The way we were (when Barbra Streisand came to town) — PHOTOS

Barbra and Bennett on the same night. Again?

Las Vegas has a way of dealing out synchronicities that make it seem like almost nothing has changed. Or show you how much everything has.

Barbra Streisand sings at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, the same night Tony Bennett headlines a private party celebrating the 50th anniversary of Caesars Palace.

If you happened to be in town on July 2, 1969, you would have faced a similar choice: Bennett at Caesars, in the bygone Circus Maximus showroom, or “The most exciting star in the world, (opening) the most exciting hotel in the world,” as a full-page ad announced Streisand inaugurating The International.

But Bennett played Las Vegas faithfully. Watching the city evolve through his eyes would be as gradual as your children growing up at home.

Streisand’s trips were so few — and usually tied to a big development on the Strip — that the changes in Las Vegas were more like the distant relative who sees little Johnny at Christmas and exclaims, “My how you’ve grown!”

Let’s revisit the whens and wheres, to show you what we mean:

Riviera, July-August 1963

In Barbra’s world:

Liberace invited the 21-year-old Streisand to be his “extra added attraction” opening act at $7,500 a week. Review-Journal columnist Forrest Duke found her “a most pleasant nightclub surprise,” with “an interesting look and an interesting sound.”

The Hollywood Reporter had a different definition of “interesting”: “Her make-up made her look like something that just climbed off a broom,” it opined. And when she sang, “it was like the wailing of a banshee bouncing up and down on marionette strings.”

It’s said Liberace gave her a makeover, from New York drab to gold lame: “This is Vegas baby, you gotta sparkle!”

In the end it didn’t matter. On July 25, in the middle of the run, it was announced Streisand had been signed to play Fanny Brice in “Funny Girl” on Broadway.

Las Vegas geography:

The Riviera was still but one of five headliner rooms on the Strip. The others were the Desert Inn (Eddie Fisher that week), the Flamingo (Jack Carter and Leslie Uggams), the Sahara (Donald O’Connor) and Sands (Paul Anka).

Elsewhere:

“Spaceman” John Glenn was contemplating a run for U.S. Senate. “The Nutty Professor” was playing in all-night showings at the El Portal. Whatever happened to the guy who starred in that one?

International Hotel, July 1969

In Barbra’s world:

“Her name is Barbra. Her voice is Barbra. Her style is Barbra. There is only one,” proclaimed a full-page ad for the first headliner at the new International Hotel.

Streisand was fresh off her best actress Oscar tie (with Katharine Hepburn) for “Funny Girl,” which was still playing at the Bonanza Movie Palace when she made her (literal) $1 million Las Vegas debut.

But, as Streisand later recalled, “the gamblers who were there because they were important to the hotel” created a “fear time” situation fueling the stage fright that led to her retreat from live performing.

Las Vegas geography:

At 1,519 rooms, the $60 million International was the world’s largest hotel to that day. The showroom’s next attraction, Elvis Presley, would become more synonymous with the hotel later known as the Las Vegas Hilton. Now the room sits sadly dormant, its convention and time-share customer base making it hard to sell show tickets in the off-Strip venue.

Elsewhere:

There was that little thing about man landing on the moon. And, as noted above, Tony Bennett was at Caesars Palace. But Pat Boone’s opening act at the Flamingo went on to a solid future in Las Vegas. That week, she was still half of Sonny & Cher.

Riviera, Las Vegas Hilton, 1970-’71

In Barbra’s world:

Aka the “contractual obligation” shows, or the “up in smoke” years.

Turns out Streisand still owed the Riviera and International/Hilton dates on her 1963 and 1969 contracts. Transitioning between her “square” following and pop albums such as “Stoney End,” it didn’t hurt the latter effort to admit that she smoked weed to combat stage fright. “It was great. It relieved all my tensions,” she said, and other Las Vegas acts such as Little Anthony & The Imperials sent over “the best dope in the world. I never ran out.”

Las Vegas geography:

The Riviera didn’t quite make it to Streisand’s latest Las Vegas concert. It closed in May and is being demolished. The Westgate Las Vegas also was targeted for expansion by the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority but for now hangs on as partly a time-share property.

Elsewhere:

When Streisand returned to the Riviera, Sammy Davis Jr. was playing the Sands, but Frank Sinatra was on the Las Vegas Cinerama movie screen in “Dirty Dingus Magee.” Neither he nor Streisand’s “The Owl and the Pussycat” stopped “Love Story” from being the year’s No. 1 film.

MGM Grand Garden, Dec. 31, 1993-Jan. 1, 1994

In Barbra’s world:

Two concerts with a top ticket face value of $1,000 opened the new MGM Grand and ended a 20-year hiatus from live performing. Mike Meyers showed up as his “Saturday Night Live” character Linda Richman. You can see the whole show on DVD.

Las Vegas geography:

Streisand inaugurated the MGM Grand Garden arena. With its 13,105-seat capacity for the Streisand concerts, it brought the modern concert industry of arena touring right to the Strip; two more arenas followed.

Elsewhere:

A new show called “Mystere” had its soft opening that week. And elsewhere inside the massive new MGM Grand, Frank Sinatra sang one of his final Las Vegas shows.

MGM Grand Garden, Dec. 31, 1999-Jan. 1, 2000

In Barbra’s world:

The “Timeless” concerts rang in a new century and launched a short tour for Streisand. The New Year’s Eve show had an autobiographical format and a cameo from husband James Brolin. This time the top ticket was $2,500, helping explain a single concert box-office record of $14,694,750.

Las Vegas geography:

Those who paid top dollar for Streisand felt good about not missing much out on the Strip. The languid street scene, dampened by fears of a “Y2K bug,” motivated the powers that be to initiate the spectacular New Year’s Eve fireworks now known worldwide.

Elsewhere:

The last pre-fireworks — and still largely pre-nightclub — New Year’s was one of the last still big for name performers, including Rod Stewart (who is also performing Saturday night) and Tony Bennett — yeah, that guy again — doing a private show for Desert Inn high rollers.

MGM Grand Garden, Nov. 2, 2012

In Barbra’s world:

Fans were getting relatively spoiled with this concert tour at age 70. Jazz trumpet ace Chris Botti and Streisand’s son Jason Gould helped keep Mike Tyson entertained in the audience.

Las Vegas geography:

The MGM Grand was a Las Vegas home to Streisand by now, though she did a private show to reopen the Aladdin as Planet Hollywood in 2007. But now the green plastic seats have been traded for the cushy ones in the Strip’s newest bright, shiny object, the T-Mobile Arena.

Elsewhere:

Can you believe it was an election year? (It only seems like the current campaign has gone on forever). President Obama had just made a campaign stop in North Las Vegas.

Read more from Mike Weatherford at reviewjournal.com. Contact him at mweatherford@reviewjournal.com and follow @Mikeweatherford on Twitter.