On The Record shines in 1st-anniversary fete on Las Vegas Strip
One of the VIP guests showed up with a shiner, but Jonnie and Mark Houston made it through the night unscathed.
The party-purveying twin brothers celebrated the first anniversary of On The Record speakeasy and club at Park MGM late Saturday. The event also served as the site of Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone’s post-UFC 246 party.
Cerrone arrived with his wife, Lindsay. He also showed up with a purple welt under his left eye, a parting gift from Conor McGregor from T-Mobile Arena earlier in the night.
The zestful Houston brothers, and their multileveled nightspot, have been a column favorite since the club opened in December 2018. Love the 1963 Bristol Lodekka double-decker bus converted into a DJ booth, the vinyl parlor with real albums, and the speakeasy room lined with vintage cassette tapes.
In September, pop artist Shepard Fairey unveiled his black-and-white portrait of Queen in the club’s open courtyard. Another nice touch.
Saturday night, veteran actor Jeremy Renner (most recently Hawkeye in the of Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise) headed up a group of famed friends that included rapping time-keeper Flavor Flav, singer/actress Bella Thorne (“Shake It Up” on the Disney Channel), Craig Robinson (“Dolittle” and “The Office”), Daniel Baldwin, supermodels Tina Louise and Kelly Gale, Joel Kinnaman (“Suicide Squad”), Jay Hernandez (“Magnum P.I.” relaunch), Shane West (“A Walk To Remember”) and UFC Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell.
Cerrone was in conference with Renner, evidently a spirit-lifting conversation. It was a good way for this Cowboy to ride into the sunset.
A Bronx tale
It was a Vegas-centric scene at the Deerfield Beach (Fla.) DoubleTree Hilton on Saturday morning.
Bronx Wanderers, gearing up for their move to Harrah’s Showroom, have headlined a sold-out series in Florida beginning Jan. 2. Vegas singer/songwriter/musician/comic Dennis Blair is opening for none other than Charo this month on her tour of the state. The two Las Vegas acts ran into each other in the Doubletree hotel lobby.
Blair first noticed guitarist Dave Braun, then the rest of the act, including sax player Keith Brennaman and family members Vinny Adinolfi, Vinny “Vin A.” Adinolfi III and Nicky Adinolfi.
It was a lineup more befitting the old Las Vegas Hilton. As Blair says, “I guess the Bronx Wanderers wandered a little too far.”
Not love at first sting
Kelly Frey, owner of The Publicity Lab, a Las Vegas PR company, was stung by a scorpion while writing the news release announcing Scorpions’ July residency at Zappos Theater. Seriously. Frey, who had never even seen a scorpion (or Scorpions, for that matter), was stung on her right ring finger. This was two weeks ago. As of Sunday afternoon, Frey’s finger was still numb …
ShowBuzz!
It’s been a minute since we have buzzed. Let’s run it:
“Sharp Dressed Man,” the ZZ Top musical being co-produced by the band and Caesars Entertainment, is still looking for investment capital. Or, as we say on the streets, money. The show was announced in May, with the plan to open this year. No further timeline offered. ZZ Top members Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill and Frank Beard are the original executive producers; the band is back at The Venetian Theater for five shows March 20-28 …
Before founding the hard-rock dance production “Little Miss Nasty,” Gina Katon was a cast member in “Rock of Ages” in L.A. Katon was in the original production at since-closed King King in Hollywood in 2005, playing the role of “Lead Stripper.” “LMN,” as we know it in shorthand, plays 9 p.m. most Fridays, 10 p.m. Saturdays at Rio’s 172. sharing the room with Raiding The Rock Vault …
“Sharp Dressed Man,” the ZZ Top musical co-produced by the band and Caesars Entertainment, is still looking for investment capital. Or, as we say on the streets, money. The show was announced in May, with the plan to open this year. No further time line offered. ZZ Top members Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill and Frank Beard are the original executive producers; the band is back at Venetian Theatre for five shows March 20-28 …
Two rooms that are generating a lot of attention from producers and performers: 1 Oak Nightclub at The Mirage and the former “Magic Mike Live” theater at Hard Rock Hotel/Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. The latter reopens in November, after the property is renovated and rebranded. The closed Rare 120 (and before that, AJ’s Steakhouse) space at Hard Rock is another possible supper club-style venue for entertainment when the hotel reopens …
Cool Hang Alert
“Baritones of Love” is a show to see. It is billed as a novelty act, claiming to be “the perfect tonic in a world of too many tenors.” But the talent is first-rate.
“Baritones” co-stars the rotating group of vocalists Enoch Augustus Scott of “Zombie Burlesque,” Colin Cahill of “Atomic Saloon Show,” David Villella of “Vegas! The Show,” Randal Keith of “Phantom” and “Les Miserables,” and Carnell “Golden Pipes” Johnson of Vegas Golden Knights national anthem fame.
College of Southern Nevada music professor Mark Wherry, the “odd little man” at The Composers Showcase of Las Vegas, is music director and the singers are backed by a five-piece band.
The Baritones say to enjoy tunes from “Sinatra to Groban, ‘That’s Life,’ You Raise Me Up,’ ‘Impossible Dream’ and more!” The next performance is 3 p.m. Sunday at Starbright Theatre, 2215 Thomas W Ryan Blvd. Tickets are $20 — a mere pittance — and available at suncitysummerlin.com.
The Review-Journal is owned by the family of Las Vegas Sands Corp. Chairman and CEO Sheldon Adelson. Las Vegas Sands operates The Venetian.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His PodKats podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.
