Country star compares Sphere production to Pink Floyd spectacle
Zac Brown had been promising a “residency,” though his upcoming shows at Sphere are billed as “limited engagement.”
We’re inching to a residency now. Brown has added Jan. 9-10 to his original four “Love & Fear” performances Dec. 5-13. The new dates were announced Thursday, a day ahead of Brown’s tickets going on sale.
Brown said on “Andy Cohen Live” last week that the show would be “like when Pink Floyd came out with ‘The Wall,’ when they did their first production of that.” If you’re looking for someone to lower expectations, don’t seek Brown.
Cohen has been spotted frequently at the Bulbous Wonder. He told Brown, “I saw Dead & Company there about 10 times, I think, in total and I just think it’s the great music venue for tomorrow.”
Brown responded, “I’ve seen five shows there and I’ve just been fascinated with this building … But we’ve got a lot to prove, so for me, this has been my absolute obsession and my baby.”
A new ‘A New Day’
Swedish DJ and producer Sebastian Ingrosso has sent Celine Dion’s “A New Day” through the EDM mixer. The track was released Friday morning, with a social-media clip of Dion grooving to the track, shimmying, swaying, and stepping while wearing a loose-fitting workout outfit.
Dion is shown in a place we recognize, The Studio at the Palms. We hear that Dion has been covertly recording in the space, a familiar creative annex.
The former Colosseum headliner has recorded “My Love,” “Ashes,” “Flying on My Own,” “Imperfections,” “Lying Down,” and “Incredible,” among other tracks, in the studio. Over the years, such luminaries as Beyonce, Maroon 5, Lady Gaga, Eminem, The Killers, Imagine Dragons and Jamie Foxx have recorded at the studio. Those artists have signed the wall inside the space.
The new song is Ingrosso’s debut solo release on Swedish House Mafia’s Superhuman label. The track is gaining praise within the EDM industry. David Guetta, Anyma (the project of Matteo Milleri) and Calvin Harris are among the artists to offer praise on Ingrosso’s IG post (using a lot of flaming emojis, hearts and such) and .
“A New Day Has Come” is Dion’s 2002 hit that inspired the title of her first Colosseum residency. Ingrosso said on his social post, “THANK YOU @celinedion FOR LETTING ME BRING THIS INTO A NEW SHAPE.” Find the new tune on all streaming services, and find Dion’s dancing on IG.
Sidoris rocked it
It’s not easy to keep an audition with Ozzy Osbourne secret for eight years. But Vegas rocker Frank Sidoris achieved it, finally making the event public last week after Osbourne’s death Tuesday at age 76.
The guitarist for Wolfgang Van Halen’s Mammoth WVH was invited to play for Osbourne at Ozzy’s L.A. residence in 2017. This was just after Osbourne had performed with a reunited Black Sabbath in a “final farewell” show in February 2017, and was returning to his solo career.
Osbourne’s camp was tipped off about Sidoris’ talent and experience through industry professionals, familiar with his work with Slash ft. Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators and Van Halen’s band. Sidoris showed up at Ozzy’s fortress with a full festival-stage setup, and was instructed to play the parts note-for-note from the recordings.
“We take the elevator downstairs to Ozzy’s movie theater, I set up my gear, got comfortable, and I’m getting comfortable, and two minutes later Ozzy shows up in his pajamas,” Sidoris recalls. “He says, ‘Hey, Frank!,’ addresses me by my name. Then I sat there and played, for just him and his assistant.” Sidoris performed “Mama I’m Coming Home” and “Diary of a Madman” in the session.
Within a month, Sidoris received a signed letter in from Osbourne, informing the guitar great he was going with Zakk Wylde for his “No More Tears II” tour, as fans wanted to see Wylde return to Ozzy’s band. But Osbourne wrote to Sidoris, “You are a talented musician and it’s obvious to me why you’re already had success in this business at a young age.”
Sidoris said the experience was “very private, personal, amazing thing.” But as Osbourne passed, he said, “Everyone’s sharing their story about Ozzy and how much we love him and what he meant to us, and that’s my experience.”
New name for this haunt
The days of Fear Dome at Circus Circus are done. The zombie carnival was formally announced a month ago.
The new haunted attraction has announced its name change, Fear Zone. “As our vision grew, so did the name,” operators explain on @FearZoneLV Instagram.
We’re told that Fear Zone establishes a more expansive vision than Fear Dome. Also, the space was called Fright Dome from 2003-2017, under the stewardship of Jason Egan.
The attraction producer was known to be concerned of confusion over the two names. “We’ve spent a fortune and so many years creating that brand and the intellectual property that goes with it,” Egan says. “For that reason, we will always take whatever steps necessary to protect it.”
Egan said he’d not been aware of the name change until Friday. His Egan Productions is now a partner in John Wick Experience at Area15. “Wick is an incredible success, off the Strip,” Egan says. “We had another record-breaking week last week.”
Cool Hang Alert
Bohemian Groove spins funk and disco and “rare grooves” from 10 p.m.-2 a.m. Saturdays at Doberman Drawing Room in the Arts District. The show also runs every First Friday, same times, with “cocktails as worldly as your curiosity.” Reservations strongly recommended, go to DobermanDTLV.com for intel.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.
