As the glitter is swept off the stage in the wake of Lady Gaga’s final performance at the 6,400 seat Dolby Live amphitheatre, it’s hard to imagine that, just a century ago, Las Vegas was no more than a dusty frontier outpost with a population of 2,304. Known as a spot for a quick divorce throughout the 1920s, once gambling was legalised in 1931 Vegas bloomed like a gaudy desert flower into the diamond it is today.
The tradition of musical residencies in Vegas can be traced back to the forties, when Liberace took to the stage — although he had to hand out fliers on the strip himself (and help passers-by with the pronunciation of his name). Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin elevated the form in the 1960s, and in the latter part of that decade Elvis cemented his status as the King of rock ’n roll, and took the residency into the stratosphere.
But, by 1977 the King was dead, and residencies began to stagnate slowly, losing their star power, their status, and their audience. So, how did the residency get resurrected, and become an indelible part of modern Vegas?
Running on Nostalgia
During the 80s and 90s Las Vegas residencies lost their mojo. The music halls of the grand casinos were seen as a pasture where old stars came to graze, watched by a handful of punters taking a breather from the card tables. But while casino entertainment had fallen out of favour, the casinos themselves didn’t — the games exude a timeless appeal, unmoved by the tides of fashion. Players still flock to the card tables and slot machines in bricks-and-mortar venues, as well as enjoying the accessibility and excitement of online casino slots, which boast all kinds of themes, prizes, and immersive graphics.
Things were looking gloomy for residencies in Vegas, as washed up performers kept washing up on the Strip. Fortunately, a new millennium ushered in some new faces…
Celine’s Inspiration
Just when it seemed that residencies were a thing of the past, enter Celine Dion. The big-lunged Canadian singer wasn’t a has-been — she was at the peak of her powers, and she enthralled more than 5 million fans during her tenure on the Strip. As a nod to residency legend Sinatra, she regularly performed All The Way during the shows, which earned her an eye-watering $385 million in total. Dion’s powerful voice blew away the cobwebs, and showed that a Vegas residency was more than a trip down memory lane, and nostalgia could make its way to the exits.
To further reinforce the city’s musical revival, diminutive genius Prince opened 3121, his personal nightclub, where musicians from all over contemporary music were desperate to come in and jam. Las Vegas was cool once more.
The Wave Rolls On
Celine Dion’s triumph — as well as the astronomical amounts of money on offer — has attracted subsequent generations of artists and performers, and a residency on the Strip is now the high point of a career, rather than the nadir. Residencies were further boosted by Britney Spears, whose acclaimed run of shows in 2013 fused casino glamour with high-octane pop. And while some iconic performers (Cher, Elton John, etc.) find themselves on-stage in Vegas in the twilight of their career, a residency provides an epic, triumphant swan song.
At the time of writing, alongside Lady Gaga the stages are also being lit up by Adele, Carrie Underwood, and U2. Christina Aguilera jets into town in December, and Usher and Barry Manilow have just extended their residencies. The shows become ever more elaborate, the crowds ever larger, and the stagnant decades of the 80s and 90s have been long forgotten.
Las Vegas is known as the Entertainment Capital of the World, so it isn’t surprising that it’s a magnet for the biggest names in music. Gone are the days when concerts were the side-show to casino gambling.