Las Vegas Nevada News Feed

Comedian Rodney Carrington returns to the Hollywood Theater at MGM Grand July 30 – August 12. Carrington is scheduled to perform at 10 p.m. nightly.

Rodney Carrington Tickets

Guests must be 18 years or older to attend.

For more than 15 years, Carrington has blazed comedy trails with his stand-up comedy tour across America and multitude of chart-topping albums. In addition to recording six country music albums and performing stand-up comedy, Carrington has made several television appearances demonstrating his exceptional talents. He starred in the ABC television sitcom “Rodney” as well as the Comedy Central special “Rodney Carrington Live at the Majestic Theatre.” Carrington also is a fixture on successful syndicated radio shows such as Bob & Tom.

Carrington’s side-splitting singles have found their way to the top of the charts, along with six Top 10 albums: “Hangin with Rodney,” “King of the Mountains,” “Live,” “Morning Wood,” “Nut Sack,” and “Greatest Hits,” all of which continue to receive major radio airplay on country, classic rock and rock formats.

In 2008, Carrington filmed “Beer for My Horses,” which he co-wrote and co-starred in along with country music star Toby Keith. He also appeared in the hit music video by Trace Adkins, “I Got My Game On,” which won three awards on the 2008 CMT Music Video Awards, including “Male Video of the Year” and “Video Director of the Year” for Michael Salomon. Carrington won the category “Supporting Character of the Year” for his role.

Carrington has six albums on major labels, all of which maintain coveted spots on the comedy charts. “Greatest Hits” and “Morning Wood” have achieved gold status from the Recording Industry Association of America and Carrington has been a Pollstar Top 100 grossing concert act since 2001.

Carrington recently premiered a comedy sketch music video on CMT entitled “If I’m the Only One,” which is still currently playing on all country video outlets, featuring guest appearances by Jennifer Aspen (Rodney), Nick Searcy (Rodney) and Toby Keith. The song is one of the cuts from Rodney’s new all song CD on Capitol Nashville, “El Nino Loco,” produced by Toby Keith, scheduled to be in stores June 16. Additionally, the first season of the ABC television show Rodney is now on sale exclusively in Wal-Mart stores.

Rodney Carrington Tickets

MGM Grand Hotel and Casino

Comments Off

World Championship Darts Event Highlights July 4 Weekend; Tickets Now On Sale

The Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) returns to the entertainment capital of the world as the top darts competitors from Europe and North America compete in the Eighth Annual Las Vegas Desert Classic July 1-5 inside Mandalay Bay’s Islander Ballroom. The event, which begins daily at 11 a.m., guarantees to bring the world’s best dart players to Las Vegas including four-time winner and defending champion Phil Taylor of England.

Tickets priced at $22 per day and $55 for an all-session pass (five days of competition), not including applicable service charges and fees, are now on sale and available 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 Mandalay Bay at (877) 632-7400 or Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mandalaybay.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

The $300,000 tournament, which features a $45,000 first-place prize, begins Sunday, June 28 with two days of qualifying events followed by five consecutive days of televised knockout action. The Las Vegas Desert Classic is one of the sport’s most exciting events, as the PDC’s Top 16 players and four leading North American participants, are joined by 12 additional qualifiers for the first round. Taylor and 2007 champion Raymond van Barneveld will head the 16 pre-qualified stars from the PDC Order of Merit, alongside former champions Peter Manley (2003) and John Part of Canada (2006). The qualifying events are open to all interested dart players who can register by visiting www.bullseyenews.com.

“The PartyPoker.net Las Vegas Desert Classic is the summer’s highlight for both players and fans and has developed into a superb competition the past seven years,” said PDC Chairman Barry Hearn. “We’ve got the most exciting players in darts competing in the most exciting city in the world. It promises to be five days of electric action. Don’t miss a dart.”

The 2009 PartyPoker.net Las Vegas Desert Classic will be televised live on Sky Sports in the UK and in highlight packages around the world, including Fox Sports in the United States. Additional event information and travel packages are available by visiting www.longmeregolf.com or by calling 011-203-253-0101.

Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino

Comments Off

UK dance band Underworld will be bringing their high energy show across the pond this summer to play The new Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on August 6.

