A new must-see hits town: the Scintas at Nightclub at Hilton

Joe Delaney

Friday, May 12, 2000 | 9:02 a.m.

The Scintas (pronounced "Shin-tahs") are new in town, doing 8 p.m. performances on Sundays and Tuesdays through Thursdays; 9 p.m. shows on Fridays and Saturdays in Las Vegas Hilton Nightclub. Forward Motion follows the 90-minute or so Scintas performance each night. The Nightclub is dark Mondays.

The Scintas are American-Italian siblings, two brothers and a sister. Joe is the oldest, plays bass and does right-on impressions. Frank plays keyboards, banjo, guitar, spoons and just about everything plus doing impressions. Christine, called Chrissi, is a powerful presence, has a magnificent voice and fills the room on her own or when depicting top vocalists. Peter O'Donnell is a dynamite drummer, the "token" American-Irishman, and occasional comedy foil.

Although this is their first time performing in a Las Vegas hotel, they are already building a following. The Scintas and O'Donnell have been together 22 years, big favorites in Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit and their home town, Buffalo, N.Y. The 375-room Nightclub was packed on a weeknight.

If you remember the great acts that once played our town, combining comedy, music and impressions such as the Vagabonds, the Happy Jesters and so many others, this was my first reaction to the Scintas. They are extremely funny. Musically, the quartet is first-rate and the impressions are accurate but laced with humor and occasional good-natured satire.

There were three funny attempts at opening the show followed by a raucous "All Night Long." Frank dazzled the audience playing the spoons and the banjo. Johnny Mathis "singing with no consonants," Lou Rawls with backup singers, Ray Charles as he might sing "Mary Had a Little Lamb," and Frank and Joe as Martin and Lewis started the show, which ended with six closing numbers.

Joe's Joe Cocker carbon was classic. Chrissie's Celine Dion, Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer were show-stoppers as was her duet with Frank on a medley from "Phantom of the Opera." There was so much more, all of it top drawer. The Scintas are more than worth the $23 ticket charge.

Joe Delaney covers entertainment for the Sun. Reach him at 259-4066 or joe@ lasvegassun.com