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With two decades of steady pop radio hits under their belts, Maroon 5 are a perfect fit for a Las Vegas residency, breezing through a tight 20-song setlist during night 2 of their Dolby Live at Park MGM opening weekend on Saturday (March 25).
Adam Levine drives the energy of the hour-and-a-half show — never staying in one place for too long as he constantly moves across the stage and darts closer to the crowd on an X-shaped catwalk, wearing a series of tattoo-bearing outfits (or just no shirt at all). But it’s truly a full-band showcase, with spotlights on founding guitarist James Valentine’s shredding solos, a jamming song led by keyboardist PJ Morton, and a trio of brass players adding vibrant horns throughout.
Even if you don’t know Maroon 5’s catalog front and back, the most casual pop fan will recognize the Billboard Hot 100 mainstays that make up the setlist, including a host of collaborations that Levine takes on solo, whether he’s singing the Christina Aguilera verse on “Moves Like Jagger,” pulling double-duty on the SZA duet “What Lovers Do,” or performing rap-free versions of songs with Wiz Khalifa (“Payphone”) or Gym Class Heroes (“Stereo Hearts”). The one rapper we did hear on Saturday night was Cardi B, whose intro to the seven-week Hot 100 No. 1 “Girls Like You” was broadcast ahead of the second track of a three-song encore.
What else can you expect from Maroon 5’s new M5LV residency? Below, find Billboard’s five favorite moments from opening weekend.
The Greatest-Hits Setlist
Maroon 5 have 32 Hot 100 hits — including four No. 1s and 15 top 10s — so they had a deep bench of music to choose from. In the end, the 20-song setlist was heavy on their hits, aside from two covers (we’ll get to those in a second) and one showcase for keyboardist PJ Morton, a Grammy-winning R&B singer/songwriter in his own right. The result was a nonstop string of songs that anyone who has listened to pop radio in the last 20 years would instantly recognize regardless of their level of fandom, which made for the perfect communal Vegas dance party in the crowd. (According to setlist.fm, there were a couple of small changes between the first two nights, with the night 1 crowd getting the 2017 Future collab “Cold” and 2012’s ‘Daylight,” while night 2 included the 2017 SZA team-up “What Lovers Do.”)
A Pair of Sky-High Covers
Levine picked two cover songs tailor-made to show off his famous falsetto, starting with “Wanna Be Your Lover” by Prince (whose “Kiss” was also the last song fans heard before the concert kicked off) and ending the pre-encore setlist with the Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive.”
The Tribute to Their Late Manager
The most poignant moment of the night was when the band remembered their late manager Jordan “Jordi” Feldstein, a childhood friend of Levine’s and the brother of Jonah Hill and Beanie Feldstein who died in 2018 at age 40 from a heart attack. A video package showed photos of Levine and Feldstein as small kids and then in their early days as a band guided by Feldstein’s management.
Ahead of playing “Memories,” their 2019 tribute to Feldstein that peaked at No. 2 on the Hot 100, Levine explained the mission behind the track. “My goal is that every crowd who sees this residency fully understands that that song is about that man right there,” he said. “And that’s what that song is about for us. But what I think is so beautiful about the song, as it gained popularity over the years, it meant something different, it’s for a different person for everyone who loved the song. So it’s an extremely special song that we can have as a band that we can share with everybody. So we just want to say thank you for sharing it with us. Sometimes it’s not the easiest thing, but it makes it all that much more easy when we share it together.”
The In-Crowd Moment & A Note to Usher
When Levine and guitarist James Valentine emerged to kick off the three-song encore, they weren’t onstage anymore; they were sauntering through the crowd, between the first and second sections of fans in the lower level. They ended up settling into a particular spot in the aisle that just happened to have a small platform for the frontman to stand on. Levine acknowledged that the space was originally created for Usher’s Vegas residency but that he would borrow for the night. He even brought out a Sharpie to leave Usher a note for when he returns to the Dolby Live theater for new residency dates in April.
