Lessons in stage rushing, from Elton John and Pink Martini

It’s a good thing Elton John doesn’t set a tip jar on his Million Dollar Piano. Fans at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace would probably knock it to the stage. Or steal it.

It seems the latest thing at the Colosseum is to mess with Sir Elton during his play-through of “Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting.” The fan-favorite moment surfaces late in the show, and audience-members in the first two rows are allowed to take the stage to groove, sing along and record the moment on social media.

Behavior that doesn’t interfere with the performance is deemed OK.

But twice in the past two weeks, fans have treated the Colosseum stage as if it’s Rush Lounge at Golden Nugget. On Valentine’s Day, a fan threw what appeared to be a strand of Mardi Gras beads at John, hitting him full in the face. He spent about a half-minute checking himself for blood and loose teeth.

On Thursday night, a fan disrupted John’s performance by putting his hands on the piano keys, then attempting to take up-close pictures of the piano.

As a video posted on celebrity website TMZ shows, John put up with this interference for a few moments, then sauntered off the stage and seemed ready to end the performance. But he did return to close out with “Circle of Life,” saying of the offending fan, “You (expletive) it up!”

John followed with a comment on his Instagram page, saying he liked having fans join him up-close onstage but, “This guy was rude, disruptive and had no care or respect for our show and so I left him know how I felt, then left the stage until they had removed him.”

The number remains unchanged in the show — fans were back onstage Friday night — but there is a theory why the crowd is getting restless during John’s performances. He closes his run at Caesars on May 19. As AEG Live Senior Vice President John Nelson, whose company promotes John’s Strip residency, says, “As we get closer to the final performance of ‘Million Dollar Piano,’ fans seem to be getting more and more excited.” Just keep your mitts off that pricey instrument.

More rushing action

On the topic of rushing the stage, do’s and don’ts …

Pink Martini has its system figured out. Music director Thomas Lauderdale and vocalist China Forbes explain to their audiences they can dance onstage behind the orchestra at any time and even come up front for the cover of Helen Reddy’s “I Am Woman.” Thus, dozens of audience-members — and many women — took to the stage Saturday night during Pink Martini’s performance at the annual fund-raising gala for the Las Vegas Philharmonic.

There were no incidents, unless a show-closing conga line can be described as such. Philharmonic President and Chief Executive Officer Jeri Crawford led that charge herself.

On the walk

The Las Vegas Walk of Stars has been largely overtaken by the construction of bollards on the Strip. Nearly 50 stars have been pulled out of their original positions to allow for the construction of protective bollards along the Strip. The most vocal of those affected has been Frank Marino of “Divas Las Vegas” at Linq Hotel, who told KTNV Channel 13 (where he is a weekly on-air contributor, as am I, for disclosure sake) that he noticed his star at Paris Las Vegas had been pulled out.

Marino has been honored twice and still has his star at the Linq. But it is not yet known how many, if any, of the 49 stars removed will be replaced.

Styled after the Hollywood Walk of Stars, though far less publicized, the Las Vegas Walk of Stars requires honorees to donate between $5,000 and $15,000 per star (to pay for installation and maintenance fees). Among those whose stars have been removed are Elvis Presley, Wayne Newton (the first star to be honored, in 2004), Liberace, Sammy Davis Jr., Rich Little and veteran Vegas producer Dick Feeney.

Those whose stars have been pulled out are not happy, naturally. I’m told there is already an effort mobilizing to organize a class-action lawsuit against Walk of Stars officials for allegedly mishandling this issue. It appears this is just the start of this controversy.

There’s this …

Surfacing midweek, at least in my hemisphere, is serious buzz about Gwen Stefani (or possibly No Doubt) headlining at Zappos Theater late this year or early 2019. Keep your eye on news out of The Zap.

Entertainment News

More News

Why do many Las Vegas casinos skip floors 40-49?
Why do many Las Vegas casinos skip floors 40-49?

Most Americans might be used to hotels missing a 13th floor, but why do some casinos not have 40th floors?

What casino games give players the best odds at winning?
What casino games give players the best odds at winning?

While sections of libraries are filled with all kinds of books about strategies...

Bring the whole clan for fun, food, and relaxation
Bring the whole clan for fun, food, and relaxation

Families are the focus at Tahiti Village. The all-suites resort has the space, ...

By Tahiti Village

Recent News

Ely Duck Creek Lodge is a truly special place for guests to enjoy
Ely Duck Creek Lodge is a truly special place for guests to enjoy

Ely Duck Creek Lodge gives guests the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the area in a comfortable and spacious house.

By Ely Duck Creek Lodge
As a veteran-owned gym, Coast2Coast fitness offers an elite experience in a peaceful environment
As a veteran-owned gym, Coast2Coast fitness offers an elite experience in a peaceful environment

Coast2Coast Fitness is a veteran-owned, private neighborhood gym with a Fitness Center and a new Performance Training Center where people experience a wide range of activities and achieve their personal goals in a comfortable environment.

Strip skyline dresses up with Super Bowl ads, projection mapping — PHOTOS
Strip skyline dresses up with Super Bowl ads, projection mapping — PHOTOS

Corporations are changing the Strip’s skyline with large hotel advertising during Super Bowl 58 week that may be seen by broadcast viewers during Sunday’s game.

Must Read Articles

Pediatric Dental Office Makes Each Visit Great for Kids
Pediatric Dental Office Makes Each Visit Great for Kids

Desert Kids Dental provides children with a kid-friendly experience that eases their fears and even allows for their visit to be fun, ensuring they will want to keep returning.

By Desert Kids Dental