John Katsilometes

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Kiss ready to cram outrageous spectacle into small theater: Friday, Nov. 27, 2009; Kiss, the indefatigable glam-rock pioneers who spawned a billion Halloween costumes and their own teenage army, returns to Las Vegas on Saturday for a show at the Pearl at the Palms. This fall the band, still powered by founding members Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, released its first studio album in 11 years, “Sonic Boom.”
Kanye West, Lady Gaga cancel Las Vegas concert: Thursday, Oct. 1, 2009; We won’t get to see the Kanye West/Lady Gaga travelling road show at Mandalay Bay Events Center on Nov. 13 after all. The co-headlining tour, featuring two of the more conversation-provoking stars in contemporary music over the past several weeks, was abruptly canceled this afternoon. An MGM Mirage spokesman and a news release issued by Live Nation confirmed that the 34-city tour was scuttled today, but gave no reason why.
Goodman marks Mob Museum progress: Internal construction begins at building that served as courthouse; Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2009; An homage to the legendary shooting of seven men in 1929 will be on display when the Las Vegas Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement opens in early 2011. In a news conference this morning at the museum site on Stewart Avenue between Fourth Street and Casino Center Boulevard, Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman announced that the brick wall from the St. Valentine's Day Massacre would be part of the so-called Mob Museum's exhibit.
Aerosmith’s back in the saddle again: Friday, July 24, 2009; Aerosmith is on one of those extended tours that serve no purpose other than to bring the band once more to the masses. Its most recent album, “Just Push Play,” was released eight years ago.
‘Southern Belle’ of 702.tv gets real in SOAPnet show: Tuesday, June 9, 2009; To say Emily Gimmel feels comfortable in front of a camera would understate reality — or in this case, reality TV.
Roy Horn: More than birthdays to celebrate: Almost six years after vicious attack by tiger, Horn’s rehabilitation is ongoing; Thursday, May 14, 2009; You watch Roy Horn walk, gingerly but with little aid, and you wonder how much more improvement remains in his tireless quest for rehabilitation.
Danny Gans: A star of our own: No other current entertainer was identified as closely with Las Vegas as Danny Gans; Saturday, May 2, 2009; Terry Fator had a great seat Friday afternoon in what was once the Danny Gans Theatre at The Mirage: middle section, second row, third from the aisle. But the stage sat still as Fator, seated nearly alone in a darkened theater that today is named for him, absorbed the news that the man who inspired him to move to Vegas had died.
Gathering for a good cause, and good-bye to Siegfried & Roy: Monday, March 2, 2009; Montecore sat onstage, uncaged, unleashed. A few feet away stood Roy Horn, donning a Gothic-style, black-and-white stage costume and acknowledging an audience standing and applauding a singular dramatic moment in Las Vegas history.
New Miss America 'blessed' to win crown: Miss Indiana becomes 83rd pageant winner in televised Las Vegas event; Saturday, Jan. 24, 2009; She said it over and over tonight: “I’m blessed. … So blessed. … This is a blessing. … I’m so very blessed. … I have the blessing of family. ... The scholarship money is a blessing.”
Despite changes, Miss America pageant still reigns: Winner to be crowned tonight in televised event at Planet Hollywood; Saturday, Jan. 24, 2009; Memories of Bert Parks warbling, “There She Is, Miss America” might have faded, and the newly crowned Miss America now takes her first steps in her new sash and tiara on the Strip, but the tradition of Miss America remains powerful in the culture of beauty pageants. Tonight, a new Miss America — the 82nd — will be crowned at the Planet Hollywood Theatre for the Performing Arts.
No. 4: U2 plays tribute show after 9/11: Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2008; The audience swayed to the classic-rock house music, and when the familiar guitar intro to “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” kicked in, whoever was manning the volume jacked it up past nine, to 11, and out marched the band whose soaring live performance would certainly pay tribute to the still-wrenching tragedy. As the band charged into “Elevation,” the lights stayed up, almost to the song’s end as fans bounced and roared. Maybe America wasn’t quite “back,” but U2 was.
No. 12: Brooks' friends fill Mack four straight nights: Country singer sets arena record with more than 72,000 fans; Monday, Nov. 10, 2008; It was the summer of that year, a scorching mid-August week in Vegas, but no ticket was hotter than a ducat for Brooks’ electrifying shows at the Thomas & Mack Center.
