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Denise Truscello/WireImage/DeniseTruscello.net
Frankie Moreno’s CD release party and show at the Stratosphere on Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2012.
Thursday, Sept. 20, 2012 | 3:09 p.m.
Kudos to my journalistic colleague Editor at Large John Katsilometes MC’ing Wednesday night’s presentation by singer-songwriter and musician Frankie Moreno and his brothers Ricky and Tony launching a CD at the Stratosphere. The storytelling and Q+A were something new and nice between the Stratosphere headliner music stars and their fans in the audience.
Frankie let slip because “Dancing With the Stars” pro dancer Lacey Schwimmer was in the crowd that the brothers will perform on the hit ABC competition in October. Frankie’s current two-year contract with the Stratosphere has already been extended for another two years through October 2015.
Denise Truscello, who chronicled the group’s adventures in Europe this summer alongside John, shot last night’s party and performance. Frankie, who plays the piano, guitar, harmonica and drums during his show, noted that it was their 150th show at the Stratosphere and that the CD took eight months to record.
It’s likely that “Moonlight Matinee” will be the first single released. The guys revealed that they write all of their material while traveling outside the U.S. for inspiration. “Moonlight” was written in Mexico after a trip to Ireland went awry. “Just a Memory” was written in Vienna, Austria, where Frankie revealed that he’d illegally opened up Beethoven’s museum piano to play a few notes!
“Missing You” was written on a train ride this year between Florence and Venice, Italy. “I’m Sorry” came out of an Egyptian trip riding to a Hilton in Cairo by taxi cab, “Black Mascara” while Frankie toured with Air Supply in Saudi Arabia and “Tangerine Honey” with its Moulin Rouge burlesque sound written in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
The guys, raised in Santa Cruz, Calif., have been Las Vegas residents for a decade now, and Frankie’s 10-piece band with a modern vibe and a Vintage Vegas swagger (piano, guitars, horns, violin, cello) are a powerhouse at the Stratosphere. The charismatic Frankie poses for photographs and signs autographs after shows.
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 Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.
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Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.
It is virtually impossible to be anywhere in Las Vegas and miss the Stratosphere. It towers 1,149 feet above Las Vegas and is the tallest observation tower in the United States. The casino itself is 55,784 square feet and contains 950 slot machines, 120 game tables and 2,427 hotel rooms.
Of the hotel's 2,427 rooms, 909 were recently remodeled into Stratosphere Select rooms.
The Stratosphere is mostly known for its rides at the top of the tower. The Big Shot, located at the 113th floor, torpedoes riders up 160 feet using compressed air. X-Scream is a teeter-totter perched at the top of the observation deck — if that wasn't scary enough, the coaster arm flings the riders out 27 feet over the edge of the tower. Guests looking for something more sedate can just hang around the 107th floor and simply look at the scenery.
Hm, I didnt know he was gay.