“What should I say?” he asked the crowd before beginning his permanent-marker message. “‘Dear Usher: You’re so, so, so, so, so, so cute. Thanks for letting me use your little stumpy stair thing. I love you and you’re sexy. Love, Justin Timberlake.’ Perfect! I really did sign it Justin Timberlake.” We’ll see if Usher gets the message next month, As Levine said: “If they erase it I’ll be pissed.”
‘This One’s Always for You, B’
On Saturday night, Levine made a small shout-out to his wife of almost nine years, model Behati Prinsloo, introducing the 2013 top 10 Hot 100 hit “Love Somebody” by saying, “This one’s always for you, B.” Levine steered clear of referencing the texting scandal that made headlines last fall, but during Friday’s opening night, Prinsloo and the couple’s three children were in the building, with Levine saying onstage, “They’re everything, all that matters to me in the whole world. I love you guys. My kids have never been up this late in their entire f—ing lives. They’re falling asleep.”
The Full Setlist for Night 2
AnimalsOne More NightThis LoveStereo HeartsHarder to BreatheSunday MorningPayphoneWhat Lovers DoMakes Me WonderWanna Be Your Lover (Prince cover)Heavy (PJ Morton with Adam Levine)MapsMemoriesDon’t Wanna KnowLove SomebodyMoves Like JaggerStayin’ Alive (Bee Gees cover)ENCOREShe Will Be LovedGirls Like YouSugar
Upcoming Dates for Maroon 5’s M5LV Residency
March 29March 31April 1April 5April 7-8July 28-29Aug. 2Aug. 4-5Aug. 9Aug. 11-12
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Usher is back in Sin City! The R&B star remixed one of his classics in a video teasing the return of his Las Vegas residency, which resumed on Friday (Feb. 24).
“It’s almost time for Vegas Part II. Ya’ll ready? Daddy’s Home,” the singer captioned a video of him being driven to his residency while a remix to his 1997 hit “You Make Me Wanna” plays in the background.
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Last week, Usher added an additional 15 dates to his sold-out My Way residency. The news shows will take place in June and October.
Tickets for the new dates went on sale Saturday (Feb. 25) at Ticketmaster and Live Nation. Fans can also score passes through Vivid Seats and StubHub.
Usher’s next performance is scheduled for Wednesday, March 1. Click the buy button below to purchase tickets for any of the dates that are still available (the show on March 8 has been canceled and will be refunded or rescheduled, according to Ticketmaster).
Usher My Way: The Vegas Residency $from $149
In a recent interview with GQ magazine, Usher shared what he enjoys about the residency. “I like the idea of what I’ve found in Las Vegas,” explained the father of four. “It gives me an opportunity to settle. I have children now. I got a life, so [I like] being able to have a few days in certain places and being able to celebrate those places and enjoy them. At this age, you try to hold on to the moments.”
On the heels of teasing his return to Las Vegas, Usher debuted in a new campaign for Uber Reserve on Monday (Feb. 27). From photoshoots and interviews to being a dad, the video campaign takes fans through a chaotic day in the life of Usher and shows how Uber Reserve helps him get to destinations on time.
Usher is the latest singer to appear in an Uber commercial after Diddy’s Super Bowl commercial for Uber One featuring Kelis and Montell Jordan. The service includes discounted Uber rides and discounts on Uber Eats deliveries.
Click here for a full list of current Las Vegas residencies.
U2 are taking over Las Vegas, and what better way to announce their grand return to the stage than with a Super Bowl commercial aired to millions of viewers?
In the ad aired during the big game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday (Feb. 12), the band revealed that they will help launch the MSG Sphere, a long-awaited venue at The Venetian casino and resort, in the fall. The announcement also came with the launch of the corresponding website U2 x SPHERE, where fans can register to receive all the details.
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Last month, U2 announced they’ll be releasing a compilation album titled Songs of Surender on March 17, and the project will contain 40 reworked versions of tracks from throughout their 40-plus-year career. The collection, a companion to singer Bono’s recent memoir Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story, will feature updated takes on classic hits like “One,” “Bad,” “Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses,” “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” “Desire,” “With or Without You” and “I Will Follow,” among others. Guitarist The Edge curated and produced the collection of re-recorded and reimagined songs from across U2’s catalog, which were laid down in sessions over the past two years.
