Nature abhors a vacuum. And so does Las Vegas.
The live entertainment capital of the world has something for all tastes. If you’re just not a music person, you can just gamble all you want. (Though practice some common sense.)
But if you do love music (and what kind of weirdo doesn’t?) then there’s something for everyone. If you’re a classic rock type, well, Santana is doing shows this fall. If you’re an oldies person, there’s always a pop elder statesperson playing that you unlikely to see anywhere else, such as Diana Ross, who is playing the Encore at Wynn Las Vegas (WYNN) this month. If you’re more into modern alt-rock and/or dance music, downtown Vegas recently held the Life is Beautiful festival, featuring Lorde, the Arctic Monkeys and Calvin Harris.
But no matter what is going on in Vegas, there is one unofficial but iron clad rule. There must always be a diva.
At least one glamourous pop starlet that appeals to, if not everyone, then nearly all pop fans must simply always have a residency of some sort in Las Vegas. It’s not in the state’s constitution or by laws, and 2020 was obviously an exception in this regard, but ever since Celine Dion started her record-breaking “A New Day” residency in 2003, casinos like Park MGM (MGM) seemingly always make certain there is an A-List pop goddess to bring the crowds in.
At the moment, that role is being capably filled by Katy Perry, who is bringing hits such as “Teenage Dream” to her Play residency at the Resorts World Las Vegas. But Perry doesn’t have any shows booked in the residency after October, and has indicated that she is considering another world tour soon.
Dion hasn’t had a residency in years, owing to persistent muscle spasms, and former Vegas regular Britney Spears has said that, after the accumulated trauma of her years under conservatorship, she may never play live again. Adele has her Weekends With Adele residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace booked through March of next year, but she’s also prone to saying that she might quit touring one of these days, so it’s anyone’s guess if she’ll extend the booking beyond that.
But fortunately for pop fans, the dreaded diva shortage may not arrive, as the great lady is reportedly eyeing her return to Vegas.
Diva Is Considering a Return To Vegas
Lady Gaga has wrapped up her covid-delayed “Chromatica Ball” world tour, in support of the 2020 album “Chromatica,” which was considered by fans and critics to be one of the most dance music-centric and euphoric albums she’s ever released.
But now that’s over, it seems Gaga might be in the mood to stay in one place and let the crowds come to her for a while, as Casino reports that she is in “deep negotiations” to resume her Las Vegas residency next year.
Like with Dion, there was a concern that Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Germanotta, might retire from the road owning to health reasons, as Germanotta has long contended with fibromyalgia and its attendant musculoskeletal pain and fatigue. But fortunately, she seems to be in good health these days, as many fans have said that “Chromatica Ball” was one of her best tours yet.
Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
Lady Gaga Is No Stranger To Las Vegas
Lady Gaga can sell out any venue in the world, but the New York-born artist seems to have a special place in her heart for Sin City.
Her 2018 residency ran through May 2022 at the Park MGM, and reportedly earned $78 million at the box office, with Gaga getting a guarantee of $1 million per show for the 74 initial shows of her residency, twice what Spears and Dion earned.
The residency actually consisted of two separate shows. “Enigma” was Gaga’s greatest hits, so you know you got some “Bad Romance” and “Applause” in there, as well as surprises like a cover of David Bowie's "I'm Afraid of Americans."
The “Jazz & Piano” show was seemingly modeled on the duet albums she’s made with Vegas icon Tony Bennett (the reason your grandparents know who Gaga is), and featured unplugged versions of Gaga hits and American songbook standards associated with Billie Holiday and Etta James.
Negotiations are reportedly ongoing, but should the residency happen, the “Enigma” show is expected to be updated to her current “Chromatica Ball” show.
It consisted of two distinctly different shows: “Enigma,” which included the pop icon’s greatest hits; and “Jazz & Piano,”
