Mariah Carey seemed just as excited by her arrival in Las Vegas as her fans. She’ll begin a residency starting in May at Caesar’s Palace. (Photo: ScreenCap)
Whether intended or not, she recalled the town’s mobster origins by arriving in a pink 1930’s era roadster. Bugsy Siegel would have been proud.
The splashy mobster became a celebrity gangster in the ’30s and ’40s and helped found Sin City. He ruled like a pasha until he was brutally gunned down in 1947.
Vegas has gone legit and a bit more buttoned down since then, thanks to a take-over by mega-corporations. But Carey could be a definite throwback to the golden era of the ’50s and ’60s when acts like Liberace and the Rat Pack regularly played the strip.
The casinos have been trying to attract a younger crowd with performers like Celine Dion, Elton John and Britney Spears, who have all played lucrative residencies in casino showrooms.
But Carey brings a whole new level of showmanship to the game. Librace was as famous for his splashy lifestyle and over-the-top costumes as he was for his virtuosity on the piano. Carey may be one of the few artists who can match him.
Liberace was once the king of Las Vegas and it’s most glittering personality. Will Mariah Carey match him?
She arrived at Caesar’s Palace in a motorcade that included 18 huge billboards on flat-bed trucks, touting each of her No. 1 hits. The residency won’t involve a lot of heavy lifting. She’ll only sing those 18 top songs.
A bevy of hip-hop dancers greeted her at the casino’s entrance. She was clearly the center of attention wearing a flesh colored gown with gold rhinestones–lots of them.
“Everyone in Vegas, there’s a new girl in town!” she announced to the throng of well-wishers.
Casino workers dressed like Roman soldiers hoisted her in the air and carried her around the complex like an Empress.
The tile track “Infinity” from her new album by the same name played in the background. The set was released today as part of the moment.
Her residency is set to begin May 6 through July.
Check out the video below, let us know your thoughts. Would you see her perform? And be sure to follow IM on Twitter for the latest music news.