Sly Stone’s April Fool’s show in Las Vegas was no joke

We thought George Wallace was pulling an April Fool’s prank. Sly Stone, playing at his show at the Flamingo? It had to be a ruse. The show was March 31, 2007, 10 p.m. start. George could, and probably would, time the punchline right at midnight.

Instead, Stone sauntered out. The place went off, and so did he.

A night that could exist only in Vegas, when Wallace four-walled the showroom and booked whomever he wanted in a guest slot. Wallace’s buddy Jerry Seinfeld turned up to do 15 minutes once in a while. Eddie Murphy, Chris Tucker, Aretha Franklin, Tom Jones, Gladys Knight, Rip Taylor, Chris Rock, Don Rickles, Whoopi Goldberg, William Shatner, David Brenner, Donny and Marie Osmond, Cedric the Entertainer and the band War were either on stage or in the room in Wallace’s heyday.

The vocal group Mo5aic owe a lot of their ongoing success to their quasi-residency performances.

Stone, whose death at age 82 was reported Monday, performed after Wallace’s late-night show that would actually end on April Fool’s Day. The funk pioneer would be joined by that era’s iteration of The Family, his backing band that blazed to fame at Woodstock.

At the time, Stone had not performed in concert for 26 years. The enigmatic legend would seem to have no reason to play the Flamingo for a one-off. His most recent show before that night was at the Las Vegas Convention Center in 1972.

And Wallace is not just a veteran, headlining comic. He is also a master marketer. He was among the earliest entertainers to lease his own venue on the Strip, and sell it to locals and tourists. Merely saying that Stone was expected to perform would have filled the showroom.

Wallace had a genuine line to Stone, having been an invited guest when Stone married Kathy Silva onstage in front of 15,000 fans at Madison Square Garden in June 1974.

Stone had appeared on the 2006 Grammy telecast, a mini-comeback, and Wallace found a path to the superstar.

“We’ve gone through sister-agent-family, everyone, to make this happen,” he said at the time.

I was still in disbelief that this would come off.

“George, you have to tell me if this is a joke,” I said to Wallace in the days before that show. “I have to least need to be prepared.”

“He will be on stage,” said Wallace, aware of Stone’s erratic behavior and past drug addiction, “even if I have to stay with him all day.”

Stone did show up, wearing a red sequined jacket, backward black ball cap, fly Dolce & Gabbana shades and a neck brace for a growth on his neck that was never explained.

“Stone moved like a bedazzled praying mantis,” as I wrote that night, vaulting such classics as “If You Want Me to Stay,” Everyday People,”“Dance to the Music,” “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)” “Higher” and “Stand!”

Audience members, euphoric at the unbilled performance, danced on tables and pushed toward the stage. Wallace seemed as stunned as anyone after the 30-minute odyssey.

“I certainly couldn’t handle the joy,” Wallace said via text Monday afternoon, remembering the experience. “I cried on every song. It was one of the greatest nights in Las Vegas.”

Too long!

Too long, I tell you!

This is in reference to Frederic Da Silva’s “Paranormal” show at Horseshoe’s Imagine Showroom. Da Silva is going on a dozen years at the hotel. I saw him for the first time on Sunday in his 4 p.m. slot. It took me a lot longer to see “Tournament of Kings” at ExCal (23 years after moving here) and David Copperfield at MGM Grand (22 years ) than Da Silva’s show. This was not by design. Just a quirk in scheduling for, you know, a decade or so.

But I’d always known Da Silva was a hot ticket in that cozy showroom. His performance covers a greatest-hits package of mentalist acts: Duct tape over the eyes, flinging Frisbees to randomly select audience members, guessing the name of the person those guest stars are thinking.

Da Silva’s return business is exceptional — I attended with friends from out of town who had seen him four times prior. His one-on-one work is impressive even to the most jaded audience member. Charisma and experience are selling points, especially for an afternoon crowd of tourists. Da Silva has studied since age 5 and has been a pro since 13. His dedication shows. See him, and within 12 years. I know I will.

…

Cool Hang Alert

Returning to the Flamingo, in present form, Noybel Gorgoy headlines the hotel’s Cuban-themed restaurant and nightspot, Havana 1957. She’s ideal for the venue. Gorgoy is a Cuban-born artist who has performed around town since arriving in “Havana Nights” at the Stardust in 2004.

Gorgoy and her band boomerang from a mix of Latin classics, Cuban classics, and top-40 “with a Latin twist and Vegas glamour,” as Gorgoy says. No cover. Tips, and also grooving, are welcome.

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