Concerts planned at Sunset

Lisa Ferguson

Friday, June 6, 1997 | 5:47 a.m.

Don't be surprised to see Strip headliners performing in Henderson this summer.

In Sunset Station's attempt to keep a few thousand brand-new seats full, it has already booked a star-studded lineup into its pair of live entertainment venues: the Club Madrid lounge and outdoor Amphitheater.

Among the stars scheduled to perform there in the coming weeks are country crooner Marty Stuart; saxophonist Clarence Clemons of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band fame, backed by veteran rocker Nils Lofgren; and '80s funkster Morris Day and The Time.

But don't worry about breaking the bank: Ticket prices will be affordable, assures Sunset Station's vice president and general manager, Don Marrandino.

"I believe in entertainment, if it makes sense," Marrandino says. "I will not charge, in a locals' (casino), $30 for a steak. Same goes for a concert ticket."

Some of the shows, including Clemons' and East Coast favorites Steve Smith & the Nakeds' performances during opening week, and rock legends Rare Earth June 21-22, are free.

The low-price policy also applies to the Amphitheater that seats up to 3,000 spectators poolside, depending on the event.

The venue will be inaugurated with a June 30 "Kenya's Cakes of the Stars" concert benefiting the Boys and Girls Club of Southern Nevada. Scheduled to perform are Gladys Knight, Dionne Warwick and Patti LaBelle, among others. Tickets start at $20.

The Monkees will perform on July 4, with tickets starting at $15.

The amphitheater will also be utilized for "community related events," Marrandino says, along the lines of Green Valley's annual "Shakespeare in the Park" series.