Thunder From Down Under – Page 2

Strip In The Dark Tonight For Earth Hour

Earth Hour Las Vegas is here again so get out your cameras….and a flashlight….

Things are about to go dark on the Strip. But don’t worry, the power “outage” isn’t a mishap…it’s part of a planet-wide awareness movement. Known as Earth Hour, the annual event will be making its ninth Vegas appearance…er, disappearance this Saturday, March 24th from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm. And it’s really a sight ~~not~~ to see.

Here’s a clip from KTNV’s coverage two years ago:

Earth Hour is more than just a publicity stunt or meaningless tradition. It’s part of a global initiative to bring awareness to the threats of climate change and related environmental concerns. More than 160 nations participate in Earth Hour, which was started by the World Wildlife Fund back in 2007.

To be a part of Earth Hour, individuals, organizations, landmarks and businesses are encouraged to turn off all non-essential lighting for 60 minutes. During that time and (and throughout the evening), events are held to support and publicize global green initiatives.

Here’s what the Venetian/Palazzo has in store for tonight:

The Venetian®, The Palazzo®, and Sands® Expo will be celebrating Earth Hour 2018 by turning off non-essential lights at 8:30 p.m. In addition, guests of the resort will also be invited to turn off non-essential lighting in their guest suites and share in the Earth Hour experience.

This effort is a part of the worldwide annual environmental campaign that asks organizations and individuals to turn off lights for one hour. To bring further awareness to this initiative, the resorts will turn exterior marquee signs green outside of Earth Hour.

The Venetian, The Palazzo, and Sands Expo are fully engaged in the Sands ECO360° Global Sustainability strategy designed to help minimize the environmental impact of the company. Las Vegas Sands’ vision is to lead the way in sustainable building development and resort operations; striving to leave a responsible, cleaner, and safer world for future generations.

According to the World Wildlife Fund‘s official site:

“WWF’s Earth Hour shows us how each of us can be heroes for our planet, our home. Our actions today can change our tomorrow – together, let’s #ChangeClimateChange”.

Since its Las Vegas beginnings, I’ve heard many cynics saying that an hour’s worth of electricity is just a drop in the ocean, so to speak. But that’s not really the point of Earth Hour. Awareness is everything, and even a city of excess can take big steps to reduce their impact on the environment throughout the year.

World Wildlife Fund’s “Pandy” visits the famous Welcome To Vegas sign…

For instance, Caesars Corporation cites environmental stewardship as one of the four pillars of their Code of Commitment. CET initiated “Code Green” in 2008 with a promise to preserve the planet for current and future generations. You can read about their effort by visiting here.

Human Nature back in the Imperial Palace days….

MGM Resorts has their own environmental sustainability program. Its highest-profile effort so far has been the construction of the world’s largest rooftop solar array atop the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.

Venetian/Palazzo boasts several awards for their Sands ECO360 Global Sustainability Program, which minimizes global impact in their building and operations programs. Parent company Las Vegas Sands Corp. is rated highest in the world for hospitality companies by Newsweek’s 2016 Green Ranking.

It’s really an understatement to say that building a city in the middle of the desert was impractical and excessive. But of course, Vegas has always boasted about its over-the-top qualities. However, as cultural shifts (and a rapidly-dwindling Lake Mead) remind us, the viability of life in Vegas valley would reach a tipping point without methods to address what we consume there.

Thunder From Down Under strips off their Earth Hour shirts to celebrate…

To that end, we’ve seen big changes in the way that mega-resorts…and even the smaller hotels…are handling the mass consumption of resources. It’s now somewhat common for resorts to offer dining or other incentives when opting out of daily housekeeping. Water-saving shower heads, high-efficiency toilets, and energy-efficient bulbs have been installed throughout the city.

In many hotels, “smart” thermostats and motion sensors curtail unnecessary lighting and cooling. The majority of guest and convention trash is sorted and recycled in massive efforts that guests will never see. Reclaimed and green-wise building materials are now the norm. Even a large portion of the ill-fated Harmon Hotel‘s materials were collected for re-purposing.

And let’s not forget about those massive, enormous solar arrays outside of the city…

So when the lights go dark on the Strip tonight, enjoy the coolness factor and take lots of memorable photos. But please remember the message that Earth Hour brings…and how we can all make a difference.

You can learn more by visiting EarthHour.org via this link.

Photos: Sammasseur, Venetian, EarthHour.org, Earth Hour Las Vegas

2017 In Review Part 3 – Trends: Hot, Cold, Wet and Sweaty

Vegas Unfiltered’s 2017 In Review continues with “The Year In Trends”…

Most Influential Trend – Rideshare Services

Taxis gouge and the lines are super-long. Buses smell…and so do many of the passengers. Rental cars rack up parking fees and run the risk of accidents and DUI’s. Then there’s the monorail line, which services too few hotels and shuts down at 2 am. Thank goodness stalwart party people can choose LYFT and Uber, two modern ways of getting around that have impacted the way that we “Vegas”.

