Primm, but not so proper

A few exits down Interstate 15 there’s a tiny outcropping of casinos in the midst of the empty desert. The town of Primm appears as a sort of mirage on the drive west from Vegas, and with gas prices dropping and affordable lodging rates, Primm has turned into a viable option for an entertaining weekend excursion not too far from home. My boyfriend and I had the chance to check out the new, ironically-named topless revue, Sin City Kitties, at Whiskey Pete’s, so we decided to make a night of it in Primm.

After a gorgeous sunset drive down the 15, we stopped at Primm Valley Resort for dinner at GP’s restaurant. We were seated at a cozy booth with a bottle chilling in the ice bucket. My boyfriend expected it to be champagne, but I was just as happy to discover it was Acqua Panna with an elegant presentation. The restaurant had an old school Vegas charm about it like the steakhouses Frank and Dean used to frequent. Both service and food were excellent and the presentation of my Filet Oscar over a bed of asparagus was exceptional. After dinner it was time to go across the street to Whiskey Pete’s for the Sin City Kitties performance.

The Sin City Kitties theater channeled a 20th century bordello with a seductively lit stage draped with silks. We chose a table closer to the stage to not miss out on any views of the um … dancing.

We were pleasantly surprised by just that. Sin City Kitties was a tastefully crafted topless show with fun and artistic choreography. The lead singer of the group, the lovely Mistress Lily, is an experienced Vegas performer who sings with Sin City Heat at the Hilton, run by the same team of producers behind the Kitties, Glenn Medas and choreographer Michael Chambers. Mistress Lily told me that Chambers has worked with the likes of Janet Jackson, as one of her original “Nasty Boys” and puts the Kitties through a rigorous training schedule of eight to ten hours a day of dancing and choreography. The producers screened more than 100 applicants before settling on the group of six ladies and two men who make up the core talent along with Mistress Lily, the main vocalist.

Lily, who had no need for a more elaborate stage name, told us that the other girls “came up with stage names according to their routines. Like the girl in the bathtub is named Champagne, the rock ‘n roll rowdy one is named Roxy, the one on the silks is the sultry Siren, Gigi is our Latin dancer.” Each dancer, Lily explained, has a solo set in addition to the group numbers. Especially impressive were the performances by Latin dancer Gigi (and her sexy TomKat partner) and the aerial show by Siren, who did a scaled-down version of a Cirque du Soleil act, suspending herself above the stage on red silks.

The artistry almost made me forget that the cast was topless – until, of course, their bras started flying into the audience and the sound of catcalls raised from men whose wives were giving them steely looks.

Following the Kitties show, we explored the other nightlife options in Primm. Since the roller coaster and movie theater at Buffalo Bill’s were both closed for the night, we settled on the Casino Bar at Whiskey Pete’s. The lounge act featured a very petite female lead singer who belted out standards like “Sweet Child of Mine” as well as any lounge singer I have encountered on the Strip. Her backing band kept the tempo upbeat as a crowd of dancers partied in front of the stage. The demographic was not what you might see in a club on the Strip, but the little bar held its own in the late night entertainment department.

With the economy taking a dive and the show’s way off-Strip location, it is anyone’s guess if Primm’s topless revue will thrive, but Mistress Lily, at least, gave it her vote of confidence because the Kitties “kind of have a little monopoly going,” as they are the only recurring show in Primm. Ticket prices also give the Kitties an advantage at about half the cost of the topless shows in Vegas. With the low lodging rates and family friendly activities like the roller coaster and log ride at Buffalo Bills, concerts at the Star of the Desert Arena, shopping at the outlet mall and of course, a bit of adult entertainment with the Kitties maybe it’s time Primm goes from desert oasis to vacation destination.