An incredible 27 years after their birth in Romford, Essex as a trio and 15 years after they pressed up their debut single, Rick Smith and Karl Hyde are still enjoying the ride, grinning like kids as new vistas unfold before them. What has distinguished them over the years is their ability to instill a deep soulfulness and empathetic humanity into even the most anthemic club banger. They fuse together elements of techno, dub, trance, Krautrock, drum ‘n’ bass, ambient house and even blues, complementing and contrasting not only sounds, but emotions, too, tying them together with Hyde’s frequently prescient, often opaque but always strikingly poetic lyrics. The colossal ‘Born Slippy’ thus packed a heart-rending existential ache along with that thrilling, jackhammer pulse and – immortalized as it was in Danny Boyle’s Zeitgeist-busting movie ‘Trainspotting’ – became a soundtrack for a generation.

If there’s a single explanation for Underworld’s longevity and fecund creativity, it’s their appetite for change and, over the past years, they’ve been busy breaking acres of fresh artistic ground, much of it in cyberspace. In November 2005, Smith and Hyde launched their digital ‘Riverrun’ project, delivering on-line brand new music direct to their fans, thus short-circuiting the relentless write/record/tour/promote system and allowing them to respond much quicker to their creative moods.

“This renewed vigour we’ve felt in the past four or five years has surfaced in material that hasn’t really appeared over the commercial parapet,” Smith explains, “but what we’re most interested in doing – beyond just ‘Oblivion With Bells’ – is simply marking our ongoing journey. Big conclusions aren’t what we’re aiming for; we’re interested in expressing how we feel at one particular time and that in no way necessarily says that’s where we’re going. It just says that’s where we’re at, at the moment. I do think large aspects of the new album sound like two guys who’ve had great experiences with film music, who have a passion for film and travelling and for ambient, more gentle and perhaps what was less generally understood as ‘an Underworld sound’ – which was uplifting, anthemic, banging and very obviously dance oriented.”

Tickets go on-sale Saturday, May 16 at noon for Underworld. Tickets are available at the Hard Rock Hotel Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com or charge-by-phone at 800-745-3000. Tickets are $39.50 and are subject to service fees.

Produced by AEG Live.

The new Joint inherited its name from the legendary original Hard Rock venue and was designed by the renowned Montreal-based architectural design firm Scéno Plus. The new Joint doubled in size while keeping the same atmosphere of the original venue and carries on the up-close and authentic feel with the furthest seat in the house only 155 feet from the stage. The new Joint is a multipurpose facility featuring a state-of-the-art sound system, an innovative lighting system, WiFi access throughout the venue, a full blogging station for press covering events, and 38 flat screens throughout the venue to guarantee the ultimate viewing experience. The new Joint’s $60 million project is part of the widely-publicized $750 million expansion the Hard Rock broke ground on in 2007; slated for completion in late 2009.

Hard Rock Hotel Casino

Comments Off

How often do you get to rub elbows – literally – with some of the biggest names in Hollywood and in sports and do it in front of a national television audience on ESPN? The 2009 Ante Up For Africa Celebrity-Charity Poker Tournament on Thursday, July 2 at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas gives you this special opportunity as the only event of its kind where the general public can participate.

This No-Limit Hold’em poker tournament has an entry fee of $5,000, and puts you side-by-side with Hollywood hotshots, superstar athletes and poker professionals, battling it out in a unique charity tournament where you can walk away with a six-figure payday and contribute to a great cause too.

Celebrities and athletes all over are gearing up to return and will join poker’s most notable players to raise public awareness and funds to support the victims of the humanitarian crisis in Darfur, Sudan, at the 3rd annual Ante Up For Africa (AUFA) tournament during the 2009 World Series of Poker®.

Created by Oscar nominee Don Cheadle and Celebrity Apprentice star and WSOP bracelet winner Annie Duke, the Ante Up for Africa tournament will begin at 2 p.m. on July 2nd at the Rio® All-Suite Hotel & Casino, home of the 40th Annual World Series of Poker (WSOP). To date, Ante Up For Africa has raised close to $2 million for the cause.

This year Ante Up For Africa will host an exclusive party for the players and stars at PURE, one of Vegas’ hottest night clubs. The 3rd Annual Ante Up for Africa Tournament will be televised on ESPN on Tuesday, August 11 from 8-10 PM ET.

“It is an honor and very exciting to have ESPN turn the cameras on for our event,” said Annie Duke. “This will make great strides in raising awareness about this ongoing crisis.”

