Elton John Weekend

I had a convention in Vegas for the weekend and wanted to make the most of it with my wife. I did some preplanning and investigating for the maximum time/fun I could get.

Quick Tips:

I got the tickets to Elton John online about 3 weeks before we went, so I was sure we were going to have a nice seat and not have to settle for what we could get.

Best Way To Get Around:

I took taxis and the monorail for business and pleasure depending on where I was going.

We stayed in a Hollywood suite. I had been checking online for a suite on the Strip, and because of the convention, most were taken or $500 per night. The MGM operator on the phone did better than the online prices, offering a 1,000-square-foot room with a sitting room and a bedroom with a huge bathroom for $250 per night. I have stayed in the smaller rooms there before, and for the extra $100, it was well worth it.

We were going to the Elton concert, and I knew this restaurant was there but did not know its name. The restaurant is located in the mall area in Caesars, and you find it close to the entry in the open area. You can sit in the mall area or inside the restaurant. We sat inside, which seemed quieter. We asked for nonsmoking, but our table was next to the smoking section of the bar and as close to the smoking section as you can get.

The restaurant was busy, but we were seated right away. We told the waitress that we were going to the show and she said it was no problem. We had the artichoke dip, which was okay and served hot and promptly. They also brought us warm bread, which was good. My wife had the penne pasta artichokes and I had chicken parmesan. The food was plentiful and tasty. It was a good meal for us right before the show. We had the dip, drinks, and dinner for $70.

While we were waiting for our room to be ready, we stopped for lunch. We had calamari to start, and it was some of the best I have ever had. I had a bowl of soup that was okay, and my wife had a salad that she did not rave about, but it looked okay. A couple next to us ordered a salad and hamburger to share, and that looked like the way to go.

I come to this place when I am staying down at the end of the Strip, and I have not been let down yet. The restaurant is located in the casino area of the hotel, and it's quiet and secluded. I've been there when they had the lights lower, but it was fine for us for the night.

I had a big steak that was cooked perfectly, and my wife had the king crab legs. The crab is prepared in a way where they cut the legs open lengthwise, and this makes it easier to eat and enjoy without all the work. I ordered the spinach, and we also enjoyed a salad. The restaraunt also brings a garnish tray and bread.

The waitstaff is attentive and checked in on us every couple of minutes. There are three people working every table, so I don't know how they could miss anything.

I reviewed the theater in a free-form, and this is the song list (forgive the spelling): Benny and the Jets
Philadelphia Freedom
Believe
Daniel
Rocket Man
Thats Why They Call It the Blues
Answer in the Sky
Tiny Dancer
Don't let the sun go down on me
Norma Jean
Pin Ball Wizard
Bitch
I'm Still Standin'
Saturday Night
I Hope You Don't Mind

I might have missed one, but not one of the big ones, like Yellowbrick Road.

Elton has a big red piano set in the left-hand side of the stage about one third of the way over, so if you can get a seat on the right side of the theater, facing the stage, you will be able to see his face the most. There is a big screen behind the stage, and this plays videos that tell stories of the music or are just wild people dancing semi-clothed.

Throughout the show, helpers bring out suitcase-sized bags that are actually blow-up dolls of various things that you would not expect to pop out of the ground or wall during a concert. Elton is very personable during the show, telling of the background to songs and details of his travels and life.

I got the seats on the main floor, about 20th row, and paid $250 per seat. I think if you were in the first 10 rows of the 2nd balcony or first five of the 3rd, you would be about the same view. Going up top will save you $50-100 per seat.

They have an area for drinks to bring to your seat and even sell buckets of beer, but to sit in your seat and watch a show after drinking a bucket of beer is impossible to me, so I had a mixed drink and a bottle of water, in case I was thirsty.

I saw people from age 15-80 there, and it looked like everyone had a good time. The show started right on time and there was no intermission. He also did not sing an encore.

It looked from the production that it was probably about the same set every night. I wrote the song list down on my palm, and it's found in another free-form in this travel journal, if you are interested.