No. 18: 'Woo-Woo' steals show in Tark's return: Rosegreen grabs 21 boards as Rebels beat Tarkanian in front of 18,000; Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008; February 17, 1997, amid the dizzying hype of former UNLV coach Jerry Tarkanian’s first game at the Thomas & Mack as a visiting coach, was Warren Rosegreen’s time to shine. He collected, often violently, 21 rebounds as the Rebels beat Fresno State 78-64 in a Western Athletic Conference battle in front of 18,024 at the T&M. It was the largest crowd in more than three years to see a game at the arena. “I’ll be over it,” Tarkanian said afterward. “I just wish we should’ve shot better. We haven’t rebounded well all year, so that’s nothing new. But I thought we would shoot better.”
No. 19: Phish fans out in force: Monday, Nov. 3, 2008; Phish and legions of fans waded into the Thomas & Mack on Sept. 30, 2000.
Felix Rappaport: Thursday, Oct. 2, 2008; Following are excerpts from the radio show Our Metropolis, a half-hour issues and affairs program that airs Tuesdays at 6 p.m. on KUNV 91.5-FM and is hosted by the Greenspun Media Group’s John Katsilometes. Tune in next week to hear the rest of this interview with Luxor President Felix Rappaport, or listen to the show at lasvegasweekly.com.
LAX “Surprise” guest no ordinary Joe: Thursday, July 31, 2008; It’s late-Wednesday, early Thursday in Vegas, and you know what that means: club night for The Johnny.
Torres can't slip Holt this time: Sunday, July 6, 2008; Well, uh, no 11th-round controversy this time. Three knockdowns. One knockout. It took but a minute.
At LV Phil event, hearts go boom: Friday, July 4, 2008; Chuck and Carol Coleman first experienced the fireworks in 1994. But it wasn't on the Fourth of July. It was in October.
All the Joy and Wayne: Deep into a career that started in Las Vegas lounges nearly 50 years ago and made him a cultural icon, Mr. Las Vegas still does it his way.; Friday, Dec. 7, 2007; The car sits stationary, gleaming in the sun, but the wheels in Wayne’s Newton’s brain are spinning, burning rubber. His Rolls-Royce is dented. It’s the slightest imperfection, no larger than a dime, appearing as if someone has pressed a thumb hard into the car’s fender. The disfigurement is so indecipherable that it has long escaped notice by dozens of discriminating eyes that tend to the structures, vast menagerie and exotic vehicles at his home, Casa de Shenandoah.
FABULOUS LAS VEGAS: Monday, June 18, 2007; Last night we listened distractedly as a woman was murdered in the next room. She pleaded, yelped and wailed. There were loud thumps and crashes, indicative of angry and purposeful bludgeoning. She may have been crocked with a lamp.
FABULOUS LAS VEGAS: Tuesday, June 5, 2007; Whenever I lay my eyes on Pamela Anderson, I think "levitate."
John Katsilometes keeps on top of the city's trend in European-style pools, the latest of which will open May 15 atop Flamingo Las Vegas: Sunday, May 6, 2007; And apparently, so will topless sunbathing.
John Katsilometes tastes a slice of Americana at the Clark County Fair and Rodeo in Logandale: Friday, April 13, 2007; I was walking along a gravel path Thursday afternoon when a small man approached and asked if I would like a massage. I told him no. Then he grabbed my shoulder and asked again.
John Katsilometes reminisces with Wayne Brady about MGM theme park: Friday, March 30, 2007; I mean, Wayne Brady.
John Katsilometes reports on a unique wedding ceremony for a similarly unique couple in the downtown arts district: Monday, March 26, 2007; Funkhouser owns the antique and crafts store the Funk House, serves as the president of the nonprofit arts organization Whirlygig and is founder of the weekly art walk/crafts fair/street party First Friday. Dominguez operates his own flooring company, the aptly titled Fabulous Floors of Las Vegas. The two met at Dino's, which sits across from Olympic Garden on Las Vegas Boulevard South, on Valentine's Day 2006. In July, again at Dino's, during "Karaoke Night with Danny G" and with the Bee Gees classic "Words" droning in the background, Dominguez brought forth a sheet cake with a proposal scrawled across the frosting. She accepted, and on Saturday exchanged vows in front of about 60 friends and family.
John Katsilometes meets a man who met Sammy Davis Jr. 67 years ago and showed up to honor the legend Thursday: Friday, Feb. 16, 2007; Miller met Davis, who was then a member of the Will Mastin Trio, in Harlem in 1940. Miller was a member of a jazz outfit called the Three Chords, and the acts toured the vaudeville circuit for several years. But the Three Chords were never more than a support act, while Davis ascended to worldwide stardom. In 1960, Miller and Davis parted ways.
