WrestleMania’s stage has a hint of a famous Las Vegas landmark
The Kats! Bureau at this writing is The Perch at Allegiant Stadium, WrestleMania 41 is debuting. A group of friends and I talked of the first WrestleMania in 1985, the coverage dominated by the question, “Is this real?” The answer, every year, is the action (and often, outside) and the crowd’s explosive response is very real.
It’s like watching a stunt team performing their most dangerous scenes, live. It’s a carnival of over-the-top behavior, but the production is no joke.
Looking at the stage’s resort-casino design, for the first time. It brings to mind a classic downtown Las Vegas hotel that’s a .8-mile ramble from my home. We speak of the Plaza.
Hotel CEO Jonathan Jossel checked in earlier saying he understood the hotel was the motivation for the stage’s architecture. That has been reported online, but WWE officials have not confirmed as much.
We’re saying at least there is a strong resemblance. But WWE could have added clarity by adding an image of Bono belting out, “Atomic City,” for the video recorded in front of the Plaza, another piece of downtown lore.
Boom time
Hip-hop artist Metro Boomin lorded over the second night of “WrestleMania After Dark” at LIV Nightclub at Fontainebleau on Friday.
LIV has been popping over the weekend, with Fontainebleau as WrestleMania’s host hotel. Eyeballing it all, this is as busy as I’ve seen the resort since it opened in December 2023.
WWE favorites Liv Morgan and Bron Breakker (name inspired by his blocking ability while a lineman at Kennesaw State) partied to DJ Arie and the aforementioned Metro Boomin , born Leleand Tyler Wane.
Groot Hospitality founder David Grutman, ex-pro wrestler and acclaimed model Barbie Blank, and rapper-actor-Ice Cube’s son O’Shea Jackson Jr. (“Den of Thieves,” “Straight Outta Compton”) were among the name-checks.
Fur a goood time, check out …
Papi Steak at Fontainebleau. David “Papi” Einhorn, who along with Grutman established the restaurant in Miami, celebrated his birthday on Friday night. This party was as subtle as a Liberace concert at Las Vegas Hilton, which explained why Papi sported the 14-foot-long faux fur Michael Douglass wore in “Behind the Candelabra.”
He posed with Liberace’s ‘61 Rolls Royce Phantom V Sedanca Deville Towncar limousine, one of just seven ever made and the only one with left-hand drive. Not that it was driven. Elvis tribute artist Daniel Durston performed, as did some top Vegas string players and dancers in showgirl attire. Apparently old-Vegas was the theme. Figured that out after a while.
Paparazzi be ready
Las Vegas tribute artist Tierney has performed as Lady Gaga in “Legendary Divas” at the Tropicana, and in a dual tribute to Gaga and Amy Winehouse at The Space. The performer is now taking the role exclusively in “Gaga Evolution.”
The production is endorsed by Gaga’s father, Joe Germanotta, who has presented Tierney at his Joanne Trattoria in Manhattan’s Upper West Side. There’s a band, dancers, costume changes. It’s a whole thing, as we say.
Partnering with Las Vegas managers Michael Licata and Paula Maggio, Tierney plans to open a cross-country tour in August (details forthcoming), which will carry her through spring and summer of 2026. I’ll miss the Winehouse piece of Tierney’s act, but this is a good play as the acutely Gaga is on fire — and creating such — with the release of “Mayhem.” And we still tap our fingers waiting for any news about a return to Vegas.
Cool Hang Alert
Mind-blowing pianist Uli Geissendoerfer is a back at Maxan Jazz Club at 7 p.m. Monday. A UNLV music professor, Geissendoerfer has played jazz festivals from Montreux to North Sea, Tabarka, Eilat and Heineken. No cover but F&B minimums, and reservations encouraged. Go to maxanjazz.com for intel.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.