Columnist Joe Delaney: Plenty of afternoon delights are on schedule

Joe Delaney

Thursday, Oct. 26, 2000 | 9:43 a.m.

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

Afternoon shows offer quality performances for bargain-basement prices ... During the past three Thursdays, I had follow-up looks at three matinees along with our UNLV hotel-school entertainment class ... In the order caught, the shows were "Viva Las Vegas" (Stratosphere), "Stars of the Strip" (Lady Luck) and "Bottoms Up" (Flamingo Las Vegas).

Dick Feeney's "Viva Las Vegas," in its 10th year, Sands and Stratosphere hotels combined, has lost none of its energy, sparkle and content ... Comics Dave Swan, Bruce Michelson and Golden Joe Baker are spelled by vocalist Natalie Carson and five comely and talented dancers in a fast-paced, no-letup, smart production at $13.55 plus tax.

That price includes the show, a lunch and a free Stratoblaster drink ... For $9.95, you skip lunch, or with a special coupon, you can see the show for the purchase of one $5.85 drink.

The Lady Luck

Robbie Howard's "Stars of the Strip" is basically an impressionist romp, with Howard, the Walkers, plus three musicians led by David Poe on reeds, offering a well-paced, entertaining 75 minutes depicting stars, old and new ... The Lady Luck showroom is makeshift at best ... Tickets are $14.95 but there are coupons readily available admitting one for the price of one drink.

Howard previously produced and appeared with Marty Allen and Karon Kate Blackwell in a revue at the Westward Ho that was a slot promotion ... Allen and Blackwell recently had a successful run, doing Friday through Monday shows, at the Gold Coast with a coupon-plus-drink admission.

There is an evening show at the Lady Luck starring comedy-magician Fielding West that operates on the coupon-with-a-drink basis ... Feeney was the first to employ this method of selling a show, starting at the Sands ... "Viva Las Vegas" plays to more than 6,000 total attendance weekly.

Flamingo Las Vegas

Breck Wall and Patrick Maes' "Best of Bottoms Up" is a very funny potpourri, a comedy and dance divertissement, a hardy perennial in Las Vegas dating back to the opening of Caesars Palace in 1966 and the Castaways before that ... Wall and David Harris are original cadre ... Wall is the quintessential host-emcee while Harris is an Art Carney-like character comic.

Sue Mottsinger delivers her share of laughs, and ageless Billy Smith has some hilarious minutes doing record mime ... Michael Darrin's choreography adds an extra touch of class, nicely executed by the "Bottoms Up" dancers ... The regular ticket price is $12.95, but there are also coupons admitting two people with the purchase of one drink apiece at $5.85.

Each of the above shows is performed twice an afternoon, five or six days a week ... Each is doing well, extended indefinitely at their respective venues ... "Bottoms Up" is also a topless show, the only daytime one thus far.

There's more

Other afternoon shows include "The Multiple Personalities of Billy Cage," with singing impressions and quick changes at $20, including tax plus two drinks (Bourbon Street); Mac King, magic made very funny, $9.95 (Harrah's); Dixie Dooley, more magic, $21.95, including tax plus one drink (Plaza); and "The Illusionary Magic of Rick Thomas," $18.95 and $21.95, with crowd counts equal to the "Folies Bergere" (Tropicana).

There is quality and excellent variety available in the afternoons with four excellent shows available for the price of a drink each and a top price of only $21.95 ... Check it out.

Star-policy rundown

It's Roberta Flack (Blue Note); Clint Holmes (Harrah's); Sawyer Brown (LV Hilton); Bill Acosta (Luxor); Vicente Fernandez, Friday only (Mandalay Bay Events Center); Tom Jones, plus Rita Rudner, plus Tommy Tune starring in "EFX" (MGM Grand); Siegfried & Roy, Danny Gans (Mirage); Lance Burton (Monte Carlo); Everly Brothers (Orleans); Pete Barbutti (Plaza); David Cassidy-Sheena Easton (Rio); and Steve Wyrick (Sahara).

Plus Wayne Newton (Stardust); Bob Anderson (Suncoast); Andre-Philippe Gagnon and Melinda, First Lady of Magic, check for times (Venetian) ... See you Friday.