LOOKING IN ON: ENTERTAINMENT

Thursday, Dec. 20, 2007 | 7:12 a.m.

Celine Dion will be a hard act to follow.

During her almost five years in "A New Day ... " her show became a destination for fans from all over the world.

Although many of those fans may have shed tears for her finale at Caesars Palace on Saturday, the ones wailing the loudest, pounding their chests and gnashing their teeth were the accountants.

Will Bette Midler, who debuts in "The Showgirl Must Go On" in February, be able to balance the books as nicely as Celine?

Midway through Dion's spectacular final performance a member of the audience whispered to his companion, "There is no way Bette Midler can put a show on like this."

Dion generated almost $500 million, if it is true that almost every one of her 717 concerts sold out. That's 4,000 tickets per night, at prices ranging from $100 to $350.

That doesn't count income from room rentals, dining, drinking, shopping, gambling.

Gary Selesner, president of Caesars Palace, said the show's success inspired the property to improve, to build a new tower and a convention center, to bring in top chefs to prepare meals in fine restaurants. "Even the tips were up," he said.

No surprise that Caesars will be waiting for the end of Dion's "Taking Chances" tour.

"As she embarks on the world tour, we will leave an empty room for her," Selesner said.

"She is always welcome here," said Gary Loveman, CEO of Harrah's Entertainment.

"I would love to come back after the tour," Dion said during her farewell performance, which was more subdued than when "A New Day ... " premiered in March 2003. The excitement was tinged with sadness, the realization that the show created by Franco Dragone had reached the end of its run.

"I don't know if we can repeat this," Dragone said. "But I hope we can do something."

"It isn't about being better," Dion said. "It's about doing something different."

And making money.

Holmes for the holiday

A must-see-to-believe production this season is "Clint Holmes' Unplugged Holiday Show" at the Sahara.

"Unplugged" (a minor exaggeration because there is some electric guitar and bass) is like no other Christmas show you have seen.

Holmes (everyone knows Holmes by now), his musical director Bill Fayne and multitalented vocalist/musician Domenick Allen (formerly with Foreigner) jazz up the spirit, mix in a little rock, some scat, some songs from Holmes' musical "JAM" and of course traditional tunes done in nontraditional ways.

Fayne sits at the piano and sings - sometimes harmonizing, sometimes solo - while Holmes bounces across the stage singing, scatting and using vocal sounds as musical instruments and Allen demonstrates the diversity of his talents: singing, sax, clarinet, guitar.

Top it off with tremendously talented young drummer Brian Czach and bassist Keith Nelson and you have a memorable evening that gives a new twist to the holidays.

This show basically is the "Unplugged" that recently had a successful-but-short run at the Excalibur, only with the addition of classic Christmas tunes such as "Little Drummer Boy" and "Jingle Bells" performed in a showroom that is usually cold and uninviting, but for this occasion was turned into a warmly lighted living room complete with sofa and Christmas tree.

Details: 9 nightly through Dec. 31; Sahara Showroom; tickets start at $25 for local residents, $49 for general admission and $59 for VIP seating; 737-2515.

Remembering 'Sweet Louie'

Near the end of Saturday night's Christmas show by the Las Vegas Tenors, Bill Fayne stunned the crowd with the announcement:

"'Sweet Louie' passed away."

Fayne and co-stars Bobby Black, Teddy Davey and Mark Giovi sang a few bars of "It's a Wonderful World." "It was his favorite song," Fayne said.

Marvin "Sweet Louie" Smith died of an apparent heart attack on a Princess cruise ship in the Caribbean on Saturday afternoon at age 68. He and Sonny Charles, a lifelong friend and co-founder of The Checkmates, were to perform that night.

Smith was late for rehearsal. "I had an uneasy feeling," said Charles, who found Smith on the floor of his cabin.

Smith and Charles had known each other since childhood in Fort Wayne, Ind. They performed in doo-wop and R&B groups in high school and in the Army before coming to Las Vegas in 1964.

"It's what he loved to do," Charles said. "He loved to perform. He loved Las Vegas and he loved all of his fans.

"I'm going to retire the 'Checkmates' name," said Charles, who will continue to perform solo.

Around town

The first Bartenders Ball will be held tonight at the Orleans. The event honors Las Vegas bartenders and servers, and the money raised will benefit the Lili Claire Foundation's fetal alcohol syndrome clinics, treatment and support groups. Robin Leach will host the event. Yellow Brick Road will provide the music. (9 p.m. to 2 a.m.; free to all bartenders and servers who show employee ID, $40 for general admission; (800) 670-6423, nightclubs.com ... About 75 people attended the 67th birthday party for Johnny Jay at the Italian-American Club. The ad hoc All American Jazz Band, conducted by former Guy Lombardo band member Ty Lumley, played. Friends, including former Lt. Gov. Lonnie Hammargren and Pete Barbutti, toasted and roasted Jay ... French pianist Steve Villa-Massone performed last week at the Bellagio and the MGM Grand, perhaps paving the way for a future in the Entertainment Capital. Villa-Massone, who earned a reputation playing piano on the streets of Nice, blends classical music and his own compositions.