"Going the Vegas Route..."

[CSCfan]

Going the Vegas Route...

 

When Palm Beach County’s own pop pride and joy, Celine Dion, announced a few years ago that she was moving to Vegas, I sensed a bigger trend in the making. Essentially, Dion was giving up touring and making her act a standing attraction in the neon-lit city. The way I saw it, more and more artists would follow her path. Why be on the road for months at a time, traveling to your fan base, when you can have your fan base travel to you at a popular tourist destination?

 

Now, it seems my prediction has come true, at least according to a New York Times piece that ran yesterday. It noted the stories of Dion, Barry Manilow and a slew of other performers that are becoming fixed attractions in Vegas.

 

But here’s the question the Times didn’t ask: Is this necessarily a good thing?

 

While I don’t truly begrudge Dion or any other artist the right to base themselves in one city – I just noted in a blog last week the difficulties of non-stop touring – I do admit that the average concertgoer stands to lose in such an arrangement. If you’re a big Dion fan, you now have to add the cost of airfare and hotel to the already pricey cost of a ticket to see her. And even if you don’t mind going to Vegas – and can afford it – you’re losing out on the visceral thrill of knowing your favorite artist is in your town.

 

I also thought about this when I read a story about the Rolling Stones’ recent visit to Albany, N.Y. – the capital of New York state but hardly a major destination. Imagine if you were an Albany resident – or better yet, an Albany native: What could be more glorious than knowing Mick and company, arguably the greatest rock band next to the Beatles, were in your town for a night? Somehow a trip to Vegas isn’t the same thing.

 

And yet, I wonder if the Stones – and a slew of other classic acts – may follow the Dion example. It’s certainly a comfortable – and profitable – option. Vegas may emerge as a kind of rock ‘n’ roll-era version of Branson – a place where dozens of pop artists from an earlier time have called home, building their own elaborate theaters in the process.

 

But again, where does that leave the fans? Is it not an artist’s responsibility to at least meet them halfway?

 

Source: Palm Beach Post

Edited October 3, 2005 at 06:11 PM by CSCfan

[Koolan]

Nobody does it better than Celine As Dick Clark said on opening night, it's a new chapter in Las Vegas history

[angelsong]

I have to say, I agree with this article 100%, especially, "But again, where does that leave the fans? Is it not an artist’s responsibility to at least meet them halfway?". Now I am not in position to tell Celine where to go and what to do, but that makes perfect sense to me. Edited October 4, 2005 at 09:08 PM by angelsong

[celinedion1]

Well I do know one thing I am very happy that Celine moved to vegas and decided to do a show in Vegas. I saw her show 4 months ago and I loved it. On the way home fro mVegas my mom and I were making plans to see her again and recently we have started planning to see her in 2006 mabe two nights in a row and again in 2007. I know it's hard to please everyone but having her in Vegas certainly pleases my mom and I.

[Celine's Wife]

Thanks for the article