Hardly a week goes by when a major headliner band or singer doesn’t roll into Las Vegas for a concert. From U2 and Nicki Minaj to Madonna and AWOLnation, if there is musical clout behind the name, chances are Las Vegas is a stop on the tour.
Something curious has been happening to this consistency of musical entertainment as of late, though. Instead of simply setting up shop for a single concert or even a couple of shows, an increasing number of singers and bands are hunkering down for a longer musical residency.
Perhaps the best-known resident musical act in Las Vegas in recent years has been Celine Dion, who settled down at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace for several months. This massive performance space seats nearly 4,300 people and has also served as “home” to Elton John, Cher and Rod Stewart. This month, country star Shania Twain began a two-year residency in the venue.
On the other side of Las Vegas Boulevard, another country superstar, Garth Brooks, has proven to be a valuable resident at the Wynn and the Encore, where he performs intimate sets to sold-out audiences. Now the Venetian is following in a similar fashion with the introduction of Soul2Soul, a 10-weekend event that began Dec. 7 and will run through April 2013 showcasing popular country music stars Tim McGraw and Faith Hill.
Not to be outdone by all the cowboy boots, the Hard Rock Hotel has also been bringing in resident artists to please a different kind of crowd, starting with Santana. Tiesto and Motley Crüe followed, and, this past fall, Guns N’ Roses had a 12-run show called “Appetite for Democracy” that was specially designed for its Las Vegas home. The most recent news from the Hard Rock Hotel is that Def Leppard will be moving in from March 22 through April 10. The band’s show “Viva Hysteria!” will feature an elaborate set design created specifically for the Las Vegas residency.
This move toward more permanent concerts offers an interesting opportunity for Las Vegas visitors. In the past, the only sure thing when it came to shows was that there were lots of stage performances available up and down the Strip ranging from comedy and burlesque to a menagerie of Cirque du Soleil options, but catching a specific artist on tour could be difficult. Now there are legitimate singers and bands entering the scene, and the concert options are much more flexible beyond one-off performances. Given the positive response to these residencies, it looks like, once again, what happens in Las Vegas, stays in Las Vegas.