The Best Las Vegas Residency Shows

Las Vegas has long been home to residency shows. Liberace is widely credited as being the format’s pioneer, bringing back-to-back shows to Sin City during the 1940s. Later, Frank Sinatra with the Rat Pack and Elvis Presley took the idea and ran with it, immortalizing the Sin City residency show in the process.

One may ask why huge bands are taking up multi-year residencies in Vegas. The shows do not draw as many people as headline tours. Bands like Aerosmith are used to playing to sold-out stadiums. So, why bother with a residency?

One reason might be because Vegas has needed to adapt and draw people in as their casino offerings can no longer compete with the large number of established online operators. Thus, offering bands contracts they just cannot refuse helps to draw in the crowds who inevitably hit the casino floor after the shows.

For casinos, residency shows are a bit of a loss leader. Meanwhile, for artists, they represent a way to pack in a lot of concerts, and by extension paychecks, without much of the hassle associated with touring. That might explain why many of the greatest artists performing residency shows are more advanced in years!

That doesn’t mean the shows described below are anything but world class, however. It just means that those performing would rather not sleep on a tour bus for multiple nights in a week!

Aerosmith Deuces are Live

Classic rock in a classic venue. With its clear nod to the game of poker, Aerosmith’s Deuces are Live residency at the MGM Grand is exactly what Vegas residency shows are all about. As one of the world’s best selling rock groups, Aerosmith is sure to get the punters in!

The band has enjoyed more than 50 years in the business and is the creative force behind hit songs like “Walk This Way”, “I Don’t Want to Miss a thing”, and “Crazy”. It might have taken them a good few years to write a number one album but their back catalogue is absolutely loaded with timeless classics.

The Deuces are Live residency show is part of the band’s 2019/2020 concert tour. Originally, there were 18 Vegas shows. However, popular demand saw an extra 17 night added! Unfortunately, many of the shows have had to be rescheduled thanks to the coronavirus pandemic but, with unfinished business, you can bet Steve Tyler, Joe Perry, and co will return to the Sin City stage as soon as it’s safe to do so.

Lady Gaga Enigma/Jazz and Piano

Like Aerosmith (and many other artists), Lady Gaga’s Vegas residency shows this year were put on hold. She was scheduled to hit the city that never sleeps on multiple occasions over two years from 2018. Always one to do things differently, Gaga planned not one but two distinct evenings for her stay.

The first show, Enigma, is a theatrical and bombastic performance of the multi-GRAMMY Award-winning artist’s biggest hits. You can expect all your favourite tunes, from the appropriate-for-Vegas “Poker Face” to the 2019 number one single “Shallow”. MGM describes the show as an “odyssey of her pop hits built as an experience unlike any other”.

Meanwhile, the second show, titled Jazz and Piano, is an altogether different affair. It will feature more intimate, stripped back versions of tunes from her back catalogue, as well as The Great American Songbook. We particularly like the inclusion of clear nods to the culture of Las Vegas. Tracks like “Luck Be a Lady” and “Fly Me to the Moon” hark back to the Rat Pack and the very beginnings of Vegas residencies.

While the shows were cut short, there are plans to complete them at a later time. The precise dates are still to be announced though.

Usher

For entertainment aficionados, 2020 has been an absolute write-off. However, Las Vegas is clearly planning for a big 2021. The first new residency show to be coming to town will be Usher at the Caesars Palace Colosseum. All things coronavirus hopefully being behind us, multi-award-winning hip hop and R&B star will take to the stage armed with almost two decades worth of hits.

Hopefully Usher’s residency will kick off in July 2021 and culminate at least half a year later on New Year’s Day 2022. Expect hits like “Yeah!”, “You Make Me Wanna…”, and “Nice & Slow”, along with, as the artist himself states, a few unexpected tracks thrown in along the way:

“My residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace will be full of surprises and an Usher experience like they’ve never seen or heard before!”

So far, there’ll be a total of eight shows at Caesars in July and four during the holiday season. Part of the proceeds from ticket sales will also go towards the artists’ charity, which helps disadvantaged youngsters.

Sting

Also taking to the Caesars Palace stage next year will be the legendary Sting. Having enjoyed an ongoing career of more than 40 years, the former The Police vocalist has more than a few hits behind him. You can expect to hear tunes like “Message in a bottle”, “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic”, and “Every Breath You Take”, alongside tracks from the acclaimed artist’s solo offerings.

The British singer-songwriter has named his residency after his fourteenth studio album, My Songs. Apart from a month off during the summer, he’s due to perform his songs from May 7, 2021, right through until November 13.

Sting’s known for blending musical textures. From the reggae-infused “So Lonely” and early punky tracks like “Fall Out”, right through to his medieval, lute-driven Song from the Labyrinth record, you can expect a real eclectic mix of influences and styles during his stay at the Colosseum.

David Lee Roth

David Lee Roth is also getting ready to rock Las Vegas next year. The unfortunate passing of guitarist Eddie has obviously put all things Van Halen on hold for a while. However, Dave plans to pay homage to the legendary axeman with his David Lee Roth: Rocks Vegas residency.

There will be six shows in total, taking place in March next year. They’ll all happen at one of the most instantly recognisable venues in the history of rock music – the almighty House of Blue at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.

You can expect to hear hits taken from the Van Halen back catalogue, as well as tunes from the artist’s solo career, including “Slam Dunk!” and his cover of the Beach Boys’ “California Girls”. Of course, David Lee Roth being something of a wild car

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About the Author

Dr. Jerry Doby Editor-in-Chief of The Hype Magazine, Media and SEO Consultant, Journalist, Ph.D. and retired combat vet. 2023 recipient of The President's Lifetime Achievement Award. Partner at THM Media Group. Member of the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture, the United States Press Agency and ForbesBLK.