Las Vegas Weekly

November 6, 2009 · 1:56 PM

Strip Scribbles: B.B. King opens his blues club at The Mirage

By Robin Leach

B.B. King.

Photo: Courtesy

The secret ingredients on the menu at legendary blues guitarist B.B. King’s club opening tonight at The Mirage are live entertainment, soul food and the music of the world’s best blues guitarist! General Manager Cheryl Vereen, executive chef Oscar Pena and sous chef Charles McCann will oversee the “smooth operation.”

Cheryl, a Las Vegas resident, accepted the position after three years as the general manager at House of Blues in Mandalay Bay, Oscar has honed his culinary skills at the Luxor, The Venetian, New York-New York and the Monte Carlo, and Charles was a contestant on Hell’s Kitchen Season 4 and previously worked for celebrity chef Mario Batali at The Venetian.

The date for the star-studded grand opening celebration to be hosted by B.B. King will be announced shortly.

Photo: Denise Truscello/WireImage

Carlos Santana at The Joint in the Hard Rock Hotel.

*Legendary musician Carlos Santana will help raise food, funds and awareness for America’s hungry children during his eight November performances of his multi-year resident show Supernatural Santana: A Trip Through the Hits at The Joint in the Hard Rock Hotel. Carlos will be at Three Square Food Bank next Thursday to discuss his partnership and then also voluntarily pack up foodstuffs for delivery.

Concertgoers who bring five nonperishable food items or make a $5 donation to Three Square will receive a $5 gift certificate to participating Hard Rock restaurants Ago and Rare 120. Representatives from Three Square will be on hand before and after each performance on Nov. 11, 13-15, 18 and 20-22 to collect donations. “It is my honor to help World Hunger Year and those who are in need in Las Vegas,” Carlos said. “This year above all others in recent memory is an important one to help our brothers and sisters of this family we call the human race.”

*Food Network cameras are wrapping up production today of Clockless in Vegas, a 24-hour report of the food cycle in our town. However, don’t think for a moment it’s all being filmed today. I ran into the cameras last Saturday at the newly reopened Capo’s Italian on Tropicana Avenue, and they’ve already recorded segments with former Top Chef contestant Gene Villiatora at Martini’s and star chef Julian Serrano from Picasso at the Bellagio about his new restaurant opening Dec. 16 at MGM’s Aria at CityCenter.

Photo: Luck Media

Air Supply in Vietnam.

Photo: Luck Media

Air Supply in Vietnam.

*Whoever would have guessed that Las Vegas regulars Air Supply would tour Vietnam, let alone find thousands of fans there? That’s exactly what happened to the 1980s hit-makers who appear here regularly at The Orleans and record their albums in Las Vegas with their local band members. They had two sold-out concerts in Ho Chi Minh City’s Hoa Binh Theater for their love songs, and Vietnamese pop singer Van Cam was in the massive crowd. The lads who have been touring for more than 30 years ended the Southeast Asian leg of their latest world tour in Malaysia and Qatar and now move on to Brazil and Mexico before heading home to perform in Australia. Click HERE for our recent Vegas DeLuxe interview with Graham Russell and Russell Hitchcock.

*We’ve been monitoring the progress each Sunday night on CBS primetime of Miss America 2004 Ericka Dunlap and her husband Brian Kleinschmidt. Last weekend, they were nearly eliminated after winding up in fifth place. Now they face the biggest challenge of staying on by rising above all the other competitors. You can watch the full episode from last Sunday at CBS.com.

Brad Paisley - American Saturday Night

*Reigning Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music Association Male Vocalist of the Year Brad Paisley is continuing his successful American Saturday Night Tour into next year. Brad will appear with special guests Miranda Lambert and Justin Moore at Mandalay Bay on Feb. 20. Tickets go on sale Nov. 14.

Star surveillance

When Andre Agassi’s controversial new autobiography Open goes on sale Monday, his first book signing will be at the Wynn that night. However, the tennis legend who has candidly revealed his dark secrets, is confirmed to attend Tony Hawk’s Skate Parks benefit there tomorrow morning. Holly Madison, Aubrey O’Day, Erik Estrada, Chuck Liddell, Frank Mir, Gray Maynard and athletes from X Games and BMX will join Andre and Tony. Tony has turned the event into a carnival, complete with his own ramp for Vert demos and a preview of his new game Ride. Rancid will perform for the crowd. … Larry Birkhead, Anna Nicole Smith’s lover and father of their daughter Dannielynn, returned for a second weekend at the Hard Rock Hotel. Spywitnesses spotted him playing slot machines and then partying late into the pre-dawn hours with a new female friend at Carey Hart’s Wasted Space. …. Baseball great Mike Piazza enjoyed oatmeal and a veggie cocktail for breakfast at Simon in Palms Place this morning, and tonight he’s got front-row seats for Fantasy at the Luxor.

Photo: Adam Larkey/ABC TV

Joanna Krupa and Derek Hough do the Lambada on Dancing With the Stars.

*It’s all about bodies beautiful this weekend with Playboy cover girl and Dancing With the Stars contestant and model Joanna Krupa appearing at Jet in The Mirage tonight. Former Baywatch beauty and Playboy cover girl Angelica Bridges competing in Steve Martorano’s Meatball Eating Contest at The Rio on Sunday; and sexy reality TV star Shayne Lamas hosting at Coyote Ugly tonight and LAX in the Luxor tomorrow. It simply doesn’t get any more sexciting than this trio, but there are even more hard bodies alongside Tony Hawk’s funfest. There’s another challenge between Vinny Red and Vinny Blue at New York-New York this afternoon, as they race tricycles around Center Bar and persuade guests to buy tickets for the roller coaster. The winning Vinny, to become host and spokesman for the resort, will be named Nov. 16.

