The Kats Report Bureau at this writing is at the Rock in Rio USA festival, Night No. 1. Maná blasts out their highly proficient, penultimate set on the Main Stage of MGM Resorts Festival Grounds.
Maná is the veteran Latin act that about two years ago filled MGM Grand Garden Arena. A friend who is a total music geek told me earlier that Maná is the best live band on the planet. Hard to quantify such a thing, but they are terrific.
No Doubt, a no-brainer and frequent visitor to Las Vegas (headlining Thomas & Mack Center, Pearl at the Palms and both Joints over the years), was set to close the show.
The first night of the first-ever event on these grounds and the lid-lifting U.S. version of Rock in Rio was expected to have hiccups, and it has. And not just from people tossing back Coronas handed out by the guys wading through the crowd carrying pony keg-sized coolers on their backs, looking like beer-distributing superheroes.
Let’s get the most obvious snag out of the way: The vaunted Ferris wheel, dubbed La Grande Wheel and one of the signature attractions at every Rock in Rio, was rendered inoperable because of high winds. It was not too windy for most of the night, but it was when the wheel was inspected in the afternoon.
The official word was it could not start because of those winds, and if the wheel is not cleared when the gates open at 3 p.m., it’s not starting. The wheel was expected to make its long-awaited debut for Day 2. Metallica and Linkin Park were among the featured acts set to close out “Rock Weekend.”
The sound and video systems — as well as the acts themselves — did cooperate and came off as advertised in the debut of the event marking its 30th anniversary this year.
Along with that of Maná, which owns a huge international following, particularly remarkable performances came from Gary Clark Jr. and Foster the People (which headlined at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas’ Book & Stage not so long ago) and The Pretty Reckless.
Organizers tout Rock in Rio USA as having a family-friendly environment, and it is for the rides (more about those in a moment), cozy grass and walk-around amenities of the Rock Street mini-cities. But The Pretty Reckless singer Taylor Monson, late of “Gossip Girl,” peppered the audience with F-bombs including, “Vegas! How the (expletive) are you?!”
The crowd roared as the band’s name glowed from the giant big screen behind the Main Stage.
The Rock Streets, reflecting the United Kingdom, United States and Brazil, were a hit. Some of the night’s best entertainment was found at the three smaller stages on the villages on the perimeter of the 50-acre MGM Festival Grounds.
The Rock Street USA stage rocked with Stone the Beatles, a band featuring such Las Vegas artists as trumpet player and Pop Evolution founder David Perrico, keyboard master Uli Geissendoerfer, sax wiz Rob Stone, trumpet player Tom Delibro (a member of Terry Fator’s band at the Mirage), percussionist Michito Sanchez and busy sax player Rob Stone. That stage was home to a raging Celtic/rock band, Celtic Fire. Dance crews performed on the Rock Street USA stage, and themed bands were featured at Rock Street Brazil.
Each of these “streets” was to reflect the cuisine and entertainment of those regions, but in many cases what was offered could have appeared on any street. Ben & Jerry’s and Alien Fresh Jerky were featured at Rock Street Brazil; Aloha Kitchen and Rolling Smoke BBQ at Rock Street U.K. (behind such facades as Tavern on the Rocks and Queens Arms tavern). The Rock in Rio wedding chapel was host to at least one service, a Latin couple who kissed as Elvis tribute artist Brendan Paul sang “Viva Las Vegas” with acoustic guitar accompaniment.
The event caught a break with the weather, though temperatures did fall to about 60. There was no rain, an outcome made possible by a mysterious “weather guru” officials had talked of during the night who keeps such climate misfortune at bay. But other snags were reported early in the event, as security was often not clear on who was to enter through which gate, and many fans struggled to access their RFID wristbands to pay for food and merchandise (cell service at the site is fairly wonky) at the cash-free event.
A couple who shuttled in from downtown (staying at Main Street Station) and awaiting the second set by Celtic Fire at Rock Street U.K. said they were having a lovely time of it.
“The music is outstanding,” said Jeff Peterson of Bullhead City, a supervisor at a cashier’s cage at Avi hotel-casino. “Once we got here, it has been great. … We did have trouble finding the shuttle station at the Downtown (Las Vegas) Events Center, and we have done a lot of walking, but it’s a really fun night.”
At his side was Lisa Price, who works as a campus safety official at Magnolia High in Anaheim, Calif., and said she was eager to see No Doubt. The band famously hails from Orange County.
As she spoke, the music of Maná soared overhead.
“I don’t care a rat’s butt about Maná,” she said, smiling. “But No Doubt will put on a show.”
Follow John Katsilometes on Twitter at Twitter.com/JohnnyKats. Also, follow “Kats With the Dish” at Twitter.com/KatsWiththeDish.
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