MATT SAYLES / INVISION / AP
Diana Ross presents the Dick Clark Award for Excellence to Taylor Swift at the 42nd Annual American Music Awards at Nokia Theater L.A. Live on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2014, in Los Angeles.
By Robin Leach (contact)
Monday, Jan. 26, 2015 | 9:14 a.m.
By Robin Leach (contact)
Monday, Jan. 26, 2015 | 9:14 a.m
The Supremes superstar singer Diana Ross has inked April dates for the first nine performances of her new mini-residency contract at the Venetian. Soon to follow in this new entertainment lineup set for the former “Phantom — The Las Vegas Spectacular” theater will be Janet Jackson, Lionel Richie and Ricky Martin, all exactly as we reveale...ted Jan. 5
The decade of the solo-superstar entertainer returning to the Strip is underway.
Diana, named “Most Successful Female Vocalist of All Time,” takes the stage for her new show “The Essential Diana Ross: Some Memories Never Fade” as of April 1, and this ain’t no April Fools Day joke. Tickets go on sale Friday for three weekends of shows April 1, 3-4, 7-8, 10-11, 15 and 17-18.
She will include songs from her remarkable, nearly five-decade career that made music-history milestones and a significant contribution to pop culture music of the 20th century. She’s promising Motown classics “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” to pop favorites “I’m Coming Out” and hits including “Endless Love.”
Diana, named by Billboard as “Female Entertainer of the Century,” amassed with The Supremes an unprecedented 12 No. 1 hits and six No. 1 solo-artist singles. In her career, Diana has 31 Top 10 singles and 14 Top 10 albums selling more than 100 million copies around the world.
AEG Live, who books concerts at the rival Colosseum in Caesars Palace and the Joint in the Hard Rock Hotel, will stage her show.
John Nelson, senior VP of AEG Las Vegas, commented: “Las Vegas attracts the biggest names in the world, so it is only fitting that one of the most remarkable entertainers of all time brings her talent to a uniquely intimate stage. This limited engagement will allow audience members an unforgettable experience with a living legend.”
I’m reliably told that Diana, along with Lionel, Janet and Ricky, are looking at dates over the next two years for their continuing mini-residencies.
“The Venetian Las Vegas has established itself as a premier luxury destination, which includes some of the finest entertainment offerings on the Strip,” said John Caparella, president and COO of the Venetian, Palazzo and Sands Expo. “We are looking forward to adding to that reputation when Diana Ross steps onto the stage of the Venetian Theater on April 1.”
This is all part of major Las Vegas hotels using their showrooms to compete with mega-clubs that have become our city’s top financial winners the last two years. It also is the return of the classic solo-headliner entertainer that Las Vegas was so renowned for worldwide in its early years.
Still to start their residencies this summer will be Mariah Carey, Reba McEntire and Brooks & Dunn at Caesars Palace, as we’ve previously reported. Is Jennifer Lopez next? Rocker Rod Stewart resumes his residency Tuesday at Caesars as negotiations heat up for Sir Elton John to extend his contract set to end April 14.
Las Vegas is back with superstar headliners. With Diana’s return, watch for even more solo-headliner stars to be lined up in the weeks to come.
Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past 15 years giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.
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