DION, OTHER STARS SAY SHOWS MUST GO ON IN ENGLAND
The shows will go on for Celine Dion, the Imagine Dragons, Katy Perry and others who plan to keep their commitment to perform in England after the horrific Manchester terror bombing. Dion’s publicist Kim Jakwerth confirmed by email Wednesday that the Caesars Palace headliner’s European tour is still on.
Celine honored what she called the “beautiful souls” during her show Tuesday by having the audience stand, hold hands with the person on each side and raise them in a show of unity.
The suicide bombing claimed 22 lives, most young fans, and injured 64. The attack occurred outside Manchester Arena after American pop star Ariana Grande’s concert.
Dion returns to England for the first time in a decade, starting next month.
This weekend, Las Vegas’ Imagine Dragons plan to keep their commitment to perform in London at BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend. Also participating: Lorde, Lana Del Rey, Shawn Mendes and The Chainsmokers, according to reports.
Dan Reynolds, frontman for the Imagine Dragons, tweeted on Tuesday, “We will not be fearful. We will not be intimidated by hate.”
After ending her current Las Vegas engagement on June 3, Dion’s European tour starts June 15 in Copenhagen, Denmark. After a performance in Stockholm, Sweden, she has concerts June 20-21 in The O2 in London and a June 25 commitment at Manchester Arena. She also has an Aug. 1 date in Manchester.
New twist to Bellagio Fountains story A report by the Review-Journal’s Robin Leach stating the Bellagio Fountains may be closing and replaced by a shopping center has created some waves, including an emphatic denial.
It started Monday with a headline on Leach’s Twitter feed that suggested imminent action: “Bellagio Fountains to close after Drake’s Billboard Music Performance?”
His story began: “I can confirm that preliminary discussions have been held among top MGM execs for the 22 million-gallon, 8.5-acre lagoon site of the Bellagio Fountains to be drained and replaced with a boutique shopping and restaurant promenade.”
He called Drake’s taped performance of his hit “Gyalchester” for the Billboard Music Awards “a fitting end to the nearly 20-year of one of America’s most popular attractions.”
That brought a quick and emphatic response from Jenn Michaels, senior vice president of public relations of at MGM Resorts International. She tweeted: “We have NO plans to eliminate Bellagio fountains, 1 of world’s most identifiable tourism landmarks.”
Leach responded, “Despite the denial by MGM Resorts, our sources still say that meetings have been held to discuss the possible changes.”
The thunderbolt of a story had a familiar ring to blogger Michael Movestro, editor-in-chief of VegasBright.com.
“Gosh, this sounds familiar,” he wrote on his blog Tuesday. “Let’s look at the headline from our April Fool’s joke article: ‘Shopping Could Replace Bellagio Fountains in Five Years.’”
Leach said a final decision on the fate of the fountains is expected by mid-summer. He added, according to his sources, “drawings and budgeting for the replacement are going ahead.” Hot links Dubai flies the Union Jack on world’s tallest building to show support for Manchester terror victims http://pic.twitter.com/3pB0QNDJ5T
The day Tupac ran into the Long Beach Poly football team on its way to Las Vegas http://bit.ly/2rVmLYt
Yankees play ‘God Save the Queen’ before game http://bit.ly/2ri6GQb
Big Sur landslide called largest in California history http://bit.ly/2ri6MY9
A must-read Roger Moore story http://pic.twitter.com/LKHD5RgHU0
On this day… May 24, 1955: The Moulin Rouge opens as the first racially integrated hotel/casino in Las Vegas. Previously, blacks were welcomed as performers, but not as guests. Moulin Rouge went bankrupt seven months later and was converted into an apartment complex and later a motel. It burns down in 2003.
May 25, 1956: Silver Palace opens in downtown Las Vegas, featuring the city’s first set of “motor stars” – as the newspapers referred to the escalators – connecting the upstairs casino to the downstairs restaurant. Years later it was named Mermaids and specialized in 99-cent fried Twinkies.
The punch line “After Air Force One landed in Israel, Donald Trump reached for Melania’s hand and she slapped it away. Yeah, there’s video of it. She slaps it away. So, we’ve been wrong all this time. They apparently do have a normal marriage.” – Conan O’Brien
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