How Las Vegas Became America’s Live Music Capital
On last weekend Saturday night livemusical guest Katy Perry gave viewers a glimpse of her current residence in Las Vegas Play Among other decorations, there are dancing mushrooms and a giant toilet.
The Pee Wee’s Playhouse— the enticing show, which begins in December at Resorts World Theatre, is a welcome step for the pop singer whose star has been a little lackluster over the past four years. Her latest record Smile debuted at #7 on Billboards 200 — certainly not a failure but a significant drop for an artist who dominated the charts in the late 2000s and 2010s. Her commitment to pop bubblegum on that album and its predecessor Witness doesn’t perform well against the more upbeat, R&B-influenced tunes that are dominating radio. Likewise, it feels clear that when the singer chose to perform what should have been her triumphant return to the top, SmileSingle from “Never Really Over”, on SNL to promote her Vegas gig, as the ever-expanding music center gave Perry an opportunity to innovate.
The “Teenage Dream” singer is one of a number of relatively young musicians bringing their talents to Sin City. Lady Gaga, who rose to prominence at the same time as Perry, fulfilled her “lifetime dream” of “to be .”[ing] a Vegas girl” in 2018, with Secret showcase her pop hits and Jazz & Piano, a set of jazz standards and omitted performances of her own songs. Some notable new additions to this year’s lineup are R&B duo Silk Sonic, including Bruno Mars and Anderson Paak (although Mars is a Vegas veteran). Their 13 shows at Park MGM’s Dolby Live! starting at the end of the month. Adele’s performance at Caesars Palace is scheduled to begin in January but has been kept following complications from COVID and other technical issues. And Michael Buble will title six programs in April and May.
It also feels remarkable that “the biggest night in music,” aka Grammy Awardwill be held in Las Vegas for the first time at the MGM Grand Garden Arena this spring.
The tourist city’s musical renaissance has been around for a while. In addition to pop, country, jazz, and R&B music setting up shop along the Strip, the city is also a growth platform for the biggest EDM artists in the world through club residences and festivals such as the Electric Daisy Carnival. Hot prediction festival of emotions aging when we are young will premiere at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds in the fall. Just this week, Rolling Stone magazine bought Vegas Music Festival ‘Life Is Beautiful. The iHeartRadio Music Festival has been lighting up Vegas since 2011 and for what it’s worth, the Billboard Music Awards have been held in Las Vegas from 1996 to 2019, having just moved to Los Angeles. But it wouldn’t be surprising, at this point, if it moved again.
However, when it comes to traditional concert residences, Celine Dion’s mega-popular Vegas action A new dayin operation from 2003-2019, is largely credited with breathing new life into what was once considered the template for the washed ‘n’ rock ‘n’ rollers and grinders in the ’70s and 80.
In 2018, Justin Timberlake described the stereotypical image of his Las Vegas residence as he caused controversy compare them to “planning your retirement.” Ironically, his colleagues from the 90s and early decades have played a major role in countering this view over the past decade. Specifically, Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, Christina Aguilera, Mariah Carey, Gwen Stefani, Carrie Underwood and Usher have increased their visibility and new appreciation thanks to their multi-month contributions in the entertainment capital. At this point, it’s only a matter of time before the “SexyBack” singer, who reputation has been fractured by controversies at the end of the yearseeking redemption within the crescent walls of Planet Hollywood.
Like most Vegas nightlife activities, the residences are primarily designed to give audiences instant gratification by playing their favorite tunes rather than experimenting. new document. But the format is similar in that the artists receive the same amount of love and acclaim.
“Like most Vegas nightlife activities, the residences are primarily designed to give audiences instant gratification by playing their favorite tunes rather than experimenting. new document. But the format is similar in that the artists receive the same amount of love and acclaim.”
In a similar way, these modern residences have given musicians of a certain age and credibility the opportunity to glorify themselves amid the sheer number of opportunities to do so on a grand scale. increasingly limited. For example, the Super Bowl halftime performance has become the biggest moment of fulfillment a major artist can have, especially in the past two decades. However, after Colin Kaepernick’s NFL protests and new direction under Roc Nation, the selection process has never been more competitive, confusing, and controversial. Music TV award shows are also where we see artists perform their work, often in tandem with receiving a lifetime achievement award. But these ceremonies have become less involved, less lavish, and featured less honest stars amid efforts to prosecute Gen Z. On the other hand, social media event VERZUZ has become the ultimate space for hip hop and R&B artists to pitch their own catalog during the pandemic.
In addition, the Vegas residences have become spaces for artists to recuperate. After a period of stagnation in her film and music career, Jennifer Lopez has revealed her top-notch dancing and performance skills. All what I have during her residency from 2016 to 2018, right before she became famous again. Similarly, Gwen Stefani’s music career is in a strange limbo after her third solo album in 2016 and a mid-autumn Christmas album. But she Just a girl the show ended last year, gave her a musical opportunity when she wasn’t on Voice or perform a duet with her husband Blake Shelton. Even after the public failure of her latest single “Slow Clap”, she was able to bounce back at Planet Hollywood with another round of successful performances.
Advertisement in Las Vegas about Katy Perry’s whereabouts
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So what does it mean that artists like Adele and Silk Sonic, who still dominate the music scene, are choosing Vegas auditoriums over arenas and stadiums to perform brand-new music? And will this lead to a new wave of artists in their thirties and forties abandoning traditional touring for the Strip? Obviously, this isn’t the first time a contemporary pop artist has chosen this path. And we don’t know if this will be their only touring stop. Beyonce, for example, enjoyed several brief stays during her time I am Sasha Fierce and 4 era before inevitably traversing the globe. For all three acts, it feels in keeping with their traditionalist artist inclinations, with a greater focus on vocal delivery and an intimate listening experience.
As for Adele, who is long expressed Her resentment of the fast-paced, oversaturated music market, her residency is like a tactic to differentiate herself from the current group of pop singers and melodic rappers, the who achieved her level of dominance in a much faster period of time thanks to algorithms and hit-created platforms like TikTok. Much like Drake’s withdrawal of his nominations from this year’s crowded Grammys, it feels like a refusal to compete with a host of new, unfamiliar musicians in at least one area of the business. It’s easy to picture artists like Kacey Musgraves, who looked extremely out of place at last year’s Gen-Z VMAs, or Lana Del Rey, who appeals to older listeners, ultimately wanting to make a difference. this distinction.
For the musician class before its final stream, Vegas largely seemed to offer a sense of stability and permanence in a rapidly changing landscape. In Perry’s case, who had the agility performance skill earned Play appreciate and the internet is nostalgic for her quirky artistic vision, it seems to be paying off.