Sweet, Sweet Music
There hasn’t been a more appropriate time for James Taylor to soothe the down and troubled since his first hit “Fire and Rain” peaked at No. 3 the week ending Halloween 1970. The country was spooked at the time, shaken by an ongoing war and divisions in politics and culture, while the recent deaths of Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin haunted the pop music world. Taylor had lost a friend to suicide, and expressed it in an opening lyric that anyone experiencing bereavement could relate to: “Just yesterday morning, they let me know you were gone.”
The song, from Taylor’s second album Sweet Baby James, introduced themes of loss, loneliness, inner strength and solidarity that struck a chord with the public and threaded through his songwriting. Folk rock didn’t need to solely draw on the world outside; it could look within for something relatable. “Fire and Rain” solidified his future as a professional musician, but the track, a concert staple today, didn’t chart. He wouldn’t hit No. 1 until his cover of Carole King’s “You’ve Got a Friend.”
Taylor’s effect on listeners, his musical helping hand, was profound enough for him to maintain a fervent mass following for nearly 50 years, convincing Caesars Palace to book him a dozen dates for his first extended engagement at The Colosseum with His All-Star Band. He comes to Las Vegas hot off a critically acclaimed tour with Bonnie Raitt, during which the two closed out shows with a duet of “You Can Close Your Eyes.”
At The Colosseum, it’s a good bet he’ll open shows with one of his earliest compositions, “Carolina in My Mind,” which he wrote while overseas recording for the Beatles’ Apple Records. From there, one can expect hits like “Handy Man” and “Your Smiling Face,” two songs he’s been playing as part of his 2019 concerts, as well as “Something in the Way She Moves” (a tune that inspired George Harrison’s “Something”) and “Sweet Baby James.”
Though Taylor has an indirect influence on the pop charts today (thanks to Taylor Swift’s parents), it’s his own ability to search inwardly to discover music that can brighten the darkest nights of listeners that make him relevant today. –Matt Kelemen
Caesars Palace, 7:30 p.m. May 1, 3-4, 8 & 10-11, starting at $55 plus tax and fee. 800.745.3000 Ticketmaster
Race Day Fun
Well, hold your horses! If you’re looking for a way to celebrate the Kentucky Derby, head to Electra Cocktail Club at The Palazzo on May 4 to watch the race. Although the lounge offers excellent beverages on any normal day, it’s offering a secret julep menu with five flavor variations for $18 each during the race, and if you wear a derby-style hat, you’ll receive 25 percent off your bill. Now that’s a real win! –Nina King
The Palazzo, opens 3 p.m. May 4, 21+. 702.607.7777
A New You
Get in the last moments of celebrating April and Stress Awareness Month by booking yourself a treatment at The Spa at Park MGM. The guided meditations can be added on to massage treatments—the grounding meditation works on anxiety and stress, the uplifting meditation energizes and awakens, and the well-being meditation focuses on wellness and harmony. Each guest is gifted a crystal to complement the mediation experience. –Kiko Miyasato
Park MGM, 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. 702.730.7010
What a Pair!
Beer Pairing
Veranda hosts a special five-course beer-pairingdinner this Friday to coincide with the release of the property’s new Press signature IPA by locally based Able Baker Brewing Company. The five-course menu will combine American fare paired with local craft beers, as well as, the new Press IPA. “Able Baker is the perfect partner for our Press signature beer, with their emphasis on premium craft beers using fresh ingredients and bold flavors,” said Veranda’s chef de cuisine Joel Ott. “Their unique blends pay homage to Nevada’s roots as a nuclear testing site and state history. –KM
Four Seasons, 6 p.m. May 3, $65 per person. 702.632.5121
