Snaring a Las Vegas residency at one of the city’s famous casino venues is both a sign of an artist’s cultural relevance, as well as proof of how big a draw they are, as the operators fight tooth and nail to attract the biggest stars in the world to bring their fanbases along with them.
Notable recent residencies such as Adele have highlighted that it is possible to bring modern-day superstars in and commit them to long stints, alongside permanent casino residency stalwarts such as Barry Manilow, who seems to have been performing at the International Theater at Westgate Las Vegas off the Strip. Indeed, Manilow signed a lifetime residency agreement with the casino in December of last year, so obviously has no intention of not belting out Copacabana anytime soon.
This year will see a phenomenal list of residences strike up, including Kelly Clarkson, New Kids on the Block, Bryan Adams, Scorpions, Motley Crue, Bruno Mars, and Lenny Kravitz. The last month has been spent in the McNally household trying to persuade the wife not to spend the vacation budget for the year, and just head off on her own to see the Backstreet Boys at the Sphere – a battle I am still by no means sure of winning.
Even 90s misery rock superstar Alanis Morrissette is getting in on the action with a residency of eight shows at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace from October this year.
With all these incomings, it is inevitable there will also be some stars closing up. Country legend Garth Brooks brought his 54-show run at Caesars Entertainment’s Colosseum at Caesars Palace on the Las Vegas Strip to an end at the weekend after some two years of sold out shows. Garth can now put his cowboy boots up and count his cash before his next big adventure.
With residencies seemingly coming into vogue as big news items, it will be interesting to see what the next few years have in store.
