Vegas In Concert: The Anthems Of Childhood.

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Date Reviewed: 01/12/2024

Vegas in Concert at the Astor Theatre promised an unforgettable journey through the decades of iconic performances for the seasoned Vegas veteran or those experiencing the magic for the first time. It did not disappoint! We laughed, we sang, we danced, and some cried, but everyone left with the biggest smiles. I’m pretty sure there will be some audience members with incredibly sore quads this morning who will be regretting the number of standing ovations they gave last night, they sure got their squats in! It was a great night filled with great music and awesome entertainers. I’m sure the sore quads are worth it.

First up, the MC Joe White. He had us all laughing (and then seriously questioning our moral character as we thought about what it was we were laughing at), but my goodness, was he funny. Either he is a very skilled comic who could roll with the unintended audience participation and wing it in a seamless way, or the audience plant was one of the best I’ve seen. I’m still wondering what it was he was going to tell us about his sister in the story that got interrupted!

The laughs didn’t end with the MC. All acts were consummate performers, giving so much more than just singing a couple of songs. The show opened with Vito Grillo as Neil Diamond, and he ended the set on a high note with Sweet Caroline getting the audience off and singing early. Next up, Anita Springs is paying tribute to Olivia Newton-John. There were a few audience members in my row dabbing away the tears as the video tribute to Newton-John was played, but the mood lifted quickly as the songs flowed and had the audience singing and bopping along. I do have to give a special mention to the backing singers. When Springs sang ‘Let’s Get Physical’ and started doing side stretches, the look on their faces as they gave the most pathetic attempt at a side stretch and then laughed with each other was priceless! Such good fun.

To end the first act, Greg Andrew took to the stage as Elton John in the most beautiful jacket and with a pretty amazing voice to match. By the time Andrew was finishing his set, the audience couldn’t contain themselves anymore, and they were trying to find spaces to get up and dance. The closest I came to hearing a complaint was, ‘I really wish there was a mosh pit so we had somewhere to really get up and have a dance’ (I probably would have gone with a dancefloor over a mosh pit, but same same).

Opening the second act was Anthony Mara as Billy Joel (who also had a very lovely jacket), and what a great way to get the audience back in the mood for more. So upbeat and lively. I had been a little disappointed thinking he wouldn’t play Piano Man as it would bring the vibe down, but I was wrong. It ended the set on a high. Jay Weston then played the music of Roy Orbison, and according to the whispers in the queue for the ladies’ toilets, he was an unexpected crowd favourite. When people think of Vegas, apparently Orbison doesn’t jump immediately to mind, but Weston did a brilliant job and made my mum’s night when he played her favourite song, Penny Arcade, which got everyone bopping along.

The show ended with Jack Gatto performing as Elvis. When you think of Vegas, you do think of Elvis, and the audience was not disappointed. We were up, dancing in the aisles, singing, and having a brilliant night, and the band shone in the performance of American Trilogy.

Speaking of the band, I can’t end without mentioning how much fun they were. They genuinely seemed to be having a really good time. Special mention to the lead guitarist, who was rocking out to the music and really not taking himself too seriously at all, and the drummer. As someone who has photographed live music for many years now, I know drummers are hard to photograph. They put their head down and hide behind the kit. Not this drummer! He was having a whale of a time, singing, dancing, smiling, laughing, and genuinely looking like he was loving life. Their joy was infectious.

All in all, this was a brilliant show. These songs were the anthems of my childhood. I grew up with Mum and Dad playing the LPs and EPs of all of these artists, so they are the soundtrack of my memories. The show really didn’t disappoint, AND it was a three-hour show! I was expecting maybe 90 minutes with an interval, but it was 3 hours (with interval) and honestly, time flies when you are having fun; it barely felt like any time had passed at all. Highly recommend!

To book tickets to Vegas in Concert, on their upcoming NSW and QLD stopovers, please visit https://vegasinconcert.com.au/

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