First time in Vegas, but I got a crash course
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There may be an unspoken divide between west and east coast Canadians, but if we can agree on one thing, it could be Las Vegas, Nev.
I had never been to Vegas but heard wonderful and wild things about its shows, sites and food. I recently undid that wrong by enjoying five jam-packed days of food, drinks and fun. The food was delicious and the drinks were fancy, but what ultimately impressed me was the wide array of (non-gambling) activities, events and attractions.
Top five favourite activities
Cirque du Soleil Kà
Why I loved it: Kà, which premiered in 2004, is less about anything and more a mind-blowing experience of theatre integration, human ingenuity and teamwork. The title “Kà” comes from an ancient Egyptian word of the same name that means the invisible spiritual duplicate of the body which is survived after death. But, I would go for everything besides the plot.
Cirque du Soleil shows are not presented on your traditional raked down-stage/up-stage platforms. Each show has a bespoke performance area, and Kà’s blew my mind. I don’t want to ruin anything from the experience, so I’ll just mention that I would have loved to be in the room where the minds of artists and engineers came together to design the massive morphing stage.
The theatre and show were designed 20 years ago, and the artists, athletes, acrobats and crew who put on the performance give a world-class lesson in teamwork. There are so many elements in the show that laugh in the face of gravity. I sometimes can’t coordinate a virtual meeting with one colleague and Kà just has people everywhere all at once.
Omega Mart
Why I loved it: I deeply dislike contrived experiences designed for social media consumption. Omega Mart is so not that. Omega Mart is experiential art. Located in a space called Area 15, about 10 minutes away from the strip. Omega Mart is a good way to spend many sensory-driven hours.
The “Mart” part is just a theme and the setting for many local and national artists to showcase their work. You start off in a “supermarket.” Some of the “merchandise” is actually merchandise, but there are a lot of stationary pieces too. You’re encouraged to touch everything, look for hidden meanings and find disguised passageways. And there’s a lot of all of that to discover. If you’re not careful, you can easily miss most of the mart. But if you come in with an open mind, curious hands and perhaps a phone to capture content (it is a social media-friendly and unique experience), you’re in for a treat. Not your usual supermarket treat.
SpeedVegas
Why I loved it: I’m nearly indifferent about cars but my all-time favourite moment from this trip was during the drifting ride-along experience. So I can’t imagine how incredible SpeedVegas would be for those who really like cars. SpeedVegas offers various driving experiences, including the opportunity to drive fancy and fast cars. And the only rule? Well, there are a bunch, but none of them is a speed limit. Turns out I like driving at 354 km/h.
The team at SpeedVegas is awesome. The instructors are engaging, skilled and frankly, funny. The 30-minute lesson was essentially an informative stand-up headliner. I had zero experience with driving fast cars but was able to confidently put the pedal to the metal with the instructor sitting next to me.
The drifting experience was next level. G forces everywhere. A professional driver takes you around the course while drifting around a few corners. I silent-laughed for 20 seconds straight. It was nothing like I’d ever felt before and was beyond thrilling.
Cirque de Soleil: The Beatles LOVE
Why I loved it: I live in Toronto and see Cirque de Soleil performances when they come to town, but as mentioned, Vegas shows are next level because of how the stages are designed. LOVE, which premiered in 2006, is presented on a round-ish stage, so it’s quite immersive and there aren’t really bad seats.
If you like The Beatles, you’re likely going to enjoy the show. Most Cirque shows feature live music, but LOVE uses prerecorded Beatles material remastered by the band’s original producer Sir George Martin and his son Giles Martin. The best part of the show is the music and seeing the albums and songs come to (a very bendy and athletic) life. Similar to Kà, don’t go into this show looking for a plot — you’ll leave still searching. Instead, get ready for incredible costumes, athleticism and a few surprises.
Usher
Why I loved it: What happens in Vegas, is so athletic in Vegas. The Usher show was almost a mini-Cirque. Vegas is known for its elaborate, energetic shows and Usher delivered just that. It’s a fun, dynamic and colourful show good for new Usher enthusiasts, fans from back in the day and even those who don’t know his music very well. As a member of the last category, I didn’t have any expectations but ended up dancing the entire time to the point where I walked out sweaty as if I performed on stage. It felt like one big dance party.
Runner-ups
This trip was hosted by Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.
rmann@postmedia.com
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