Order a BS&T ‘Blue Plate Special’ (hold the mayo) this weekend

Shane Gammon

Friday, Sept. 19, 1997 | 9:09 a.m.

One of Las Vegas' most prominent bands, Blood, Sweat & Tears, featuring David Clayton-Thomas, will bring a number of their chart-topping songs, including "You've Made Me So Very Happy," "Hi De Ho," and "Spinning Wheel" to The Orleans showroom this weekend.

But the past is just prelude to the future. BS&T's new album, "Blue Plate Special," will be released Oct. 15. They also plan on another album to be released next spring.

Clayton-Thomas says that BS&T became "the first rock group to play Las Vegas" in 1970 and it literally took blood, sweat and tears to become as successful as they were.

That same year also marked their Iron Curtain tour through Yugoslavia, Romania, and Poland, but 27 years ago BS&T was too "anarchic" for Romania. According to Clayton-Thomas, BS&T was "politely" asked to leave Romania after their first concert, but there were no hard feelings because they made their comeback 25 years later.

BS&T returned a year ago from their 25th anniversary tour of Eastern Europe, and it was an experience Clayton-Thomas will never forget.

"It was tremendous to play in the same concert hall ... a gorgeous big cultural theater in Poland 25 years later," Clayton-Thomas says. "When we played there it was under communism. Now there is a McDonalds next door. I am hoping we can make it part of our regular routine now."

Besides playing Las Vegas and Eastern Europe, BS&T has a long-standing relationship with Reno and Atlantic City, but Clayton-Thomas' favorite spot is where he began his career -- Greenwich Village, New York.

"New York is a very vital place. I couldn't believe the amount of talent coming out of Greenwich Village," Clayton-Thomas continues. "When you walked through coffeehouses, James Taylor would be playing in one place, Neal Young would be next door, and Jimi Hendrix would be down in a basement club somewhere and everyone was just working for rent money. I think that's what started my love affair for New York.

"A jazz musician really hasn't paid his dues until he has done New York."

David Clayton-Thomas and Blood, Sweat & Tears concerts will be held tonight and Sunday at 8 p.m. and Saturday night at 9. Tickets for the show cost $22.95, plus tax, and are available at The Orleans Showroom box office and all Ticketmaster outlets. For more information, call 365-7075.