John Katsilometes on a report that puts the elbow-through-the-Picasso episode to the test: Thursday, Feb. 1, 2007; Now someone has put that contention to the test. On Monday, Michael J. Lewis, author and art writer for the online publication Commentary Magazine, wrote: "An elbow thrust, however fierce or well-aimed, is not likely to puncture a linen canvas," explaining that paintings are not stretched very tightly and typically have a little bit of "give." Lewis asked a friend of his who is a painter to see if he could pierce a taut canvas with his elbow. Lewis writes: "Working with heavy cotton duck canvas (a weaker fabric than the Belgian linen that Picasso likely used), he was only able to put a bowl-shaped depression into the canvas, despite repeated attempts. The insurers will be investigating this case carefully. Perhaps they'll ask to take a cast of Mr. Wynn's elbow."
John Katsilometes takes in a news conference for Miss America, which is totally different than Miss USA: Friday, Jan. 26, 2007; The Miss America president and chief executive also said the pageant is pleased with its relationship with cable outfit CMT, which took over as the pageant's TV home after Miss America and ABC parted ways after the 2005 pageant. As CMT Executive Producer Sarah Brock noted, 35 million viewers watched last year's pageant.
John Katsilometes reports that Arizona Charlie's Decatur plans to bring back the Palace Grand Theatre: Monday, Jan. 22, 2007; But in May 2000 the theater was turned into a 500-seat bingo hall. A sold-out performance by Bobby "Blue" Bland seemed to serve as the old theater's send-off. But last week General Manager Ron Lurie said he is in discussions for the design of the new ballroom and plans to turn the bingo center back into an entertainment and banquet facility. "We're talking to architects and drawing plans. We'd like to start relatively soon," Lurie said. "We'd like a flexible, multipurpose facility. We'd go back to chair seating, cocktail tables, and it would be for 500 to 600 people."
John Katsilometes on the spicy 'Top Chef' competition and two Las Vegas chefs who are bracing for the finale: Sunday, Jan. 21, 2007; To recap, in last week's hair-razing episode Vigneron was (again) singled out for group derision in a stunt that more resembled a fraternity hazing prank than anything related to a culinary contest. It all started during a night of revelry when Aboumrad disclosed that she'd always wanted to shave her head. She and Hall wound up doing just that, but contestant Cliff Crooks (with goading from Hall and Sam Talbot and a shrug of the shoulders from Aboumrad) took the frivolity beyond bounds by pinning down Vigneron and trying to shave away his wildly wavy locks.
John Katsilometes checks in on a grass-roots political group with impressive credentials and lofty goals: Monday, Jan. 15, 2007; Thus, Bilbray-Kohn has taken action as the visionary and executive director of the fledgling political candidate training program whose mission is to groom women in the Democratic Party to run for office at all levels in the state of Nevada. The event, in the heart of the downtown arts district, was a meet-and-greet function for emergeNevada's 2007 candidate class (a pair of noteworthy guests: new Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto and Councilwoman Lois Tarkanian, who wrote the first $1,000 check to the organization). EmergeNevada's wide-ranging field of 16 prospects includes Kelly Benavidez, a City Council liaison to Councilman Lawrence Weekly; Liz Carrasco, director of Community Development for Planned Parenthood of Southern Nevada; Tammy Peterson, an attorney with Jones Vargas and former president of the Junior Club (and also a former prosecutor with the district attorney's office Special Victims Unit); and Adeana Shendal, column frequenter and director of public relations for Four Seasons Las Vegas.
John Katsilometes on the Lou Ruvo Brain Institute's groundbreaking: Sunday, Jan. 14, 2007; Dignitaries expected to take part the groundbreaking ceremonies for the $70 million brain institute project include LRBI founder Larry Ruvo; Gehry; U.S. Sens. Harry Reid and John Ensign; U.S. Reps. Shelley Berkley, Jon Porter and Dean Heller, Gov. Jim Gibbons, Mayor Oscar Goodman and former Gov. Kenny Guinn. (Also invited were the state Board of Regents and Chancellor Jim Rogers, which should make for some challenging seating assignments.)
John Kastilometes on the very winning ways of 'Phantom' Anthony Crivello, who picked them best in a football contest: Friday, Jan. 12, 2007; In June, when it came time to determine which actor would portray the lead character on opening night for "Phantom - Las Vegas Spectacular," producers simply flipped a coin. The winner was Anthony Crivello, who splits time with Brent Barrett as the Phantom in the $40 million production at the Venetian.
John Katsilometes on Passion Parties' Pat Davis and her new book: Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2007; The book draws on experience from several of Passion Parties' 28,000 "passion consultants," who are part of the company's multilevel business plan. Consultants (all female) host small parties to show off the latest in sensual products and romance accessories. Guests (again, all female) usually purchase something to energize their relationships and can sign on with the company to become a passion consultant. It's sort of like the model made famous by Tupperware, except ...
