Las Vegas has long been known as a destination for star music entertainers who are past their prime in recording hits and may not schedule big concert tours anymore.
Iconic Las Vegas headliners like Mr. Las Vegas Wayne Newton, 1970s superstar Barry Manilow and 1970s teen idol Donny Osmond haven’t recorded a mainstream hit song in decades, but they still perform their old hit songs on occasional concert tours.
Related: Iconic performer ending Las Vegas Strip residency (maybe for good)
Newton, Manilow and Osmond have instead found success headlining Las Vegas residencies in recent years. Manilow has extended his historic residency off the Vegas Strip at Westgate Las Vegas’ International Theater for 48 more shows from Feb. 13 through Dec. 13, 2025.
Manilow in September 2023 broke Elvis Presley’s record of 636 sold-out shows at the International Theater, and has performed at the theater since February 2005.
Osmond performs on the Strip at Harrah’s Las Vegas Showroom through Nov. 16, 2024, and Newton performs at the Flamingo’s Bugsy’s Cabaret Showroom through Dec. 30, 2024.
Superstar rock bands that no longer tour have also established residencies at Sphere Entertainment’s (SPHR) Sphere.
Related: Iconic acts extends record off-the-Las-Vegas-Strip residency
Grateful Dead spinoff band Dead & Company, which completed its final concert tour at Oracle Park in San Francisco on July 16, 2023, is scheduled to complete its 30-show “Dead Forever Live at Sphere” residency at the Sphere on Aug. 10.
And legendary rock band The Eagles, who claim they retired from touring with their final “Long Goodbye” tour show in the Netherlands on June 15, are set to perform 20 shows on their residency at the Sphere from Sept. 20 through Jan. 25, 2025. Fans should stay tuned for possible residency extensions.
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Elton John said in an “Entertainment Tonight” interview in June that he will not tour again, meaning the last show of his farewell tour in July 2023 in Stockholm, Sweden was his last tour show. But Elton has played two lengthy residencies in Las Vegas – “The Red Piano” from 2004 to 2009 and “Million Dollar Piano” 2011 to 2018 both at the Caesar Entertainment’s (CZR) Colosseum at Caesars Palace – for a combined 444 shows. Another Vegas residency might not be out of the question for the future now that he is no longer touring.
When Resorts World Las Vegas opened in 2021, it signed four music superstars to kick off its residencies, featuring Celine Dion, Carrie Underwood, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan.
Celine Dion was set to kick off the residencies in Resorts World Theater with a benefit for Covid-19 relief on Nov. 5, 2021, but was forced to cancel that show and the remainder of her residency shows in 2021 and 2022, as well as the rest of her “Courage” world tour, because of severe symptoms of Stiff-Person Syndrome.
Dion’s cancellation led to Underwood opening her “Reflection” residency as Resorts World Theater’s first show and residency on Dec. 1, 2021, followed by Perry on Dec. 29 and Bryan on Feb. 11, 2022. Perry wrapped up her “Play” residency after 80 performances on Nov. 4, 2023, and has not toured since. Bryan ended his 48-show “Luke Bryan: Vegas” residency on Jan. 6, 2024 and continues to tour.
Carrie Underwood
Carrie Underwood extends Reflection residency
Superstar country singer Underwood, who continues to tour, is not ready to end her residency as she has added six more shows to her “Reflection” residency at Resorts World Las Vegas that are scheduled for March 26, 28, 29, April 2, 4 and 5.
Fan club presale begins July 31 at 10 a.m. Pacific time at AXS.com. AEG, AXS, Resorts World and American Express presale starts Aug. 1 at 10 a.m. Pacific. Tickets go on sale to the general public Aug. 2 at 5 a.m. Pacific.
Tickets are still available for her 12 remaining shows in 2024 on the “Carrie Underwood: Reflection” residency set for Aug. 14, 16, 21, 23, 24 and Oct. 16, 18, 19, 23, 25 and 26.
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