Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2006 | 11:45 a.m.
I n December Beth Lano shared a stage with Andrea Bocelli. Last week she shared a stage (well, sort of) with a bunch of toilets.
In her role as an on-air personality as half of the "Mike O'Brian and Beth Lano in the Morning" show on KSTJ 102.7-FM (Star 102.7), Lano reported live (!) from the memorable 2000 Flushes-sponsored "musical thrones" event at the Fashion Show mall (that was the event that also drew 20 Las Vegas impressionists and Mayor Oscar Goodman toting a $20,000 check for charity).
In a remarkable display of dexterity, Lano also plays the French horn - her instrument of choice since age 14. In December she was part of the orchestra at the Lake Las Vegas Resort playing behind Bocelli for the PBS "Great Performances" concert titled "Andrea Bocelli Amore," which airs on KLVX Channel 10 in Las Vegas at 7 p.m. on March 12 (it repeats at 10 p.m. on March 18).
Lano might have been cold during those winter performances on the floating Lake Las Vegas stage, but not star-struck. She moved to Las Vegas in 1982 to back up Wayne Newton and, as she says, "went on to play for everybody who has used French horn in their orchestras ... Metallica to the Who to (Luciano) Pavarotti, and everyone you can imagine in between. I toured with (Frank) Sinatra for 10 years, which was really a great experience."
Lano also backed Barry Manilow during his shows at Mandalay Bay Events Center (he doesn't use a full orchestra at the Las Vegas Hilton), played behind Johnny Mathis and also plays French horn for the Las Vegas Philharmonic.
Lano says finding work playing music is not as easy today as it was a decade ago, and her radio gig "pays the bills, is a whole lot of fun and affords me my music habit."
Taking a Drag: Here's a head's-up for anyone out there who might be asked to appear on a Las Vegas radio show: Try not to follow the Kinsey Sicks, stars of "Dragapella" at the Hilton. On Monday the four members of the "Dragapella" cast appeared with Ira David Sternberg on his weekly "Lunchtime With Ira, Live at the Las Vegas Hilton" radio show at the Shimmer Cabaret.
In one exchange, Sternberg mentioned that two "Dragapella" members - Ben Schatz and Irwin Keller - had graduated law school (Schatz from Harvard, Keller from the University of Chicago Law School). Sternberg then introduced Chris Dilley by saying, "Next we have Chris Dilley, who is not an attorney," to which Dilley (in mock angst) snapped, "Oh, that's a nice introduction."
After 15 minutes of those guys, I followed with my own relatively incident-free brand of verbal gymnastics. The show can be heard at www.lvhilton.com ...
Viva Fidel: Awaiting final approval to start running his own business is Las Vegas resident ... Fidel Castro. "People say, 'Oh! You are Fidel Castro!' But I'm not him. I just say, 'No Fidel Castro here - just me.' "
Castro is not named for the Cuban dictator; he is a coincidentally named 48-year-old native of Mexico, who is aiming to operate a business called San Jose Custom Mill Work. He moved here from Los Angeles in 2000 ...
Jaki in demand: Longtime Las Vegas entertainment executive Jaki Baskow has found an ideal way to reconnect with old friends - be honored at an officially sanctioned Academy Awards party. "I'm hearing from people I have not spoken with in 30 years," Baskow said Monday. She is to be honored Sunday night by the Nevada chapter of the National Arthritis Foundation at its Oscar party at the Bellagio ...
On the March: For inspiration, look no further than the March of Dimes ambassador for 2006, Andrew Harris. Andrew, born three months premature, was admitted into the neonatal intensive care unit for 121 days and has survived 20 surgeries as a result of his premature birth. To get a look at Andrew (who today is 11 years old), and for information about the Nevada Chapter of the March of Dimes, go to www.marchofdimes.com/Nevada ...
Alert the Justice League: The license plate AQUAMAN makes perfect sense when you know that the bed of the Toyota Tacoma pickup truck was stocked with pool-cleaning implements.
Fabulous Las Vegas runs Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday in the Las Vegas Sun. John Katsilometes can be reached at 259-2327 or 812-9812, or at [email protected]
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