NEWS
"Engelbert's vocal Pipes Are As Strong As Ever" By: Robin Leach
The highlight of my Strip-trotting expedition was off-Strip — downtown at the Smith Center for my longtime pal Engelbert Humperdinck’s show. Filled with the songs and sounds of love, romance and relationships, the heartthrob excelled with one of his best-ever performances.
He standing ovations every time, but it was at the finale as he closed with his giant hit “Release Me” that a phenomenon began. Well-dressed women young and old rushed the stage. In the three years of being a season ticketholder at the Smith Center’s Reynolds Hall, I’d never seen anything like it.
It was the days of Elvis and The Beatles all over again. Some even tossed aside their canes and walkers to reach the stage and shake his hand. It was an incredible sight, and if I hadn’t seen it for myself, I would have said “unbelievable.” But the 78-year-old singer charmed the crowd as if he was a TV evangelist.
His vocal pipes are as strong as ever, his sly remarks poking fun at himself are humorous, his backup band were bang on target with fabulous arrangements and instrumentals, and his two female singers were adorable. His songs “Spanish Eyes,” “After the Lovin’ ” and “The Last Waltz” still have all the power of yesteryear and proved why they are timeless and still as beautiful as ever.
All I could think of was how Eng, Marilyn and Billy sang pitch perfect with lyrics I could understand and weren’t four-letter-word offensive or derogatory. The joy of hearing performances with music that didn’t wreck my eardrums was delicious.
It was the perfect way to end a Valentine’s Day Weekend and the topping on the cake of my packed catch-up tour of Las Vegas shows.
Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past 15 years giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.
Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.
http://lasvegassun.com/vegasdeluxe/2015/feb/17/show-roundup-frank-engelbert-marilyn-mccoo-billy-d/