VegasBeat — Timothy McDarrah: John keying in on ‘Red Piano’ debut

Thursday, Jan. 29, 2004 | 10:51 a.m.

With two weeks to go, plans for Sir Elton John's headline gig at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace are in perfect "Harmony."

In fact, John himself was seen "Rocket Man"-ing around the Caesars stage early Sunday with show producer David LaChappelle before "Benny-and-the-Jet"-ting off to Los Angeles to attend the Golden Globes.

"As the date gets closer, I am more and more excited," John told VegasBeat on Wednesday through his New York-based spokeswoman.

"Things are moving along exactly as planned," a Las Vegas source close to LaChappelle, a world-renowned fashion photographer and video producer, told VegasBeat.

"We are in there during the day and then Celine (Dion) comes in and does her thing at night. Elton's piano will be just left of center stage, facing house right. David is now editing video to be shown on the big screen in the back. And he's still experimenting with lights and some props, and working with Elton on a song list, his outfits and pacing for the whole thing."

"In two weeks, when the lights go down and the curtain goes up, Las Vegas is going to see one hell of a show," the source said.

The "Red Piano" concerts, as they have been dubbed, debut Feb. 13.

John, speaking through his spokeswoman, said he is now at his Atlanta-area mansion and working on a variety of projects, including recording a new album and making preparations for his annual summer Elton John AIDS Foundation fund-raiser at his London estate.

He said he plans to join Sting when the former Police leader is honored at a Feb. 6 dinner with the 2004 MusiCares Person of the Year as part of Grammy week in Los Angeles. MusiCares is a financial assistance program for musicians in need.

John will likely stick around for the tape-delayed music award broadcast on Feb. 8 before heading to Vegas.

Meanwhile, a call to the Caesars Palace box office and cursory check of TicketMaster.com shows that tickets are extremely scarce.

The opening-night performance sold out quickly. Some individual tickets remain for weekend shows, and there is wider availability, but limited selection, for future dates.

John plays Vegas from Feb. 13 through Feb. 22, and again from March 23 to April 3. He will also play seven more Caesars shows this year; exact dates have not been set.

John has 25 shows scheduled at Caesars in each of 2005 and 2006.

We all live ...

A Beatles-scored Cirque du Soleil show titled "Yellow Submarine" might be the next tenant at the Siegfried & Roy Theatre at The Mirage, according to a news service report.

As was first reported on this page in December, MGM MIRAGE officials and Cirque have agreed to mount a new production on the still-dormant Mirage stage. Reuters, citing "people familiar with the discussion," now reports that the show could be "Yellow Submarine," drawn from the animated 1968 film.

"When we have something official to announce, we will do so," Cirque spokeswoman Pien Bowler told VegasBeat by phone Wednesday.

MGM spokesman Alan Feldman said the Reuters report was premature.

"We want to get another show in there as soon as we reasonably can, but we need to be sure it is something that is going to work. So far, no decisions have been made," he told us.

In 2001 Cirque founder Guy Laliberte and ex-Beatle George Harrison announced that a Cirque show incorporating music from the Fab Four was under consideration, but Harrison died in November 2002 and the show never materialized.

Penn tour

Penn Jillette opened his Las Vegas home, "The Slammer," for a fund-raising tour and luncheon last week.

More than $100,000 was raised for the James Randi Educational Foundation. The Amazing Randi has an international reputation as a magician and escape artist. He is also a tireless investigator and debunker of paranormal and pseudoscientific claims.

The Venetian eatery AquaKnox served lunch to the 12 high bidders from an eBay auction, then Jillette showed the guests his various secret rooms, historical illusion displays and his Liza Minnelli unmentionables.

You unnerstand?

By day, Dr. Jim Caridi is chief of Vascular and Interventional Radiology at the University of Florida. At night, he turns into a goombah.

The Brooklyn-born Caridi is the author of "Yo, Capeesh!" (Universal Star, $9.95), a "humorous, nostalgic, educational and sentimental guide to Italian Americans."

He'll be signing books as part of the promotional effort introducing "Ba-Da-Bing" to its new home at the Ovation Theatre at Desert Passage mall at the Aladdin. The show opens there Saturday.

Producer and star Ben Morgan tells us he has inked a five-year, $10 million deal to bring the interactive dinner theater show to the Strip.

Besides Morgan, the cast includes Tom Wallek, Carrie LoSalutos, Karen Denise, Ted Davey and Kellie Karl.

Sing it

Clint Holmes apparently has a few minutes free on Friday between his late duties as the Harrah's headliner and early duties as host of "Vegas Live! With Clint Holmes and Sheena Easton."

So, he'll be at Lied Field in Henderson at 6 p.m. to sing the national anthem as the Community College of Southern Nevada's baseball team opens its season against Fullerton (Calif.) College. CCSN is the defending National Junior College Association of America national champion.

VegasBits

Drink: Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman has another "Martinis with the Mayor" event today from 6 to 8 p.m. at Nora's Cuisine, 6020 W. Flamingo Road. There is no entry fee and the public is invited ...

Drum beat: Rocker Tommy Lee will be making appearances on behalf of the Lili Claire Foundation on Friday and Saturday at the Art of Music Gallery at Desert Passage. Tickets range from $500 to $2,000 ...

Wayne win: Three-star Lt. Gen. Steve Blum presented Stardust headliner Wayne Newton with the "Concord Minuteman Award" for Newton's work on behalf of the USO during Newton's show Monday night ...

Party: "NewsRadio" star Andy Dick is hosting an open-to-the-public party at Risque (Paris Las Vegas) on Saturday night ...

Purple: Tickets for a hastily scheduled Prince show Friday night at the House of Blues (Mandalay Bay) went on sale this morning and are $60, $85 and $120. To order tickets, call 474-4000 or go online to www.hob.com or www.ticketmaster.com ...

From Sun wires

Brown released: James Brown was released from jail today on a domestic violence charge and was told not to contact the wife he's accused of pushing to the floor.

The 70-year-old Godfather of Soul, who had been arrested the previous day at the couple's Beech Island. S.C., home, denied the charge at a hearing.

Investigators say Brown pushed 33-year-old Tomi Rae Brown to the floor during an argument in a bedroom. She had scratches and bruises on her right arm and hip and was taken to an Augusta, Ga., hospital, Aiken County police said.

Givens strikes pedestrian: Actress Robin Givens struck and critically injured an 89-year-old pedestrian in a crosswalk in Miami, police said today.

Givens struck Maria Antonia Alcover with her sport utility vehicle Wednesday as the elderly woman was crossing a busy intersection during rush hour, police said. Police ruled it an accident.

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