Now completing their second year of servicing McCarran International Airport along with the rest of the city, these two ride-share services will get you where you want to go at any hour. Best of all, they’re cheap!

There is a downside with rideshares in that both the airport and the resorts seem to have conspired with the local Taxicab Authority to locate designated pick-up spots in remote areas. But expect that to change as the initial shock wears off and rideshare companies evolve from being an upstart service to the transportation method of choice.

On The Rise – Classic Cocktail and Liquor Bars

You may not have realized it, but bottle service has quickly become very “2014”. These days, the hip, young and young-at-heart are gathering at classic cocktail and liquor bars. Venetian/Palazzo opened up two this year (The Dorsey and Rosina) to enormous success.

Downtown’s Golden Nugget recently replaced Gold Diggers Nightclub with a Vegas version on NYC’s Troy Liquor Bar, bringing a much-needed element of class to the frequently-skeevy Fremont Street. I’ll be visiting that one soon and will report back.

Element of the Year – Water

Water was a major player in Sin City this year. WOW – World of Wonder joined O and Le Reve as the third water-based production (read my review here). More resorts added the option to decline housekeeping and laundry services in return for resort credit, saving money, labor…and lots of water. Chippendales brought in a Prince-ly “Purple Rain” shower sequence that has audiences breaking the sound barrier with screams.

The level of Lake Mead continued to drop, worrying officials and providing a disturbing sight for those who fly into the Valley from the east. $817 million and six years were invested into drilling a new “intake straw” to ensure that the remaining water could continue to be siphoned in a “last ditch effort to save Las Vegas from drought doom” .

Despite the water emergency, construction is set to begin on Wynn Paradise Park, a man-made lagoon and theme park that will replace the recently-closed Wynn golf course.

Sadly (or perhaps fortunately), it also brings a whole new focus on the concerns for water mismanagement. Steve Wynn is probably hoping that the new fire-based INFERNO show at Paris will take some of the heat away from his continued wasting of Sin City’s most precious resource.

Fading Fast – Male revues

Any regular reader know I love attending this type of show, despite the fact that some of them are sheer crap. While 2017 started with an all-time interest for male revues, the sizzle fizzled out pretty rapidly.

A marketing blitz for Magic Mike Live caused long-time standards Chippendales and Thunder from Down Under some concern. After the initial madness, MML became just another option in a landscape littered with hungry male strippers (what an image!).

Black Magic Live quickly moved from the Strip’s Tommy Wind Theater to a banquet hall to an off-Strip ghetto nightclub. Aussie Heat has cooled down to two performances a week (with talk of closure in the coming weeks). Men of the Strip‘s dreams of a multi-media nightclub at Tropicana were reduced to a two-week gig at Hard Rock Cafe. Then they left Las Vegas altogether for a tour through North America.

An insider told me that it’s much too difficult to launch a residency in expensive Vegas venues. He cites the ease of filling up large spaces in other cities where this type of entertainment is rare and there is little to no competition. The profit margin is much greater for tours as well.

You can be sure that Chipps and Thunder won’t be going anywhere next year. Unfortunately, that’s probably true for the nauseating Magic Mike Live. But in Vegas, where Sin is touted as a lifestyle and wild girls (and gays) come here to get their male-stripper groove on, expect the choices to be more limited in 2018.

Photos: Sammasseur, Wynn Resorts (and other sources, too)

Male Revues from a Gay P.O.V. – Part 2

More info on where to go and what to expect from a gay guy’s perspective…

A few weeks back I explored the various resident male revues, ranking them in terms of their inclusion of audience members who are guys. It was, I think, a pretty thorough guidebook, but not entirely complete. At the end, I promised to contact two long-running stripper clubs that included male revues in their entertainment roster.

Since publishing that original piece, I have reached out several times to the powers that be at Kings of Hustler and Men of Sapphire. Both expressed interest in participating in this article, yet neither provided responses to a series of questions I sent their way. Numerous follow-up attempts yielded nada, so I’m just going to let that go.

I can say, however, that both locations permit attendance by men. Your level of interactivity will vary depending on the individual performers…and perhaps the degree of business they have that night (everyone has bills to pay and lap dances aren’t free). Also, since I was a guest at both places, I’m unable to provide admission prices.

Another unresolved matter was my review of the upstart Black Magic Live. Unseen by me when Part 1 of this series was published, I wish that had remained the case. Black Magic Live is an absolute mess and I cannot recommend it at all. While not a mega-flop on the level of Magic Mike Live, it is indeed a cheap, chaotic disaster unworthy of your time and money.

