state of weightlessness

Weightless flight is a rare, unique opportunity to experience the total absence of gravity. Buzz Aldrin, Martha Stewart, Joey Fatone, Tony Hawk, Princess Beatrice of York, Professor Stephen Hawking, Billy Bush, Burt Rutan, Amy Grant, Miles O’Brien, and cast members of “The Apprentice,” and “The Biggest Loser” are just a few notable passengers who’ve flown with ZERO-G and proclaimed it to be one of the most thrilling experiences of their lives.

Flights last approximately two hours and deliver 15 separate weightless experiences, each lasting about 30 seconds. This is twice the amount of weightless time achieved in a typical sub-orbital flight into space. The ZERO-G Experience is offered at a price of $4,950 per seat plus tax. For more information, or to see pictures and video of the experience, visit www.gozerog.com.

About ZERO-G

Zero Gravity Corporation is held space entertainment and tourism company whose mission is to make the excitement and adventure of weightlessness accessible to the public. ZERO-G is based in Las Vegas and Florida and is the first and only FAA-approved provider of weightless flight to the general public, as well as the entertainment and film industries; corporate and incentive market; non-profit research and education sectors; and government.

Founded in 1993 and headquartered in Las Vegas, ZERO-G is led by a world-class team of veteran astronauts and experienced business leaders. The company was co-founded by X PRIZE Chairman and space visionary, Dr. Peter H. Diamandis; veteran astronaut, Dr. Byron K. Lichtenberg, and NASA Engineer Ray Cronise. The team spent more than a decade working to bring the marvel of weightless flight to the public.

Since launching the ZERO-G Experience in September 2004, the company has conducted more than 175 weightless flights and flown over 5,000 members of the public, including celebrities and media personalities, corporate charters, science and math teachers, and individuals age eight to 93.

ZERO-G operates under the highest safety standards as set by the FAA (Part-121) with its partner Amerijet International of Ft. Lauderdale Florida. Aircraft operations take place under the same regulations set for large commercial passenger airliners.

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This month marks the 35th anniversary of Penn & Teller as a comedy-magic team and the “Bad Boys of Magic” are celebrating the occasion in a big way. The duo has spent most of their lives playing with knives, guns, livestock and fire-eating showgirls and now a 27,000 square image of them graces the side of the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino. The larger than life replica depicts Penn precariously dangling Teller over fire, which perhaps does not qualify as their craziest stunt but certainly the largest—standing 26-stories high overlooking the Las Vegas Strip.

Penn & Teller Tickets

“Many animals keep growing well into adulthood. If Teller and I began growing when we started working together, the picture taking up the whole side of the Rio is the size we would be now,” declared Penn, the larger, louder half of Penn & Teller. “In 10 years we will be etched on the side of the moon.”

Throughout the years, Penn & Teller have remained in the forefront of the industry, appearing in their own Emmy-winning network specials as well as outrageous appearances on “Late Night with David Letterman,” “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” “The Today Show” and television series such as “Friends,” “West Wing,” being animated guests on “The Simpsons,” and even “Dancing With The Stars.” This spring Penn & Teller will launch their seventh season of “Penn & Teller: Bullsh*t!”, Showtime’s longest running series and the recipient of 11 Emmy nominations.

The duo’s one-of-a-kind blend of magic and comedy has received critical acclaim throughout the years but when asked about their success they will tell you they are just “a couple of eccentric guys who have learned how to do a few cool things.”

Penn & Teller landed in Las Vegas in 1993 and began a headlining engagement at Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in 2001. Since that time have been shocking Sin City audiences with their daring and distinctive brand of comedy.

“35 years together and everything is right on schedule. We’re a third of the way through our 105 year plan. We have lots of surprises planned for the world,” says Penn.

Penn & Teller’s live show has been called: “Pure entertainment and demented originality,” (Newsweek); “Hilarious! Mind-bending! Mind-boggling!,” (New York Magazine); “One of the best evenings at the theatre one can have,” (Chicago Tribune). They perform in the Penn & Teller Theatre at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino nightly (dark Thursdays and Fridays) at 9 p.m.

Penn & Teller Tickets

Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino

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Mötley Crüe, along with some of rock’s top touring acts, will hit the road again this summer for Crüe Fest 2. Crüe Fest 2 will make its stop at The New Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Saturday, August 1. Tickets go on-sale to the general public on Saturday, March 21 at noon but fans can purchase pre-sale tickets now by visiting www.CrueFest2.com for more information.

Crüe Fest 2 Tickets

Mötley Crüe will perform the entire album, Dr. Feelgood, from beginning to end at Crüe Fest 2 in addition to their hits. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the release of Dr. Feelgood, which became the Crüe’s first #1 album on the Billboard charts. To celebrate the anniversary, the band plans to theme the second edition of their festival tour with imagery inspired by Dr. Feelgood. Mötley Crüe will reveal details of the tour at a major press conference from the Fuse TV studios on March 16th in New York City and Fuse will air press conference highlights at 9pm ET/PT that evening.

Notes Mötley Crüe’s Nikki Sixx, “On this summer’s Crüe Fest we really wanted to give the fans something they’ve never seen before. And since it’s the 20th Anniversary of the release of Dr. Feelgood, we figured what better way to celebrate than to play it live TOP TO BOTTOM every night.”

Mötley Crüe recently returned to the charts with Saints of Los Angeles, their first new studio album with the original line-up — Nikki Sixx, Mick Mars, Tommy Lee and Vince Neil — in over a decade and the ninth studio album in their career. Based on the band’s New York Times bestselling book, The Dirt, the disc debuted at #1 on the Independent Album chart and was the top debut of the week on the Billboard’s Top 200 at #4. Last summer’s multi-artist inaugural Crüe Fest was the most successful touring rock festival of the summer season according to Rolling Stone.

Crüe Fest 2 Tickets

Hard Rock Hotel Casino

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