Don't forget, I'm giving a talk on the history of Las Vegas and doing a book signing today (Saturday) at 2:00 at the Atomic Testing Museum!

Garth Brooks is coming to Las Vegas.  Steve Wynn talked the singer out of retirement and offered him a deal that would allow Brooks to be in Oklahoma to help raise his daughters but spend some of his weekends in Las Vegas performing.

From our pal John Katsilometes at the Las Vegas Sun:

We could talk of numbers such as “1,” where Garth Brooks ranks among solo artists in terms of total album sales in U.S. history by the Recording Industry Association of America. We could simply point to the figure of 128 million, the figure that places him ahead of such iconic artists as Elvis, Led Zeppelin and The Eagles and trailing only The Beatles.

But to measure the type of fan devotion Brooks enjoys, mere numbers do not convey the full story. Jennifer Hiller does.

A heart transplant coordinator from San Antonio, Hiller heard of the news conference in Las Vegas just Wednesday, and by yesterday morning had booked a flight on Southwest Airlines to attend that day’s news conference at Encore Theater announcing Brooks’ five-year residency at the 1,500-seat showroom. Hiller said she first saw Brooks perform in 1990 at the Central Park Mall in her hometown -- a venue since razed -- and has spent nearly two decades communicating with fellow Brooks fans online. She has long wished for a time when Brooks would return to performing, his 2001 retirement preventing any formal touring.

“We’re in a sisterhood, us Garth fans,” Hiller said. “We communicate daily. It’s an extension of family.” The Web site PlanetGarth.com is a popular clearinghouse for fans seeking Brooks data, but as Hiller said, “We’ve met over the years at shows and swapped information, and that’s how we keep in touch, in e-mail. I know a lot of people here today.”

Several hundred fans of Brooks filed into the theater yesterday for the news conference. When asked if $125 per ticket for all seats was a little steep for fans used to paying $25 to see Brooks on tour, Hiller laughed and said, “No problem. I plan to see as many shows as possible.” More than even statistics, she is to be believed.

No ‘Vegas option’ for family

After the news conference, I asked Brooks' wife, country singer Trisha Yearwood, if there was any serious discussion of the family moving to Las Vegas.

“No, no,” she said, standing near the lip of the stage. “We’re firmly entrenched in Oklahoma. Our lives are there,” she said. Brooks’ three teenage daughters and mother, Brooks' ex-wife Sandy, all live in Owasso, Okla. “We’re going to come here to hang out once in a while, is all. … I think (Las Vegas) is fun, I’ve played Vegas many times myself. It’s always a good time, it’s always a good crowd. You don’t really have to define it.

“Everything will be the same, except Garth will be coming to Vegas once a month, and how cool is that?”

Brooks said Yearwood would definitely be among the guest artists he brings onstage, “but not every night,” which drew some laughs from the audience.

A man and a guitar

“It’ll be a one-man show, so there will be a lotta disappointment after that first weekend,” Brooks joked (presumably), a comment that also prompted laughter. “It’ll be me and a guitar. It takes me back to the first days I played, when I was fortunate to play a place called Wild Willie’s in Stillwater, Okla., before I started touring. I’m the band.” Brooks said he would enjoy the flexibility of testing certain numbers “to see what people do and don’t like.” Accustomed to playing spacious arenas during his touring days, Brooks said, “I’ve never played in a place built for sound like this. I hear myself and I think, ‘Who the hell is that?’ I thought that when I first played here for Steve and 1,130 of his friends.”

 

This Saturday, October 17th, I will be giving a talk on the history of Las Vegas told through postcard imagery.

It is part of the Atomic Testing Museum's Saturday 1950s day.  There will be classic cars on display and a sock hop follows at 4:00 pm.

My talk is at 2:00 pm and is free and open to the public.

I will be talking about the history of Fremont Street and the original Strip as well as showing slides of our community as well.

After the talk, will be a booksigning for my book, "Las Vegas: 1905-1965" and I will have DVD's of "The Story of Classic Las Vegas" on sale as well as Classic Las Vegas tee-shirts.  You will get discounts on all items on Saturday only!

It should be a fun afternoon of history and iconic imagery, so I hope you will join me!