Among those confirmed to participate, subject to availability, are: Cheadle, Matt Damon, Jason Alexander, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, Montel Williams, Herschel Walker, Hank Azaria, Brad Garrett, Reggie Miller, Marlon Wayans, Sarah Silverman and Casey Affleck, with many more in the process of being confirmed and expressing their interest to play. Also playing, subject to availability, will be poker professionals Howard Lederer, Andy Bloch, Erik Seidel and Phil Hellmuth with many more to be confirmed in the coming weeks.

The tournament will feature a fast-paced structure designed to complete the competition within five hours. Seating for the tournament is open to anyone age 21 or older. Players can register in person at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, or online up to two weeks prior to the event at www.worldseriesofpoker.com under the registration tab.

“I am very pleased that we have raised almost 2 million to date and appreciative of everyone who has participated and donated to help us on our mission of bringing the plight of the refugees of Darfur to the forefront of people’s minds”, said Cheadle.

This event, as is every World Series of Poker tournament, is open to the public for viewing and admission is free. The event will take place in the famed Amazon Ballroom in the Rio Convention Center, just one day prior to the start of the WSOP Main Event, the game’s most prestigious event.

“We are eagerly anticipating the 3rd annual Ante Up For Africa Celebrity-Charity poker tournament,” said World Series of Poker Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack. “We commend the work Don and Annie are doing on behalf of this charity and are excited to partner with them again for what is the most fun-filled day at the World Series of Poker.”

Cheadle, an accomplished poker player, and Duke, who has more than $4 million in tournament winnings, are committed to raising both public awareness about the tragedy in Darfur and funds to aid its victims. As the world’s richest sporting event, the WSOP awarded more than $180 million in 2008 and attracted participants from a record 124 nations.

Nevada Gaming laws prohibit money being given directly from the prize pool to the charity. Accordingly, in the previous events, many of the in the money finishers volunteered to donate half of their winnings to the charity and Ante Up for Africa encourages participants to do the same this year.

More information about the tournament is available at www.worldseriesofpoker.com. If you would like more information regarding the organization, please log onto www.anteupforafrica.org and on twitter at www.twitter.com/anteupforafrica. For press coverage and to schedule an interview, please contact Danika Berry at 323.544.1482 or via email at danika@dbagencypr.com

ABOUT THE WSOP

The World Series of Poker (WSOP) is the largest, richest and most prestigious gaming event in the world awarding millions of dollars in prize money and the prestigious gold bracelet, globally recognized as the sport’s top prize. Featuring a comprehensive slate of tournaments in every major poker variation, the WSOP is poker’s longest running tournament in the world, dating back to 1970. In 2008, the event attracted 58,720 entrants from 124 different countries to the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas and awarded over $180 million in prize money. The creation of the new delayed Main Event final table more than doubled ratings on ESPN year over year. The WSOP in December, 2008 was named the 7th most admired sports brand in North America by the Turnkey Sports Survey, trailing only the older and more established NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, NASCAR and PGA Tour among sports properties. In addition, the WSOP has experienced groundbreaking alliances in broadcasting, digital media and corporate sponsorships, while successfully expanding the brand internationally with the advent in 2007 of the World Series of Poker EuropeSM. For more information on the World Series of Poker, please visit our website at www.worldseriesofpoker.com.

ABOUT ANTE UP FOR AFRICA

Ante Up For Africa (AUFA) is a non-profit organization founded in 2006 by Don Cheadle, Annie Duke and Norman Epstein. We are dedicated to raising money and awareness for Africans in need. To date, Ante Up For Africa has raised close to $2 million for the cause and has donated to organizations such as Not On Our Watch (NOOW), ENOUGH and The International Rescue Committee. For more information, please log onto www.AnteUpForAfrica.org.

Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino

Comments Off

Sexy pop sensations The Pussycat Dolls, perform their energetic stage show at The Pearl Concert Theater inside the Palms Casino Resort on Saturday, June 27, 2009.

Pussycat Dolls Tickets

After forming in 1995 as a burlesque troupe under the direction of famed choreographer Robin Antin, The Pussycat Dolls burst on to the pop scene as an all-girl pop group and dance ensemble in 2005.

With the release of their first self-titled album in 2005, the Dolls made an impression landing at #5 on the Billboard charts. The group, which consists of front woman Nicole Scherzinger, Melody Thornton, Kimberly Wyatt, Jessica Sutta and Ashley Roberts, rode a wave of success as the album produced multiple hit singles including “Don’t Cha,” “Buttons,” “Wait a Minute” and “Stickwitu.” The Dolls received a Billboard Music Award for “Don’t Cha” as Hot Dance Music/Club Play Single of the Year. “Wait a Minute” featuring Timbaland became a top 40 hit worldwide in 2006.

