Las Vegas Weekly

August 5, 2010 · 10:34 AM

Exclusive photos: Fans swarm Criss Angel’s Mindfreak premiere party

By Robin Leach

Criss Angel celebrates the season six premiere of his A&E show Mindfreak at the Luxor on Aug. 4, 2010.

Photo: Tom Donoghue/www.donoghuephotography.com

It was Mindfreak mayhem! Thousands of Criss Angel fans swarmed the Luxor last night through 5 a.m. today to celebrate the Cirque du Soleil illusionist’s Season 6 premiere of his A&E hit series Mindfreak. Hundreds managed to pack into Liquidity lounge, where Criss partied with family, friends and a merry mob of magician pals.

Vegas DeLuxe was the only media invited to join the VIP group for this exclusive photo gallery from contributing photographer Tom Donoghue of Criss relaxing with Luxor President Felix Rappaport, pop-rock artist Michael Godard and magicians including the Amazing Johnathan, Johnny Thompson and Fielding West.

“What an extraordinary night -- can you believe this?” Criss asked me as he and his mom and brothers were mobbed on arrival after his two Cirque du Soleil Believe shows. Fans and VIPs erupted in screams while the premiere of Mindfreak was shown on screens throughout the Luxor.

Guests, and even fans, were served cupcakes and slices of the giant 250-pound chocolate cake that chef Derek Franceshini spent 18 hours creating. It was complete with a miniature lighted Luxor pyramid atop the confection!

There was stunned silence and then gasps, followed by wild applause, as he kissed one fan onscreen and pulled a live scorpion from her mouth. Loyals, Criss’s fans, stood in silence as they watched Criss climb into his T-Rex hybrid auto-motorcycle and race it off a flame-covered ramp for the Grand Canyon Death Jump stunt. When he reappeared in a hanging cage dangling from a helicopter over the 4,500-foot drop he’d magically escaped, the applause became deafening.

“I honestly believe this is our best season of death-defying escapes and illusions,” Criss told me. “It’s been so great to film so many of them in and around Las Vegas -- and use my new home Serenity here as a backdrop for the series.” Our exclusive Serenity tour photo gallery was posted last month in advance of last night’s first look on video.

Reaction from the East Coast time zone broadcasts won rave reviews, and the overnight ratings will be known later this afternoon. The new Mindfreak series will be seen by more than 100 million viewers in more than 70 countries. Next up for Criss in his continuing two-week media blitz promoting Mindfreak and the new Biography is a visit to Jimmy Kimmel Live! on ABC and a guest-star role on the debut live episode (the second after the original taped premiere) of the new season of NBC’s America’s Got Talent.

The second episode of Mindfreak next Wednesday features his attempt to defy the laws of gravity and walk up the entire 650-foot side of the Luxor above the Strip in front of thousands of spectators. He confirmed that his new-look Believe is on track with several unique, mind-blowing illusions already added and with five more to be woven into the spectacular before its second-anniversary celebration on Halloween.

“Everything is going great and on schedule,” he told me. “I couldn’t be happier with how Mindfreak has turned out this season. I can’t thank the fans enough, and I’m thrilled so many of them are here tonight to celebrate with me.”

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 at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.

Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

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