Super Bowl events best moments: Wu-Tang, Maluma and Vegas parties
LAS VEGAS - Super Bowl week is always exhilarating and exhausting.
But this is Las Vegas, so multiply that by a few thousand.
The number of parties, concerts, red carpets and VIP events packed with celebs and athletes is so overwhelming that by the time Sunday rolls around, it takes a moment to remember why you traveled here anyway.
Oh, right. The football game.
But there's still time to prepare for Super Bowl 58. In the meantime, here's are some of the highlights of the pre-game-palooza that took over venues from the Las Vegas Strip to downtown to quickly accessed off-Strip joints.
More:Super Bowl 58: Vegas entertainment from Adele and Zach Bryan to Gronk and Shaq parties
Maluma
The Colombian heartthrob capped a busy week of performing at Clive Davis’ Pre-Grammy Gala and presenting a Grammy Award to fellow countrywoman Karol G with a seductive display at The Theater at Virgin Hotels.
SiriusXM and Pandora sponsored the free subscriber concert Thursday and a packed crowd of more than 4,000 eagerly consumed the urbano-pop of new favorites such as “Coco Loco” with its enticing sample of Daft Punk’s “Veridis Quo,” and older fare including "Corazón."
In a white suit festooned with red trim and the number 23 – in reference to his 2017 song of the same name – emblazoned on a pant leg, Maluma grinned as he slid his feet in rhythm and outstretched his arms.
With his hair in a bun and a black bandanna dangling from his back pocket, swaying with his gyrations, Maluma strolled the stage for “11 PM” and swung from a lilting delivery to rapid-fire punch on the reggaeton-flavored “Borro Cassette.”
The mass of fans crowded the venue floor, their arms raised in unison as Maluma – backed by a five-piece band and team of eight female dancers in black suits and bustiers – liberated his charm.
Though many songs among the 13 performed stemmed from Maluma’s most recent album, “Don Juan,” his strongest vocal of the show came on his 2020 hit, "Hawái.” Gentle keyboard notes introduced the ballad, which Maluma sang with eyes closed and hands punctuating lyrics. He looked genuinely touched by the deafening crowd singalong and paused appropriately before the song kicked into its loping rhythm.
The performance will air in its entirety on SiriusXM's Latin Music channels Hits Uno (151) and Caliente (153). Portions of the show can be heard on demand on the SiriusXM app and Pandora listeners can access the Maluma Radio station.
Wu-Tang Clan
It’s only four dates to start, so technically more of a special engagement than a residency, but Wu-Tang Clan is still making history as the first hip-hop act to claim a regular theater gig in Las Vegas.
At opening night Friday at The Theater at Virgin Hotels, the nine-piece collective hit the stage just past 9:30, first with leader RZA proclaiming from behind a white mask, “Hip-hop culture is spreading worldwide!” followed by the rest of the group for “Bring da Ruckus.”
RZA and the guys – GZA, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Ghostface Killah, Method Man, Raekwon, Masta Killa and Cappadonna – weaved among each other with ease on the lowest level of a three-tiered stage.
Above them, six dancers intermittently appeared while a nine-piece band featuring a drummer and percussionist played from atop the sleek set.
From the irresistible funk of “Da Mystery of Chessboxin’” to the low-key thumper “Can It Be All So Simple,” which samples Barbra Streisand’s “The Way We Were,” Wu-Tang looked loose and sounded taut.
While the massive video screen behind the stage spotlights riveting visuals – the group in masks and hoods, anime, floating red and black W symbols – the two large screens flanking the stage guarantee an ideal view whether in seats on the floor or toward the back in standing-only, general admission territory.
“Wu-Tang Clan: The Saga Continues … The Las Vegas Residency” follows last year's worldwide N.Y. State of Mind tour and while much of the set list remains the same, the show offers a unique playground for the group.
The hip-hop icons perform again Saturday, as well as March 22-23.
Fred Minnick's Big Game Bourbon
The multihyphenate who is Fred Minnick – bourbon authority, author, war veteran, host of “The Fred Minnick Show” podcast and co-creator and curator of the annual Bourbon & Beyond music festival in Louisville, Kentucky – knows how to throw a classy bash.
At The Foundation Room on the 63rd floor of Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on Wednesday, cigar smokers congregated on the balcony overlooking the Las Vegas Strip while bourbon fans flocked to a bar offering high-end spirits such as Barrell Bourbon and Wild Turkey Voyage.
Minnick led the intimate crowd in a Blind Bourbon Live tasting. Tips: Analyze the color, swirl and bring to your nose and open mouth, sip, determine where the taste is most prominent on the tongue and how long you feel it – aka, the finish.
Among the sippers was “Vanderpump Rules” star Tom Sandoval, who gamely posed with selfie seekers, and Rick Harrison of “Pawn Stars.”
Minnick, who returned from Iraq as a war veteran in 2005, is also a proponent of mental health. He briefly discussed his struggles with PTSD and advocated for therapy before noting that proceeds from the event, which raised more than $25,000, would benefit the Forgotten NotGonecharity, which works to prevent veteran suicide.
A silent auction for the organization included a signed Jim Brown helmet ($2,500), a Taylor Swift suite experience for 20 people at a New Orleans show in October ($250,000) and autographed memorabilia from Tom Brady, Joe Montana, Joe Burrow, Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce and Michael Jordan, among others. Bidding remains open until Monday.
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