A country finale

Summer is not quite over. The Country Cabana Concert Series at Flamingo’s GO Pool wraps up this week with a Sept. 26 performance from platinum-selling multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter Chris Janson, who just happens to be the youngest living member of the Grand Ole Opry even though he has just two studio albums under his belt. In addition to his two No. 1 singles “Fix A Drink” and “Buy Me A Boat,” the 32-year-old from Perryville, Mo., is known for writing Tim McGraw’s smash “Truck Yeah” and Justin Moore’s hit “Off the Beaten Path,” and playing harmonica on Lee Brice’s “Beer.” It seems like Janson does it all. A big Vegas country pool party? No problem.

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Culture Club

Culture Club

Last year at this time, Culture Club frontman and ’80s pop icon Boy George was talking about a potential Vegas residency show. “Growing up, I read a lot about Cher’s shows in Vegas and how she used to change every 11 minutes. I probably won’t go that far, but that’s a good starting point,” he told me. “If I do a show in Vegas, I want to be able to treat the audience like friends, to have that kind of warmth.”

The plans have not come to fruition just yet but Culture Club is headlining The Life Tour at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center on Sept. 29, also featuring The B-52s and the Thompson Twins’ Thom Bailey.

Quick Hits

When the bandleader of bandleaders Paul Shaffer returned to his special engagement at Cleopatra’s Barge at Caesars Palace this month, he brought along his former boss. David Letterman jumped onstage for some reminiscing and storytelling in between songs, just the latest in a line of surprise guests at Shaffer’s lounge spectacular, which returns Oct. 11-13.

The NFL hasn’t landed in Las Vegas just yet, but the first pro football weekend of the season brought some of the sport’s biggest stars to town. Hall of Famer Jerry Rice partied at Tao Nightclub at The Venetian after dining at Scotch 80 Prime at the Palms.

Did you catch The Crown Jewels engagement at Park Theater from Queen + Adam Lambert? The stars of the new Queen flick Bohemian Rhapsody did. Rami Malek, who stars as Freddie Mercury, along with fellow actors Gwilym Lee, Joe Mazzello and Lucy Boynton, witnessed the rock spectacular before partying at a VIP reception at Park MGM’s Juniper Cocktail Lounge hosted by Jonnie and Mark Houston, the Los Angeles-based hospitality aces who are opening the hotly anticipated On The Record nightclub at the evolving resort on New Year’s Eve.

Gloria and Emilio Estefan may not have made the trip to Las Vegas to see their Broadway musical On Your Feet! at the Smith Center, but they definitely sent their regards. The legendary couple donated $25,000 to Keep Memory Alive in honor of Gloria’s father, who died of multiple sclerosis.