John Katsilometes

Green Valley South

Columnist at Las Vegas Review-Journal

Daily columnist @reviewjournal, PodKats!, 2013 NPA journalist of the year, 4-time Best of the West, 2015-16, ‘23 NPA Best Local Column, 2019 UNLV Hall of Fame.

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Articles

Satriani’s Van Halen moment: Beer, cigarettes and a song that didn’t work

3 days ago | reviewjournal.com | John Katsilometes

Before Joe Satriani played Eddie Van Halen’s riffs, he played some music for the guitar great. The best thing that can be said about this session is Satriani didn’t break a string. Satriani met Van Halen once, “In the old days,” as he says, of 1992. Van Halen happened by the studio during Satriani’s sessions for “The Extremist,” which would be released that year.
‘Hamilton’ offering $10 tickets in Smith Center return

3 days ago | reviewjournal.com | John Katsilometes

Alexander Hamilton graces the $10 bill. As if by fate or marketing strategy, you can see “Hamilton” in Vegas for a 10-spot. Related, a digital lottery for $10 “Hamilton” tickets at The Smith Center is being held in conjunction with the show’s first performance May 20. A limited number of tickets are available for every performance for $10 each, including fees. The lottery first opened last Friday, and closes at noon this Thursday, for tickets to performances for May 20 through May 25.
Four-year dance show on Strip closing at the end of the month

3 days ago | reviewjournal.com | John Katsilometes

“iLuminate” had enough battery life for nearly four years at The Strat. The LED-trimmed dance production has announced it is closing on May 31. The show opened Aug. 25, 2021, the creation of computer-code wizard and show director Miral Kotb. The show had appeared on “America’s Got Talent,” bringing to the stage advanced LED technology, dazzling choreography and thundering musical numbers. Built for all ages, “iLuminate” ran for more than 1,200 performances while holding the theater’s 7 p.m. slot.
‘Family Guy’ guy to headline big-band show on Las Vegas Strip

4 days ago | post-gazette.com | John Katsilometes

Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP John Katsilometes Las Vegas Review-Journal May 12, 2025 8:00 AM LAS VEGAS — The creator of “Family Guy” is also “Showman Guy.” Seth MacFarlane is coming back to Las Vegas with his big-band presentation, taking over Voltaire at The Venetian on July 3, 4 and 5. MacFarlane is famous for the animated series and a stack of film and TV projects, among them “The Orville: New Horizons” on Hulu and Peacock’s original comedy “Ted.” But MacFarlane is an able front man and a...
Sammy Hagar, Bob Weir perform rare song on Las Vegas Strip

5 days ago | reviewjournal.com | John Katsilometes

Sammy Hagar was in great (dead and) company last week in his Strip residency. Hagar’s longtime friend, Grateful Dead co-founder and Dead & Company stalwart Bob Weir whisked into at Dolby Live on Wednesday night.
Motown legend plays to 1,600 in 1st show after sexual assault claims

5 days ago | reviewjournal.com | John Katsilometes

Smokey Robinson was back on stage Friday night for the first time since four ex-employees accused him of sexual assault over a 17-year period. His performance at Beau Rivage Theater in Biloxi, Miss. was devoid of any reference to those charges. As reported by The New York Times from the show, Robinson performed as scheduled for a crowd of nearly 1,600 fans.
Wrexham’s Las Vegas Strip party: Lift mishap, pyro, flowing champagne

5 days ago | reviewjournal.com | John Katsilometes

Led by one of their Hollywood-star, co-owners, members of Wrexham A.F.C. are picking up another road victory on the Strip. Since landing by private jet Thursday, the English Football League Championship favorites have partied at Lavo at The Venetian, Omnia Nightclub at Caesars Palace and Hakkasan Nightclub at MGM Grand. They even stalled an elevator, or “lift,” in British parlance, at Hakkasan on Thursday night by jumping up and down.
She bought tickets to Josh Groban. Now she’s in the Strip show

6 days ago | reviewjournal.com | John Katsilometes

Elisa Fiorillo really wanted to attend Josh Groban’s show at the Colosseum this weekend. So did Groban. Fiorillo is the Las Vegas-based singer who toured and recorded with Prince in New Power Generation from 2009-2014. She’s also a big Groban fan. As the wonderful vocalist said in her appearance Wednesday at The Composers Showcase of Las Vegas at Myron’s, Fiorillo bought a pair of tickets to Saturday night’s show, just as they went on sale three months ago.
Above the Las Vegas Strip, a tribute to late RJ columnist Norm Clarke

6 days ago | reviewjournal.com | John Katsilometes

Nearly seven weeks after his death, Norm Clarke is still a presence on the Strip. A billboard honoring the late RJ columnist looms over Las Vegas Boulevard and Convention Center Drive. Chad McCollough of Elite Media had the tribute installed Thursday. It will run through May 18. The billboard notes Clarke’s book “Power of the Patch.”Clarke died March 20 at age 82, after a long battle with cancer.
Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds, 13-time Grammy winner, makes Las Vegas his home

6 days ago | reviewjournal.com | John Katsilometes

Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds had a compelling reason to relocate to Las Vegas. He was inspired by his mom. “It was my mom’s idea to move to Vegas,” Edmonds says. “We’d come to Vegas a few times, gone to a couple casinos. She never liked to gamble, but she liked, she wanted to move somewhere, and loved the city.”That was around 1992, when Edmonds late mother, Barbara, was retiring — or as Babyface said, “I retired her.