Posted on: May 11, 2021, 2:36 am.
Last update on: May 11, 2021, 02:36 am.
Bruno Mars, Usher and John Legend are among the top-class entertainers who will appear in Las Vegas this summer. The promised performances come after over a year without headlining shows in Las Vegas due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bruno Mars appears at the 2021 Grammy Awards. Six performances are planned for July at the Park Theater in Park MGM in Las Vegas. (Image: CBS)
“There is a pent-up demand from the audience and the concert-goers want to move [beyond] Just the virtual experience, ”James Sammataro, a Miami-based entertainment law attorney at Pryor Cashman, told Casino.org when asked about the entertainment climate.
Recently, six additional dates have been added to Usher’s planned residence at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, starting July 16.
He will appear in 14 shows in July and August. More shows in Las Vegas are planned for the end of this year.
Usher’s return possibly [is] serve as bellwether, “said Sammataro of the headliners’ return to Las Vegas. The highest priced tickets include a two-seat package for $ 2,956 each for the Usher performance on July 16.
Bruno Mars has six shows scheduled for July at the Park Theater at Park MGM in Las Vegas. Available tickets for the July 3 show start at $ 361. They sell for nearly $ 4,000 each for a package of two tickets.
John Legend is scheduled to perform at The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas on September 18th. The single tickets available cost between $ 106 and $ 1,355, according to an online site. VIP welcome and meet packages are more expensive.
Also, three of the Cirque du Soleil-affiliated shows are returning to Las Vegas. Mystere will return to Treasure Island on June 28th and O on July 1st at the Bellagio. The Blue Man Group shows will return to Luxor on June 24th.
Other Cirque du Soleil shows could resume in Las Vegas later this summer.
In addition, Garth Brooks will perform at the new Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on July 10th. It has a capacity of 65,000 seats.
After over a year of quarantine, people seem eager to venture out into the world again, ”Kamal Moo, a Los Angeles-based entertainment attorney, told Casino.org. “It’s not necessarily a question of if, but when things will return to normal. And once they do, I think people left and right will go to concerts. “
Artists eager for live shows
Moo and James Sammataro agree: The actors want to take the stage again.
“The vast majority of musicians love to perform for a live audience. For many of them, this is one of the main reasons they got into music, ”said Moo.
“Entertainers itch to return. Sitting on the edge was financially and creatively crippling, ”adds Sammataro.
“The financial loss is unprecedented in the modern music business. It shook the foundations of the business … “
Even so, the actual time when high-profile shows will return to Las Vegas is relatively difficult to predict given the nature of the pandemic, Sammataro said. “Aside from unforeseen setbacks, midsummer seems realistic,” added Sammataro.
“There has been little linear progress in COVID cases. There have been too many cases of one step forward and two steps back, ”said Sammataro, adding that“ there is now cautious optimism ”.
Sammataro further notes that the Las Vegas venues are dependent on audiences outside of the state. That makes the infection rate in the “somewhat insignificant” state, he adds.
When it comes to ticket prices, these are partly dependent on the permitted capacity. “A show with a capacity of 70 percent will inevitably have a different price than a show with a cap of 50 percent,” said Sammataro.
Recently, Nevada authorities have begun allowing higher capacity in showrooms and large venues. This led to a stabilization in ticket prices, Moo said.
“But the main issue, of course, is whether people will feel comfortable packing into a venue like they did in pre-COVID times,” Moo said.
When asked which top performers could get paid for their Las Vegas shows, Moo replied that it was “really hard to say.
“The guarantee is often directly related to the expected level of production. For example, if it’s a big show with lots of dancers and staff, the artist obviously wants bigger guarantees to cover those costs, ”Moo said.
The health of the performers is key
Both Moo and Sammataro agree: The health of the entertainers on a performance tour has top priority.
“I’ve worked with a variety of clients planning festivals and other events, and as you can probably imagine, there are strict health policies in place to protect the artists, band, crew, audiences, and other employees,” said Moo. Precautions include social distancing, masks, temperature checks, and hand sanitizing stations.
