The song being performed was, “I’ve Gotta Get a Message to You.” The message was, “There’s a fire, stop the show.”
That was the case at “Australian Bee Gees Show” at Excalibur’s Thunderland Showroom on Wednesday night. The tribute production never made it to “Disco Inferno” after flames leaked from a fog machine above the stage.
No injuries were reported. The theater was immediately cleared. The Bee Gees show was canceled, as was the Thunder From Down Under male revue that follows. MGM Resorts International officials offered no comment on the incident.
Clark County Fire Department units were dispatched to the scene at about 6:15 p.m., 15 minutes after show time.
According to SPI Entertainment founder Adam Steck, who produces both shows, the Bee Gees tribute was in its third number when audience members noticed small flames above the stage. The unplanned pyrotechnics were coming from a Vesuvio II fog machine designed to produce stage smoke.
As the cast performed “I’ve Gotta Get a Message to You,” a top-10 1968 hit, the audience pointed to the rigging over the stage and called out, “Hey! Fire!” The band quickly halted. The crew threw water and shot chemical foam at the flames.
Steck said he would clean the room of anti-flammable chemicals, and that the shows were likely to return Thursday. As of Thursday morning, both productions were selling tickets on the MGM Resorts website.
Such an incident is uncommon, to say the least. It is a first for the Bee Gees show, which opened in February 2011, and for its producer. Steck has a long history of presenting shows in multiple venues at Excalibur. “Thunder” opened at the resort in 2002.
“I’ve been here for 25 years,” said Steck, whose room also stages comic legend Mac King’s show. “I’ve never seen this happen.”
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow @johnnykatson X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.