This week’s announcement that Bruno Mars will be the first headliner at the Cosmopolitan’s new music venue, the Chelsea (opening night: December 29), got us thinking: Who was onstage the night some of Las Vegas’ other live-music rooms launched? Click through and see ...
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Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts
When: July 2, 1976
Who: Neil Diamond
How cool/weird would it be for the voice behind “Sweet Caroline” to be back onstage the night Britney Spears relaunches the place (now PH Live)?
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MGM Grand Garden Arena
When: December 31, 1993
Who: Barbra Streisand
A big night in Vegas was big for Babs, too, marking her first public performance in more than 20 years.
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The Joint (old room)
When: March 10 & 11, 1995
Who: Assorted acts, including The Eagles, Iggy Pop, Weezer, Sheryl Crow, Al Green, Duran Duran, Billy Idol and Bo Diddley.
Reportedly, Jack Nicholson, Salt N Pepa and Corbin Bernson were among the celebrities in attendance. No word on whether they sat at the same table.
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House of Blues
When: March 2, 1999
Who: Bob Dylan
Bono joined him for “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” during the encore.
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Mandalay Bay Events Center
When: April 10, 1999
Who: Luciano Pavarotti
The opera star returned to the same arena one year later with Three Tenors mates Plácido Domingo and José Carreras.
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The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
When: March 23, 2003
Who: Celine Dion
The don’t call it the house that Celine built for nothin’.
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The Pearl
When: March 17, 2007
Who: Evanescence
Trivia time: Which band was original scheduled to open the Pearl before postponing the show until later that year? (Answer below)
Answer: Tool
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The Joint (new room)
When: April 17, 2009
Who: The Killers
Paul McCartney (April 19) and Avenged Sevenfold (April 18) helped usher in the iconic room’s second phase.
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Hard Rock Live
When: October 15, 2009
Who: Chris Cornell
Also, guitars were smashed to mark the occasion at the Strip’s Hard Rock Cafe, by the likes of Holly Madison and ’N Sync’s Chris Kirkpatrick.
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Cosmopolitan's Boulevard Pool
When: December 15, 2010
Who: Brandon Flowers
He’s opened two venues, played Vegoose and will perform at the inaugural Life Is Beautiful Festival next month. You’d almost think he was from Las Vegas or something.
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The Smith Center
When: March 10, 2012
Who: Willie Nelson, Carol King, Jennifer Hudson, Emmylou Harris, Mavis Staples and more for an all-star gala hosted by Neil Patrick Harris.
Country singer Randy Travis technically played the stage first—for a pair of private concerts open only to construction workers who helped build the performing arts center.