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Monday, April 12, 2010 | 11:24 a.m.
Few guitars are as synonymous with an artist as B.B. King's famed Lucille, a black Gibson ES-355 that the guitar maker eventually adapted into his signature model. The "other" Lucille, a blue, rum-based cocktail, can't play a lick of "Sweet Little Angel" but sounds great when paired with some fried pickles or a plate of the restaurant's ribs. The cocktail sports Don Q rum, blue curaçao (no kidding) and orange and pineapple juices. Some might say the thrill is back.
B.B. King probably has strings that have been on his guitar longer than Pedro Torres has been part of the team at B.B. King's Blues Club at The Mirage, but the Puerto Rican-born assistant general manager is making his presence felt.
"My job is to make the servers' and bartenders' jobs easier," Torres said. "I'm always running around, cracking jokes or trying to make light of the situation. … I'll tie a rib bone to their apron or put notes on their back to bring that party atmosphere, that culture that we have at all of our other clubs, here to Vegas."
Torres spent three years at the B.B. King's in Orlando, Fla., and six additional months at their new West Palm Beach, Fla., location before moving to Las Vegas a little more than a month ago.
"I grew up mainly on the East Coast — I've never even visited California, I'd never been past Texas. As far as the distance, it was kind of scary. I didn't know what to think about it, but Curtis (Peery), our general manager, said, 'I'm not going to do this if you're not coming with me.'"
So far he loves it, and despite intense competition on the Strip, he's found Las Vegas — and its visitors — loves B.B. King's, too.
"One of our mottos is 'Party people serving party people.' We try to create a party amongst ourselves before we give it to the customer. I've never been in a place where I had so much fun."
— Originally published in Las Vegas Magazine
The management is doing a good job replicating the cuisine and atmosphere. Drink prices are ridiculous though. But the B.B. Kings All-Star Band makes up for it! Well at least, the band that was there the previous two months or so... lead by P.J. Barth, Blaze Sison, Nate Wingfield and the lead singer Trina Johnson, were absolutely amazing!!! I remember Trina from her Suriname experience last year and it was great to see her powerful vocals in person. When I took a group there this past weekend, gloating about how great the band and singer were, I was almost laughed out ot town. Almost all of them were gone and the replacement band was just terrible... A lot of us here love a great time and want to hear great music and party. Whatever you guys do, bring that atmosphere back. Bring the band back and that cute powerhouse singer, Trina as well.