Frankie Moreno and his band light up Stratosphere’s showroom with an unforgettable performance of original music and classic Vegas swagger
By Kiko Miyasato
Photo by Christopher DeVargas
Stratosphere 8 p.m. Wed. & Fri.-Sat., $29.99 plus tax, 21+. 702.380.7777
It’s a different type of entertainment for present-day Las Vegas. There’s no fourth wall, 1,000-plus-seat theater, elaborate set pieces or reality TV guest star. While all those things make for a worthwhile Strip show, this performance does not need those things to resonate with an audience. Frankie Moreno and his 10-piece band remind us of Vegas’ entertainment heyday, where singers played to their audience, interacted with them and changed up the show to suit the crowd. There are no scripts to follow or boundaries to obey. It’s a show full of music performed by talented musicians, a show where guests feel welcomed and invited to share the experience right along with the performers. Moreno takes his artistry—everything from playing the piano, guitar and drums to dancing, singing and cracking jokes—and turns it into an extraordinary evening of entertainment, an evening that the Rat Pack would be proud of.
Moreno has been a local entertainment and critics’ favorite for years, playing at various joints around town, most recently at Golden Nugget’s Rush Lounge and The Lounge at Palms, and today his talent and hard work have landed him a showroom at the Stratosphere. So is he happy with the move? “I’m ecstatic! I’m just a guy who happened to be good at something; I love what I do and I’m completely passionate about it. … To have a goal that I’ve had since I was 3 and be able to actually make that come to life—I can’t tell you how excited I am about that,” he said. Moreno started performing professionally at the age of 7, but picked up piano skills as early as 3, and by 5 years old he could play Mozart. If you ask him how many instruments he can play, he’ll quickly say all of them. And you’ll get a taste of that during his show as he switches seamlessly from piano to drums, from harmonica to acoustic guitar.
Moreno shines most of all on the mic and piano. Most of the songs performed are original but feel familiar. “If you listen to my original songs, they sound like pop songs but it’s a big band sound. It’s like a Michael Bublé version of a OneRepublic song but with lyrics that are all country,” he explained. Original songs like “Tangerine Honey” and “Let’s Fake a Honeymoon” are prime examples that showcase the raw talent of Moreno and his band. While you’ll quickly become a fan of his original hits, Moreno takes classic songs like Cole Porter’s “Night and Day,” Bobby Darin’s “Mack the Knife” and the Lovin’ Spoonful’s “Daydream” and puts his own stamp on them, making us appreciate the magic of the music all over again. You can see the mannerisms and inflections of Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley, two big musical influences, channeled through Moreno. He even tackles The Beatles, transforming “Eleanor Rigby” into a showstopping finale.
Rounding out the show are Moreno and the band’s interactions with the audience, as comedy flows just like the shots of Crown Royal passed out into the crowd. The show is a celebration of all that is good and fun; it’s entertainment that you just shouldn’t pass up.
