Last month my girlfriend and I went to Vegas, not on a whim you understand, it was pre arranged. A mixture of business, pleasure and all you can eat buffets. I thought I knew all about them, not what a mess they make of my insides. New York Steak, Donuts, Belgian Waffles, Pizza and a Banana for Breakfast soon loses it's appeal after the first few days. Boy did I enjoy it (Belch!).
We stayed at The Stratosphere, and did the rides up the top. You must do the Big Shot, 1100ft we were hurled at great speed upwards, it looked as though no building was below us and as we fell to Earth, we became weightless for a second and I thought I was going to die. You know when you get that flying dream as a kid, it's like that, only so much more gut wrenching.
I recommend it to anyone who has a death wish, without the death. My knees have only just stopped shaking and if you think I am a novice, let me tell you, I was brought up in Blackpool and spent my days on all the rollercoasters and rides you can imagine. So I am no soft touch, it must have been all those Buffets.
The Bellagio casino / hotel has a lake in front of it, just on the Strip. Every 15 minutes there is a water display, set to music. "YAWN" I thought, "how bloody boring, a fountain...yippee." WRONG, Wrong, wrong. We were Blown away. It's a MUST SEE, who ever designed it, I congratulate you, who ever programs it, you are a True Artist.
It's Like Fireworks, but with Water. Countless jets(I am sure they can be counted, but I didn't) of water, not piddly little jets, but huge Fire Department type water cannons, all perfectly timed to dance and move to Classical music, lighting and Booms and Crashes made the whole thing and event.
(Note to the Programmer: Any chance of a Drum n Bass tune for a change? Or a bit of Techno, just a thought) . Brilliant, I could have stood there all night, but it made me want to go and Pee.
Saw a show... I wanted to go a see Penn and Teller, the Magicians from Hell. But we were ushered to see a show called the Rat Pack at the Greek Isles. I don't mind a bit of Ol' Blue Eyes Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin makes me Laugh "I'm not an Alcoholic, I'm a Drunk... There's a difference, Alcoholics go to meetings, I just drink". I thought Sammy Davies Jr was great in the Cannonball Run, that's about all I know of him, one or two tunes and that's it, and then there is the other guy, Joey Bishop he was funny too. (Original Rat Pack Members)
The Tribute to the Rat Pack show was very good, the artists playing them did a great job. Though I found it a little longwinded and clicky.
Frankie did his best to sound like Blue Eyes, but found it hard to act like the cool dude Frankie was (and had to be) to control the rest of the nutters.
Dean was too much of a Caricature, I thought he would have made a good Elvis as his voice seemed suited to that kind of singing.
Joey was good in a Jackie Mason voiced, clowning kind of way. His gags were definatly of the time of the 60's and I would say that he had managed to tone down the gags without being too PC. He popped in and out wearing different silly outfits and certainly provided comic relief.
Sammy did the best impression of Old Goggle Eyes that I have seen, but his singing was absolutly Shocking. I needed earplugs. Sammy Davies Jr must have sung better than that.
All together they played their parts well and bounced off each other nicely, a good team, and not easy being someone else for 90 minutes I am sure. Even their Ad-Libs seemed like Ad-Libs, (they may have been once) they must get used nightly. I Laughed, though I was hoping for a singalong (so sue me).
The Big Band, wasn't that big, but they sounded great. And the Surprise Guest Marilyn was hilarious, though what she was doing with the Rat Pack was beyond me (But then, what do I know?). I would have liked to have seen Shirly MacLaine (grrr).
I give the whole show 7/10, If I was a fan I would have loved it even more.
