Over at The Dish Rag, Elizabeth Snead is reporting the rumors of Britney Spears planning a Vegas comeback on New Year's Eve at the Palms' Pearl concert hall. For musicians who actually sing live at their concerts, the venue has the best sound in Vegas. Spears is also very familiar with the Palms; this  was the setting for her disastrous September 2007 Video Music Awards performance. 

I checked with the Palms, and the resort has no comment. This in itself suggests that something may indeed be up, because when rumors were flying about Spears and the Palms back in May, the resort's owner, George Maloof, a longtime friend of the singer, told me that the Palms was not in the midst of doing any business deals with Spears. Of course, that was  May, also known as ancient history in Las Vegas. And for Spears, too, much has changed. She now has a new disc coming out in December. Meanwhile, the Pearl has yet to announce any show for New Year's Eve. So we'll see.

But be careful what you wish for, people. I reviewed a Spears concert back in 2004 when she was still known for music. She played at the MGM Grand Garden Arena (which is many times larger than the Pearl).  I was not impressed at all by a concert that, looking back, sadly, was probably the highlight of her many, many memorable Vegas moments. 

Spears' last two performances in Vegas have been notably, indeed, even exceptionally, lame. First, there was her show at Mandalay Bay's House of Blues in May 2007. This concert lasted about 15 minutes. I was there, and for their hard-earned cash, her fans saw Spears lip sync to canned music and perform stale choreography with backup dancers.

Then came the infamously bland Video Music Awards performance at the Palms in September 2007. Of course, Spears picked up some VMAs earlier this month. So maybe returning to the Palms on New Year's Eve could offer her a further opportunity to put the past behind her for 2009.

Photo credit: Britney Spears performs at the MTV Video Music Awards at The Palms Hotel and Casino on Sunday, Sept. 9, 2007, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Beacher's Madhouse show happens this weekend, and the publicity machine for Jeff Beacher is going into overdrive.

TMZ, for example had a breathless report posted yesterday on Mini-Britney, Terra Jole, coming to town to do her Britney Spears impersonation at the Madhouse.

The gossip site noted Jole "arrived in Las Vegas on Monday to prepare for a Saturday night performance, mini-performance, that is!"

There is even an accompanying photo of Jeff Beacher driving her to the Hard Rock reinforcing the impression that she is just off the plane.

Yes, she bombed at the Video Music Awards. But it is unfair to say the Sunday night performance marked a new low for Britney Spears in Vegas.

This city has been home to so many of her "Oops I did it again" mistakes. In fact, Sunday barely scrapes into my 'Top 5 Britastrophes' to take place in Vegas:

5. Britney bombs at the VMAs. Not bothering to sing, seemingly unable to keep up with her backing dancers and looking stressed out Britney goes through the motions of a performance.

4. In July, Britney's bodyguards were accused of attacking Flynetonline.com photographers at the Wynn. According to the account offered by the paparazzi: "Immediately after, Britney ran towards Andrew as if she were going to attack him, but after being restrained by security, she threw a baby bottle at Andrew and said, 'I am going to kill you. I'm going to (expletive) kill you.' She then said that he should get a restraining order against her, because if she couldn't kill him, she'd hire someone who would."

3. Concert at HOB at Mandalay Bay. At least the VMA performance was free for fans to watch. In May, Britney charged her fast-diminishing fan base in Vegas for attending a House of Blues concert that offered a similarly lackluster performance and only a slightly longer show.

Is Britney Spears really planning a show at the House of Blues on Sunday? For those who are fans, curious, risk takers or have nothing better to do, go check out the The M&M's concert at the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay on May 6. As of this morning tickets are $60 on HOB's site. I am not making any promises; only, I am hearing from people who should know, that The M&M's are the backing dancers-band for one Britney Spears. Still, I have a hard time imagining her in a venue like House of Blues that requires a band and actual singing from performers. That would almost be a new Britney Spears. I see Britney Spears "singing" comeback taking place, if in Vegas, at a spot more in fitting with her career to date, like Pure or Tao, where she can just get up and sing-along with a little help from her old recordings. We will see.