U2’s most recent album was 2017’s Songs of Experience. Watch the announcement in the Super Bowl commercial below.
The MSG Sphere — a partnership between the Madison Square Garden Company and Las Vegas Sands Corporation — was initially set to open in 2021, but construction was suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Watch the extended ad below:
You’ve got a friend coming to Sin City. James Taylor and His All Star Band announced Tuesday (Jan. 24) that they’ll kick off the summer with a stint in Las Vegas.
The singer and his backing band are set to take over The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas starting June 3 for a weeklong run of five exclusive shows as part of their 2023 tour. Tickets will go on sale to the general public this Saturday (Jan. 28) at 10 a.m. PT via Ticketmaster and The Cosmopolitan’s official website. Fans can also purchase tickets by calling (800) 745-3000.
Presales for the Las Vegas dates, which include June 3, 4, 7, 9 and 10, will be available in the days leading up to the general sale, starting with Citi cardholders Wednesday (Jan. 25) at 10 a.m. PT through Friday (Jan. 27) at 10 p.m. PT. Additional presales for MGM Rewards members and both Ticketmaster and Live Nation customers will begin the following day, Thursday (Jan. 26), also at 10 a.m. PT.
Months before heading to Vegas, Taylor will help headline the 2023 Love Rocks NYC benefit concert in March along with St. Vincent, the John Mayer Trio, Sheryl Crow and Mavis Staples. The special showcase at the Beacon Theater will help nonprofit food delivery charity God’s Love We Deliver and also feature appearances by Stephen Colbert, Andy Cohen, Chevy Chase and Phoebe Robinson in between sets from Pat Benatar & Neil Girlado, My Morning Jacket’s Jim James, Stephen Marley, Gary Clark Jr., Allison Russell and more.
Check out Taylor’s announcement of his Vegas shows below.
After the pandemic shutdown that darkened theaters on the Las Vegas Strip from February 2020 until July 2021, the “Entertainment Capital of the World’ is now amid a new golden era of entertainment. After opening both Allegiant Stadium and Resorts World Theatre in 2021, now in their first full year these two new venues and the existing Dolby Live performed top in their class according to Billboard’s year-end Boxscore charts thanks to residencies by Silk Sonic, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and more. And that boom’s expected to continue for the foreseeable future.
“Coming back as strongly and swiftly as we have has been such a surprise because we didn’t know what to expect,” says John Nelson, senior vp of Concerts West/AEG Presents, Las Vegas, which books the Resorts World and select Allegiant Stadium shows. “It taught us that we can’t always tell what’s just ahead of us. But Vegas is changing. If you interpret that definition of entertainment more broadly to include sports and spectacles, Vegas is continuing for the next decade as the entertainment capital of the world with F1 in 2023 and Super Bowl coming in 2024.”
Formerly Park Theater at MGM, Dolby Live features Live Nation residency shows such as Lady Gaga Jazz + Piano, Silk Sonic and Usher, topped the category for venues from 5,000 to 10,000 capacity with 478,000 tickets grossing $114.5 million over 98 shows according to figures reported to Billboard Boxscore. There, Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak’s Silk Sonic played 51 shows throughout the year, grossing $50.4 million; Usher played 25 shows with $24.1 million gross; and Lady Gaga capped out her run with 9 shows bringing in $12.9 million.
“The Vegas entertainment community worked tirelessly behind the scenes to get entertainment back up and running again,” says Amanda Moore-Saunders, senior vp of Las Vegas residencies for Live Nation. “It’s mind-blowing to know that our team booked and marketed over 900 shows in Las Vegas in 2022, with residencies from the biggest artists in the world such as Adele, Gaga, Shania [Twain], Miranda [Lambert], Usher and many more, plus now we have Garth Brooks to look forward to in 2023; not to mention booking 13 of the 15 concerts at Allegiant Stadium this year with sell-out shows from BTS, Metallica, Bad Bunny and more.”