Atomic Testing Museum

Saturday, Oct. 17th

2:00 pm

755 E. Flamingo Blvd

I hope to see you there!

 

This time of year seems tailor-made for the Springs Preserve.

The family-friendly event is designed for all ages, and costumes are encouraged (although adults are asked not to wear masks for safety reasons). There will be a "Safe Street" for trick-or-treating, carnival games and face painting.

 

 

Ever wonder what happens to the showgirls when a show closes.  Earlier this year, the venerable Folies Bergere closed at the Tropicana after 49 years.

From our pal Corey Levitan at the R-J:

Imported from Paris in 1959 by Tropicana entertainment director Lou Walters (father of Barbara), the topless "Folies" ran for 49 years until March 28.

Denmark, who won't reveal her age, scored her "Bad Girls" audition in February, a couple of weeks after new Tropicana management announced the end of the chorus line.

"I went praying that I would get something, and I did," says Denmark, guessing that her new show's producers sought a "curvy, rock 'n' roll" type for the role.

Denmark's former co-workers have had less success landing on their high heels. Most blame the economy and Las Vegas' general disregard for its own history.

"I'm trying desperately to find a show," says Samantha Ostolaza, 39. "I miss it so much."

Ostolaza has been turned down for "Dirk Arthur Xtreme Magic," "Fantasy," "Bite" and pretty much the only traditional showgirl game left in town other than Mayor Oscar Goodman's arm: "Jubilee!" at Bally's.

"I know that with my age, the competition is a lot stiffer," Ostolaza says. "But I have some good years left because I'm still in good shape and still look pretty good for my age."

Ostolaza regularly checks vegasauditions.com and her network of friends for new leads. But the rare auditions that do come up attract hopefuls in far greater numbers -- and for far fewer slots. (For its most recent audition, in July, a "Jubilee!" spokeswoman reports that more than 40 women turned up to audition for 10 roles.)

"Back in the day, people would show-hop, so there would always be turnover," Ostolaza says. "They would go from 'Jubilee!' to 'Enter the Night' to 'Siegfried & Roy.' But people are holding onto their jobs because there are no other ones."

Former "Folies" showgirl Cari Byers -- who also tried both "Jubilee!" auditions offered since January -- is using her involuntary downtime to launch a fashion line.

"Growing up, I always just wanted to be a dancer," she says, "but I've been doing stuff like this since high school out of necessity." (Finding size 6 dresses for a 6-foot-tall woman is not something you do off the rack, she explains.)

Byers, 38, sells her Green Tease line of dresses, skirts and T-shirts, sewn from recycled clothing, via the Web site www.greentease.etsy.com. She reports some success, but not enough to pay her credit card, mortgage and car payments at the same time. (Her fiance, a former "Folies" stagehand, is out of work, too.)

"It's rough right now," she says.

Janu Tornell, 44, has given up on auditions, saying that her career has "moved on to its next step." Tornell was the longest-tenured "Folies" showgirl when it closed, having joined in 1995. She also was the most famous, thanks to appearing on the 10th season of "Survivor" in 2005. Currently, she teaches Spanish and French, four days a week, as an adjunct professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas -- a job she also held while performing.

"School keeps me busy," Tornell says. "I'm enjoying it. I like it."

As for the other closing-night "Folies" showgirls, Claudia Cervenka is modeling and dancing for corporate events, Svetlana Failla is attending fashion-design school and working at a clothing store, Dana Kanapsky is a hostess at Stack at The Mirage, Sue White is an aesthetician and Kirsten Wolner says she's figuring out what to do with her life.

"It's not that we don't want to dance anymore," Tornell says. "If they said to us, 'Hey, you got another gig wherever,' of course we'd go.

"It's that there's nothing out there anymore."

Even the still-employed showgirl says she's worried.

"I don't feel secure by any means," Denmark says. "We've got to get the people in, otherwise we don't have a show anymore."

 

On Saturday, October 24th, the Junior League of Las Vegas will open the famed Morelli House to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the house.

Tours will be available from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm

There will also be a special exhibit, "Las Vegas: Circa 1959" on display.

We hope to see you there!