Many shows on the Las Vegas Strip go “dark” for the holidays, so finding entertainment during this time of year can be challenging. Criss Angel, however, is barely taking a break, performing almost every day the rest of the year at his popular production, Criss Angel MINDFREAK. In a way, it makes sense: Angel’s birthday is Dec. 19, and he loves to celebrate his birthdays in style. What better way to do that than in front of thousands of his fans?
Angel certainly loves performing at Planet Hollywood—it’s where he shot season 1 and 2 of his A&E show Mindfreak (which catapulted him to superstardom). Over the course of his Las Vegas career, Angel has stretched himself creatively, first in the Cirque du Soleil show Believe at Luxor. He later launched CRISS ANGEL MAGICjam and the larger-than-life Mindfreak Live! at the same property, eventually moving the latter to its current home with a slight title tweak. Earlier this year, he launched AMYSTIKA with the late Franco Dragone. Through all his projects, Angel has shown a desire to connect with his audiences. And his audiences have responded; it’s not unusual to meet people at his show who have attended many times. (This includes celebrities like Gary Oldman, whom I’ve seen at his show at least twice. He’s almost always the first to give it a standing ovation.)
It’s hard to describe Angel’s show to those who have not yet seen it. It’s a rock concert (delivered through more than 150 speakers); it’s a spectacle (courtesy of approximately 2,000 lights and 90 surface areas handling half a billion pixels of video); it’s intimate; it’s frightening; it’s touching; and, at times, it’s transformative. It’s truly a reflection of the man who created it, and one of the most unique shows you’ll see on the Strip.
“The show is incredibly complex,” Angel told Las Vegas Magazine in an interview about the show. “Technologically, it’s the most sophisticated show even the entertainment capital of Las Vegas has ever seen. In order to do it, obviously, there are two components: the show, and the retrofitting of the theater. The theater itself had to be completely redone, engineering-wise.”
Angel is fronted by a live band that makes you want to bang your head as you scratch it, wondering how he’s pulling off some of his signature illusions like levitation inside an enclosed space. There’s also a music and video collaboration with Korn singer Jonathan Davis, and a painted portrait of Angel in the lobby courtesy of Kiss’ Paul Stanley.
Explosive moments (especially the sawing in half of an assistant) are offset by quiet ones, most notably when Angel talks about his philanthropic efforts. And that message will ring especially loudly during the holidays. Don’t be surprised to find yourself exiting the theater and wanting to volunteer at the nearest food bank. Now that’s some magic. And we can’t believe Angel could imagine a better birthday present.
Planet Hollywood Resort, 702.777.2782
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