What to see in Vegas
November 20, 2009 2:28 PM Subscribe
What single show should I see in Las Vegas?
If I was going to Vegas in the next couple of weeks and could see only one show, what should I see? (I don't know anything about vegas.)
If I was going to Vegas in the next couple of weeks and could see only one show, what should I see? (I don't know anything about vegas.)
Penn And Teller, IMHO.
posted by lumpenprole at 2:45 PM on November 20, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by lumpenprole at 2:45 PM on November 20, 2009 [2 favorites]
Depends on your taste. If you like comedy and magic, Penn & Teller. If you like comedy and music, Blue Man Group. If you like music and theater, Cirque Du Soleil's Love. Whatever you do, do not see Criss Angel's awful show.
posted by The Winsome Parker Lewis at 2:49 PM on November 20, 2009
posted by The Winsome Parker Lewis at 2:49 PM on November 20, 2009
I didn't like the Cirque's Zumanity show, if it's still there. Go for a different Cirque show if you are interested in that.
FWIW, Bally's Jubilee was pretty awesome in the sense of the time-honored tradition of nude girls in faaaaabulous sparkly outfits and giant headdresses. The sets were also pretty amazing and high-tech.
posted by lizbunny at 2:54 PM on November 20, 2009
FWIW, Bally's Jubilee was pretty awesome in the sense of the time-honored tradition of nude girls in faaaaabulous sparkly outfits and giant headdresses. The sets were also pretty amazing and high-tech.
posted by lizbunny at 2:54 PM on November 20, 2009
Seconding Penn and Teller. If you do go, be sure to hang out in the lobby afterward as the two meet their fans for photos, autographs and discussions about skepticism.
posted by inturnaround at 2:57 PM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by inturnaround at 2:57 PM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
If you like pyrotechnics, Cirque's Ka was excellent.
posted by anderjen at 3:00 PM on November 20, 2009
posted by anderjen at 3:00 PM on November 20, 2009
Do not go see Carrot Top. I cannot stress this enough.
I'm not a fan of Cirque du Soleil in general, so I would add my recommendation for Penn & Teller. Bally's Jubilee, as mentioned, is a very updated-yet-old-timey-Vegas review with topless women, but it's quite a spectacle in any right. Very entertaining.
posted by pdb at 3:03 PM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
I'm not a fan of Cirque du Soleil in general, so I would add my recommendation for Penn & Teller. Bally's Jubilee, as mentioned, is a very updated-yet-old-timey-Vegas review with topless women, but it's quite a spectacle in any right. Very entertaining.
posted by pdb at 3:03 PM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
The only show I've seen in years was Love this summer at the Mirage. My wife and I absolutely "Loved" it. Highly recommend even if you are just a casual Beatles fan.
posted by walleeguy at 3:25 PM on November 20, 2009
posted by walleeguy at 3:25 PM on November 20, 2009
Yes, "Love" was the best Cirque show I've seen so far, and I've seen five.
posted by np312 at 3:44 PM on November 20, 2009
posted by np312 at 3:44 PM on November 20, 2009
If you're a Beatles fan, and I am, and you have seen both Love and Penn and Teller, which I have, you would probably agree with me that Love > P&T.
posted by jeffamaphone at 4:05 PM on November 20, 2009
posted by jeffamaphone at 4:05 PM on November 20, 2009
Seconding Ka. Awesome music. Amazing stage mechanics.
posted by Mwongozi at 4:08 PM on November 20, 2009
posted by Mwongozi at 4:08 PM on November 20, 2009
Do not go see Carrot Top. I cannot stress this enough.
People need to be told this?
posted by dersins at 4:30 PM on November 20, 2009
People need to be told this?
posted by dersins at 4:30 PM on November 20, 2009
Love. Love. Love.
Did I say Love?
If you're even a little bit a Beatles fan, this is fabulous.
posted by liquado at 5:12 PM on November 20, 2009
Did I say Love?
If you're even a little bit a Beatles fan, this is fabulous.
posted by liquado at 5:12 PM on November 20, 2009
I may get lynched for this, but don't bother with Love. It's really bad. (Well, the music is great, of course. But the visuals add nothing, so it's not worth the money.)
