Twenty, Ace, and a Miracle..
LAS VEGAS!! Glitz. Glamour. A chance to be on top of the world. This was the day trip offered to us as an incentive by our company, Stiletto Entertainment. A company owned by the record label Arista Records that produces Barry Manilow. So, with 2 casts in tow (20 people) and a coach bus we were on our way to the strip of dreams to see Barry Manilow in concert "Music and Passion" at the Las Vegas Hilton. It was a long and bumpy bus ride through the mountains of California to end up in the flat desert of Nevada. We left at 10am and arrived at 3pm. Oy! We had about an hour and a half or so to tour the strip and see the sights with intentions of riding the roller coaster at the New York New York Hotel and Casino. Unfortunately we didn't get to ride the roller coaster due to time constraints and the 45 minute wait time for the ride.
Oh well! We were out on the strip on a clear and cool day in Las Vegas. We took the monorail back to the Hilton so we could take advantage of the free buffet we were offered. We had to scarf down the food so we could be ready for the 7:00pm call time we had to meet for the show. We all got dolled up because our seats were front and center. I was in the second row smack dab stage center for the show. 
If Barry sweat and came close enough to the edge of the stage, I'd feel it. I could see every expression in his face and in his backup group. That was only part of the amazement. Just 5 minutes before showtime, the music swells and en masse enters the American Idol top 11 finalists. Evidently they are doing 50s music this week and because Barry's show is a tribute to the 50s era, they got him to help the finalists with their vocal arrangements. They walked in and sat 5 rows BEHIND us. Of course EVERYONE in the audience on the ground floor was up on their feet and taking pictures. I was spitting distance from all of them. It was weird. 
The show started and Barry was amazing. He put together a fabulous array of music from his collection (from jingles to pop songs) as well as hits from the 50s and did it up a la Las Vegas style. I of course got caught up in the emotion with his "Looks Like We Made It." I felt kind of out of place with my group knowing almost every lyric and they would just look at me and smile kind of humming along. Boy did my age show then. Of course he ended with Copacabana as a tribute to the Las Vegas Hilton and what it represented from the past and it's placement in Las Vegas history. A glass catwalk came down over the audience and Barry (donning his flashy Copa jacket) and his backup singers (donning feathers, boas, and glitz) came strolling and cha cha-ing over the audience in what seemed like a huge Studio 54 party. Streamers shot out at the end of the show in his big reprise of It's A Miracle.
Afterward, we all went into the casino and gathered for some drinks. It was one of our dancer boys 21st birthday, so we all toasted to his first night of legal drinking. Who should be walking through the casino to meet us? Ace Young and Chris Daughtry from the current season of American Idol finalists! Shut Up! I was enthralled.
Evidently two of our girls were flirting with the boys and they decided to come out for a drink with us. We were all skeptical of her saying that they would come out because of the recent hype and public eye surrounding the show. We were sure security wouldn't let them stroll through the casino. Well, there they were with a body guard each watching their backs.
We all took pictures with them and then they invited us into the VIP lounge to have a drink. Our young girls were all over them with question after question. It was great and they were both down to earth guys. Ace was a blast to hang out with and apparently he has been on the record label streak even before his American Idol fame. He had been recording with Brian McKnight for 3 years before and was just using the show to give him a little bump. I think Chris Daughtry is the best vocalist of the show so far, but I hope Ace gets pretty far and does well. He's an attractive and well put together guy. The evening was definitely going well so far.
Ace and Chris departed us around 11:00pm since they had arrived early that morning on a 5am flight into the city. Our BUS was leaving at midnight so we had some time to spare. One of our girls suggested I'd join her at a black jack table. She was dying to gamble and hadn't gambled all day. I vowed going in that I'd only spend the money in my pocket and only sit at minimums of $5.00 if I were to sit at a table. I broke one of my vows and played the $10.00 minimum with her. I only put a $20.00 bill in though and said that was it since I already spent about $30.00 of my pocket money in drinks. Well, I was pushing for a while and then I started to win!! I was getting hand after hand of winnings and tripled my money in a matter of 20 minutes!! I was like, "I'm out!" I tipped the dealer a ten for my last 3 wins and left with $50.00 in my pocket. I had an entirely free evening of drinks and entertainment!! I was flying high. I was thanking the heavens above for such an enjoyable and eventful evening I would never have been able to experience as a regular guy going to Vegas. Talk about working for the right company and being in the right place at the right time. The only downer of the evening actually falls into the next day (the after midnight part) when we took the bus ride home. It was just not as enjoyable, but it still didn't bring down the high I had from the previous events of the day.
