Tom Jones International

Please indulge us by being patient with this editorial. We all know that the US economy is bad and, for now, getting worse. And, we’ve learned, it’s affecting every facet of our lives. Even seeing a show.

Here in Las Vegas, where house prices have fallen more steeply than just about any other place in the country, things are getting progressively worse. There are all sorts of bargains for people wanting to visit the city (except airfare; that’s difficult because of fuel prices) and, once you arrive, more bargains to be found. In entertainment, there are discounts — for many shows locals get 50 percent off — and all sorts of incentives. But, still, entertainment venues — including the Hollywood Theatre at the MGM Grand — are often comparatively empty when you consider the situation just a year or so ago.

The city is now more than ever trying to lure tourists from overseas and we’ve mentioned before that we see more and more people from other countries at Tom’s shows and that does make them interesting. It’s the Americans who aren’t coming to Las Vegas and who aren’t springing for tickets that cost almost $100 a pop. Why, even local fans who go to several shows over his two-week stands here are cutting back and seeing only one.

We believe it’s unfortunate that Tom’s ticket prices went up in January. We’re used to a top price of almost $300 for Bette or Cher or Elton and Cirque du Soleil shows can be pricey. But those are full-blown production shows; huge, ginormous entertainments.

At the Hollywood Theatre — a relatively small house seating 740 — Tom’s is the second-most expensive ticket, at $92.40. (David Copperfield, at $99, is the most expensive.) Marketing is all smoke and mirrors and that odd number — that extra $2.40 — makes no sense. It just seems peculiar and drives home the perception of a very expensive ticket. When Tom’s tickets went up to $75 from $70 in 2005 in a strong economy, no one blanched. But an additional $17.40 per ticket today seems a bit much. In fact, we don’t even think a new set list would turn the tide these days (well, it would be nice, but it’s about money at this point).
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We’ve covered this ground in the post below, but we first want to say that the show had no surprises — same songs beautifully sung and, as always, The Voice made the evening.

The house was a sellout and, possibly because the shows tonight and tomorrow were added fairly recently, we only saw one long-time fan who regularly attends shows. We sat with people from Massachusetts and the Netherlands. The former hadn’t seen Tom in years and were suitably impressed. The latter, a young couple in town for only two days, didn’t want to leave the theater. When it ended, they just stood for a few minutes and then began to talk to us about Tom. They were enthralled.

Few things were tossed onstage and the show passed quickly. When Tom came out for his encore, a woman sitting at table 5A, seeing him walk toward her to get to center stage, stood up, extended her arms and wagged her fingers. Tom moved a bit closer and he and the woman began to laugh. When she sat down she was heard to say, “Did I do that?” It was funny.

We know we are so very lucky here in Las Vegas. We have him in town so often and we get to meet fans from across the country and around the world; many of whom we’ve only “met” on this site. We are also lucky because, seeing Tom so often and, also, seeing other entertainers here, we’ve come to know with great certainty that the Las Vegas of a few decades ago — a Las Vegas in which entertainment was cheesy and meaningless — is gone.

Today entertainment here has to be among the (if not the) best in the world. And Sir Tom is the best of the best. We’re proud to live here and proud that this man — who has outlasted so many others and who is still today so strong and compelling — exemplifies what Las Vegas entertainment ought to be. Cirque du Soleil may be spectacular, but without elaborate sets, costumes and tricks, Tom Jones is spectacular and real. And we’re very happy about that.

—Ellen & Ursula

Please look at the bottom of this post for ticket HOB New Orleans presale news & code word, as well as a new booking.

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Sir Tom and the troupe come to the Hollywood Theatre tonight for the first of 16 shows.

When you consider The Voice, the energy required and the fact that he’s been doing this for 40+ years, it’s really a stupendous accomplishment.

In fact, a master musician we know is always (correctly) saying how he’s completely amazed at Tom’s ability to perform night after night. Really, 16 shows in 16 nights is something — something not even Pavarotti, or Caruso or other great voices did. Sir Tom, by any standard you are the best!

This fan photo is from the early 70s when the fan brought Tom a scrapbook backstage. Obviously, he’s enjoying it and we thought you — like we do — enjoy seeing candid shots.

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If you’re going to see Tom at the HOB in New Orleans tickets go on sale Saturday, May 10, 10 a.m. CDT via Ticketmaster.

Or you can buy tickets now. Just go to Live Nation and scroll down to “Buy Pre-Sale.” The code word for the presale is “band.”

Tom will appear at Marin Veterans Memorial Auditorium at Marin Center in San Rafael, CA, on Friday, July 18, 8 p.m. Tickets range in price from $40 to $95 and go on sale tomorrow at 11 a.m. PDT via Ticketmaster.

Please be sure to answer our May Question of the Month (May 1 post below) and, if you’ve already answered, see what others have said. And for the “controversy” noted above, check out the comments on this post.

