Madonna and Prince Go Vegas
This is the weekend for '80s connoisseurs (are there '80s connoisseurs?) in Las Vegas. Madonna is doing two nights at the MGM's Grand Garden Arena. May 27 is sold out but there are still tickets available for Sunday night. Madonna has chosen to take her official after-party to Tao at the Venetian following Sunday's concert. Obviously, it is a major score to hold the after-party for the world's coolest and oldest club kid.
Meanwhile, at the Empire Ballroom (an independent nightclub on the Strip) Prince is also playing shows on May 27 and 28. Prince tickets are $312.01. (Prince's new disc is called "3121." The price alludes to the title; you save $ .09 over a more exact visual recreation). Tonight, however, is the real '80s flashback at Club Rio when Prince will join Morris Day & The Time on stage. This is also a bargain show at a mere $124.03.
Show business is dead as far as I am concerned. I wouldn't pay the kind od prices hey're asking to see this performers nowadays. I wouldn't pay $100.00 to see GOD.
Billy
Posted by: Billy Pittman | May 27, 2006 at 09:12 PM
Billy, God wouldn't see YOU for FREE.
Posted by: LadyPhoenix | May 28, 2006 at 03:54 AM
It's crazy to see Madonna as one of the acts. Here she is selling out major venues around the world and pissing off religious figured with that whole crucifiction...how many people can actually see her at the Grand in one show? I think it's amazing that she would come to Vegas, and awesome for those that still like her (or ever did; I was never really a fan) and live in the area, but hard to imagine how it works out economically. The casino must be making up the difference between her normal rates and what she can earn from attendance.
Posted by: scottage | May 28, 2006 at 09:28 AM
All I can say is, support your local music scene -- go and see local bands ... big name acts catering to rich and elite audiences in Vegas is not music ... it's more akin to corporate greed ...
Posted by: davem | May 28, 2006 at 12:51 PM
LadyPhoenix, Exactly which religious figures has Madonna pissed off with "that whole crucifixion"? Who objected?
Posted by: Frank Lee | May 28, 2006 at 04:48 PM
I'm not a Madonna fan, but her ticket prices in Las Vegas were $375; $265; $175; $75
At a place that holds about 12,000 for a concert. Times two nights.
The MGM didn't have to make up the difference. At those rates, they should have covered most or all of what they paid her.
When you add in the huge numbers of people who came of age in the 80's (some of who are now making piles of cash that they can gamble away at a casino), even if the MGM had to take a small loss on the show, it is far more than made up by the tickets they gave to "high rollers" who will lose ten times as much over the weekend as even the top ticket prices were worth.
Tao scored with the after-party, and who knows how much they paid for that? (When Paris Hilton or even someone more of less famous has a "night" at a Las Vegas club, the fees they are paid are often six figure).
Las Vegas draws from middle America ... people who live in boring places and who come to Las Vegas to splurge. And maybe see a music star they grew up with.
For those of you who live in Southern California, please understand: We (in Las Vegas) market the party and the clubs (and no 2 AM last call) to you. And you come enjoy them, which we appreciate.
But more than half of Las Vegas visitors are from other places. Places that don't have celebs. That aren't hip and happening. And visitors keep flocking here to Las Vegas in record numbers to experience it.
Posted by: Ted "Las Vegas" Newkirk | May 28, 2006 at 11:22 PM
Ahh! Great! Vegas knows what it's doing! Madonna in Vegas? The purple one in Vegas? Bout time! These 2 guys will do well. HMMMM, Gives me a reason to do a weekend
or 2! peaceeeee!
Posted by: Tiray | May 29, 2006 at 01:21 AM
I sang with prince at the empire ballroom in vegas on the sunday night show on may 28th and wanted to know if anyone got a picture or video?
Posted by: shawn eiferman | July 17, 2006 at 10:59 AM