So 20 cast members, Ace Young, "It's A Miracle," and some fabulous black jack made for one hell of a day I will never forget!
Oh well! We were out on the strip on a clear and cool day in Las Vegas. We took the monorail back to the Hilton so we could take advantage of the free buffet we were offered. We had to scarf down the food so we could be ready for the 7:00pm call time we had to meet for the show. We all got dolled up because our seats were front and center. I was in the second row smack dab stage center for the show. 
If Barry sweat and came close enough to the edge of the stage, I'd feel it. I could see every expression in his face and in his backup group. That was only part of the amazement. Just 5 minutes before showtime, the music swells and en masse enters the American Idol top 11 finalists. Evidently they are doing 50s music this week and because Barry's show is a tribute to the 50s era, they got him to help the finalists with their vocal arrangements. They walked in and sat 5 rows BEHIND us. Of course EVERYONE in the audience on the ground floor was up on their feet and taking pictures. I was spitting distance from all of them. It was weird. 
The show started and Barry was amazing. He put together a fabulous array of music from his collection (from jingles to pop songs) as well as hits from the 50s and did it up a la Las Vegas style. I of course got caught up in the emotion with his "Looks Like We Made It." I felt kind of out of place with my group knowing almost every lyric and they would just look at me and smile kind of humming along. Boy did my age show then. Of course he ended with Copacabana as a tribute to the Las Vegas Hilton and what it represented from the past and it's placement in Las Vegas history. A glass catwalk came down over the audience and Barry (donning his flashy Copa jacket) and his backup singers (donning feathers, boas, and glitz) came strolling and cha cha-ing over the audience in what seemed like a huge Studio 54 party. Streamers shot out at the end of the show in his big reprise of It's A Miracle.
Afterward, we all went into the casino and gathered for some drinks. It was one of our dancer boys 21st birthday, so we all toasted to his first night of legal drinking. Who should be walking through the casino to meet us? Ace Young and Chris Daughtry from the current season of American Idol finalists! Shut Up! I was enthralled.
Evidently two of our girls were flirting with the boys and they decided to come out for a drink with us. We were all skeptical of her saying that they would come out because of the recent hype and public eye surrounding the show. We were sure security wouldn't let them stroll through the casino. Well, there they were with a body guard each watching their backs.We all took pictures with them and then they invited us into the VIP lounge to have a drink. Our young girls were all over them with question after question. It was great and they were both down to earth guys. Ace was a blast to hang out with and apparently he has been on the record label streak even before his American Idol fame. He had been recording with Brian McKnight for 3 years before and was just using the show to give him a little bump. I think Chris Daughtry is the best vocalist of the show so far, but I hope Ace gets pretty far and does well. He's an attractive and well put together guy. The evening was definitely going well so far. Ace and Chris departed us around 11:00pm since they had arrived early that morning on a 5am flight into the city. Our BUS was leaving at midnight so we had some time to spare. One of our girls suggested I'd join her at a black jack table. She was dying to gamble and hadn't gambled all day. I vowed going in that I'd only spend the money in my pocket and only sit at minimums of $5.00 if I were to sit at a table. I broke one of my vows and played the $10.00 minimum with her. I only put a $20.00 bill in though and said that was it since I already spent about $30.00 of my pocket money in drinks. Well, I was pushing for a while and then I started to win!! I was getting hand after hand of winnings and tripled my money in a matter of 20 minutes!! I was like, "I'm out!" I tipped the dealer a ten for my last 3 wins and left with $50.00 in my pocket. I had an entirely free evening of drinks and entertainment!! I was flying high. I was thanking the heavens above for such an enjoyable and eventful evening I would never have been able to experience as a regular guy going to Vegas. Talk about working for the right company and being in the right place at the right time. The only downer of the evening actually falls into the next day (the after midnight part) when we took the bus ride home. It was just not as enjoyable, but it still didn't bring down the high I had from the previous events of the day.
So 20 cast members, Ace Young, "It's A Miracle," and some fabulous black jack made for one hell of a day I will never forget!
posted by Chris | 4:06 PM
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