I haven't seen the Blue Man Group's Vegas show, but if it's anything like their NY show, it should be excellent. Penn and Teller are also good.
posted by equalpants at 5:34 PM on November 20, 2009
I haven't seen the Blue Man Group's Vegas show, but if it's anything like their NY show, it should be excellent. Penn and Teller are also good.
posted by equalpants at 5:34 PM on November 20, 2009
I'm gonna put in another vote for Penn & Teller
posted by Redmond Cooper at 5:52 PM on November 20, 2009
posted by Redmond Cooper at 5:52 PM on November 20, 2009
I love Blue Man Group. I also love Wayne Newton- has he retired yet?
posted by Shohn at 5:54 PM on November 20, 2009
posted by Shohn at 5:54 PM on November 20, 2009
Umm...nthing "Love". Hands down the best show there is out there. You'll get a kick out of it if you're a Beatles fan like myself. If you're not, the creativity and imagination that went into it alone will blow your mind.
For a close second, I'll recommend "Ka". Great story and also good value for visual money. :-)
posted by arishaun at 6:26 PM on November 20, 2009
For a close second, I'll recommend "Ka". Great story and also good value for visual money. :-)
posted by arishaun at 6:26 PM on November 20, 2009
N'th-ing that Penn & Teller do a really great show.
posted by crabintheocean at 6:36 PM on November 20, 2009
posted by crabintheocean at 6:36 PM on November 20, 2009
Ka if you have money to spend, Penn & Teller if you don't. Both are worth the money.
posted by sacrifix at 6:44 PM on November 20, 2009
posted by sacrifix at 6:44 PM on November 20, 2009
If you are going with kids (which you probably aren't), I recommend Mac King's magic show. He's very entertaining and very family friendly.
posted by newper at 10:07 PM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by newper at 10:07 PM on November 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
Best answer: There is only one correct answer here: O, at the Bellagio. Step-by-step instructions:
1. Call now for tickets, upper orchestra seating, sections 202-204
2. If going with someone else, ask if the "2nd ticket for $25" promotion is still going on
3. On the evening of the show, arrive an 1-1.5 hours ahead of time to pick up your tickets, eat, drink, and enjoy the conservatory
4. Enjoy O
5. After the show, go to the Petrossian bar off the main lobby and order up some bellinis
6. Enjoy 1-3 bellini(s)
7. Order another one
8. Carry it out to the lobby (you are permitted to take it anywhere), exit hotel/casino and make an immediate left-hand turn
9. Enjoy the fountain show, which should go off every 15 minutes.
Optional, extra-credit items:
3a. While waiting, if you happen to see someone who looks like Philip Seymour Hoffman playing craps, by all means, play craps with Philip Seymour Hoffman
5a. One bellini to get over the shame of ordering a bellini, another for familiarization, and third because you're a big shot, and Philip Seymour Hoffman just won you >$4k in craps
9a. Stick around for two shows. Any more than that and you should head back to the Petrossian and reload
9b. It should follow that you should not play any more craps after these drinks.
Have fun out there!
posted by herrdoktor at 12:34 AM on November 21, 2009 [7 favorites]
1. Call now for tickets, upper orchestra seating, sections 202-204
2. If going with someone else, ask if the "2nd ticket for $25" promotion is still going on
3. On the evening of the show, arrive an 1-1.5 hours ahead of time to pick up your tickets, eat, drink, and enjoy the conservatory
4. Enjoy O
5. After the show, go to the Petrossian bar off the main lobby and order up some bellinis
6. Enjoy 1-3 bellini(s)
7. Order another one
8. Carry it out to the lobby (you are permitted to take it anywhere), exit hotel/casino and make an immediate left-hand turn
9. Enjoy the fountain show, which should go off every 15 minutes.
Optional, extra-credit items:
3a. While waiting, if you happen to see someone who looks like Philip Seymour Hoffman playing craps, by all means, play craps with Philip Seymour Hoffman
5a. One bellini to get over the shame of ordering a bellini, another for familiarization, and third because you're a big shot, and Philip Seymour Hoffman just won you >$4k in craps
9a. Stick around for two shows. Any more than that and you should head back to the Petrossian and reload
9b. It should follow that you should not play any more craps after these drinks.