Because nothing says “Sexy Night in Vegas” like a wedding hall…

Black Magic Live began its run at the Tommy Wind Theater, otherwise known as the place where shows go to die. It quickly moved to Ron Decar Events Center, a banquet hall belonging to Viva Las Vegas wedding chapel.

You may find yourself wanting to look away, too…

BML is now on its third venue for calendar year 2017. As of this month, the show is performing inside the little known Embassy Night Club in a skeevy industrial area past the west side of the Strip. The Latino spot was in the news this past April when three patrons were stabbed in the parking lot. Stay away!

I’ve also revisited both Chippendales and Aussie Heat at V Theater since the last article. The boys at Chipps continue to be the glossiest cast in town, but not much has changed aside from the completion of Tyson Beckford‘s hosting stint (…or is he back? The website still lists him). That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as Chippendales set the bar for all male revues.

Aussie Heat, on the other hand, seems to have ramped up their willingness to entertain guests of both (all?) genders. Along with an infectious silliness and sense of fun, the lesser-known troupe from Oz (not to be confused with the always-coasting Thunder From Down Under) continues to bend over backward for each and every audience member.

And like the stripper clubs, they offer a free party bus to get you there and some of the lowest ticket prices in town. Groupon is currently offering $49 general admission seats for Aussie Heat with no additional fees. Compare that to Magic Mike Live, where the farthest seats of the upper balcony will still run you over $120.00.

You may remember that I chose Aussie Heat as my #1 male revue for inclusion of all audience members. As you can see, the response is overwhelmingly positive:

Check out this clip below for a taste of Aussie Heat, recorded Saturday 10/28/17. Be aware that it is probably NSFW.

So there you have it, my most complete guide to male revue residencies for guys. Whichever one you choose, be sure to cut loose and have some fun.

After all, Sin City can’t do any sinning without you.

Photos: Sammasseur, Black Magic Live, Aussie Heat, Men of Sapphire, Kings of Hustler

Ranking Male Revues from a Gay P.O.V.

In this era of inclusion, how welcome are men at various male stripper shows?

Back in 1985, John Travolta played a Rolling Stone reporter in the semi-fictional drama Perfect. Assigned to cover the singles scene in Los Angeles, Travolta finds himself attending a male revue (save the jokes for later). Interestingly, he is forced to watch the proceedings from behind a screen. According to Laraine Newman’s character, men are forbidden from attending the show (a thinly-disguised Chippendales).

That was 35 years ago. These days, you’re as likely to see men in the audience as on the stage. I can say that from experience, as these shows are one of my favorite things to do when in Sin City. And they’re an absolute balls-to-the-wall blast!

While I attend as an openly gay man, not every guy in the audience is homosexual. It’s worth pointing out that women of all persuasions have been attending topless revues for decades, and that has always been acceptable.

As we gravitate towards an era of full inclusion, the lines of sexuality have blurred. But that doesn’t mean that men will get the same level of welcome and interactivity at each and every show. Many readers have asked me to recommend guy-friendly male revues, based on my personal experiences. Please note that this article in no way reflects the sexuality of the performers appearing in their respective shows.

So here they are, rated on a scale of one to five, with five being the highest.

MAGIC MIKE LIVE – 1 out of 5

The stand-and-model troupe at Magic Mike Live disappoints on all counts…

A stillborn offspring of Channing Tatum’s film franchise, Magic Mike Live really isn’t recommended for anyone. It’s a difficult slog to sit through and already my choice for the worst new show of 2017. The guys remain clothed for much of the running time, which is somewhat of a blessing in disguise (see below). Worse yet, a screeching female host makes the production nearly unbearable by squawking post-menopausal life lessons throughout.

It’s a bumpy road to Magic Mike Live. Don’t take it…

Public relations insiders have told me that the team at Magic Mike Live has shown little interest in marketing to the lucrative gay demographic. There’s very little reason for me to doubt that, especially after on my own experience.

Men hoping to get a lap dance or a round of onstage excitement will leave feeling disappointed…and out of lots of cash. Drinks and tickets are quite expensive. On the upside, cocktail servers are attentive (not to mention especially attractive) and save the evening from being a total loss.

THUNDER FROM DOWN UNDER – 2 out of 5

Thunder From Down Under doesn’t rank high on the list for guys…

The long-running Aussie revue Thunder from Down Under at Excalibur allows men to attend (as do they all), but don’t expect to get more than a fist-bump from the dancers as they work their way through the audience. The rough-and-tumble men of the Outback are dripping with testosterone, but only seem interested in sharing it with the ladies.

Straight men will find the atmosphere completely “non-threatening”. Don’t expect to see guys brought up onstage for any audience participation segments, either. But they CAN purchase a group shot after the show.

Said one former member of the troupe “Guys don’t go to ‘hen shows’ where we come from. We just aren’t used to that.”