In March 2008, the group released their second album, Doll Domination, with hits “When I Grow Up” and “I Hate This Part.” The group has also branched out beyond the music industry with their popular reality television series “Pussycat Dolls Present: The Search for the Next Doll.”

Pussycat Dolls Tickets

Palms Casino Resort

Comments Off

Rock and Roll Hall of Famers, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, return to the intimate The Pearl Concert Theater as part of the Steely Dan Rent Party ‘09 US tour on Friday, August 28, 2009.

Steely Dan Tickets

Concertgoers can expect a hefty draft of the incomparable Steely Dan experience this year. Supported by their renowned 11-piece band — including Keith Carlock on drums, Freddie Washington on bass and Jon Herington on guitar — Becker and Fagen will draw from their deep catalog and showcase Steely Dan’s signature slinky grooves, sleek subversive lyrics, impeccable musicianship, and infectious hits.

Steely Dan helped define the soundtrack of the ’70s with hits such as “Reelin’ in the Years,” “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number,” “Do It Again,” “Deacon Blues,” “Peg,” “Babylon Sisters” and “Hey Nineteen,” culled from their seven platinum albums issued between 1972 and 1980 including 1977’s groundbreaking “Aja.” They reunited in the early ’90s and toured throughout the decade, releasing multi-Grammy winner Two Against Nature in 2000 and its acclaimed follow-up Everything Must Go in 2003. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.

Steely Dan Tickets

Palms Casino Resort

Comments Off

Dubbed music’s “King of Romance,” Engelbert Humperdinck has sold over 150 million records worldwide, including 64 gold and 24 platinum albums. The multiple Grammy-nominated artist will charm hearts once again June 11, 12, 13 and 14 at 8 p.m. each evening at The Orleans Showroom.

Englebert Humperdinck Tickets

Although born Arnold George Dorsey in Madras, India, it was over four decades ago that Engelbert Humperdinck emerged as one of the foremost entertainers in the world. Growing up, Humperdinck had a passion for the saxophone and scrimped and saved for weekly lessons. By the time he was 17, he found himself on stage singing and became quite popular in the United Kingdom. After a military hiatus, he again emerged on the music scene with a new image and the name of a noted 19th century German composer. Thus, Engelbert Humperdinck was born and a phenomenon began.

Once called “The premier voice of the 20th century” by the London Times, Humperdinck first hit the charts with his smash hit “Release Me (And Let Me Love Again),” which went to No. 1 in 11 countries. The next decade brought such hits as “After the Lovin’,” “Winter World of Love,” “Am I That Easy To Forget,” “There Goes My Everything,” “This Moment In Time,” and “A Man Without Love.”

Humperdinck has performed for Her Majesty the Queen, several Presidents, and many Heads of State. In 1978, he received a “Georgie Award” from the American Guild of Variety Artists recognizing his as “Entertainer of the Year.” In 1988, his performance of “One World” was seen by over 5 billion people around the globe, kicking off the Seoul Summer Olympics.

The handsome singer extraordinaire, whose music is instantly recognizable, has withstood the test of time with his sensitive interpretation of lyrics. He has recorded over 80 albums including many multi-language versions, and is extremely proud of the fact that he has been able to use his fame to raise funds for numerous charitable causes.

Englebert Humperdinck Tickets

Orleans Hotel and Casino

Comments Off

For more than 20 years pop sensation Kylie Minogue has fascinated fans with her studio releases and live tours. Kylie stops at The Pearl Concert Theater inside the Palms Casino Resort as part of her six city, first-ever U.S. tour on Saturday, October 3, 2009.

Kylie Minogue Tickets

In July 1987 Kylie released her first single; a remake of the 1962 Little Eva hit “Locomotion.” The song hit #1 in Australia and remained in the top spot for seven weeks, becoming the biggest Australian single of the ’80s. Twenty years later she now holds the record for the most played female artist on UK radio over the last 20 years.

