Friday, Oct. 1, 2004 | 8:33 a.m.
During his four years in Las Vegas, vocalist Michael Cagle has come to realize he doesn't fit into a lounge.
Lounges are small, intimate rooms where performers often provide background for an evening out.
The robust Cagle has a voice that can blow out the walls of a lounge when he cuts loose with one of his gut-wrenching numbers.
"My problem with performing for the smaller audiences in a lounge is that, with my theater background I learned to sing in a certain way," said the likeable, gregarious entertainer from the state of Washington. "My style and delivery have always been for a big audience, as opposed to a lounge.
"My biggest shortcoming is that I don't adapt well to lounges."
Not that he won't if he has to. He sometimes performs at Cafe Nicolle, the Bootlegger and other venues. His first lounge gig was at the now- defunct Castaways, where management pulled him from the stage before his performance even really got under way.
"I was three songs into the set when the entertainment director yanked me," Cagle said.
The reason? His voice was so dominating that it was drawing a huge crowd -- most of it away from the gaming tables and slot machines.
"He told me I needed to be in a showroom on Broadway," Cagle said.
If his luck continues holding up, he may not have to worry about lounges.
Four weeks ago Cagle, who is gay, and his partner, Jason Cates, began a radio talk show on KLAV 1230-AM, which airs at midnight Fridays.
The premise of the show, "The Spin Cycle," is an entertaining, open discussion of current events, politics and other topics. Guests include politicians, entertainers and listeners who call in.
The hot topic right now is politics. Even though Cagle says he is left of center, he lets everyone have their say.
"I have always been political," he said. "But this year, I'm very political. This election has stirred me more than any other in my life."
Monday, Cagle's monthly television show, "Singsations," debuts at 1:30 a.m. on KVVU Channel 5. Patterned after "American Idol," the program will spend the entire season narrowing down dozens of contestants to four finalists who will compete on the final show of the season.
Cagle performs and hosts the show, which is being taped at such locations as the Stardust and the Gold Coast.
He recently won a contest at Bourbon Street, which earned him a cash prize and a one-week performance with the show "Spotlight" at the off-Strip venue on East Flamingo Avenue. He will be one of the revue's cast members beginning Oct. 9.
On Oct. 27 he will do a showcase as part of Call Back Expo at the Golden Nugget. The event, sponsored by the entertainment trade publication Call Back, will feature a number of performers who will demonstrate their talents for potential buyers.
And producer/director Ronnie Cammisa is shopping for a nightclub in which Cagle would be able to let his flamboyant personality and unbridled talent run free.
The lights in Vegas weren't always looking so bright for Cagle, who has been performing for more than 20 years -- opening for such entertainers as Reba McEntire, Ricky Skaggs and others.
When he and his partner decided to leave Washington and broaden their horizons, they got rid of most of their belongings, bought a 1974, 20-foot-long motor home and headed south.
"I was planning on Reno because it's smaller and I thought I would have a bigger impact," Cagle said. "But a guy who had seen me perform in Washington called me from Vegas and said he had three gigs for me."
So Cagle came to Vegas and did the three gigs, but the promoter refused to pay him. He was able to survive on money he earned selling his CDs at the gig.
"We had just enough money to start living in an RV park on Fremont Street," Cagle said. "That's where the real Fremont Street Experience is -- where you can watch drive-by shootings and crack sales."
Cagle earned money by singing for free at karaoke bars and selling his CDs.
"I would treat the karaoke contests as if I was performing at the Grammy Awards," he said.
There was a two-week period when he was too ill to work and survived on Hawaiian popcorn.
"I would go into a casino and pretend to play a slot machine so I could get free drinks," Cagle said.
Eventually he landed a gig singing at Keys, a former gay bar on East Sahara Avenue. Then a few more gigs came his way, and now he stays busy bouncing all over town with one project or another.
"Everything started falling into place," he said.
But he still has a hard time finding the right place where he can fit in. Although he's been offered a lot of money to be a tribute artist performing as Elton John, he refuses to do that.
"I don't want to get locked into being an imitator or anything else," Cagle said. "I won't compromise.
"I try to be completely honest. I'm not trying to showboat or anything. I'm just being honest. What you see is what you get."
And what most people see is a performer with tremendous talent and energy just waiting for the moment when his voice can fill a concert hall or a showroom.
Lounging around
Harrah's La Playa Lounge is now The Piano Bar. The club recently went through a remodeling phase, with new floors and furnishings that attempt to create the feel of a New York City tavern. Entertainment includes TJ's All-Star Karaoke from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. nightly, except for Saturdays and Mondays, and dueling pianos at 9 p.m. nightly.
Former Vegas lounge performer Jimmy Hopper, who was a mainstay at Bellagio's Fontana Lounge for several years, continues to shine as one of the brightest stars of Harrah's. He recently completed an engagement at Harrah's Lake Tahoe and is now on a national tour. Through Sunday he will perform at The Big E Eastern States Exposition in Springfield, Mass. From Oct. 10 through Nov. 26 he will be at Harrah's Atlantic City.
Krave, the first gay bar on the Strip in more than 30 years, will celebrate its grand opening tonight and Saturday.
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