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Tom Donoghue/DonoghuePhotography.com
The D Las Vegas’ grand opening weekend with Bret Michaels, owner Derek Stevens and his brother Greg Stevens, Jizzy Pearl and Greg Maddux on Saturday, Oct. 13, 2012.
Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2012 | 1:04 a.m.
The D Las Vegas’ biggest official grand opening celebration took place Saturday night in downtown Las Vegas, and contributing photographer Tom Donoghue was on duty to capture the festivities with owner Derek Stevens, more than 400(!) of Stevens’ friends from his hometown of Detroit, his brother Greg Stevens, MLB great Greg Maddux, plus, entertainment from Nightshift and the awesomely named Jizzy Pearl.
Oh, and some guy named Bret Michaels, frontman of Poison, “Celebrity Apprentice” winner who is returning to the all-star edition of Donald Trump’s long-running NBC series as the only champion) and 2010 Miss Universe Pageant co-host here at Mandalay Bay.
Thousands of fans turned out for the free concert at Fremont Street Experience abutting the D. Michaels flew in from New York, where “Apprentice” is filming (he’s competing alongside, among others, Rio headliner magician Penn Jillette), and told the crowd, “There was no way I was missing the grand opening of the D tonight!” He later tweeted a photo of his show and said, “We made it in time to rock @thedlasvegas!”
Wearing his trademark bandana, a black tank top and super-tight blue jeans, Michaels kept the crowd pumped with “Talk Dirty to Me,” “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” and classics including Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama.” He concluding the show with “Nothin’ But a Good Time.” The set was streamed on the large plasma video wall of the D’s exterior and on FSE’s Viva Vision LED canopy.
Michaels’ black electric guitar with 1980s-era musician strands was auctioned off for $3,100 to an audience member, with proceeds going to charity. The concert was the first part of the D’s weeklong grand opening celebration, with OneRepublic performing a free concert at FSE’s Third Street Stage this Saturday.
Don Chareunsy is editor of VegasDeLuxe.com and senior editor, arts and entertainment, of LasVegasSun.com.
Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.
Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.
Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.
Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.
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