Columnist Joe Delaney: Siegfried & Roy continue to amaze after 10 years at Mirage

Joe Delaney

Friday, Feb. 4, 2000 | 8:36 a.m.

Joe Delaney's column appears Thursdays and Fridays. Reach him at joe@vegas.com or 259-4066.

At Tuesday's between-shows ceremony when Siegfried & Roy were honored as "Magicians of the Century" by the 20,000-member International Magicians Society, we had a chance to chat with Mirage Resorts Chairman of the Board Steve Wynn. ... The ceremony was part of the observance of the start of Siegfried & Roy's 11th year at the Mirage.

Wynn inquired as to Clint Holmes and how he was doing at Harrah's. ... Holmes has a big booster in Wynn; he wants Holmes to succeed on the Strip, "he deserves it." ... He waxed nostalgic about the cabaret scene, Shecky Greene and Don Rickles, and expressed the wish that we could have a renaissance of that era in Las Vegas.

It was a great night, celebrating nearly 4,500 performances at the Mirage, resulting in a box office total that approaches the $1 billion mark for a show still in an ascendant stage.

Anent live music

In a recent column, we remarked about the return of live music with Wayne Newton, backed by a full orchestra at the Stardust and "David Cassidy Live at the Copa, co-starring Sheena Easton" (Rio) with the hard-charging Lon Bronson Big Band onstage, and inadvertently omitted Buddy Greco, Lezlie Anders and their big band plus special guests, Friday nights at the Flamingo Hilton, a wonderful way to spend an evening.

It is also encouraging that, starting Sunday, Pierce Street Annex will feature the Marv Koral All-Stars with Koral on reeds, trombonist Carl Fontana plus Ronnie DiFillips, piano; Bob Badgley, bass and Pat Sherrod, drums. ... Equally noteworthy, jazz singer-pianist Joe Darro, sax man Jay Orlando and the Cousins (Caribbean Cabana), both doing 5-9 p.m. on Sundays.

The LV Jazz Society has its annual meeting Sunday at 1 p.m. (Winchester Center), followed by a 2 p.m. performance of the Nevada Jazz Orchestra with special guest singer Roz Ryan, from Mandalay Bay's "Chicago."

Anent Shirley Bassey

Shirley Bassey is England's most dynamic female song stylist in a distinguished career that spans four decades. ... Bassey opened Thursday in the MGM Grand's Hollywood Theatre. ... She is best known in this country for singing title songs in several James Bond films, having million-selling records with "Goldfinger," "Diamonds Are Forever" and "Moonraker."

Bassey holds the record for live performances in London's Royal Festival Hall, selling out for nine consecutive nights. ... In 1995 she sold out New York's prestigious Carnegie Hall for 12 consecutive nights; both are records that still stand today.

Las Vegas has not been a major stop for her although she sells out regularly on both the East and West Coast. ... She has not played LV for more than a decade. ... The intimate MGM Grand Hollywood Theatre may prove to be the right room, a home for her here.

Local happenings

Tony Kushner's acclaimed drama, "Angels In America" is in its second and final weekend, closing with a 2 p.m. Sunday performance, UNLV's Judy Bayley Theatre. ... "Lover's Leap," a funny farce, opens tonight and continues, weekends, through Feb. 20. ... Irish fiddle champ Martin Hayes and American acoustic guitarist Dennis Cahill perform Celtic music, this evening at 7:30 (Winchester Community Center).

Chad Brock is the Boulder Station Friday attraction, 7 and 9 p.m., while Louie Louie returns to Sunset Station tonight for an extended engagement, Thursdays through Saturdays each week.

Repertorio Espanol presents "Fresa y Chocolate," 8 p.m. Saturday, Charleston Heights Center. ... Walter Boenig leads the Dynamic Trombone Quartet, 3 p.m. Sunday, Reed Whipple Center. ... The Judds' reunion concert tour hits the MGM Grand Garden Arena, 7 p.m. Sunday.

More happenings

The Nevada Opera Theatre presents the full "La Traviata" at 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, UNLV's Ham Hall. ... The 18 Society Foundation presents its first "Louie Awards Gala," cocktails at 6:30 p.m., dinner at 7:30, Saturday, MGM Grand Convention Center. ... Named for the late Louis Weiner Jr., the awards honor various community contributors.

The list of contributors includes Congresswoman Shelley Berkley and Dr. Leroy Lehrner; Perry G. Rogers, Claudine Williams, ex-governor/Sun Executive Editor Mike O'Callaghan and comedian Pat Cooper. ... Congrats, all. ... Don't miss "Betty Buckley's Broadway," 8 p.m. Tuesday, UNLV's Ham Hall. ... See you next Thursday.

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