Legendary music magazine unveiling rock retrospective at Area15

Rolling Stone has told the history of rock for 60 years. Now it plans to tell that story in 60 minutes.

“Rolling Stone Presents: Amplified, The Immersive Rock Experience” is coming to Illuminarium at Area15 beginning March 12.

This is a wrap-around “immersive experience,” a term so often applied to such attractions in Las Vegas. This is especially true Illuminarium, which has scored with “Space” and “Lite Brite” in that same 9,000-square-foot space.

“Amplified” incorporates the music of more than 300 artists, and it might be easier to list who isn’t represented. But all of the major artists over the history of rock, dating to Elvis and through Chappell Roan, are represented. “Amplified” presents a whirling carousel of 1,000 photos and 200 videos, projected on the venue’s walls and floor.

Guests will embark on a walk-in experience, promising to be extensive in the lobby, the venue’s opening act, as it were. Kevin Bacon, the great actor and also half of The Bacon Brothers folk-rock tandem, narrates.

From a release announcing the project, “Rolling Stone Presents: Amplified” was created by Brand New World Studios exclusively for Illuminarium, “powered by the world’s most advanced 4K laser projection, 3D audio and interactive technologies.”

Guests will then be led through eight chapters devoted to rock’s greatest artists, the message of their music, and the way it shaped not just sound, but the world around it — from the hair, the cars, the clothes to the fans and more.

Brad Siegel, the projects executive producer and founder of Brand New World Studios, says the experience is “a journey through rock ‘n’ roll and its impact on popular culture.

“It’s full of breathtaking images and music, but we knew it needed to be more than a wild ride; it needed to be a story that explored the impact of the soundtrack of our lives because stories bring people together, help us interpret our experiences and find meaning.”

Illuminarium CEO Alan Greenberg says “Amplified” will eventually be presented at his company’s spaces in Sydney, Barcelona, Atlanta and Toronto.

“We can think of no better partner than Rolling Stone, the authoritative voice that has chronicled the history of rock, to embark on our newest, most unique experience,” Greenberg said in a statement. “Our guests will be awestruck by the sound and images from floor to ceiling. This is much more than a show — it’s a time machine for music fans of all ages.”

Rolling Stone CEO Gus Wenner states, “We are proud to partner with Illuminarium and a top-tier creative team to present Amplified, a powerful story of rock ‘n’ roll — one that echoes our own legacy and the deep cultural impact this music has made. Amplified is a uniquely immersive experience and transports you through the history of rock and roll — past and present — through sight, sound, and motion.”

Unrelated to Illuminarium, Rolling Stone and its parent company, Penske Media Corporation, also announced this month plans to purchase real estate in Las Vegas to continue the future of the Life is Beautiful festival in some form.

At Area15, images of more then 500 renowned photographers and film directors are represented. We see the artistry of such pros as Mark Seliger, Danny Clinch, Lynn Goldsmith, Anton Corbijn, Bob Gruen, Jim Marshall, Neil Preston, Janette Beckman and Pooneh Ghana.

“Music imagery is about experiences,” said Jodi Peckman, executive producer and former creative director of Rolling Stone. “It’s about the unbridled joy of concerts and our connection to our favorite artists. Every picture tells a story, and ‘Rolling Stone Presents: Amplified’ has hundreds of stories to tell.”

The experience unites Siegel, a visionary former exec at TNT, TCM and Cartoon Network, with three-decade Rolling Stone veteran Peckman, working with Director of Photography Meghan Benson and former Rolling Stone Executive Editor Joe Levy.

The experience’s design and visual narrative is delivered by Pentagram principals Abbott Miller and Emily Oberman, with motion design by Good Company and Oscar-winning Sound Designer Peter Lehman and Supervising Producer Kevin Wagner creating the sonic landscape.

Rolling Stone and Illuminarium’s are in an open-ended multiyear licensing partnership. It is the primary experience at Illuminarium for the foreseeable future. As Greenberg says, “We’re putting a lot behind it. We think it’s going to have legs for a long time.”

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.