Las Vegas used to be the place where acts long past their prime went to trade off nostalgia.
It was never Branson, Mo., bad where Ronnie McDowell, who had one minor hit in the 1970s, has been a long-running headliner, along with various Osmonds, who are neither Donny nor Marie, and long-forgotten "America, what a country" comedian Yakov Smirnoff.
But in the 1980s and '90s the Las Vegas Strip did not offer the biggest stars in the world. Instead, many of the big rooms owned by Caesars Entertainment and MGM Resorts International featured only in-Vegas-style acts.
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You had Siegfried & Roy, David Copperfield and Penn & Teller along with Wayne Newton, Barry Manilow, Tom Jones, and of course, the big-name Osmonds, Donny and Marie.
At the time, Las Vegas was more kitschy than current, and the biggest names might show up more in tribute shows like the long-running and recently ended "Legends in Concert" than on stage.
That, of course, has changed. Las Vegas now hosts a mix of current performers like Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, Miranda Lambert, Adele and, until recently, Katy Perry. These alongside nostalgia acts that remain current including Garth Brooks, Rod Stewart and even U2.
Las Vegas has also become a major home for big-name DJs and electronic dance music stars as well as legendary R&B acts like Boyz II Men and Jodeci. It has not, however, been a major home for big-name hip-hop acts.
That will change on Super Bowl weekend when one of the biggest name groups in hip-hop begins an unexpected Las Vegas residency.
Wu-Tang Clan headed to Las Vegas
A Wu-Tang Clan Las Vegas residency is a surprise because anything the hip-hop collective does is surprising. The group, which consists of RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, U-God, Masta Killa, Inspectah Deck, Cappadonna, and the dearly departed Ol’ Dirty Bastard (ODB) has performed only sporadically in recent years.
The group never broke up, but it takes a lot to get the full collective together to perform or record. That will change with Wu-Tang Clan committing to multiple shows at The Theater at Virgin Hotels next year.
“Wu-Tang Clan: The Saga Continues … The Las Vegas Residency” will first bow at The Theater on Feb. 9, with two performances scheduled for the days before Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Wu-Tang Clan previously called MGM's MGM grand home playing a residency with Nas in 2023.
Other concerts are set for March, coinciding with the end of the first round and beginning of the second round of March Madness 2024, according to a news release.
Virgin Hotels tries to lure people from the Strip
With the Las Vegas Strip offering such a dense cluster of massive resort casinos featuring some of the biggest acts in the world, it's a challenge to get people to venture off the Strip.
Virgin Hotels, which sits about two blocks off the Strip, has used its 4,500-seat theater to try to get people to make the trip.
The Theater in January will host everything from the comedian Marlon Wayans to a 1990s R&B nostalgia show featuring Ginuwine and Dru Hill along with a major boxing match promoted by Oscar De La Hoya.
Virgin Hotels has also tried to attract a following with its all-suite format.
"Whether you prefer to sleep in or step out, these digs provide the freedom to do your thing, whatever that may be," the Hilton-operated hotel says on its website.
"Our lifestyle-focused chambers are split by a sliding set of privacy doors that creates two separate areas, one for rest and one for revival. With beds that surprise and delight, in-room treats, and a vanity to die for – no wonder we predict this to be your new place in the city."
