Las Vegas Strip venue to reopen with R&B, country stars

Resorts World Theatre will alternately serve as an urban hang and a country hang, post-renovation.

Classic R&B artist Maxwell makes his debut at the Theatre on October 24. Country headliner Riley Green brings in his “Don’t Mind if I Do” tour into the venue on Dec. 12-13, lined up with the National Finals Rodeo at Thomas & Mack Center.

Both headliners were announced this week and are on sale 10 a.m. Pacific time Friday at AXS.com. The performances are the first on sale after Janet Jackson plays a half-dozen shows at the Theatre in September. The pop superstar was the last to play the room in May, and will be the first to take the stage after general-admission seating is added as an option this summer.

Maxwell’s one-off is in “The Serenade” tour. The three-time Grammy Award-winning artist broke in 1996 with ‘Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite,” a double-platinum album nominated for the 1997 Grammy Award for Best R&B Album (claimed by Tony Rich’s “Words”). Upon release, The Washington Post said dubbed Maxwell, who was at the front of the ’90s neo-soul movement, the “Marvin Gaye of the ’90s.”

The 52-year-old artist born Gerald Maxwell Rivera has previously headlined Encore Theater for two shows in July 2022, and for three shows at Pearl at the Palms, most recently November 2018. He headlined MGM Grand Garden Arena in December 2016. “The Night Tour,” his 2022 world tour, made Pollstar’s 2022 list of Top 20 Global Concert Tours (determined by average box office gross and the average ticket price for shows worldwide).

Green boast that he has been “compelling country-music fans to raise a drink, shed a tear, and, above all, celebrate where they are from.” His self-titled, 2018 EP featured the top-selling hits “There Was This Girl,” and the classic-country tear-jerker, “I Wish Grandpas Never Died,” which he sang at the 55th annual ACM Awards show in 2020, when he was awarded New Male Artist of the Year. And, he and Thomas Rhett teamed on the hit “Half of Me.”

Resorts World Theatre is dark through Jackson’s return Sept. 10. The venue will feature flexibility with a GA section, or fixed seating, in the section in front of the stage. Artists will make the call as to their preferred design.

We’d be curious to know …

What Celine Dion thinks of the new seating pattern. If she had any input on this call. Resorts World Theatre is still considered her Las Vegas home court. But her reps have no comment about the theater upgrade.

They’re motorin’!

Night Ranger is playing what we’ll call a finite club gig, plugging in at Danny Koker’s Count’s Vamp’d Bar & Grille at 8 p.m. Wednesday. On deck is a wonderfully characteristic Vamp’d lineup: Tribute bands Petty & The Heartshakers and Sweet Home Alabama (you can figure out the subjects of the tributes) play Friday; Summer of ‘69 and Hell Mary on Saturday; Loverboy (the real deal, not a tribute) on June 27; and the club’s finale with Count’s 77 on June 28. Those last two dates are totally sold out.

Chuck Brennan’s Dollar Loan Center is presenting the last run of performances, dubbed sadly, “The End of An Era.”

Koker and his wife, Korie, have listed the club for $4.3 million. The couple have owned the joint on West Sahara Avenue since 2009. High volume, hard rock and tight quarters are Vamp’d trademarks. The Kokers want a buyer to come in who will keep the club’s vibe intact. At least one that we know of wants just that. We’ll know more, starting June 29.

What Works in Vegas

Tournament of Kings at Excalibur celebrated its 35th anniversary at Excalibur on Monday night. ExCal President and COO Mike Neubecker and Clark County Commissioner Michael Naft (both out of costume, we hear) presented a proclamation making Monday Tournament of Kings Day throughout the county. Producer Patrick Jackson accepted.

Catch the medieval-themed production at 6 and 8:30 p.m. Thursdays through Mondays. Advice for first-time visitors, don’t ask for silverware.

Observed at Pixies show

Dozens of fans were up and rocking out (surprising not at all) to the Pixies show Encore Theater on Friday night. From the row behind me, a guy shouted at three guys standing as they blazed through “Wave of Mutilation.” “You three! Sit down!”

This went over not well. One of the trio extended his arms and said, “You can stand if you want! It’s a rock concert!” Gotta side with the standers on this one.

They are street-legal

The “No Ifs, Ands or Butts” Crazy Girls statue motorcade route on the morning of June 25 starts at the Fabulous Welcome to Las Vegas Sign, ending at Circa’s Garage Mahal. The original cast still stops traffic …

One thing about the new Stoney’s

Stoney’s Rockin’ Country at Sunset Station will feature an outdoor deck and food truck. I guess that’s two things. Whatever, the club at Sunset Station opens early 2026. Stoney’s Rockin’ Country at Town Square is closing in December. Everyone is set up for a move as smooth as a steel-guitar solo.

New Hang Alert

We’ll side-saddle the Cool Hang Alert with this entry, which will be a regular feature in Kats! unless it isn’t. Wahoo’s at 10430 South Eastern Avenue in Henderson (of course) is bolstering its live-music program. Pop 40, fronted by the range-for-days vocalist Lily Arce, plays 7-10 p.m. Friday. The band is under David Perrico’s “Pop” brand. No cover. This scene is worth a look-see.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.