Some country acts price themselves out of Vegas, even for rodeo week

AP Photo/Tony Dejak

Metallica members James Hetfield, left, Lars Ulrich, Robert Trujillo and Kirk Hammett arrive on the red carpet for the 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Saturday, April 4, 2009, in Cleveland. The heavy metal band will perform Saturday at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas as part of the acts brought in for National Finals Rodeo.

By Jerry Fink (contact)

Monday, Nov. 30, 2009 | 2 a.m.

Erik Kabik/Retna/www.erikkabikphoto.com

Ice Cube is one of the non-country acts performing during the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. The West Coast rapper performs Dec. 12 at the House of Blues.

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National Finals Rodeo

Metallica, Megadeth and Ice Cube don’t exactly bring to mind images of bucking broncos, steer wrestling and wild-bull riding.

But times have changed since the National Finals Rodeo first arrived here in 1985.

Although showrooms and clubs will be packed with folks wearing Stetsons and sporting plate-sized belt buckles, not all of the fans will be listening to pure country this year.

Tastes and the economy have created a diversity in the entertainment landscape during the run of the rodeo, this year Thursday through Dec. 12.

In years past most venues imported country superstars along the lines of Kenny Chesney and George Strait.

This year Metallica will be at Mandalay Bay on Saturday — but don’t bother about tickets. The legendary heavy-metal band’s show is sold out.

Other distinctly non-country acts gracing the stages this year include Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds (Dec. 10-12 at Planet Hollywood); Ice Cube (Dec. 12 at House of Blues); Robin Williams (Saturday at MGM Grand Garden Arena); Andrea Bocelli (Dec. 12 at the Grand Garden Arena); Megadeath (Dec. 13 at the House of Blues) and Chickenfoot (Saturday at The Joint at the Hard Rock).

One booking agent said one of the main reasons country superstars aren’t around in abundance this year is the economy.

“A lot of the big country acts have priced themselves out of the business,” said the agent, who asked not to be named. “These guys come in, two or three at a time, with million-dollar budgets, and the resorts can’t afford them.”

Paul Davis, vice president of entertainment for the Hard Rock, agrees that many country acts “absolutely have priced themselves out of the market.” “We looked at some stuff a couple of months ago but they wanted New Year’s Eve pricing and so we passed,” he says.

“But to be fair to the talent, if they aren’t already routed through Vegas, if they have to fly in and rehearse their band and get their production done, it does cost them a lot more money to come out here and do the gigs, and the costs manifest themselves in terms of higher talent guarantees.”

Chesney was one of the headliners when the new Joint opened this year, but fans at the Hard Rock are more likely to find Alice in Chains, Muse, Chickenfoot and Morrissey — all of whom will perform during NFR week.

“For us it’s a matter of what bands are routed through Las Vegas,” Davis says. “If they’re available and coming through the market, that’s what we booked. If some good country-content talent was coming through and it was the right fit for our venue, we would have been happy to take a look at it.”

Ira David Sternberg, longtime public relations and entertainment executive in Las Vegas, says two things have affected NFR entertainment — the economy and changing tastes.

“Certainly many acts are overpriced, but I think part of it is the evolution of the event itself,” Sternberg says.

He’s been here for more than 30 years, arriving before the NFR moved here from Oklahoma City.

The rodeo and rodeo fans have changed over the past 25 years.

“NFR fans like country, but a lot of them like other kinds of entertainment as well,” he says. “There has been a diversification in tastes, a diffusion in the entertainment market. You’re not going to have strictly country music anymore.”

But there is still plenty to satisfy even the most die-hard country fan, with a couple of dozen country acts spread around town, from Fremont Street to South Point.

The superstar of all superstar country performers will be here — Garth Brooks will debut his headlining engagement at the Encore Theatre Dec. 11-13, returning for shows in January and February.

Other notable acts include Ray Price (Boulder Station, Friday); Willie Nelson (Planet Hollywood, Saturday); Lee Greenwood (The Orleans, Sunday); Dierks Bentley (House of Blues, Dec. 10-11); John Michael Montgomery (Golden Nugget, Dec. 10) and Brooks & Dunn (Las Vegas Hilton, Dec. Friday-Sunday).

There will be plenty of country humor in town for the rodeo, with Bill Engvall (TI, Thursday, Friday and Dec. 10-11); Rodney Carrington (MGM Grand Hollywood Theatre, Thursday-Dec. 12); Ron White (Mirage, Friday, Saturday and Dec. 11-12) and Larry the Cable Guy (Mandalay Bay, Dec. 12).

Discussion: 9 comments so far…

Comments are moderated by Las Vegas Sun editors. Our goal is not to limit the discussion, but rather to elevate it. Comments should be relevant and contain no abusive language. Comments that are off-topic, vulgar, profane or include personal attacks will be removed. Full comments policy.

By Nismo

Nov. 30, 2009

6:14 a.m.

Suggest removal

Bull riding and Enter Sandman....what goes together better than that?
By dodgerchuck

Nov. 30, 2009

8:10 a.m.

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"the costs manifest themselves in terms of higher talent guarantees".what did mr davis mean with this statement
By lvelegante

Nov. 30, 2009

9:12 a.m.

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I would've liked to have seen Toby Keith or Trisha Yearwood but at least Trace Adkins will perform at The Palms on Dec. 8th. Yeah baby!!
By Det__Munch

Nov. 30, 2009

11:27 a.m.

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Robin Williams (Saturday at MGM Grand Garden Arena); Andrea Bocelli (Dec. 12 at the Grand Garden Arena); Megadeath (Dec. 13 at the House of Blues)

Smacks of Country to me!!!
By BobbyG

Nov. 30, 2009

6:21 p.m.

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You can always hear the best band in the nation every Monday night at The Palms, for FREE! CD release party tonight!

http://santafeandthefatcityhorns.blogspo...
By NVCitizen

Dec. 1, 2009

2:25 p.m.

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What gets me is not only the outrageous ticket prices that many of these performers charge, but that they just accumulate all this money and give nothing back to the communities that made them famous - and rich! This applies to not only country performers but to ALL performers.

Celine Dion made tens-of-millions of dollars in Las Vegas, yet she gave nothing back to us: no scholarships, no money to charities, NOTHING! The same with Sigfried and Roy.

I've read that Larry the Cable Guy is one of the highest paid performers in the country, yet I've not read anything about his charitable contributions. Schools all over the country are in dire shape and in great need of books, computers and regular supplies. Yet nothing from Larry, or Sigfried, or Roy, or Celine, or Reba, or Garth. Where's the love, guys?
By rverp

Dec. 3, 2009

1:59 p.m.

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Sorry NVCitizen, but they pay way more than you and I in taxes... They also pay way more in Fica than they will ever see back. The richest 10% pay 90% of the taxes while 62 million people pay nothing.. and now they are going to get hit again for war, and health care taxes. It is unrealistic to expect them to pay even more..and how many country singers actually get focused on. Maybe they give privately without saying "look at me."
By nickiannn

Dec. 5, 2009

10:46 a.m.

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Too bad Kevin Skinner wasn't given a "whole" show of his own by AGT, he could have been a big draw this week on his own, and not overpriced.
By Sylamore

Dec. 5, 2009

11:03 a.m.

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I agree.