A pair of longtime Vegas favorites are playing new (to them) showrooms over the next few days. These are uniquely Las Vegas presentations, laden with familiar performers.
Let’s break this down, starting with …
Moreno’s legacy lineup
Frankie Moreno premieres “Vegas Remastered” at Westgate’s International Theater on Thursday night. The show is a mix of Moreno’s recent stage show, peppered with some of his 500 iTunes No. 1 songs, and classics famous in Las Vegas. Lacey Schwimmer, from the famed Schwimmer dance family and a former “Dancing With the Stars” pro, is guest starring.
Thursday’s show is sold out, but we’re looking at the longer-term with Moreno’s partnership at Westgate. This could and should be a recurring production in a theater with a history of Vegas-layered performances.
Moreno’s run at South Point Showroom seems to have played out. This was apparent in his most recent appearance in July, when he and the band took a mid-show trip to the showroom bar to throw back whisky shots. An educated assessment: That was a send-off move.
As is often the case, the best description of a Moreno show is for what it isn’t. It’s not a tribute, nostalgia exercise or a night filled with originals.
“I’m going for about 50-percent original, and the rest is a mix of, ‘Here’s Sinatra, here’s Bobby Darin, here’s Elvis,’” Moreno says. “We’re mixing it in the right way.” And there is never a shortage of skill, songs or spirits.
Five on the floor
The innovative and instrument-free Mo5aic vocal ensemble premieres at the aforementioned South Point Showroom from Friday through Sunday.
The current roster of Joshua Danger, Heath Burgett, Corwyn Hodge, Kenny Urban, Jordan Rogers is scary for its ability to achieve instrument sounds verbally. It’s like, where is that stand-up bass coming from? It’s akin to a magic act, without the wind machine.
As Danger (a stage name that is also a warning) offers, “It’s gonna be a very wide variety of music. Probably the widest range of any of our Vegas shows. Anything from Take 5 to ‘Pink Pony Club.’”
We met the Mo5aic long ago, when headlining comic George Wallace brought them on stage during his run at the Flamingo. Wallace was a pioneer of the four-wall concept and controlled who appeared on stage during his time slot. So he carved a spot for this then-emerging troupe. If anything positive has ever come out of the four-wall model, it’s this act.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.