Chippendales – 4.5 out of 5

Chippendales is shy of getting a perfect score, but an absolute favorite…

The grand master of all male revues, Chippendales still packs them in and keeps up with the times. There is a moderate amount of interactivity with guys during audience numbers and plenty of shout-outs to gay members celebrating birthdays and such. I’ve even seen a guy celebrating his 21st brought onstage for a free calendar.

Straight guys should find this one well within their comfort zone. It’s kind of like hanging out with the bros…and single straight men should have a good time in the Flirt Lounge before and after the performance, chatting it up with the female attendees.

What keeps Chippendales from achieving a perfect five-star rating is that, after attending dozens of times, I’ve yet to see a man brought onstage for any regular segments. If you’ve witnessed otherwise, be sure to hit me up in the comments.

UPDATE 12/3/18: Since the original publication of this article, the creative team at CHIPPENDALES has upped their efforts to be more inclusive. Gentlemen are frequently, albeit briefly, brought onstage now. However, the segment I’ve seen this happen in (and have been included in myself) is not exactly of an erotic nature. So, although the addition is most welcome and another move in the right direction…their placement on this list remains unchanged.

I’m giving Chipps an extra half star since the production is a huge public supporter of gay fans. They’ve even featured an openly-gay host or two. Gentlemen are welcome to purchase group photos with the cast, and you can chat with the guys one-on-one after the final performance of each evening.

Aussie Heat – 5 out of 5

This upstart group takes on the big boys…and wins top honors. Not to be confused with Thunder from Down Under, the Aussie Heat show is a no-holds-barred fest of boy-flesh for men and women equally. Held in the intimate second-level V Theater 2 at Planet Hollywood’s Miracle Mile Shops, Aussie Heat fills the space with abs, biceps, butts and pecs. No audience member is ignored, and that’s the case from beginning to end.

Men are regularly selected for an onstage lap dance contest where three participants are blindfolded. They’re then asked to identify a particular dancer based on other senses…including taste and touch!

The Aussie boys spend plenty of time in the audience, often draping themselves across laps and inviting you to lick, fondle, rub and squeeze. Every dancer is an equal-opportunity flirt, besides being classically-trained performers in their own right. So this one is only recommended for open-minded straight men with a sense of adventure…and fun.

I’ve written two previous articles regarding the willingness of Aussie Heat to entertain male audiences. They’ve even gone so far as to have their nightly after-party once a week in a short-lived gay venue nearby.

Pre-show VIP experiences allow you to meet and photograph the guys in the prep room while they stretch and pump up their muscles. Photos with the cast are available for purchase after the show (proceeds go to Opportunity Village, a local charity), which can be as naughty as you want.

Men Of The Strip – 5 out of 5

I debated whether to include Men of the Strip in these rankings, as the production is currently on hiatus. What started as a planned residency ended up as a 6-night stint in Vegas with a possible tour on the way. But since there’s a chance of it returning with a regular schedule, I’m listing MOTS here with the others.

And Men of the Strip is certainly worthy of a gay male audience. Emcees address both genders in the audience with equal enthusiasm while lap dances and interaction are guy-friendly (cash tipping is allowed). Straight guys might be squirming in their chairs, but won’t mind hanging out with the worked-up ladies at the bar afterward.

MOTS ranks right up there with Aussie Heat in bringing guys onto the stage and into the action. If you want to see what I mean, check out the clip above from a performance at Hard Rock Cafe. Be aware that it’s not safe for work.

Black Magic Live aka Vivica’s Black Magic – Rating to be determined

This one is a toughie, compounded by the fact that I haven’t actually seen it…or spoken to anyone who has. This all-black male revue, currently playing at Ron Decar Events Center after a stint at Tommy Wind Theater, gained notoriety when actress Vivica A. Fox angered members of the LGBTQ community in a radio interview suggesting that gays weren’t welcome to attend. She later apologized.

Fox and the show’s executive producer Jean-Claude LaMarre have entered a legal battle over the issue:

“As a result of Fox’s defamatory social media campaign, LaMarre’s customers canceled ‘Black Magic Live’ tickets and demanded refunds at shows” the suit states. VARIETY 6/5/17

It remains unclear at this point whether Fox is still affiliated with the production, as the official website refers to the show with two titles, one conspicuously removing Vivica’s name. A very well-known member of the media, who was previously in a Vegas male revue, wrote to me directly with this information:

The owners are actually very gay friendly. I know some of the cast too. Sweet guys. All very gay friendly as well. I’d hate to see them get shot down before ever given a chance.

If you’ve seen Black Magic, please leave your impressions in the comments or drop me a line directly.

Next up, I’ll visit Kings of Hustler and Men of Sapphire, two male-centric offshoots of popular female stripper clubs. I’ll examine their guy-guest policies and what to expect when attending. Click here to read it.

Photos by Sammasseur, VivicasBlackMagic.com