Musically speaking, you could put it this way—and Petula Clark did just that:

“The lights are much brighter there / You can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares / So go DOWNTOWN, things will be great when you’re / DOWNTOWN, no finer place for sure / DOWNTOWN, everything’s waiting for you.”

Much of that’s waiting at the Plaza.

Job One in Vegas (except gaming, of course)? Entertainment, ’natch. Here, that job is deftly handled by variety veterans known as The Scintas—Buffalo-born bros Frankie and Joey, “honorary Scinta”/drummer Peter O’Donnell, vocalist Janien Valentine and their five-piece backup band—who are Vegas’ very own hutch of Energizer bunnies. Over 17 years, this hard-working ensemble has traversed the town, occupying venues both on-and-off-Strip, now landing at the Plaza Showroom. Such rare longevity stems not only from Vegas loyalty, but a performance ethic that’s equal parts talent and warmth.

With one foot in yesteryear and another in today, Frankie fronts a 90-minute show that gallops along, the torrent of tunes punctuated by rim-shot one-liners, often from behind him via bass man Joey. Have you ever lounged around New York’s Catskill Mountains—once affectionately nicknamed the Borscht Belt—that cradled stars such as Jerry Lewis, Don Rickles and Woody Allen in their career infancies? That entertainment style, renowned for intimacy with audiences and go-go energy, defines The Scintas.

The Scintas

The Scintas

Racier fun can be had at Lovers or Losers, a live game show, in which couples vie for prizes. It’s billed as “adults only”—your imagination can take over from there. You can chill to a rotating lineup of performers at the Omaha Lounge, including Wonderboogie every Thursday-Saturday. Want to boogie in a bathing suit? You’re 21 or older? Then dive into a pool party at the Plaza pool every Saturday, made even more festive by a DJ. On July 1, join a pre-Fourth of July blowout, complete with fireworks and ’80s tribute band Flashbax.

Elsewhere on the property, the dining centerpiece—courtesy of our colorful ex-mayor Oscar Goodman—is Oscar’s, a steakhouse subtitled “Beef-Booze-Broads” (we kid you not), inside the Plaza dome, overlooking Fremont Street. While your steak is cooking over a 600-degree grill, you can down drinks at the adjacent bar, including martinis—the signature libation of the eatery’s namesake.

Whenever else your stomach demands your attention, there are multiple venues to satisfy it. Try Brightside Breakfast and Burgers, with its New York-style deli vibe, Hash House A Go Go for farm-fresh breakfast specialties, Pop Up Pizza, featuring gourmet takes on the universal comfort food, and a food court to grab a meal on the run. And lest we forget—which we never would—there’s that spot where you can while away the hours, as so many do: the race and sports book and its adjacent bar. There, of course, you can hoist a cold one to celebrate your winnings. Or drown your disappointment if your team lets you down. (But let’s keep a positive ’tude—GO TEAM!)

And of course, at the Plaza, you’re right there at the gateway of downtown and its plethora of attractions, including Fremont Street, Container Park, The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, the Mob Museum, the Neon Museum, the Discovery Children’s Museum, and much more.

As the lady sang: “DOWNTOWN, everything’s waiting for you.”