Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Las Vegas Review: BeatleShow! (Planet Hollywood)

So I saw my first show in Vegas as an adult last night. I was given 2 free tickets for donating blood along with 2 more tickets to go see Penn & Teller (which I am planning to see tonight.) I'm a Beatles fan, so why not go see this, right? We got there and the house wasn't packed. So our General Seating tickets magically turned into VIP seats after we entered the theater.

The show is basically a Fab Four style tribute band to The Beatles complete with wardrobe changes. The show started off with an Ed Sullivan impersonator introducing the Beatles with some cheesy jokes. The Red curtain pulls back and out come the Beatles in the classic suit and ties playing the typical set list from the show.

The first thing we noticed was The Paul is right handed, 40 years old, caked with makeup and just doesn't sound right at all. He was a poor Paul indeed. However Harrison and Ringo were good enough for the imagination. John was pretty close, even as far as singing goes.

The first set wan't too bad. The mid song jokes were terrible. We kept telling each other that they just need to shut up and play.

Half way though the first set a couple of go-go dancers came out. They weren't the hottest chicks in the world, but probably the hottest chicks in the theater. About that time re realized that most of the audience was 50 and older and some of them were trying to dance. Reminded me of some of the activity times during my job at the convalescent home to be perfectly honest. Should of been expected.

Ed Sullivan came out to make a few lame pot brownie jokes then Paul came out to sing 'Yesterday' in the back of the room. So we all had to turn to look behind us or look at the poor quality projector and screen at center stage.

Paul sank into the floor and in came one of the most painful moments in Vegas show history next to a Criss Angel show came when an Austin Powers impersonator (It was the Ed Sullivan impersonator) came out. This is never good. Austin Powers impersonations are ALWAYS terrible no matter how spot on it is. This was no better. After that dreadful moment, the screen fell again to show us and old video of old British people singing Beatles songs. If I didn't know the Sgt. Pepper stuff was coming next, I would of left then.

They came out and played a few songs from Sgt. Pepper, not not one song from Magical Mystery Tour! Not even I am the Walrus or All You Need is Love. Even then the set list was very short. But they did do a great Sgt. Pepper Reprise/A Day in the Life combo that did make up for no Magical Mystery Tour songs. John left while the other members plays a couple of Paul songs.

Then the curtain drew again and (thank God) Austin Powers didn't come back. Instead we got to see a minute of 1980 football before being interrupted by a news report that John had been shot and killed. Then he came out playing Imagine. Which was almost tear jerkingly good.

Then the other Beatles came out in their later years clothes and wrapped up the show. Nothing terrible except for While My Guitar Gently Weeps that was atrocious. We found out why they didn't let Harrison sing for the beginning of the set and the guitar playing was terrible.

All in all it wasn't terribly bad, but it wasn't anything great. Wouldn't of bought tickets, nor will I. If I get free tickets I might try to pass them off to someone who may enjoy it more than I. Namely my parents who enjoy these cheesy Vegas shows. Maybe a little Penn & Teller might revive my hope for Vegas shows. Planet Hollywood, if you're reading this: For the love of God, get a new Paul and make John sing While My Guitar Gently Weeps. 

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