Las Vegas shows once conjured up images of special early bird dinners, cheesy wizards and Cole Porter standards sung at cheerfully clapping coach parties. But with another of the world’s biggest pop stars signing up to perform in town, namely Adele, the concert’s Las Vegas residency is further established as a glamorous and lucrative rite of passage into pop.
Their fourth album, 30, released last month, became the best-selling album of the year in the US after just three days on sale. That’s the kind of popularity a stadium tour deserves; in fact, he played for nearly 3 million bettors during the 120 shows of his previous 2017-2018 world tour.
But for his Las Vegas residency, every Friday and Saturday between January 21 and April 16 at the Coliseum at Caesars Palace casino, he will perform for about 4,000 people a night. Tickets are in such high demand that all registered fans are likely to buy them; Ticketmaster has reported that none may be for general sale.
It used to be that these relatively intimate shows were a sign of an artist in his twilight years, personified by Elvis Presley – his early ’70s Vegas shows were rejuvenating and iconic, but by the middle of the decade he was overweight, he was drug addict and isolated.
“For years, it was where racing went to die – you’re near the end when you go to Las Vegas,” says James Hanley, news editor for live music industry publication IQ. But that has definitely changed in the 21st century. Céline Dion was a game-changing moment when it came, in 2003. Then came the rise of superstar DJ – people like Calvin Harris and the Chainsmokers had very lucrative residencies. And then in 2013, Britney Spears started a wave of younger pop artists like Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga. “
The city has retained a prestige throughout, successfully curating its image as a libertine but elegant place of pleasure. “It is the entertainment capital of the United States, which is very easy to fly to, so it is a great destination [for live music]”Says Greg Parmley, CEO of the music trade body Live.
“There’s a great heritage there, dating back to the days of the Rat Pack,” Hanley adds, making a residency “a must-do on a lot of artists’ wish lists.”
It adds up to an obvious choice for Adele. Las Vegas is fairly close to her home base in Los Angeles, where she shares the upbringing of her son Angelo with her ex-husband Simon Konecki, and she has said, even on stage, that she is ill-prepared to tour big places. Particularly in 30s, his music is intimate and conversational, and his famous on-stage replica evokes comedians who are also huge draws in Las Vegas – this footage works best when you can see the whites of your audience’s eyes.
“Adele admits that she doesn’t like touring; instead, it can sit in one place for weeks, so that solves that problem, ”says Hanley. “It wasn’t like it felt out of place at Wembley Stadium, but the most natural home for music is the kind of atmosphere you have in Vegas.”
The other attraction, of course, is money. The sums can be huge: Céline Dion’s pair of residences between 2003-2007 and 2011-2019 generated $ 681 million (£ 514 million) in ticket sales, and under the terms of their current deal, which began in 2017, will win $ 272 million in concerts. in Las Vegas until 2026.
But higher income can still be generated through higher capacity touring venues, and Parmley says the Las Vegas attraction ultimately comes down to the artist’s lifestyle. “If you find yourself at a time in your life, whether for family or professional reasons, where you don’t want to be on the road, Vegas offers the opportunity to have a stable base and continue performing every few nights. It’s not for everyone, but it will certainly suit some artists. “
He adds: “It’s so much easier to maintain the quality of the show, as opposed to when you’re on tour and you’re loading production into a new building every night. [A Vegas residency] let the production be the best it can be. “
Other big stars are planning excursions to Las Vegas. Katy Perry’s Play residency begins December 29, and Jennifer Lopez is expected to return after her All I Have residency in 2016, saying earlier this year: “I was offered that option… I can’t wait to go back to do that. “The combination of safety, pay and privacy means that performers, borrowing the city’s legendary motto, tend to stay in Las Vegas.
www.theguardian.com
George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism