A Dazzling Clustercade of Las Vegas Entertainment News

By Scott Roeben, on August 07 2014

3 min read 0 comments

There’s been a flurry of Las Vegas entertainment news, and we’ve generously wrangled it for you, below. Let’s fly headlong into the shizzle storm of show business buzz, shall we?

After a disappointing run at Riviera Las Vegas (which began April 16, 2014), and an even more disappointing two-month run at Golden Nugget before that (Jan. 21 to Mar. 29, 2014), the curtain’s coming down for good on Pawn Shop Live on August 21, 2014.

The show, an allegedly comedic take on the wildly popular “Pawn Stars” had a lot of potential, but so-so execution. We’re betting props from the show will be highly-coveted collectibles for fans of the History Channel reality series. Except for the puppet. That was just stupid.

Pawn Shop Live — What, you thought we were kidding about the puppet?

In other “Pawn Stars” news, the folks at the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop have proposed a Pawn Stars Plaza shopping center inspired by the popular Downtown Container Park.

The shopping center proposal says it will have six restaurants and 16 shops. It’s expected to cost $2 million to build. Or, perhaps more accurately, assemble. Read more.

The recently-closed, but much beloved, “Vegas Nocturne” has sued The Cosmopolitan Las Vegas for allegedly sabotaging the “Absinthe”-like show.

The lawsuit claims the hotel failed to pay severance to show employees and also says it has tried to block the show from moving to a competing venue (SLS Las Vegas, from what we’ve heard). Here’s the news release.

“Sydney After Dark,” a female revue from Australia, has announced it will close at the PH Showroom at Planet Hollywood despite the fact nobody actually realized it had opened. No date has been announced for the closing.

In true Las Vegas fashion, the publicist for the show said, “As they say, bigger isn’t always better, and we learned during our previews that the beautiful large room Sydney After Dark debuted in recently didn’t have the intimate feeling the show needs to resonate with the audience in its truest sense.” Public relations bullshittery is what this blog lives for!

The publicist also said, “We will be announcing our new home soon.” Which in Las Vegas parlance means, “Yeah, not so much.”

Longtime Vegas watchers may find the closure of “Sydney After Dark” vaguely familiar. A decade ago, another revue, “Aussie Angels,” made a go of the then-Las Vegas Hilton, with similar results.

It’s been announced Shania Twain’s residency at Caesars Palace won’t be extended. The show will end its two-year run in December, 2014. Vegas residencies don’t tend to end of they’re doing gangbuster business, so take from what what you will. See more.

Shania Twain Vegas — Shania will always have a special place in this Las Vegas blog’s heart. Or possibly a lower organ. Let’s not get into too much detail on that.

Puppet master Jeff Dunham will start a Las Vegas residency at Planet Hollywood on Nov. 28, 2014. He’ll perform six shows a week through May 31, 2015.

Dunham recently broke a world record for “Most Tickets Sold for a Stand-Up Comedy Tour,” confirming that the ventriloquist has, indeed, inked a deal with the Prince of Darkness.

Actor Al Pacino will take the stage at The Mirage on Aug. 16, 2014 for “Pacino: One Night Only.” From what we can tell, the show will consist of an onstage chat with the 74-year-old Al Pacino, as well as an audience Q&A session.

So, it’s exactly like an episode of “Inside the Actors Studio,” but with tickets running from $149.99 to $500 a pop. No, really.

In case we forgot to mention it previously, rock icons Kiss have confirmed rumors of a baby residency at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas. This is said to be their first-ever residency, and it will span nine performances, from Nov. 5 to Nov. 23, 2014. Tickets for “Kiss Rocks Vegas” start at $49.50.

“Purple Reign,” the Prince tribute show, has opened at The D Las Vegas, and it’s one of the best tribute shows we’ve seen in Las Vegas. Get more information. The show includes all the hits, and also features segments with The Time.