John Katsilometes gets Frank Gehry's succinct opinion of architecture in Las Vegas: Thursday, Dec. 14, 2006; Both skills were displayed by groundbreaking architect Frank Gehry on Tuesday night at the Las Vegas Art Museum. I started our conversation with, "What about the architecture in Las Vegas ..."
John Katsilometes on how Rita Rudner's personal touch helps fill the showroom at her new haunt: Harrah's: Sunday, Oct. 29, 2006; "Hundreds, every night," Rudner said as she waved to fans who had lined up in hallway off to the side of the showroom prior to her performance at Harrah's on Friday night. "When I look into an audience, they are not strangers."
John Katsilometes visits 225 acres that will one day be one of the nation's finest shooting parks: Sunday, Oct. 22, 2006; On Saturday morning way out on North Decatur Boulevard (drive north until Decatur ends, then drive another mile and there it is), the ceremonial groundbreaking for the Clark County Shooting Park was held. Most in attendance were members of gun clubs or recreational shooters of all ilk (and both genders). The first phase of the $61 million, 225-acre project is expected to open in January 2008. Upon completion, the project promises to be one of the country's finest world-class shooting and gun education facilities and will also be the site of national shooting events. As County Commissioner Tom Collins, whose district includes the acreage that will be used for the park, said, "Anything that is legal to shoot, you can shoot here."
John Katsilometes mingles with some of the potential creatures to be featured in the Fright Dome at Circus Circus Adventuredome: Thursday, Sept. 28, 2006; Where one might see nothing more than a kid jacked up on Red Bull wielding a plastic chain saw, Jason Egan sees potential.
Offstage, he stays more grounded: Friday, Sept. 8, 2006; What: "Delirium"
John Katsilometes checks in on Rita Rudner's new book, a skewering satire on the Vegas casino scene: Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2006; Rudner's novel is the set-in-Vegas "Turning the Tables" (Shaye Areheart Books, $23), which is out today and available at bookstores throughout Southern Nevada. We're just getting into an advance copy, but it is clear Rudner's latest effort is a biting satirical look at her adopted home city.
John Katsilometes on a battle of the bands that's been less than friendly competition: Monday, Aug. 7, 2006; And somehow, they have managed to slip into a public rift.
John Katsilometes talks with a Las Vegas Hilton employee who has fond memories of hanging out with Elvis Presley: Thursday, June 22, 2006; Six years later she was friends with Elvis Presley.
John Katsilometes gives paws for celebration at the annual 'Best in Show' event at the Orleans Arena, where 61 dogs were offered for adoption: Monday, June 5, 2006; The fourth annual "Best In Show" canine appreciation event, during which dozens of shelter dogs from Lied Animal Shelter were put up for adoption, was held Sunday afternoon at the Orleans Arena. A total of 61 canines were offered for adoption, and the audience was estimated at around 2,000, both all-time highs for the event, "Best In Show" chairwoman Dale Wynn said during the program.
John Katsilometes recalls the theater expansion at the Rio that helped give Danny Gans' career a lift: Sunday, May 21, 2006; The entertainment publication settled on, "the Cirque du Soleil of voice."
John Katsilometes talks with Shapiro about Sober Day USA: Tuesday, May 2, 2006; So it is no surprise that soon after his son, Brent, died suddenly in October after a party in Hollywood, Shapiro came back firing.
John Katsilometes catches up with the Fertittas on the night they open their Red Rock Resort: Wednesday, April 19, 2006; As the older brother notes, the two are hyper-competitive, but their seven-year age difference precluded any serious sibling competition between them when they were growing up. That relationship exists today.
John Katsilometes walks down memory lane with Daren Libonati and a faded rap star famous for his oversized parachute pants: Friday, March 17, 2006; That was 14 years ago.
John Katsilometes interviews a member of the high-energy act Zowie Bowie, the soon-to-be headliner at Red Rock Resort: Tuesday, March 7, 2006; Or is it more a state of mind?
Columnist John Katsilometes: The Readers Digest version of the 'Big Daddy Burger' competitive eating contest at the Plaza: Friday, Feb. 3, 2006; For breakfast Saturday, Rich LeFevre had an energy bar.
Columnist John Katsilometes: Braces for another development on Harmon Avenue -- the Rolling Stone hotel: Thursday, Feb. 2, 2006; Jann Wenner has built a publishing empire. Today it looks like he has a more concrete sort of building planned, on Harmon Avenue.