Las Vegas Weekly

February 9, 2009 · 12:03 PM

Photo Gallery: Vince Neil’s birthday: The Joint, Ink and the Strip

By Robin Leach

Photo: Erik Kabik/Retna/www.erikkabikphoto.com

It was to be a brief four-day break in Motley Crue’s current national tour, but for birthday boy Vince Neil, it was a packed Las Vegas homecoming from start to finish -- and everywhere he’s been, fans have mobbed the singer.

The 96-hour nonstop spree began at his O’Shea’s center Strip tattoo parlor Vince Neil Ink. The rocker pulled up in his brand new black Lamborghini and was welcomed by Flamingo President Don Marrandino. Also on hand were John Morris and Lindsay Shepherd of Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch, who had put their custom racecars on display outside Vince’s store.

Fans lined up waiting to meet the legendary rocker for autographs and photos. Vince greeted them all and signed memorabilia and merchandise. He even squeezed in a live radio broadcast during the event right from the store.

His gorgeous wife Lia was on hand for the festivities and proudly told us that at his recent Charity Poker tournament in the Hard Rock Hotel, she wound up the last woman standing -- and had actually KO’d poker veteran Todd Brunson from the game. Said Vince: “She played like a pro, and she’s only gotten into the game a few times before.”

Vince’s son, Neil Wharton, played with his band Generation Swine at O’Sheas on Friday and Saturday nights, and Vince brought his family to watch the show. Before curtain up, the younger Neil underwent body art needling at dad’s tattoo parlor.

On Friday and Saturday, Vince led his band mates Tommy Lee, Mick Mars and Nikki Sixx onto the stage at The Joint in the Hard Rock for the last concerts at the venue. The doors are shut tight this morning after a 14-year run and will reopen in April with Paul McCartney and The Killers in a new expanded location at the Hard Rock’s new tower.

Minor speaker problems Friday were fixed for the final show Saturday. “It was the most amazing concert. The sound was fantastic and the energy so incredible, it will go down as one of our best ever concerts,” Vince reported to me last night after I arrived back in Vegas from Cabo San Lucas. “I’ve never seen so many people packed into the place. It was hot, but the show was perfect to close The Joint.” Click HERE for our editor Johnny Katz’s report, and our contributing photographer Erik Kabik was there to capture the night in photos.

Vince said that he was touched when the group encouraged the audience to sing “Happy Birthday.” All four were given souvenir guitars and photos of their appearances over the years in The Joint to mark the end of an era. Among the famous faces were Adam Sandler, Giovanni Ribisi and Terry Crews celebrating the birthday of movie producer Chris Mallick.

Last night, Vince celebrated his and wife Lia’s mom’s birthdays. They dined at Victor Drai’s new Botero restaurant at the Encore. Said Vince: “A great meal -- and the last good one I’ll get for the next two months before I return home again after the next leg of our tour. Today is a travel day before the concerts resume tomorrow night in Michigan. Vince also attended a jewelry store fundraiser in The Venetian last night for his own Skylar Neil charity, named after his daughter who died from cancer.

“We couldn’t have put more into these four days if we’d tried,” he said, promising to call me this morning with more of his thoughts from the final Joint concert.

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