VEGAS MUSIC ROUNDUP: Tiesto Plays the Field, Xtina Cancels, Dead Reanimating for Sphere?

Posted on: January 4, 2024, 07:26h. 

Last updated on: January 12, 2024, 11:44h.

Corey Levitan Read More
Expertise: Commercial Gaming, Entertainment, Expert Insight, Las Vegas.

Starting January 19, DJ Tiesto will be the 2024 resident artist at the Fontainebleau’s LIV Nightclub. The announcement was made on Thursday by the Strip’s newest casino resort on Twitter/X, along with a performance video.

Dutch DJ and producer Tiesto
Dutch DJ and producer Tiesto appears to be performing everywhere in Vegas except the airport. (Image: discoverbenelux.com)

Tiesto also happens to be in residence at Omnia Nightclub at Caesars Palace, Tao Beach Dayclub at The Venetian, and Wet Republic at MGM Grand.

There is political drama behind the superstar DJ/producer’s lack of commitment, which is gloriously detailed by this post on our own Vital Vegas blog. But for our purposes, it’s sufficient to note that “Tiesto” is apparently not the Dutch word for loyalty.

Sphere is Dead Set

The members of Dead & Company are among the dozen artists reportedly mulling a Sphere residency following U2’s February departure, according to the New York Post.

Fueling the rumors are the fact that the band shares with U2 high-powered manager Irving Azoff, who is also a booking consultant for the Sphere.

Dead & Company was formed in 2015 by surviving Grateful Dead singer Bob Weir and drummers Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann, along with singer-guitarist John Mayer, who is scheduled to wrap up his own tour in March. (Image: Variety)

The band played what was billed as the last concert of its final tour on July 16 in San Francisco. But we’ve all heard that before.

Phish, also a jam band, is the only act announced so far for the post-U2 void, but only for four concerts from April 18-21. Music superstars hotly tipped for full-sized residencies include Harry Styles and the Eagles (also Azoff clients), as well as Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Paul McCartney, and Bon Jovi.

And wait, there’s a new name.

According to UK’s The Sun newspaper, Miley Cyrus is also talking to Sphere Entertainment CEO James Dolan after initially declining a residency offer with MGM.

Getting a commitment from any act may prove difficult for the Sphere because of the unheard-of fee Dolan paid U2. The Irish rockers received a reported 90% of ticket sales plus $10M to finance its production, which is no doubt the only reason they agreed to do it without waiting for their founding drummer to recover from shoulder surgery.

Maybe if Christina Aguilera dressed warmer for the opening of her residency, she wouldn’t have caught the flu. Just saying. (Image: Denise Truscello/Getty Images for Voltaire)

Dolan can’t afford to extend an offer like that ever again, but he shouldn’t be forced to. U2 received that payday to serve as the venue’s guinea pigs. If for some reason the space-aged tech didn’t work, or the venue didn’t sell out, U2’s brand would have shared the taint along with the Sphere.

Of course, neither happened.

Xtina Cancels

Christina Aguilera canceled her shows on Friday and Saturday, January 5-6, at Voltaire only a week after opening at the new Venetian venue over New Year’s weekend.

After welcoming all of you to the New Year from the stage in Las Vegas, I’ve been welcomed with a New Year flu!!!” she wrote on Instagram.

Aguilera’s dates will be rescheduled sometime around her next batch of dates, February 2-March 2.

Refunds are being offered via VoltaireLV.com.