It's the lovely wife's birthday this weekend so tonight we get to try the new Vegas location of New York's world famous RAO'S Italian restaurant! Apparently it's impossible to get a table at the 120 year-old Harlem location. They even turn celebs away. So I'm excited to at least try the Vegas version inside Caesar's Palace (same owners).

One drawback - I have to wear a suit in 93 degree heat.

Then tomorrow it's the movie "Vacancy" at Sam's Town (yep - the one the Killers named their album after), then a couple blocks north to Boulder Station to see the Alan Parsons Project

I know it's basically a new group of Parsonites, but that was always sort of a revolving door situation - and at least Mr. Parsons will be onhand.

(By the way "Alan Parsons Project" has now joined the term "One million dollars" as two phrases I cannot say without thinking of Dr. Evil.)

Sounds like a great night. I'd love to eat at NY's Rao's but its a "who you know" restaurant.

wow 93 already! Is that in the shade?:D

...and I can't hear the word "meatball" without thinking of Teddy Salad!

Enjoy the APP show and bring me a doggy bag from the restaurnat!

Glad to report that both Rao's and Alan Parsons Project were excellent. The venue was really nice and small. Alan and the band did a signing after the show, so I was able to get my numbered "Dutch Collection" autographed by Mr. Parsons. Also got my remastered "I Robot" signed.

Each member of the band had at least one lead vocal, and they really managed to sound like the originals.

Setlist (from memory, so I may forget something):

Lucifer
Damned If I Do
Don't Answer Me
Breakdown
The Raven
Time
I Wouldn't Want To Be Like You
La Sagrada Familia
Don't Let It Show
We Play The Game
Sirius
Eye In The Sky
---encore---
I Robot
Day After Day
Games People Play

It was rather heavy on "I Robot" songs (no complaint from me there). Alan basically admitted as much, saying "We're playing a lot of "I Robot" because we are pushing the new remaster. You all get to buy it all over again...but most of you probably have it on vinyl anyway".

They were, in fact, selling the "I Robot" and "Eye In The Sky" remasters in the lobby, along with the 2 disc "Definitive Collection". Alan seemed quite impressed with me having the "Dutch Collection". "I know you didn't get THAT here", he quipped. Then he said, "I don't even have that one".

Nice touch: They closed "Don't Answer Me" with the last few notes of "Let It Be".