Weekend almost here

Friday in Vegas…yeay! Work meeting cancelled, good day on-air and an email from the Las Vegas Weekly asking if I could write about choosing between two upcoming classical events, The Las Vegas Philharmonic and Bond. Of course I could. (I’ve added one here that I didn’t want to put in the weekly) Anyhoo, we’ll see what the editors do with it. I like my title.
Have some friends in from Dallas and should have a blast! They’re at the MGM and know that we’ll work in drinks, cigars and babes.
Had a nice interview with Steven Mercurio and yesterday’s talk with Olga Kern was just plain fun. I’ll get a link up for the interview soon; both will air next week.
[note the article below is set to be printed 11-18-04, so it refers to concerts that actually haven’t taken place.]

Vienna or Vixens?
Just last weekend Andrea Bocelli performed at Mandalay Bay with the Las Vegas Philharmonic, and on the same night Pianist Olga Kern played with the touring Warsaw Philharmonic in Hamm Hall. This weekend another double dose of concert dilemma occurs when the Las Vegas Philharmonic plays their second subscription concert, "Memoirs From Vienna" and Bond, a string quartet of “beautiful babes…sex appeal and sensational music” [from their press release] are playing at House of Blues.
How do you decide which to attend? John Clare* compiled this list of factors:

LV Phil
1. Memories of Vienna
2. Take your loved one
3. 85 Local musicians
4. Beverages in the lobby
5. Tickets $25-$66
6. Classical music
7. Unplugged (Acoustic)
8. Hunks (Conductor Weller, Soloists Caplan, Bernatis and Foster)
9. Mozart
10. Beethoven
11. House of Blue hairs

Bond
1. Vixens
2. Take the gang
3. 4 Visiting musicians
4. Beverages during the concert
5. Tickets $20-$27
6. Crossover/pop
7. Electric & acoustic
8. Babes
9. Mo’ zart
10. Beat often?
11. House of Blues

Who said there’s nothing classical or cultural to do in Sin City? (or culturally sinful at the same time?!)

*John Clare is president of the LV Chamber Music Society and Classical Program Manager at Nevada Public Radio. He recently won two EMAs for Best Radio Show and On-air Talent.