Elton John: The Red Piano
At Caesars Palace
With a titillating video of Pamela Anderson pole-dancing to "The Bitch is Back," Sir Elton ushered in a new era for Las Vegas Strip entertainment. The atmospherics are enough along with John's classic music -- he offers both salacious carnal imagery and some seriousness, as in the sad video for "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me." It's old and new, thoughtful and funny, irreverent and genuine -- in 90 minutes.
Price: Starts at $100
Ka
At MGM Grand
A key example of technology and art coming together in a comfortable, complementary way. The stage at Cirque du Soleil's fourth concurrent show is the star, performing stunning feats of hydraulic magic, such as transforming from a three-dimensional boat to the side of a mountain before your eyes. Cirque changes scenes in ways that are as amazing as the acrobatics that tell the story of twins being separated by evil forces.
Price: Starts at $69
Mamma Mia!
At Mandalay Bay
The most successful Broadway import in Vegas history is slated to depart in January 2009, so hurry over to see the tale of a daughter hoping to learn which of her mom's three ex-boyfriends is her dad. The story is really secondary to the ABBA music, so if you are an ABBA fan, don't leave when the show seems over--three hits that don't fit in the narrative get a rousing encore-style concert performance.
Price: Tickets start at $49.50
Mystere
At Treasure Island
Las Vegas' first -- and to our mind still the best -- permanent Cirque du Soleil show, this dreamlike production offers eye-popping acrobatics, clever humor and a catchy, soaring score. This is undiluted Cirque, an immensely satisfying and transformative experience.
Price: Start at $60
Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular
At The Venetian
You already know how this goes: Young Christine sings with melancholy about her lust for both a handsome aristocrat and an opera-house squatter. And a big light fixture will crash. Ah, but this is the Vegas edition! Which means an over-the-top thrill-ride element that befits this razzle-dazzle town. In this $40 million theater, it's a one-ton chandelier that hurtles down and stops 10 feet over the audience.
Price: Starts at $75
Lance Burton: Master Magician
At the Monte Carlo
Even when Siegfried and Roy were around, Lance was the best magician in Vegas. He's not as campy or flashy and doesn't use exotic animals. He just puts in an honest night's work making stuff disappear and reappear, with a great deal of square humor and showmanship. This is the don't-miss show for parents and children.
Price: Starts at $66.50
Love
At the Mirage
Even if you were never a huge fan of the Beatles, it's impossible not to admire what Cirque du Soleil has done here. Original Beatles producer George Martin and his son, Giles, digitized and remixed the Fab Four's recordings to create a score that tells the story of pop music history's most successful band in Cirque-style allegories. The Mirage spent $120 million on the space, with a focus on top-notch acoustics. Many of the favorites are in here -- "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds," "Yesterday," "Help," "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" -- plus another 100 or so that are "represented" by a chord here and a drumbeat there. Yoko Ono has been spotted in the audience.
Price: Starts at $69
Bette Midler: The Showgirl Must Go On
At Caesars Palace
Taking a cue from her former pianist and fellow Vegas headliner Barry Manilow, the Divine Miss M settles down through 2010 for a spectacular production. The eminent songstress recreates her classic comedy characters and performs the many hits of her long and varied career. And perhaps taking a cue from her predecessor Celine Dion, Midler says she won't perform anywhere else during this run.
Price: Starts at $95
Stomp Out Loud
At Planet Hollywood
The words that come to mind watching the cast of 15 bang and beat on household objects are: "multi-ethnic array of beefcake." The "music" is remarkable and the performers work as hard as anyone else in Las Vegas, yet they also seem to be having a whole lot of fun.
Price: Starts at $50
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