Black Eyed Peas to party like it’s 3008
BLACK EYED PEAS are realizing a dream by playing on the Strip.
They are now dreaming up a ground-breaking production, which is to take place at Planet Hollywood’s PH Live in the faroff year of 3008.
“Our first residency in Las Vegas gives Black Eyed Peas the opportunity to do what we do best, to dream up something brand new and creative that pushes the boundaries of the live show experience,” founding member will.i.am saysina news release. “We draw inspiration from Disney rides, Las Vegas shows, concerts, AI and technology. We will reinvent how we perform, creating an interactive show, a journey to 3008 that is both a concert and play. I can’t wait for the world to see what we cook up in Las Vegas.”
“Black Eyed Peas: 3008 The Las Vegas Residency” runs 15 dates, starting Feb. 15-22 and continuing in select dates in March and May. The dates are Feb. 15, 16, 19, 21, 22;
March 21, 22, 26, 28, 29; and May 24, 25, 28, 30, 31.
Tickets go on sale starting 10 a.m. Pacific time Saturday at ticketmaster.com/blackeyedpeasvegas.
Black Eyed Peas formed in Los Angeles in 1995. The trio of will.i.am, Apl.de.ap and Taboo are famous for redefining their sound and image. Fergie ,who was a member during the height of their commercial success in the 2000s, is no longer with the band.
Black Eyed Peas have won six Grammys, sold 35 million albums, and 120 million singles. The Peas have charted with such releases as “Elephunk” (2003) and “The E.N.D.” Hit singles including “Where Is The Love?”, “I Gotta Feeling” and “Boom Boom Pow” have made the Peas the second-best selling group of all time for downloaded tracks.
The band’s eighth studio album, “Translation,” has featured collaborations with top Lain artists and included chart-topper, “Ritmo” with J Balvin, accumulating a record-breaking 1 billion streams. Their 2022 single “Don’t You Worry,” featuring Shakira and David Guetta, was a global success, resonating with fans worldwide. Black Eyed Peas’ ninth studio album, “Elevation,” from 2022, features “Simply The Best” (with Anitta & El Alfa) and “Bailar Contigo” (with Daddy Yankee).
This past June, the band returned by contributing to “Bad Boys: Ride Or Die,” the official motion picture soundtrack to the fourth installment of the “Bad Boys” series.
The Bender ender
That guy who looked like Bill Murray on stage at Big Blues Bender, was.
And the several guys who looked like Bill Murray attending the event were not. But they shared his passion for the blues.
The 10th edition was the largest ever for the event, spread across multiple venues at Westgate Las Vegas. Filled rooms were the norm. Lines snaking into International Theater and Westgate Cabaret were common. About 2,500 ticket-holders attended events from Thursday through Sunday.
It was my first swing through the Bender, at the nudge from executive producer AJ Gross. A highlight of course was Murray with Blood Brothers featuring Mike Zito and Albert Castiglia.
Murray joined the pre-event Chair of Blues Foundation HART (Handy Artist Relief Trust) Party to help blues musicians offset medical, dental and funeral expenses. The performance and auction raised $107,000.
On Friday, Murray was back with the band again at International Theater, singing and thumping the bongos. He stayed through the week and was often spotted loping through the hotel.
The marquee names produced soaring performances, as expected. Los Lobos and Trombone Shorty have been next-level artists for years. But before the weekend, I’d not seen Tab Benoit, a musical force who has a comic stage style that reminds of the late Mitch Hedberg. Benoit’s set was a treat at Westgate Cabaret, totally packed.
Beth Hanrtd’s
set at Paradise Mainstage — a concert-outfitted ballroom — was torrid. During the night I ran into Vegas blues man and sax great Jimmy Carpenter on his way to play with Benoit. Passionate blues from A-plus musicians poured from every venue.
Gross has little chance for rest, coming off the boffo event. Upcoming from Thursday through Sunday is Bender Jamboree. Three nights and six sets from The String Cheese Incident, with top jam-band practitioners Umphrey’s Mcgee, The Infamous Stringdusters, Leftover Salmon and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong.
The performances run across four stages, from the afternoon until the early morning hours (The String Cheese Incident’s official show times are “8:15???”). Otherwise it’s noon through about 4 a.m. Go to benderjamboree.com to get your jam on.
Your Vegasville Moment
Las Vegas Visitors and Convention Authority communications exec Rebecca Lane took the seat directly in front of me at the U2 concert movie premiere last Thursday. I subsequently helped myself to a couple of her waffle fries. Four days later her husband, Stephen Thayer, was announced as the new general manager at the Palms.
Tease this …
Expect another major Strip residency announcement by the end of the month. We’ll refer back to this note when it happens.
Cool Hang Alert
Thursday-night live music continues at Stoney’s North Forty inside Santa Fe Station, with Buckshot & Bottoms this week, The Kruse Brothers on Sept. 19 and American Mile on Sept. 26. The place hops with these country-tinged acts. Tickets are $10 (a mere pittance); go to stoneysnorthforty.com to purchase.