It is collab-dropping at its finest on Friday night as Karol G rolls into Allegiant Stadium.
The fiery Latina artist and Bruno Mars have teamed up on a track from her new album, “No Me Arrepiento de Sentir Tanto,” which is being released Friday.
The track list was out Wednesday, via Billboard. Mars and Karol are paired up on “Still.”
As we always ask in such instances, “How does this affect Las Vegas?” How about an in-person visit from Mars at Friday’s show?
It’s hardly out of the question. Mars, pausing his Dolby Live residency, is on break from his massively successful “The Romantic” world tour. He has been known to join collaborative partners, including Lady Gaga and Rosé, onstage to perform newly released songs (“Die With a Smile” for Gaga and “APT.” with Rosé).
Mars has not taken the stage in Las Vegas since opening his tour in April (when he had at least one street named for him). So he’s due.
We always want more Bruno, regardless of format, genre or scale. I would have been fine if he’d ambled into the AC/DC performance on Saturday night for “Shoot To Thrill.”
Mars is among an impressive list of guest stars on the album, which is translated to “I Don’t Regret Feeling So Much.” (Who asked you!?) Drake is on “Ahí,” Judeline and Rusowsky on “Bby Wow” and Greg Gonzalez of Cigarettes After Sex on the ending “Después de Ti.”
Beyond the collabs (and as lined up by Billboard), the new album is dusted with such provocative titles as “Bebiendo Lagrimas” (“Drinking Tears”), “Alguien Que Te Amaba” (“Someone Who Loved You”) and “¿Con Quién Andará?” (“Who Is He Dating?”).
The Colombian superstar arrives in Las Vegas on the momentum of her set at Coachella in April, where she was the first Latina performer to headline the festival.
During her tour stop in Toronto in July, the woman born Carolina Giraldo Navarro said (through Spanish translation), “I’ve been locked in for months making new music. For months, I’ve been preparing a segment that will form part of this tour … It’s an album that I can’t wait to sing with all of you.” And “all of you” includes a superstar Las Vegas headliner.
What Works in Vegas
Pauly Shore at Laugh Factory.
The 58-year-old “Encino Man” sold out Monday’s show at the Horseshoe’s second-level comedy hut. Shore arrived wearing two shirts, a plaid button-down that was inside out, over a “Kill Tony” T-shirt that was not.
Shore sold 80 tickets day-of to fill the venue, which seats 23o.
Club GM Harry Basil wants him back in October. So does the comic.
Blowing it out at 20
Spiegelworld marked its 20th anniversary on Thursday with a YouTube clip titled “From Pier to Palace.” The seven-minute video reaches back to the 2006 premiere of “Absinthe” at Pier 17 in New York City.
Entertainment visionary Ross Mollison, today known as The Impresario, leads a tour of the parcel where the Spiegeltent was built. David O’Mer, the vaunted “Bathtub Boy,” was part of that Day One cast. Five years later, after its NYC debut, the show opened at Caesars Palace.
The initial “Absinthe” engagement was supposed to last six months. But here they are, cutting videos, selling burgers in the Green Fairy Garden and performing 16 shows a week.
Cheers to Gaz, who has become a veritable Las Vegas icon.
Music to our ears
The late sound man Kevin Harvey was righteously remembered at The Composers Showcase of Las Vegas at Myron’s on Wednesday night. Harvey died of a heart ailment on June 22 at age 71. He had worked the console at Cabaret Jazz/Myron’s since its opening in March 2o12 through retiring in December 2023.
Wednesday’s was the first TCS since Harvey’s death. His widow, Katherine Sellers, set up a memorial photo display with a guest book for a celebration of life later this year.
Host and founder Keith Thompson told the crowd of Harvey’s “curmudgeonly” attitude about his craft, always warning bassists “not too loud” as they arrived at sound check.
Thompson also said the room’s sound still has Harvey’s influence.
The small speakers around the venue were his creation, providing a “surround sound” feel. There is no better-sounding room of its size that I’ve experienced.
Vegas jazz great Michelle Johnson was a friend of Harvey’s long before he started at The Smith Center. She penned a song for him specially for Wednesday’s show, “I’ll Miss Your Sound.”
The lyrics were plentiful with double meanings, references to audio calibration and friendship: “I’ll miss your laughter and your grumbles, and the talks we used to have about the highs and lows and mids we’ve all been through.” When you hear the full, lush music and singing performed at Myron’s, remember Kevin Harvey.
Perez on pause
Franky Perez and the All Nighters are dark through August at Treasure Island. Next on-sale date is Sept. 3. This, we learned when checking the T.I. ticket site. See y’all next month, says the calendar …
Tease this …
The item held over from the Foundation Room to The Vinyl Room is in 33 Lounge. You might need to ask the barback to point it out, but it’s there …
Cool Hang Alert
Returning to Myron’s, The Family Stone plays the room 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday. The show features Sly & The Family Stone’s classics, delivered by founding member Jerry Martini along with Phunne Stone, daughter of Sly Stone and two late Cynthia Robinson. You have two chances to get your funk on. Go to TheSmithCenter.com for intel.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.