Allegiant Stadium, which debuted with sold-out shows from Illenium and Garth Brooks in July 2021 — also signifying the return to touring after the pandemic — grossed $182.5 million with over 1 million tickets sold from 24 shows in 2022. The new stadium with 65,000 seats has opened the city up to large touring shows, which previously passed by Las Vegas. Top 10 grossing tours, including Live Nation’s Bad Bunny, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Def Leppard & Mötley Crüe and The Weeknd and AEG’s Elton John and The Rolling Stones all played the venue in its first 15 months. BTS ($35.9 million), Bad Bunny ($22.1 million) and The Rolling Stones ($14.8 million) were the venue’s top earners.
“I’ve never seen anything like this,” says Chris Wright, general manager of Allegiant. “I’ve seen venues turn around in markets but this is such a unique thing. The Raiders are fantastic partners. With the city and the state’s foresight to invest in this building, so many entities are all truly pulling together, working in the same direction for common success. One of the things I truly have come to love about the city is all of these disparate entities are not so disparate. People work together here to make something successful. And it’s really amazing to watch. I don’t think a lot of cities have that dynamic.”
Wright, who was previously vp and general manager of Oakland Coliseum and Oracle Arena, knew that the idea of a stadium in Las Vegas was already a risk, coupled with the task of opening a venue of that scale in the middle of a pandemic.
“There were a number of people with lots of experience who understood the business who had questioned whether a stadium in Vegas would truly do significant business. And here we are,” says Wright. Allegiant almost doubled the numbers of its closer competitor SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. SoFi grossed $107.8 million over 11 shows with 547,000 tickets sold. SoFi and Allegiant, both newcomers, joined State Farm stadium in Arizona in establishing a touring route.
“We fit into a routing through L.A. and Arizona — sitting in the middle [that works for artists to] add another date. But more than that, we have the ability to draw people to come to shows in Las Vegas who see the same shows elsewhere,” Wright says, noting that given the city’s vast entertainment offering it is easy for consumers to build multi-show Vegas weekends — a stadium show, a residency, a sporting event and more. But for the newcomer, getting the right content is an important piece of the puzzle and that came from building a team with strong relationships.
“[Our opening strategy] was an ‘everything’ strategy, our relationships with Live Nation and AEG were instrumental to bringing shows into the stadium and demonstrating that it works,” says Wright. “[We built a team] that canvases all avenues of the music industry — promoters, agents who we have relationships with, managers who we have relationships — constantly going at every opportunity and advancing forward. On a day-to-day basis, you just want to grab as much as you can and you’re constantly trying to move on events.”
With so much demand within the city and the number of venues available to book, getting the right content becomes increasingly difficult as many acts will do residency engagements prior to going on tour.
“It’s definitely competitive. I think if someone is going out on a stadium tour without factoring in a residency component, or a festival play, then I think it makes perfect sense to play Allegiant Stadium. It gets a little more complicated when someone is trying to calculate the impact of a residency either in front of their tour or behind their tour,” Wright says. “But we’ve gotten to the point now where people recognize you can do a stadium play and then come back and do a residency and be wildly successful doing that. I think one complements the other.”
For theaters under 5,000 capacity, newcomer AEG’s Resorts World Theatre, opening in 2021 with residencies from Katy Perry (40 shows, $24.7 million), Luke Bryan (18 shows, $10.5 million) and Carrie Underwood (18 shows, $12.4 million), grossed $55,272,018 over 87 shows with 326,510 tickets sold.
“Resorts World stepped up and made this enormous commitment to build the greatest theater in Las Vegas during a pandemic. They followed through and they did it. They did it on time and we opened and coincided with Vegas’ reemergence. Every day we’re grateful, surprised and happy with what’s happening,” says Bobby Reynolds, senior vp of AEG Presents Las Vegas.
Reynolds says standards across the city have been raised since the pandemic: “The city is firing on all cylinders, whether it’s entertainment or hotels — 20 months, a billion dollars. It is refreshing to see that pent up demand we thought was going to be there really is.”
He continues, “Katy’s show is beautifully produced. It’s huge. It’s massive, it’s larger than life by design. Luke’s concept for his show is so flexible and moves around so well. It’s so impressive with the risers of the stage, and of course, his catwalk that comes over the audience and Carrie’s show with its water feature and pyro. Everyone came in and did their own thing. Kevin Hart coming in to shoot for his next streaming special is a big feather in our cap and he is coming back on New Year’s Eve. I’d be surprised if Kevin didn’t return for more shows.”
