Bravo for ‘Phantom’ performer
First off, congrats to Larry Wayne Morbitt, who plays the principle role of Ubaldo Piangi in "Phantom -- The Las Vegas Spectacular" at The Venetian. As part of President-elect Barack Obama’s inauguration, Morbitt will sing the national anthem as well as "This Is the Moment," a moving song from the Broadway musical, "Jekyll and Hyde," at the California State Society’s Presidential Inaugural Luncheon & Fashion Show at The Ritz Carlton in Washington, D.C. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will be in attendance and Obama is expected to attend as well.
Morbitt who has performed with opera companies and symphonies throughout the country, has played the role of Piangi for the last seven years. His newest CD, "Larry Wayne Morbitt," was recently released.
Lots of music coming your way. You’re all invited to enjoy the soulful performance of vocalist Lady V (Veronica Morton) on Sat., Jan. 24, at the Reed Whipple Cultural Center. The concert will include well-known favorites of classic R&B and soul, as well as a touch of jazz and pop. Morton has performed and recorded with some of the best in the entertainment industry, as well as entertained audiences with her own band, Company, at Las Vegas casino/hotels. She has served as the music director and lead vocalist for the Las Vegas Black Gospel Theatre and as a member of the Las Vegas Mass Choir. Morton also teaches voice and piano for the Clark County School District, the City of Las Vegas and privately. She’s got a great voice and I guarantee you’ll enjoy her performance.
Tickets for the 7 p.m. show are only $7 for all seats and you can get them at the center’s box office at 821 Las Vegas Blvd. North. Box office hours are Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Or call (702) 229-6211. Future concerts planned at the Reed Whipple Cultural Center include Mardi Gras Mambo -- Dixieland Jazz on Jan. 30 and the Freedom Jazz Trio on Feb. 27.
If you’re into Latin music, you won’t want to miss the Las Vegas band Menores on Fri., Jan. 16, at the East Las Vegas Community/Senior Center. The four musicians that comprise Menores met in the summer of 2003 through Vida, a musical program offered at Western High School. Since then, they have played their Latin rock in venues all along the West Coast and soon will be touring the rest of the country and Mexico. Their debut album, Muere la Ilusion, will be released at the end of this year. Admission to the 7 p.m. performance is free. The center is located at 250 N. Eastern Ave., on the southeast corner at Stewart Avenue. Call (702) 229-1515 for more information.
Listen up those of you who are wine drinkers and enjoy good food. Here’s a deal for you. To celebrate its 20th anniversary, The Mirage is offering you the chance to buy bottles of wine at 50 percent off the regular price. Every Tuesday and Wednesday, half-priced bottles of wine are available for purchase at Onda Wine Lounge, Kokomo’s Steak and Seafood, Samba Brazilian Steakhouse, Caribe Café and Cravings.
And the choice is huge, with more than 900 labels available, including favorites from Far Niente, Quintessa, Silver Oak, Cakebread, Stags Leap and Caymus, as well as cult wines from Colgin, David Arthur, Opus One and Harlan. Bottles are available from $15, and wine connoisseurs and any of you looking to experience a truly special bottle of wine can purchase extremely rare vintages, such as a 1982 Chateau Petrus, at a 20 percent discount. A great deal and the food at any of the resort’s restaurants is great.
If you’d like to check out your health without it costing you a penny, head over to Santa Fe Station this Saturday (Jan 17). From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Centennial Ballroom, you will receive screenings for cholesterol, bone density, blood pressure, vision and spine, massage and much more. And it’s all free. Can’t beat a deal like this.
And wrapping up, it was some good, some bad for Roy McCann of Murrieta, Calif., who wrote me this past week. “Hi Lenny, Just got back from another quickie trip to my favorite city in the world. I felt a chill up in the Valley and I'm not just referring to the temperatures.
“Thought I'd try slumming it downtown at the 4 Queens for a change. It was surprisingly good. Well, it's hard to complain about $29.50 a room. Lots of great deals around, Downtown and on the Strip ... $2 Corona's, Heinekens, Buds and Millers, $3.99 steak and eggs, as well as half price show tickets. Tried the famous shrimp cocktail for a most reasonable $1.99.
“Went to see Encore. I suggest they splash a little more color of Red around. Ugh! talk about overkill. I've never seen so much Red in one place in my life. Those glaringly red chandeliers are shocking, though after a day or two back in Southern California, my senses have almost returned to normal.
“I must tell you that the Encore waitresses are the sexiest in Las Vegas, but what is up with the staff in the Vegas casinos? I was in 13 or 14 different casinos and while I know there is an economic crisis, casino staff aren't the only ones feeling it. Someone should tell the bartenders, waitresses and dealers to mix in a smile or try extending a warm greeting to visitors.
“The last thing we need to see when we go to Vegas to escape this calamitous economy is glum-faced casino personnel. If we wanted to look at sulky faces we could stay home and just show up for work or go down to the unemployment office.
“The guy impersonating Elvis at Bill's Casino put on a great show and is a worthwhile stop on a cold afternoon. Overall, not my best trip to your great city, but a different experience to add to the memories.”
Good luck and I'll see you on the Strip. And don't forget to check out eNeon each Thursday by subscribing (free of charge) to the Review-Journal's weekly newsletter. If you have a question or a Las Vegas experience you would like to share with my readers, please e-mail me at lennylasvegas@gmail.com. Please include your full name and the city or town where you live.