Our friend Steve McCoy is in Atlantic City. He opens tonight as Sir Tom with Legends In Concert for 20 performances at Resorts. (If you still want a bit of a TJ fix and you’re in the area, drop in. He’s terrific.) He was at the show Friday night and says, “It’s always unbelievable to me that Tom sounds as great as he does and has sounded that way for years. He was phenomenal. The band sounded great and the singers. It was a very tight show. It was great. Tom is tremendous, amazing.”

Another fan who wishes to be anonymous gave us permission to post her brief review of Friday night’s show at Harrah’s in Atlantic City. So, we’ll call her Dell A. Ware. Here’s what Dell says:

The show was the same as it’s been since 2006. Tom looked and sounded great. Nothing was tossed on stage and there was no audience interaction. The audience was not the best — people near us talking constantly in a very conversational tone as if they were having lunch. Then, at the end of the show, something really odd happened. Everyone standing on the right side of the stage was standing; on the left they remained seated. It was as if a rope was dividing the audience. Deeply peculiar.

The venue at Harrah’s is wonderful. Tom marveled from the stage, “This is a real theater!” (I guess, he meant as opposed to a casino or an arena.) The only complaint all the fans had was that the casino pulled the best seats for the high rollers so we saw very few, if any, fans up front.

The crowd was more subdued than they’ve been after the shows, kind of giving Tom some space. But he was patient as always with fans.

Next time he’s in Atlantic City, he’s playing at the arena at Trump Taj Mahal, a venue he hasn’t visited in several years and, as we recall, it’s better suited for sporting event. But we’re grateful just to have him here.

Please be sure to answer our May Question of the Month (below).

For most of these gigs, the sale prices and dates aren’t available. Keep checking the websites.
13 July 2008 Humphreys Concerts by the Bay, San Diego, CA
15 July 2008 Pacific Amphitheatre, Costa Mesa, CA
17 July 2008 The Mountain Winery, Saratoga, CA
19 July 2008 Silver Legacy Hotel Casino, Reno, NV Ticket prices: $95, $80, $70 and $45/sale date TBA
Tickets for August 7-20 at the MGM Grand are now on sale.

Please be sure to answer our May Question of the Month (below).
OK, the Press of Atlantic City is wrong about so much in this entertainment brief. Yes, we know we carp, but aren’t there bigger hits than Once Up A Time and Little Lonely One that define the Jones songbook? And, maybe we’re prejudiced, but we’ve seen some great entertainment here in Las Vegas. Why is being identified with Las Vegas a bad thing? But we really believe people who imply that Las Vegas is a bad thing are absolutely living in the past and totally clueless. It is what one makes it. But, whomever wrote this is certainly right about Tom’s musical dexterity.

He’s at Harrah’s for only two nights — as Deborah Gibson’s (!) month-long gig begins Sunday, May 4 — and we know good seats were a difficult prospect, as the casino held just about everything in the center sections of the floor and balcony for their high rollers, but we hope everyone has a blast. Please let us know.

Tom Jones at Harrah’s

WHO IS HE: With the possible exceptions of Wayne Newton and Elvis Presley, no artist is more synonymous with the Las Vegas casino performance style than Tom Jones. The Welsh baritone was part of the original British invasion during the 1960s and hit the big time with the 1965 hit single It’s Not Unusual. Other hits, such as Once Upon a Time, Little Lonely One, With These Hands and What’s New Pussycat? were soon to follow. Over the years, Jones covered various styles of music, including pop, rock, country, dance, techno and showtunes, yet his distinct singing style has remained a constant. His 1988 cover of Prince’s Kiss is a good example of Jones’ experimentation with different genres.

WHAT TO EXPECT: Despite the fact that Jones is now 67 years old, he still receives his fair share of women’s lingerie at every show. The man has been considered a sex symbol since the mid-1960s and is notorious for working this angle into his live show, which is sure to feature an unbuttoned shirt, tight pants, gyrating hips and an abundance of hit singles. It’s not unusual to see 50- and 60-year-old women screaming and carrying on like teenage school girls at a Tom Jones concert. The lingerie tossing is as much a ritual at a Jones show as tossing a bouquet of roses to a stage actor is at the end of a theater production.

SHOW INFO: Tickets are $65, $75 and $100. The shows begin 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, May 2 and 3, at Harrah’s Concert Venue.

Photo here of Tom having fun onstage in AC is © by Lois Ann Gooding. If you’ve seen him a few times in person, you likely know that look — and enjoy it. He’s clearly a man who is fortunate to love what he does.

As most of us know, Tom’s three-song encore is now Resurrection Shuffle, I Like the Way and Kiss.

Our question is: If he were to change his encore, what should he change? All of the songs? Only one or two? Or do you think the encore should stay as is? And if he should change his music, what should he sing instead?

So, please give us three songs — only three songs! — and, if you wish, an explanation of your choices. Of course, you can leave in any of the songs Tom sings now. The songs you name do not have to be songs Tom has sung before.