Brian Evans
Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2014 | 8:50 p.m.
Tom Green and Carrot Top
It feels appropriate that Tom Green’s Las Vegas comedy hovel is called Vinyl, reminding of music recorded and played on vinyl.
You know, 45s and albums. The way God intended it, according to many famous late-night FM radio personalities.
Green yearns for a simpler time and has flayed the social media culture of instant connectivity on all of his media platforms — including social media.
“Oh, I’ve ranted about it everywhere,” says Green, who is back at Vinyl in the Hard Rock Hotel for four weekends beginning in March. “Because of it, our ways of living can change so dramatically.”
Expect Green to again delve into the advancement in communication and information distribution when he opens “The Tom Green Show — An Outrageous Evening of Comedy, Satire & Storytelling” with a series of performances March 7-10. He returns March 14-17, April 4-7 and April 25-28 (showtimes are 7:30 p.m., tickets are $55, $72, $85 and $97, fees included; go to the Hard Rock Hotel website for information).
With this show, Green has toured the United States and several countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Scotland and Canada. What he’s found is alternately troubling and comforting.
“I’ve noticed how universal our sense of humor has become, and it’s kind of a sad thing, really,” he says. “There is something romantic about the world being a diverse place, where every place has a Starbucks and Denny’s. … But at the same time, it’s not so sad when you’re telling jokes onstage and you realize your material can work on the other side of the world.”
Green has appeared in Las Vegas intermittently, including several dates at Riviera’s Starlite Theater and last year at Vinyl as a co-headliner with Steve-O. Presented by longtime comedy producer Mike Tricarichi, Green is alone on the bill for the upcoming shows at the Hard Rock. He’s unspooling some video clips of his career to help with his storytelling.
A “multimedia assault” is promised.
“What’s fun about Vegas is that it is an audience of people from all over the world, so it’s a diverse and interesting fan base to play off,” he says. “I’m always making micro-adjustments onstage, listening to the audience, and what a crowd is like can be infectious. If an audience is loud and in a party mode, that’s an audience that can absorb comedy.”
Green’s video elements will be a trek through some of his more outrageous stunts, dating to his “The Tom Green Show” on MTV. He’ll do a bit of music, sing “Lonely Swedish (The Bum Bum Song),” which was made famous on that show. He’ll rap, a skill he developed long ago, play guitar and perform a lot of standup.
Aside from performing standup, Green now hosts “Tom Green Live” on AXSTV, an hourlong talker featuring a single guest each night. He’s interviewed Dan Rather, fellow Vinyl headliner Andrew Dice Clay, Howie Mandel, Cheech & Chong and Carrot Top.
“I’ll do the show live every Thursday night, then come do the shows on the weekend,” Green says. “The goal is to keep doing what I’m doing. I love coming to Vegas, and if I can keep doing the show in Vegas, I’d love to do it for a really long time.”
It could be Vinyl’s version of an LP, which originally stood for Long Play, a term that suits Tom Green just fine.
Arguably one the coolest joints in town, the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino houses some of Vegas' best entertainment, restaurants and nightlife.
At Hard Rock, it's all about the music. From the light fixtures made out of drum cymbals and guitar shaped door handles to stage costumes and tools of the trade of legendary musicians displayed on the walls, the hotel screams rock and roll. The Hard Rock's Joint has hosted some the biggest names in music — from The Who to Bob Dylan to hometown heroes, The Killers.
Aside from the music venues, the pool at the Hard Rock is one of its biggest attractions. Spread out over 4.7 acres, the pool area features swim-up blackjack, a bar and grill, private cabanas, a bevy of secluded nooks, a waterfall and an extensive live music venue with a dance floor. During the summer, the pool transforms into the Rehab club on Sunday afternoons.The resident nightclub Body English fuses European elegance with a rock star bachelor pad and it often a hot spot for visiting celebs and popular DJs. Vintage rock memorabilia lines the walls at Wasted Space, Hard Rock's anti-club.
Restaurants at Hard Rock are just as hip as the rest of the casino. Pink Taco serves up Mexican dishes, as well as a Central American and Caribbean menu. Nobu, one of five worldwide Japanese-specialty restaurants from famed Nobu Matsuhisa, satisfies a different taste. For round-the-clock cuisine, Mr. Lucky's 24/7, is sure to ease your appetite even after a Vegas-all-nighter.
Vinyl, which opened in August 2012, is the intimate live entertainment venue at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, featuring a diversity of genres, including rock 'n' roll, jazz, blues, pop and even country.
The multifunctional room provides an intimate setting that puts the audience within an arm's reach of the performers.
The space, which is just under 7,000 square feet, can accommodate 650 guests. With a speakeasy atmosphere, Vinyl has an industrial look from its Chicago-common brick and cinderblock, distressed wood floors and an exposed, sky-high ceiling.
An elevated VIP section houses leather banquette seating and offers guests their own wait staff and an exclusive bar. The perimeter features a bar where guests can watch all the action. A state-of-the-art entertainment system offers high-definition screens on both sides of the main stage.
Follow John Katsilometes on Twitter at Twitter.com/JohnnyKats. Also, follow “Kats With the Dish” at Twitter.com/KatsWiththeDish.
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