Living in Las Vegas

Good news Las Vegas, good news!!  Carlos Santana is going to be in town for a while.  He is set to be the first headliner at the Joint at the Hard Rock playing a show titled “Supernatural Santana: A Trip Through the Hits”  Nice!  Who does not love Carlos Santana?

The band will include drummer Dennis Chambers and keyboardist Chester Thompson.  They are scheduled to play 36 shows at the Joint over the next two years. Opening night is May 27, 2009 and you can get tickets at the Hard Rock ranging in price from $79 to $299.

Santana has been performing since 1966 when he formed the Santana Blues Band.  In 1999 Santana’s album, “Supernatural,” won 9 Grammy’s and the single “Smooth” was the last #1 single of the 90’s.  In 2003 he was named #15 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.”

Mike Weatherford of the Las Vegas Review Journal did a phone interview with Carlos Santana that I liked. in it, Santana stated:

“I’m 61 years old. I understand that if you go see (a legacy performer), there’s certain things you need to hear. We’re respecting and abiding with that,” he said.

“I can use my imagination and go to a sound check in Fresno in 1969 and it’s the first time we ever played ‘Black Magic Woman,’” he said. “I can go there and stay there. I can tell you what it smells like, I can tell you where the sun is. I utilize my imagination to take me to that place where it’s a first-time wonderment.

“A sunset and a sunrise is never the same. Making love is never the same unless you’re doing something wrong.”

I really need to see this show!

I finally found out the complete list of performers that will be headlining at the new Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

4/17 8 p.m. The Killers
4/18 8 p.m. Avenged Sevenfold (with Atreyu & Rev Theory)
4/19 8 p.m. Paul McCartney
4/24 9 p.m. Bon Jovi
4/25 8 p.m. Kenny Chesney (with Miranda Lambert, Lady Antebellum)
5/23 9 p.m. Flight of the Conchords (with Arj Baker)
7/13 7:30 p.m. Rise Against (with Rancid & Billy Talent)
9/13 8 p.m. Ricardo Arjona

In addition, things look like they are going to be sounding pretty good over at the Hard Rock pool for awhile also.

5/1 Rusted Root
5/15 Eek-A-Mouse
5/22 Ozomatli
5/29 Sugar Ray
6/5 Gavin Rossdale
6/26 Gin Blossoms (with Tonic)
7/24 Unwritten Law
8/14 Los Lonely Boys (with Los Lobos)
9/11 Collective Soul

All these concerts are going to be held on Friday nights starting at 9:00 p.m. 

As usual things are going to be pretty hot over at the Hard Rock all summer.  And congrats to The Killers for getting opening night, they deserve it!

R&B singer Chris Brown was booked last Sunday charged with suspicion of assault and making criminal threats against his now ex-girlfriend Rihanna at a pre-Grammy party in LA. He was released on $50,000 bail but the LA District Attorney is reserving their right to press charges.

On his Facebook page, Brown updated it to say “You’ll begin to see her true colors. Believe it!” about Rihanna. He also changed his status to single.  So where does a newly single, broken-hearted guy in trouble head to? Vegas, of course.

Wednesday he flew in to meet up with some friends at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas.  They had to kick out the paparazzi and get security to sneak him in, but he was able to hang out for a minute and let things cool off.  Now he is planning on meeting his mother and going . . . well, we’re not sure where he is headed to now.

Chris Brown is in a lot of trouble. It’s hard to say what really happened or what the whole story is, but I think it’s going to be difficult for him to regain his reputation.  He lost two sponsors, Doublemint Gum and Got Milk.  Radio stations all over the country are no longer playing his music.  Overall, his own silence is what may do him in.  PR people in general feel he needs to admit his mistake, apologize and hope he can regain a resemblance of his career.  For me personally, unless he did not actually touch Rihanna, I am no longer a fan.

This weekend will be the last performances at The Joint as you know it.  Motley Crue is doing the honors.  Tickets are $97. After this, The Joint is undergoing renovations and will reopen on April 19th.

The Joint originally opened in 1995 and has hosted pretty much every rock band you can name.  The new venue will have 4,500 seats, including 700 fixed stadium seats. It will also have 7 luxury boxes.

It is rumored that Metallica is going to be the band playing at the re-opening April.  The now famous, local Las Vegas band The Killers, is scheduled to play on April 17th.  Then Paul McCartney is performing on April 19th.

I think this is one of those Las Vegas renovations that was overdue.  Concert venues can start looking pretty shabby pretty quickly, so this will a great addition to the Hard Rock .  For those of you that are not quite ready to part with your memories, I know how you feel, but we must let go.