The news that Carlos Santana will perform three nights a week at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas beginning at the end of May is not actually an April Fool’s joke, despite that fact that it has the not-all-that-funny trademarks that pranks celebrating this horrible day tend to bear. I was really on the fence when the story had a quote from Carlos saying “I put in the contract that we will need 20 to 30 minutes in the middle of the set to do a back flip into the unknown,” but apparently Supernatural Santana: A Trip Through the Hits is all too real. (I’m sure vocalists Tony Lindsay and Tommy Anthony have fine voices, but can either replicate the dulcet tones of Rob Thomas? I, for one, am dubious.) Who should follow Santana to Sin City, where they can play to audiences of degenerate gamblers and drunks on vacation?
So, who would worth skipping Purple Reign for, if they set up in Vegas for $75 and up? I couldn’t think of many, really.
Maybe Stevie Wonder? He doesn’t tour all that much and has a gigantic catalog to pull from. If he’d promise to play “As,” I’d have my credit card at the ready.
Oddly, the artist that came to mind first when I thought of Celine Dion’s big, ridiculous “A New Day” was Kanye. While I doubt he would give up the opportunity to charge $50 for t-shirts in concert venues around America, he would no doubt have a lot of fun with elaborate staging that a single venue in Vegas could provide. (Plus, it might be easier for models to find him if he stayed in one place. I hear they’re all looking for him.)
Kanye West, “Love Lockdown (live at the EMAs)”:
Who else is both interesting enough to keep the same show going over the course of a year and possesses an audience large enough (and likely to be in Vegas) to make a long-term stint viable? I’m all ears.
Since Carlos Santana was the catalyst for this post, I have an excuse to post one of my favorite songs of the moment by the Lonely Island.
The Lonely Island feat. E-40, “Santana DVX”:
Santana putting roots in Vegas [LA Times]
I’m looking forward to seeing Santana’s custom, psychedelic T-shirt featuring Hendrix and Celine Dion.
No need to compound Santana playing Vegas with performances of “Smooth”. (Then again, that might be exactly what the Vegas crowd wants to hear.) Stevie Wonder? I can see that. Kanye West would probably put on a hip-hop version of Celine Dion’s show. Ugh.
Dunno if they’ve got the fanbase for it, but Outkast would probably be awesome in that situation.
The Beastie Boys would probably be up to it. Provided there is a basketball court installed in the green room.
Animal Collective…are they still around though?
@K-Rex: We had a similar idea yesterday in the Chris Cornell post. He can play songs from two popular rock acts, that new weird Timbaland stuff, and while he is at it, he could play a bunch of other people’s songs…..Why not? Nothing else is real there. Nobody would know the difference if he was singing a Pearl Jam song or a Soundgarden song or more accurately, nobody would care.
@hey_stephen: All pretentious and portentous artistes that I am sick of hearing about should be legally mandated to play Vegas until they realize that they’re here to entertain us and lucky to have their cushy show-biz jobs.
Besides, Radiohead playing a floor show 12 times a week would be far more bizarre and revolutionary than jerking around with samplers and delay pedals.
Neil Diamond
The Motown Revue: Smokey, Stevie, Diana Ross, whoever’s left of the Temps and the Four Tops, and including the all important “We Remember Marvin Medley”.
They’d never do it, and no one there would understand it, but the Pet Shop Boys could put on an incredible Vegas show.
@The Illiterate: Good call. It seems like Neil Diamond was born to play Vegas, no?
DAFT PUNK! They could have TWO pyramids! One for each guy!