Mark Davis was brimming with emotion as he pulled into Allegiant Stadium on Saturday night to see AC/DC.
“I felt so proud coming into the building and seeing how beautiful it is driving up at night,” he said Monday. “To go inside and see how clean it is, and to see everyone so excited to see AC/DC in Las Vegas, was just great.
“You know, it’s easier for me to enjoy when it’s not a game,” the Raiders owner added.
Dream to reality
Allegiant Stadium is on a winning streak for concert presentations. AC/DC wiped the place out, onstage and at the box office, with 43,000 in the house. The sound might have been the best for a rock show yet at Allegiant Stadium, which is not immune to stadium-scale audio problems (especially slap-back).
The concerts have more than met Davis’ expectations since Allegiant Stadium hosted its first touring show with Garth Brooks in July 2021 (just after Illenium performed the first ticketed show of any kind at the stadium).
Acts who have rolled into the Raiders’ home stadium include the Rolling Stones, BTS, Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Paul McCartney, Bad Bunny, Elton John, Metallica, Coldplay, Kendrick Lamar, Imagine Dragons, Pink, Blackpink, The Weeknd and Luke Combs (who holds the record for largest indoor crowd in Nevada at 70,921 for his in-the-round country spectacle at Allegiant).
“It’s one thing to dream, but reality is different,” Davis said. “What’s so awesome is reality is matching up to the dream. You want to have the greatest — you want to have the Rolling Stones — in the stadium, and damn if we haven’t had them.” Davis also mentioned two legends he booked himself, Stevie Wonder and Elton John, at the annual Raiders Foundation Silver & Black Gala at the stadium.
“The adaptability of this stadium to handle just about any type of event is just extraordinary to me,” he said.
Big acts on tap
The roster of artists headlining through the end of the year, working around the Silver and Black schedule, is up to the stadium’s standards:
— Karol G, Friday: The Colombian star is the first female artist to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard charts with an all-Spanish album, 2023’s “Mañana Será Bonito.” In April, she also became the first Latina to headline Coachella. Friday’s show is her first at Allegiant Stadium.
— Guns N’ Roses, Aug. 22: The reunited GNR, led by Axl Rose and Slash, played the first rock show ever at Allegiant in August 2021. Slash sounded great. Rose’s vocals ricocheted all over the venue. But “Sweet Child o’ Mine” still registers, as GNR unloads its entire arsenal. They remain a proven stadium draw. Add special guests, the Black Crowes, and you’ve got a stellar night of rock.
— Usher and Chris Brown, Sept. 5, 6 and 18: “The R&B Tour” takes over the stadium. You can make the case that either of these headliners is the best dancer among recording superstars. Set aside Brown’s baggage, and it’s an epic production. Usher has headlined residencies at the Colosseum and Dolby Live. Brown is a frequent Las Vegas headliner and performed a torrid residency at Drai’s Nightclub in 2022-23.
— Foo Fighters, Sept. 26: The Las Vegas stop on the “Take Cover” tour. Back in December 2021 at Dolby Live, Dave Grohl teased, as only Dave Grohl can, about the Foo Fighters’ future in Las Vegas, saying he wanted to compare that crowd’s response to “when we eventually come here and do our residency!”
This has not happened — despite the crowd’s roar of approval that night. But we will always take a tour stop from the “All My Life” rockers.
Asked if there’s any artist who has not played the stadium that he wants to see, Davis said with a laugh: “Jimi Hendrix.”
“Really, I’m just happy with whoever they bring in,” he added. “It’s just a pretty special feeling that I get when I’m in the stadium.”
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.