In the highly competitive over 15,0001-plus-capacity category, T-Mobile Arena, which is located within the Park MGM campus, took fourth with $124.7 million grossed over 58 shows and 731,000 tickets sold.
George Strait played shows on Dec. 3-4, 2021 and Feb. 11-12, combining to $10.1 million; Daddy Yankee grossed $4.1 million on Aug. 6 and 20; and My Chemical Romance took in $2.3 million on Oct. 7.
“MGM Resorts is home to the industry’s premier entertainment venues [like Dolby Live and T-Mobile Arena]. The success we’ve seen the past two years is a true testament to our employees, event partners, and loyal entertainment and sports fans who enjoy the array of experiences we offer,” says Chris Baldizan, MGM Resorts International’s executive vp of entertainment. “We have hosted some of the world’s preeminent artists and sporting events over the years and look forward to delivering more exciting content in the months and years ahead.”
Live Nation Las Vegas president Kurt Melien concludes, “[We] are uniquely positioned to support live entertainment at every level including residency programming and big arena and stadium business, to our clubs and theaters, as well as a strong pipeline of festivals. We’ve been able to support artists as they bring more concerts and more creativity than ever to the city.”
It’s no secret that Adele has one of the most respected voices in music and can write a heartbreaking ballad with the best of them. But what music fans only aware of her chart-topping hits from the radio might not know is just how hysterical she is.
At opening night of her new Weekends With Adele residency in Las Vegas, there were countless moments of Adele’s brilliantly bawdy sense of humor, with the F-bombs flying freely as she briskly bantered with the crowd between songs in the Colosseum at Caesars Palace.
In Billboard’s seven best moments from the show, we highlighted one such moment when she hilariously focused on her love for a certain AMC show.
“I’ve got a lot to tell you. It’s a bloody massive week for me, this week,” she said. “It’s the Walking Dead finale on Sunday! Do we have any Walking Dead fans here?” She was surprised to get a lot of feedback, thinking the opening-night group might be a little too highbrow for the zombie show. “Oh! I thought this was going to be a stiffer crowd than that. I’ve been obsessed with The Walking Dead for like over a decade, and on Sunday it’s all coming to an end.
“And obviously it’s opening night, and it was the Grammys [nominations], and it’s the World Cup — f—ing hell, there’s a lot going on!” she said, offhandedly mentioning the seven 2023 Grammy nods she picked up on Tuesday and her beloved England squad playing in the global soccer tournament starting Sunday.
But that was just the tip of the chatty iceberg. Below, find Billboard’s favorite one-liners and between-song banter from night 1 of Weekends With Adele.
We’ll never know what Adele’s Las Vegas residency looked like back in January when she tearfully canceled the shows on the eve of opening night. But after Friday’s (Nov. 18) first performance of Weekends With Adele at the Colosseum in Caesars Palace, we know exactly what it looks like now: utterly and breathlessly spectacular.
The beloved British singer/songwriter addressed the cancellation toward the end of the two-hour-plus concert, calling it “the worst feeling I’ve ever had but the best decision I’ve ever made.” It’s hard to argue with her after seeing all the massive technical flourishes and tiny thoughtful touches that color the 20-song set. It’s clear that Adele lovingly dedicated the past 10 months to creating the intimate show of her dreams, and the lucky 4,000-plus fans who got to be in the room returned the love tenfold, reducing the singer to tears more than once throughout the poignant night.
“I’m truly sorry for any inconvenience or any disappointment that I caused,” she told the crowd. “But we’re here tonight, together.”
Of course, the show wasn’t all waterworks – this is Vegas, after all, and this is Adele, whose concerts frequently double as a stand-up comedy routine, with her trademark cockney one-liners and between-song banter. She also wielded a T-shirt gun to launch merch, a handwritten note and a $50 bill for cocktails to four fans, seamlessly working in a Rambo reference between her heart-achingly personal breakup ballads. And the audience got out of their seats on more than one occasion too, with Adele reminding the crowd ahead of “Water Under the Bridge”: “I don’t have many uptempos, so if you want to dance, now’s the time.”
