Ever since Terry Fator won the second season of NBC’s America’s Got Talent, in 2006, and was signed to a five-year contract worth $100 million, at The Mirage, AGT and Las Vegas have enjoyed a very symbiotic relationship.  In short, if you perform well on AGT, odds are you can parlay that into some sort of gig on the Strip; whether headlining your own show, as a guest headliner in someone else’s show, or in a limited run in a big production show.  This has been the path for such popular entertainers as Season 9 winner, Mat Franco (Mat Franco – Magic Reinvented Nightly, at The LINQ), Season 11 winner, Grace Vanderwaal (who headlined a limited run at Planet Hollywood and appeared as a guest artist in the 5th edition of One Night for ONE DROP), and Season 13 winner, Shin Lim (Shin Lim: LIMITLESS, at The Mirage).  And winning isn’t even a requirement!  Just ask Derrick Berry (RuPaul’s Drag Race Live, at Flamingo Las Vegas), who was eliminated in the quarterfinal round of Season 3; or one of my favorite magician/comedians, Season 10 finalist, Piff the Magic Dragon, whose eponymous headlining show in the Flamingo Showroom has been extended through 2024.

Now, as Las Vegas locals, we have become de facto concierges for our friends (and some acquaintances) who visit town, whether for work, a three-day weekend, a convention, a bachelor(ette) party, or what have you.  You know the drill: As the local member of the group, you’ve been asked to pick a show for everyone to see.  And while it would be great if everyone always had similar tastes and preferences, life rarely works out, that way.  Otherwise, I'd just stick to my m.o. of telling people to go see Cher.

So, there you are, with a group of people, some of whom want to see a comedian, some who want to hear music, and others who want something to pump their adrenaline—and, apparently, each of them has already seen Cher—and you think to yourself, “Self, wouldn’t it be great if there was a show in town that checked all of those boxes?”  Guess what?  Now, there is! 

America’s Got Talent Las Vegas LIVE began its run in the Luxor Theater at Luxor Las Vegas, last November, and stars a whopping 10 acts and artists from various seasons of America’s Got Talent; including singer/pianist Kodi Lee, spoken-word poet Brandon Leake, and magician Dustin Tavella (winners, Seasons 14, 15, and 16, respectively), as well as comedian and AGT LV Live emcee Preacher Lawson (finalist, Season 12), shadow-play dance troupe, The Silhouettes (runners up, Season 6), vocalist and Pink Martini collaborator, Jimmie Herrod (finalist, Season 16), The Clairvoyants (runners up, Season 11), knife-throwing duo Deadly Games (semifinalists, Season 11), high-tech neon and LED dance group Light Balance (3rd place, Season 12), and high octane aerialists, Duo Transcend (finalists, Season 13).

I was especially taken with the dazzling mentalism of The Clairvoyants (not to mention their adorable mentalist dog, Mr. Koni Hundini); the visual/aural pairing of the Silhouettes with Jimmie Herrod’s soaring rendition of Andra Day’s “Rise Up;” the inspired musical talents of Kodi Lee—a prodigious musical savant who refuses to let his autism, Addison’s disease, and optic nerve hypoplasia (which makes him legally blind) stand in the way of his music; and Preacher Lawson, who totally won me over, when he responded to an inebriated heckler, thusly: “You know what’s funny?  When I was writing this joke, I don’t remember writing ‘Insert random drunk dude in the 15th row.’”  This last made me question whether it was time for “Shade Throwing” to be introduced as a category on AGT. 

Suffice to say that there was no act that did not at least have me raise my eyebrows, drop my jaw, and/or nod approvingly.  What I did not expect—likely because I have not watched much AGT—was for every artist/act to have faced or undergone an underdog/David and Goliath-like journey of overcoming obstacles.  And while Lee’s are certainly the most gobsmacking of these, one artist was going blind, one’s uncle died, another was bullied in school, etc.  I just wasn’t prepared for the level of pathos that came with what I was expecting to be just another lively variety show, and it definitely elevated the experience.

But, again, my favorite aspect of America’s Got Talent Las Vegas LIVE is its universal appeal.  Do you love a great singer?  Fantastic.  Really keen on magic?  You’re in luck, as a magician is on after the vocalist.  Your wife doesn’t care much for magic?  Not to worry, the act after that is a shadow-play dance troupe.  Oh, but your kids think dancing is lame?  Tell them to go and buy some popcorn, because the act after the dancers involves whips and knife throwing.  As I said, there truly is something for everybody!

America’s Got Talent Las Vegas LIVE
Luxor Theater | Luxor Las Vegas
Click HERE for info and tickets

Get into it!
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