Kylie’s recording career began in 1987 when she released “Locomotion” which topped the charts in Australia and S.E. Asia. Her eponymously titled debut album, released July 1988, contained the hit singles “I Should Be So Lucky,” “Got To Certain” and “Je Ne Sais Pas Pourquoi.” It sold more than 5 million copies worldwide. Her duet with Jason Donovan, “Especially For You” debuted at #2 and shipped silver on release bringing Kylie’s single sales in the U.K. to well over 2 million in under 12 months. The album sold similar quantities, going seven-times platinum in the UK. Through the years, multiple successful releases followed the impressive debut including Rhythm of Love and Impossible Princess (aka Kylie Minogue).

In March 2005 Kylie’s sold out Showgirl – The Greatest Hits Tour opened to great critical acclaim. She went on to perform 23 sold out nights at only four venues in the UK including seven nights at Earls Court Arena where she set the record for the most dates by a female artist ever at a UK venue. The tour also played 14 sold out dates throughout Europe before travelling to Australia where the rest of the tour had to be postponed due to Kylie being diagnosed with early stage breast cancer. Kylie spent the next twelve months focusing on her treatment and on November 11, 2006 Kylie made an emotional return to the stage in Australia to resume her Showgirl Tour which was retitled, Showgirl Homecoming. The reviews were superlative.

Kylie is currently working on several projects, but concentrating on her tenth studio album.

Kylie Minogue Tickets

Palms Casino Resort

Comments Off

Legendary Hall of Famer and former Houston Rockets guard Calvin Murphy will sign autographs at the Hoop Hall Experience (HHX), the official Basketball Hall of Fame’s touring exhibit, at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino 6:30 – 8 p.m. Friday, May 15 and 1 – 2:30 p.m. Saturday, May 16.

Murphy is known as one of the best free-throw shooters ever, setting NBA numerous records within the Rockets organization including records for most consecutive free throws made and for the highest free throw percentage in a season in 1980-1981. A talented guard, Murphy was known for his quickness and defensive ability at 5 foot 9 inches. He played for the rockets from 1970-1983.

After retiring from the NBA in 1983, Murphy was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993. He currently hosts “The Calvin Murphy Show” on ESPN Radio.
 
Located on the mezzanine level, the HHX is where the story of basketball comes to life in more than 17,000 square feet of fun. From the heart-pounding surround sound “Big Shots” theater to state-of-the-art interactive displays, the attraction has something for basketball lovers of all ages. Fans can enjoy rare memorabilia such as the jersey Wilt Chamberlain wore when he scored 100 points and the piece of floor where Michael Jordan took his last shot and more. Visitors can see the greatest players, craziest games and most inspiring coaches come to life in HHX. Broken into six distinct zones, the Hoop Hall Experience is the ultimate basketball exhibition.

Basketball Hall of Fame’s Hoop Hall Experience is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily with last admission at 8 p.m.

The exhibit will be on display for a limited time. Tickets are $15 (adults), $12 (seniors 65 and older and military),

$10 (children 4-12); for Nevada residents, $12 (adults) and $8 (children) and are available at Planet Hollywood’s central box office on the mezz.

Related Links:

Planet Hollywood Hotel & Casino

Comments Off

EVENT:  Minus 5 Ice Lounge’s expert carvers will sculpt 3,100 pounds of ice into a life-sized replica of a lion in honor of Mandalay Bay’s debut of Disney’s the Lion King. 

This unique event provides the public with a rare opportunity to see ice artists at work as they transform the block of ice into a lion.  Using a variety of different tools, including chainsaw, chisel, and blowtorch, this process will take approximately five hours to recreate the “king of beasts,” with the last hour open to the public.

NEWS PEG:  See the lion “come to life;” the action of professional ice carvers; on camera interview with the founder of the Minus 5 Ice Experience, the first permanent ice lounge in the United States.  During the carving, guests are invited to cool off from the scorching Vegas heat and enjoy an arctic adventure in an icy wonderland of intricately hand-crafted ice sculptures and architecture.  Upon entry, guests are promptly served an ice glass filled with exotic vodka-based cocktails.  Guests are encouraged to “chillax” on ice couches and enjoy what is literally the coolest lounge on the planet where the temperature is a constant -5 degrees Celsius (hence its name) or 23 degrees Fahrenheit.

DATE: Thursday, May 14, 2009

TIME: 5:15 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

PLACE: Minus 5 Ice Lounge
(located within the Mandalay Place)
Mandalay Bay Hotel
3930 Las Vegas Blvd S. Las Vegas, NV 89119

Related links:

Lion King Tickets

Minus 5 Lounge

Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino

Comments Off