John Katsilometes on what the president of the Recording Academy (which hands out the Grammys) thinks of Vegas’ surging music scene

Monday, Dec. 18, 2006 | 7:22 a.m.

One theory regarding last week's People Magazine Grammy Awards party at Jet at the Mirage was that the event was used to strengthen the bond between the Grammys and Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority so that one day the awards show would move from Los Angeles to Las Vegas.

Given that this year's 49th Grammy Awards telecast is set for Feb. 11 at the Staples Center in L.A. (and broadcast at 8 p.m. on CBS), there didn't seem to be any other logical reason to hold the kickoff party in Vegas nearly two months before an awards show there. Whatever the case, Recording Academy President Neil Portnow said Las Vegas is growing into a legitimate contemporary music city.

"Las Vegas is certainly one of the entertainment capitals of the world at this point," Portnow said, halting his trip down the red carpet at Thursday's event. "When you talk about music, there is more music here than ever before. It's a mecca for all entertainers, whether it's dancers or actors or actresses or musicians. There is an amazing amount of work here. From a Recording Academy standpoint, this is something that is important to us."

Having two of the music industry's top rock acts - the already established Killers and the ascending Panic! At The Disco - has given Vegas an new identity on the pop music scene, Portnow said.

"Whenever you have a breakthrough kind of an act that comes from an area, wherever that might be, it surely adds to the luster and reputation of that city," Portnow said. Then he was off to, "have a glass of wine and enjoy Las Vegas."

NoteMart

Partying like it's 1999,the Goo Goo Dolls performed at the private holiday party hosted by Jim and Glynda Rhodes at Rain at the Palms on Saturday night ...

The Las Vegas Philharmonic's performance of "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" from its Dec. 10 concert at UNLV's Artemus Ham Hall has found its way onto You Tube (www.youtube.com). The orchestra was backed by the Las Vegas Master Singers. Outgoing LV Phil Music Director Hal Weller feels that someone must have been taping the performance from the balcony, and the vantage point of the footage supports that theory ...

KKLZ 96.3-FM's morning team of Jim Tofte, Dennis Mitchell and Backseat Beth (a woman after my own heart) hooked into a revealing interview with Journey guitarist Neal Schon on Wednesday. At age 15 Schon was asked to join Santana - a day after he turned down an offer from Eric Clapton to join Derek and the Dominoes. Schon said Clapton's heroin addiction (which he has long since kicked) and the move to London were issues too daunting for any 15-year-old, so he opted for Santana ...

Nothing confirmed on this, but we hear the reason muscular former "Saturday Night Live" cast member Joe Piscopo recently canceled a set of dates at the Suncoast Showroom is he is booked to perform an extended engagement at the Las Vegas Hilton ...

Five for Fighting, part of the lineup performing on New Year's Eve at the Fremont Street Experience, took its name from the hockey penalty of the same title. Two for Hooking would have been good, too, for a duo ...

A new survey by the Travel Industry Association lists Las Vegas as one of the top 10 "gay-friendly" destinations for gay travelers. The national online survey was conducted among 2,020 gay travelers ages 21 and over. San Francisco topped the list, followed by Key West, Fla.; Fire Island, N.Y. (part of Long Island); Provincetown, Mass.; Los Angeles; Miami-South Beach, Fla.; Vegas; New Orleans; and Palm Springs-Palm Desert, Calif. Among the criteria were nightlife and a cultural acceptance of diversity; the survey also found that gay men spend more on trips than lesbians or heterosexuals ...

The somewhat annual 12 Bars of Christmas celebration, organized by "Poizen" Ivy. S. Hover (of SinCitySounds.com and IndieRockRingTones.com affiliation), is back after a one-year hiatus. The party, during which revelers hoof it from one tavern to the next while promoting herdlike fellowship and holiday cheer, is set to start at 6 p.m. Friday. The carousing (and, we can hope, caroling) starts at Hennessey's Tavern at Fremont Street and Las Vegas Boulevard and winds to a close at the Golden Nugget. The crew cuts out every half-hour and moseys to a new bar; other lucky establishments on the route are Beauty Bar, Take 1, Bunkhouse, Atomic Bar, El Cortez, Jillian's (downstairs to avoid the DJ), Four Queens, Hogs & Heifers, Sidebar and Binions. Call Ivy at 436-0686 or 321-1115 for information ...

In time for the holidays: A baseball/golf cap at the Atomic Testing Museum gift shop sells for $16 ...

Colleague reports a vanity plate on a stretch limo: WARHOL. The limo was painted silver, similar to the type Andy Warhol once used in his factory.

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