Revamp of House of Blues greets Santana

The House of Blues will look a little different tonight when Carlos Santana kicks off his latest Strip residency.

Wooden high-backed stools and tables will dot the general-admission floor, security guards will don red guayaberas, and new mixologists will shake up the show's signature drink, the $16 Supernatural Margarita. The venue is also reducing its capacity from 1,800 to 1,300 for more intimate performances. Tickets start at $89.50.

Andrew Economon, the venue's general manager, said his more than 300 employees and 25 new hires have spent the last three months preparing for Santana's two-year residency, the first in the company's history.

Those preparations included a new $360,000 sound system. The venue, in Mandalay Bay but owned and operated separately from the resort, also acquired new furniture, uniforms, lighting and retail merchandise.

Santana was not the catalyst for the $500,000 in upgrades, Economon said, but his residency coincided with other changes the company wanted to make.

The legendary guitarist last May ended his two-year stint at The Joint, a 4,000-seat venue at the Hard Rock, and was looking for a new home just as the House of Blues was deciding to shake things up after 13 years at Mandalay Bay.

"All throughout the years, there's been changes made, but to take and completely revamp and change your sound and light system is a big step forward," said Economon, who joined the company in November. "Think of all the technology changes that have taken place in that time."

The overhaul won't stop with the Las Vegas venue, said CEO Ron Bension.

"The House of Blues has been around almost 20 years. It's the only live music brand in the world. That said, for some time, we kind of rested on that and didn't really do much to reinvigorate the brand and the offerings," Bension said.

The company is considering two types of residencies as part of a new business model. The first, like Santana's, will bring a constant turnover of fresh faces to Las Vegas - a good fit for a tourist town.

"These shows are focused on the tourism set," said Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority spokesman Jeremy Handel. "Yeah, you've got the nearly 2 million residents here in Las Vegas who may take the opportunity to see these shows, but you also have upwards of 300,000 people coming in each week."

The company will also have touring residencies with artists guaranteed a certain number of dates per quarter at specific House of Blues locations.

"Your schedule is set; there's less wear and tear,'' Bension said. "We think our portfolio provides a great platform for artists who want to do that."

The House of Blues has also freshened restaurant menus, the entertainment at the Foundation Room lounge, also at the Mandalay Bay, and at its Sunday Gospel Brunch events.

The venue last week relaunched the Sunday brunches, moving them from the restaurant back into the music hall and revamping the menu. The events, held at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., draw close to 200 guests for live gospel performances and a buffet.

Contact reporter Caitlin McGarry at cmcgarry@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5273.