By Chuck Darrow
Guitar gods Joe Satriani and Steve Vai, legendary singer-composer Smokey Robinson and “American Pie” creator Don McLean are among the artists who comprise an impressive spring talent roster in the region’s casino showrooms.
Also set to perform in what is a surprisingly star-studded and artistically diverse season are comedy-magic titans Penn & Teller, Jersey-born hitmaker Charlie Puth, early-’80s pop disruptors DEVO and one-time late-night-TV rivals Jay Leno and Arsenio Hall.
Below, in chronological order, are some of the more noteworthy bookings of the spring season.
Jay Leno/Aresenio Hall (March 27; Caesars Atlantic City)
In the early 1990s, Leno and Hall were fierce competitors for late-night-TV eyeballs; the rivalry was so heated that Hall once boasted publicly he was “gonna kick Jay’s ass” in the ratings wars. Well, that’s obviously water under the bridge, as the two are teaming up for a night of standup comedy.
Smokey Robinson (March 28; Ocean Casino Resort)
Anytime the 86-(not a misprint!)-year-old pop icon comes to AyCee is cause for celebration. After all, few songwriters have contributed to popular culture as much as Robinson, whose catalog includes “My Girl;” “My Guy;” “You Better Shop Around;” “Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me);” and “Tears of A Clown.” While we can’t speak to his current physical condition, he was in fine form at his show at Hard Rock last March, which was nothing less than spectacular.
Dierks Bentley (April 3; Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City)
Unlike many of his contemporaries, Nashville stalwart Bentley has stayed rooted in country’s acoustic/bluegrass origins, Nonetheless, he isn’t afraid to dive into the ’80s arena rock favored by so many of his fellow country stars these days.
Tower of Power & War (April 3; Tropicana)
Tower of Power helped pioneer funk music in the 1970s, but War is the real draw here. The funk-pop band’s ’70s catalog of smash hits stands alongside that of any other of the era’s hitmakers: Its string of smashes includes “Why Can’t We Be Friends,” “Summertime,” “The Cisco Kid,” “Low Rider” and “Spill the Wine.”
‘’80s Live’ (April 12-June 28; Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City)
The bayside pleasure dome jumps into the production-show pool with this once-a-week revusical keying on the era when MTV set the pop music agenda. Expect the set list to include music from the likes of Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston.
Paul Anka (April 18; Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa)
The Canadian-born singer-songwriter, who is responsible for an astonishing array of pop culture-defining music from 1950s teen-idol-era hits like “Puppy Love” and “Diana” to the theme to the Johnny Carson-hosted “The Tonight Show” to Frank Sinatra’s signature “My Way,” is still going strong at age 84. As with Smokey Robinson, a Paul Anka performance is something everyone should experience at least once.
Melissa Etheridge (April 18; Parx)
The 1990s singer-songwriter A-lister and current Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominee has been garnering strong reviews for performances that emphasize the blues-rock underpinnings of her sound.
Jerry Seinfeld (April 25; Borgata)
He may no longer be the comedic gold standard he was 30 years ago, and many of his contemporary routines come off as just so much kvetching. But the guy who changed television comedy forever 30-some years ago is still an absolute master of the standup form.
‘Hasan Hates Ronny/Ronny Hates Hasan: A Debate To the Death’ (May 1; Hard Rock)
If you’re looking for a mellow, soothing and uplifting night out, this probably isn’t the show for you: According to the promotional material for the program that has comedians Hasan Minhaj and Ronny Chieng debating current events, “If hate is your love language, don’t miss out.”
Sooshi Mango (May 1; Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia)
Sooshi Mango is the collective name of a sketch-comedy trio from Down Under that has found global online fame through videos that affectionately poke fun at Australian-Italian culture.
Leonid & Friends (May 7; Tropicana Atlantic City)
Bands that pay tribute to the music of jazz-rock titans Chicago may not be uncommon, but it’s unlikely there are any others that hail from Leonid & Friends’ home base, Moscow, Russia.
Penn & Teller (May 14 and 15; Hard Rock)
I can write tomes about the 50-plus-year-old duo whose act remains a one-of-a-kind marvel, but I’ll leave it at this: Penn & Teller are my absolute favorite show biz attraction in my half-century as an entertainment writer. There has simply never been anything like them. Please go see them, especially if you’ve never before attended one of their performances.
SatchVai Band Ft. Joe Satriani & Steve Vai (May 29; Borgata)
Satriani and Vai are universally recognized as two of rock’s greatest guitarists. That they are sharing a bill is a real treat for devotees of six-string artistry at its highest level.
Don McLean (May 29; Caesars)
McLean had only one mega-hit, but what a mega-hit it was. His epic 1971 release, “American Pie,” was nothing less than the baby boomer generation’s version of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and 55 years later, it remains one of the most revered tracks in pop history.
Charlie Puth (May 30; Hard Rock)
The 34-year-old from Rumson (Monmouth County) launched his career with self-produced videos he posted on YouTube. Now, he’s an international sensation who has collaborated with a wide array of stars from Wiz Khalifa and Justin Bieber to Elton John and James Taylor.
DEVO (June 12; Borgata)
These turn-of-the-’80s adventurers combined performance-art attitude, avant-garde electronic music, irresistible hooks, quirky, (still-) futuristic visuals and a worldview that espoused the concept that the human race has been de-evolving for centuries and somehow managed to be a wildly entertaining, mainstream attraction. ••