We’ve wrapped our hands around all these goodies and tied a red ribbon around the important parts in a perfect measurement we refer to affectionately around here as the ROYAL ROBIN RUNDOWN:

Friday, Nov. 6

*Pop star Kelly Clarkson is joined by the Australian sister duo The Veronicas and Parachute for her Joint stop for the All I Ever Wanted Tour. Since her 2002 debut, Kelly’s sold more than 20 million albums, including her latest All I Ever Wanted.

Photo: Preferred PR

Kelly Clarkson at Tao in The Venetian.

*The double boxing main event Road to Redemption with Zab Judah, Joel Casamayor and Ron Johnson is live from The Pearl in the Palms with none other than Matt Goss going into the ring for the national anthem.

*Comedy is king with Tonight Show host Jay Leno starting two nights at Terry Fator Theater in The Mirage, and David Spade, mired in a controversy over images of the late Chris Farley edited into a Direct TV commercial, is at The Venetian in Wayne Brady’s theater through Sunday.

*Skid Row pumps it out at Sunset Station, Craig Morgan is at Aliante Station, and LMFAO brings their Party Rock Tour to the House of Blues.

*Hawaii’s Society of Seven opens its residency at the Gold Coast with American Idol star Jasmine Trias, and Roy Clark sings those country stories through Sunday at South Point.

Party patrol

R&B artist R. Kelly performs his bump and grind at Planet Hollywood and then proves his belief in flight by hosting his after-party at Hawaiian Tropic Zone in the Miracle Mile. … It looks as if record producer and singer Jermaine Dupri has become the new resident DJ on Friday nights at Prive in Planet Hollywood, and this evening, he’ll spin and launch his watch line Nu Pop Movement.

Photo: Opium Group

Jermaine Dupri at Prive.

Saturday, Nov. 7

*Two-time Professional Bull Riders world champion and ex-UNLV student Justin McBride is the country singer attraction poolside at Silverton Casino Lodge.

*Old-time mates from the North of England Eric Burdon and his Animals trip back to yesteryear’s music at Green Valley Ranch. “Don’t Let Me Be Understood” when I want to hear “House of the Rising Sun” yet again.

*ABBA sound- and look-alikes Abbacadabra return to the Las Vegas Hilton for two nights of shows. Jerry Greenberg, ex-president of Atlantic Records who signed ABBA, says, “This foursome from Reno sounds exactly like the original band.”

Photo: Tom Donoghue/www.donoghuephotography.com

Theory of Flight performs at Town Square.

*Rising Las Vegas rock band Theory of Flight is “Within Reach” of stardom and won the opening spot for Everclear’s concert at The Joint. Next weekend, Vince Neil has booked them for his Dr. Feelgood’s Rock Bar & Grill. … Anjelah Johnson of Mad TV is at the House of Blues, while six Vietnamese men and six women make up Song Ca Dec Biet in concert at the Star of the Desert Arena in Primm. …. It’s a Veterans Day tribute at the annual patriot party at Fremont Street Experience, as it goes red, white and blue all night long. The Tony Marques Band, Highwire, Bruce in the USA and the LoCash Cowboys entertain from 5 p.m. until at least midnight!

Party patrol

Miss Nevada 2009 Georgina Vaughan hosts the official after-party of the Miss Nevada USA Pageant at Prive, and all eyes will be on one former Miss America runner-up to see if she’ll win and enter the rival Miss USA Pageant.

Sunday, Nov. 8

*The first-ever Steve Martorano Masters Meatball Eating Championship starts at noon in Cafe Martorano at The Rio. Angelica Bridges goes up against Joey Chestnut and other Major League Eating champs. Stuffing the meatballs in the mouth with their hands is strictly forbidden. They must use knife and fork! I’ll be there to bring you the entire messy affair on Twitter and follow Monday with the full photo report.

Photo: Primetime PR

Steve Martorano is flanked by Archie Manning and Peyton Manning at Cafe Martorano.

*Carey Hart has Low vs. Diamond as the musical act at his Wasted Space.

*There’s far more than 76 trombones playing -- in fact, more like 100 -- at the 25th anniversary concert in UNLV’s Artemus Ham Theater with Nelson Sardelli as emcee.

*Two Strip headliners, magic greats Lance Burton and Mac King, are the star performers at the 53rd Annual It’s Magic event at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood to wrap a week of commemorative events for the 100th anniversary of the legendary conjurors’ world headquarters the Magic Castle. Actor Neil Patrick Harris will host the event, which also features incredible illusions from Kevin James, Joseph Gabriel, Shimada and Rudy Coby & Co.

Photo: Tom Donoghue/www.donoghuephotography.com

Tony Hawk.

Monday’s teases

We’ll have Donny Osmond’s plan to win Dancing With the Stars and the crowning of the new PBR world champion. We’ll also have coverage from the World Series of Poker Final Nine, which should be down to two players on Monday night, and Tony Hawk’s star-filled Skate Parks carnival.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter HERE.

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Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter HERE.

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