But the true centerpiece of any Adele performance is her inimitable voice, and on Friday, her powerful and nimble vocals sounded up to the challenge of carrying two shows a weekend into the new year and beyond — and when she needs a break, her fans are always more than happy to sing every word.
As she kicks off five months of shows in Sin City, come inside the room with Billboard for the seven best moments of Weekends With Adele opening night.
Back in January, in a tearful video posted to Twitter, Adele canceled her original Las Vegas residency dates the night before the Weekends With Adele concerts were set to open. Ten months later, she once again fired up her Twitter account on the night before her rescheduled residency is set to kick off — but this time, it was to marvel at just how excited and anxious she is for her Sin City shows.
“I’m feeling all sorts as I write this,” Adele started a series of four tweets on Thursday night (Nov. 17). “I’m highly emotional, incredibly nervous but can’t sit still because I’m so excited. I feel a million miles away from home, I can’t stop thinking about when I was little and saw Tom Jones in Mars Attacks and thought blimey how did he get from Wales to Las Vegas!?
“I always get scared before shows, and I take it as a good sign because it means I care and means I just want to do a good job,” she continued. “Maybe it’s because I didn’t start when I was supposed to. Maybe it’s because it’s opening night, maybe it’s because Hyde Park went so great, maybe it’s because I love the show, I don’t know. But it’s safe to say I’ve never been more nervous before a show in my career, but at the same time I wish today was tomorrow! I can’t wait to see you out there x.”
The thread came alongside a photo of the 34-year-old British singer/songwriter inside the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, holding a mic and standing amid the seats that will be filled with 4,000-plus adoring fans come Friday night. Behind her on the stage is a giant video screen projecting images of the star as a little girl and as a baby, similar to the projections that played as she sang “When We Were Young” during her Oprah-hosted Adele One Night Only TV concert special late last year.
It’s a big week for Adele, who also scored seven nominations for the 2023 Grammy Awards on Tuesday, including album of the year for her 2021 project 30 and record and song of the year for lead single “Easy on Me.”
Find Adele’s residency dates here, and see just how excited she is to get this thing started below:
I feel a million miles away from home, I can’t stop thinking about when I was little and saw Tom Jones in Mars Attacks and thought blimey how did he get from Wales to Las Vegas!?— Adele (@Adele) November 18, 2022
maybe it’s because Hyde Park went so great, maybe it’s because I love the show I don’t know. But it’s safe to say I’ve never been more nervous before a show in my career, but at the same time I wish today was tomorrow! I can’t wait to see you out there x— Adele (@Adele) November 18, 2022
This past April, John Legend launched his first-ever Las Vegas residency, Love in Las Vegas, at Planet Hollywood’s Zappos Theater. In the process, the multi-talented EGOT-winner joined the ever-growing ranks of vital, younger artists increasingly redefining what such shows can be — and like his contemporaries in the residency space, he’s found that such spectacles offer myriad and unique creative opportunities.
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“Vegas is such a fun canvas to paint on,” says Legend. “It’s kind of liberating.”
When it came to conceptualizing the show, Legend turned to a long-trusted collaborator: creative director Rob English. The two met around 2014, when Legend was signed to Troy Carter’s management company at the time, Atom Factory, and English was on its creative team; later, when Legend’s current manager Ty Stiklorius left Atom Factory to start her own firm, English came along, and they’ve worked together ever since. “He’s just got great taste and knows me very well,” says Legend of English. “He’s able to translate his understanding of me and what I represent to people and put that on the stage visually.”
The result is a dynamic show that perfectly encapsulates Legend’s essence — capturing his appeal as a refined performer, blending technical skill with raw emotion, and employing his extensive catalog to tell the story of his artistic journey and influences. “I think the understanding of Vegas residencies has changed,” English reflects. “Once upon a time it was a death sentence, a signal your career was over. Now, it’s got a completely different color to it. It’s a sign of legitimacy and icon status.”
Ahead of its closing performance on October 29, Legend and English spoke (in separate conversations) about making Love in Las Vegas come together.
