Las Vegas Shows and Entertainment

Aside from gambling and casinos, Las Vegas is also known for the sheer number and variety of shows and entertainment acts it offers. Aside from the gaudy magic acts and showgirl productions that helped stake Las Vegas' reputation as the entertainment capital of the world, these days you can also find anything from Broadway shows and huge celebrity headliner productions to stand up comedy and live lounge music.

Las Vegas shows vary greatly in quality and price. You'll be able to get some Las Vegas entertainment for free, while other shows can set you back anywhere from $20-$200. Most tickets that are not for prime seating (like orchestra seats) at famous productions will be under $100. Free shows are mostly limited to hotel lounge music acts, but many are performed by very talented artists and bands.

Most Las Vegas entertainment shows can be put into several broad categories. It is very helpful to know what they are keep them in mind when deciding on what to see. The categories for Las Vegas shows are detailed in the following paragraphs.

Headliner shows are those that feature big names in show business who perform in Las Vegas for a limited time. Those show usually run for a few weeks, but sometimes performers come to town for a single night or two. Elvis Presley used to perform in a 1,500 seat theater at the Las Vegas Hilton, but there are much larger venues like the 15,000 seat MGM Grand Garden. Of course you can still catch a headliner show at much smaller and intimate settings. For headliner shows, as a general rule, the bigger the star, the higher the price of a ticket.

Like the headliner shows, this form of Las Vegas entertainment also revolves around a single star, or a duo like Siegfried & Roy. Long-term engagements usually run for several years, and some are performed by world famous artists, while others by performers well known only in Las Vegas. Celine Dion's show at the Caesars Palace hotel is an example of a long-term engagement. This show is an impressive production full of spectacular effects. The Colosseum theater at Caesars Palace was especially built just for this show.

These Las Vegas shows are designed to be long running and are most similar to Broadway productions. Some even are actual Broadway productions transplanted to Las Vegas.

Classic Las Vegas production shows have complex dance numbers, in Broadway musical style, featuring numerous showgirls (sometimes topless) and glitzy costumes. These shows often have variety acts interspersed throughout that may include magicians, jugglers, martial artists, stand-up comics, etc. These shows often feature a central theme such as magic or Broadway tunes. Another classic production format is the magician show.

While dance/variety and magic shows are usually professionally produced and fun to watch, they often fail to adequately differentiate themselves from other shows within their respective genres. However there are some shows that are like no other. Notable among those are the Blue Man Group show, which originated in New York City, and the O show, performed by the Canadian circus company Cirque du Soleil.

Some long-term headliner shows can also be put into the production category, as they also incorporate elaborate productions as well as a headliner star. An example of this is Celine Dion's show.

Where is Elvis? Las Vegas has more Elvis sightings per capita than any other place in the world. Perhaps that's because it also has the largest number of Elvis impersonators. While Elvis is by far the most frequently impersonated superstar in Las Vegas, if you catch a impersonation show there, you'll get the opportunity to see many others. Some popular impersonation acts include Liberace, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Marilyn Monroe, John Lennon and many others. Some shows are elaborate productions while others feature only the impersonators themselves. Many shows are long running, but offer different acts as time goes on due to cast rotations.

The quality of these can vary greatly. When choosing an impersonation show, at the very least you should make sure that the cast members sing with their own voices. Some of the best shows also feature live bands and dancers. One of the most known impersonation show in Las Vegas is Legends in Concert at the Imperial Palace hotel.

Lounge entertainment is a way for casinos and hotels to attract and keep their customers. Most lounge shows will feature live music performed by unknown artists, and to attend all you have to do is just walk in. Some lounge shows may have minimum drink order requirements, while others are free with no other restrictions. Also, some establishments convert their lounges into small venues for ticketed shows, which usually cost much less to attend than the major productions.

You'll catch this form of Las Vegas entertainment in comedy clubs and showrooms around the city. While not unique to Las Vegas, stand-up comedy shows are very popular there and are attended by locals and tourists alike.

You'll be able to buy tickets for many shows on short notice once you arrive in Las Vegas, but many major productions, headliner shows, and concerts can be sold out weeks and months in advance. Therefore, is advisable to plan ahead and book some of the shows you want to see ahead of time.

Las Vegas Shows is a Web site that specializes in Las Vegas show tickets and other activities requiring reservations. This site lets you start your query using a date search and then lists the shows available on that day. Therefore, it is particularly useful if you already know when you're going to be in town.