Las Vegas Weekly

September 3, 2008 · 6 AM

Coming soon: Duran Duran, Tommy Lee and a slew of rock drummers

By Robin Leach

It's now definite that the Mirage resort casino will reopen its Strip-front volcano attraction on Dec. 8 -- with a most unusual and unique ceremony. Mirage president Scott Sibelus is planning a major announcement from the LOVE theater on Sept. 10, but as usual, Luxe Life has learned some startling secrets in advance.

Grateful Dead musician Mickey Hart has written the beats music to tie into the volcano’s choreography and is now enlisting a slew of other rock group drummers to join him for a drummer’s celebrity circle that will snake right around the eruptions. Tommy Lee from Motley Crue is the first one I’ve learned to sign on but more names are coming next Wednesday! The best way to describe the new volcano attraction is to think of the extraordinary Bellagio fountains -- but instead of water, think fire! The mini drum concerto will run about eight minutes followed by the 16-minute volcanic eruptions! The premiere party in early December will be capped with a special fireworks send-off.

Incidentally, Grateful Dead is reuniting with Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey on Oct. 13 to perform a benefit concert for the presidential campaign of Sen. Barack Obama. Last February, Weir, Lesh and Hart performed together for the first time since 2004 at the hugely successful Deadheads for Obama show in San Francisco. Now, founding Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann re-joins for the campaign.

Meantime, more live rock news, as plans also are underway for a very special Halloween concert live on the Strip at the New York New York resort casino. Following hard on this weekend’s hot opening of the new Rok club there comes news that that rockers Duran Duran are in all probability going to perform outside on the replica of the Brooklyn Bridge! Luxe Life will continue to report first and exclusive all these rocking developments on the Strip.

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