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Smokey Robinson and members of the Motown revue Human Nature , from left, Michael Tierney, Phil Burton, Andrew Tierney and Toby Allen pose for a public relations photo shoot Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013.
Monday, Feb. 25, 2013 | 6:06 p.m.
Holly Madison arrives at the grand opening of "Smokey Robinson Presents Human Nature: The Motown Show" at The Venetian on Friday, Feb. 22, 2013.
It was a magical Motown night of entertainment when Human Nature premiered their new show at The Venetian over the weekend, and legendary singer and Motown executive Smokey Robinson strolled onstage to sing and dance along with the four boys from Australia.
Mary Wilson of The Supremes fame was in the audience with Gary, Ind., singing sensation Deniece Williams (“Let’s Hear It for the Boy”), who went onstage to also sing along with the Down Under stars. Photographer Denise Truscello captured all the excitement on the red carpet.
Among the Strip headliners and celebrity guests were the due-any-moment-now Holly Madison, Luxor headliner comic Carrot Top, Stratosphere headliners Frankie Moreno and Claire Sinclair, BMX and reality TV star Ricardo Laguna, chef Carla Pellegrino, The Quad headliner Frank Marino, The Rio headliner magician Teller, comedy hypnotist Marc Savard, Zowie Bowie star Chris Phillips, Travis Cloer, Jeff Leibow and Deven May of “Jersey Boys” at Paris Las Vegas and Melody Sweets of “Absinthe” at Caesars Palace.
Plus, Martin Kaye of “Million Dollar Quartet” at Harrah’s, Staci Wilson and Kaci Wilson of “Peepshow” at Planet Hollywood, Mark Shunock, Carrie St. Louis and Justin Mortelliti of “Rock of Ages” at The Venetian, Tropicana headliner magician Murray Sawchuck and his wife Chloe, “Defending the Caveman” star Kevin Burke, entertainer Jeff Civillico and cast members of “Fantasy” at Luxor, Thunder From Down Under at Excalibur, “The Australian Bee Gees” at Excalibur and “America’s Got Talent Live” at Palazzo.
Backstage, I chatted with Smokey, Mary and Deniece, and they all agreed that Human Nature had presented the best show of their U.S. run to date. “I was dancing in my seat,” Smokey said.” They had the entire audience dancing -- and a very long standing ovation. They couldn’t have been better. It was a fantastic show. They have Motown to a T!”
Mary agreed: “It was just like the old days -- the beats, the rhythms, the dance moves, the stylings. They’ve captured it all.” Deniece added: “ They captivated me. There was this flash I was back in the recording studio again.”
Human Nature comprises brothers Andrew and Michael Tierney and their high school pals Phil Burton and Toby Allen. And the verdict from the boys themselves? “It couldn’t have gone better. Just the most incredible night of our lives in America. We’ve been together 23 years, and this really had all the excitement and energy of the very first night all over again. So many dreams have come true, and this certainly was one more. ”
Andrew and Michael’s mother, who flew here from Australia for the premiere, summed it up: “I think they may have been the best they’ve ever been tonight. I’m so proud of them. I’m so glad I flew all the way to see this. I know how important it was to them, so you know how important it was for me. Absolutely fabulous!”
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.
Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.
Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.
In the spirit of Venice, The Venetian is a little piece of romantic Italy right here in Las Vegas. The Venetian is an "all-suite" hotel, with rooms accented with plush linens and Italian marble. The 4,027 suites are divided into two towers: The 36-story Venetian Tower that offers guests a taste of luxurious Las Vegas and the Venezia suites, which guarantee 12 floors of high-end elegance. The top five floors are the hotel's highest level of luxury with its private access, concierge lounge, upgraded features and even a dedicated staff.
Entertainment at the Venetian includes shows such as Tim and Faith - Soul2Soul, featuring Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, and Rock of Ages.
The flagship of Venetian nightlife is TAO, an ultra-hip nightclub located inside of TAO Asian Bistro. V Bar is The Venetian's super smooth ultra lounge, made by the owners of New York City's club Lotus and Los Angeles' super swank Sunset Room.
The Venetian features 19 restaurants including Thomas Keller's award-winning French restaurant Bouchon, Mario Batali's B&B Ristorante, Aquaknox for fresh seafood and the 42,000 square foot TAO Asian Bistro. There's also the food court inside the Canal Shoppes for those looking for a quick bite.
Guests can float along The Grand Canal Shops in an authentic Italian gondola ride and pass stores like Burberry and Kenneth Cole along the way. And if you haven't caught a real celeb, on the street in Vegas, you can head over to Madame Tussauds to check out a wax version.
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