What was the appeal of doing a Vegas residency now for both of you?
John Legend: I think Vegas is a fun canvas to paint on; there’s already so much tradition, so much allowance to go big, and kind of the expectation that you’ll go big. It’s kind of liberating; it makes you feel like you can do things you may not have done on a normal tour.
Rob English: The real challenge was, “How do you do Vegas and get a tasteful outcome?” It’s its own beast. Going into our show, we knew from very early on that we had to approach this differently, turn it on its head. How do we bring John Legend’s culture into a show and have it make sense?
What was the starting concept for the show?
Legend: We wanted to tell my story — and a lot of that was about going back to my beginnings in church, where I learned to play music, music that influenced me. We also wanted to be sure it was retrospective on my entire career so far, so music from all of my albums. We spent a lot of time thinking about the sets we’d have; we have a church set at the beginning of the show, a city block party scene that’s more about my time in Philly and New York, we have a piano bar where we get more intimate and I do a lot more solo moments, and then the Vegas celebration at the end fully embracing the spirit of Vegas and a throwback to a lot of the ‘70s references that inspired us. I think it starts from knowing who you are as an artist, basing it in who you are, the music you’ve created, your story and what makes you unique.
English: We basically set out to make like, a movie — loosely based on John’s life, but with this ‘70s flair. The goal was to give a nod to a certain era — in this show to this very Black ‘70s Vegas theme — but it’s gotta be new. You can be inspired by an era, but what you do has to feel contemporary. If you veer too deeply into nostalgia, it can feel camp, almost like a parody of the thing, vs. a fashionable take on a thing.
I think the best Vegas residencies really remind the audience of the totality of who an artist is as a performer – and Love in Las Vegas does that.
English: That’s John. The same guy who plays these love songs everyone wants at their weddings is also super funny on The Voice and with Chrissy [Teigen]…. we wanted to showcase all of that. We’re able to remind people of the full personality he is who they can connect with. A few of the industry people I know who’ve been to the show, they say they feel connected to him in a way they haven’t in awhile. Because we have this canvas of a 90 minute-plus experience, you can really take them on that ride.
Rob English
Lee Loechler
John, did you look to other recent artist residencies for inspiration at all?
Legend: I went to see several of my friends here, and every artist who plays here has a different story. I saw Usher, Bruno and Anderson [of Silk Sonic], Gwen [Stefani]. I loved seeing Gwen’s show, reminiscing through different looks and styles she’s gone through over the years; part of what’s cool about a Vegas residency is that it’s a chance to look back and celebrate all the stories in your life that brought you where you are.
All of them are wonderful. And my show is not like any of their shows. You see things you’d never do yourself, because it’s not you, but you love it for them. And it’s just fun to see other people’s take.
John Legend rehearses for his ‘Love In Las Vegas’ residency.
Jen Rosenstein
What informed putting together the playlist for the show?
English: The hits that end up in the show, it’s based on streaming data, the things that fans really love — and it’s a combo of that and individual things we personally felt would be really fresh and interesting and new. We took some twists and turns here and there. One of the big wins that was very intentional was starting the show off with the way people were introduced to John, with “Used to Love U.”
Is there a hope that the residency will be a springboard to certain other things in John’s career?
English: John’s manager Ty and I discuss these things, and to be honest, this was not about anything else. It was not something he had to do; it wasn’t a vehicle to promote the new album necessarily. Going into it, it was just a way to create an important part of John’s legacy. Doing a Vegas residency was something he’d always dreamed to do. It was a benchmark life achievement moment. The goal I think is that it will play on in different iterations in the coming years — maybe as an opportunity for people to get access to John who don’t necessarily get out to the tours and who want to connect with him.
Legend: It’s a great mid-career thing – you have enough of a repertoire to sustain a residency, but you’re definitely not retiring. [Laughs.] There’s so much ahead of us. It’s a good time to look back and celebrate, but to show people what’s next as well. Mostly, I just want to be proud of the work we do onstage; are we creating a beautiful experience for people, are we making them feel connected and loved? We wanted it to be truly uplifting and celebratory. I think we were certainly able to do that.