Have fun out there!
posted by herrdoktor at 12:34 AM on November 21, 2009 [7 favorites]
I'm a casual Beatles fan at best and not a Cirque de Frou-Frou fan in any sense of the word, but I thought Love was amazing. P&T are a great show too, but Love is far less likely to hit the road and come to a theater near you sometime in the future. (You won't go wrong with either though.)
posted by Lazlo at 1:53 AM on November 21, 2009
posted by Lazlo at 1:53 AM on November 21, 2009
i'd skip anything that plays elsewhere (blue man group, spamalot, jersey boys, phantom, etc).
i found O kind of disappointing. i didn't it find it emotionally engaging the way i did with Mystere (playing at treasure island, iirc), or La Reve (at the wynn). La Reve isn't officially a cirque show, but it's done by the former artistic director of cirque du soleil. it's my favorite of the cirque-or-cirque-type shows, so far. if you want something a bit more overtly sexy, there's a cirque R rated show called Zumanity that's pretty good. there's only one 'vegas revue' style show left, Jubilee at bally's. i haven't seen it, though, so i can't really comment on it.
penn and teller is a great show, if cirque stuff isn't your thing.
posted by rmd1023 at 5:04 AM on November 21, 2009
i found O kind of disappointing. i didn't it find it emotionally engaging the way i did with Mystere (playing at treasure island, iirc), or La Reve (at the wynn). La Reve isn't officially a cirque show, but it's done by the former artistic director of cirque du soleil. it's my favorite of the cirque-or-cirque-type shows, so far. if you want something a bit more overtly sexy, there's a cirque R rated show called Zumanity that's pretty good. there's only one 'vegas revue' style show left, Jubilee at bally's. i haven't seen it, though, so i can't really comment on it.
penn and teller is a great show, if cirque stuff isn't your thing.
posted by rmd1023 at 5:04 AM on November 21, 2009
I'm a big Penn and Teller fan, have seen lots of their shows. I saw their show a few weeks ago and was a bit disappointed. Nothing wrong with it, but there was nothing really new.
I'd vote for Blue Man group as #1 if you've not seen them, followed by Love.
Pro tip:
Don't bother with the last minute ticket places. If the show isn't sold out (Penn and Teller was not) show up early and offer the on site ticket sales person cash.
posted by cosmac at 7:07 AM on November 21, 2009
I'd vote for Blue Man group as #1 if you've not seen them, followed by Love.
Pro tip:
Don't bother with the last minute ticket places. If the show isn't sold out (Penn and Teller was not) show up early and offer the on site ticket sales person cash.
posted by cosmac at 7:07 AM on November 21, 2009
I'm changing my mind and voting for Penn and Teller--though the O+Bellinis plan sounds pretty good too.
posted by Mngo at 9:55 AM on November 21, 2009
posted by Mngo at 9:55 AM on November 21, 2009
Blue Man Group! The show is incredible, and unlike anything I've ever seen before, or since. And although they do play elsewhere, as noted above, I also saw them on tour, and the Vegas show was still orders of magnitude higher on the "wow" scale.
I agree with cosmac that the Penn and Teller show was a bit disappointing if you've ever seen their act before, although still fun.
For some unknown reason, I find Cirque vaguely disconcerting, so I can't offer any opinions on that front. But I can say that Gregory Popovich and his trained housecats is an incredible show and although apparently no longer free at Circus Circus, would still be great fun at a good price.
posted by KatlaDragon at 4:49 PM on November 21, 2009
I agree with cosmac that the Penn and Teller show was a bit disappointing if you've ever seen their act before, although still fun.
For some unknown reason, I find Cirque vaguely disconcerting, so I can't offer any opinions on that front. But I can say that Gregory Popovich and his trained housecats is an incredible show and although apparently no longer free at Circus Circus, would still be great fun at a good price.
posted by KatlaDragon at 4:49 PM on November 21, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Mngo at 2:40 PM on November 20, 2009