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I\u2019ve seen Cliff Atkinson <\/strong>sport an assortment of designer suits over the years. But Saturday was the first time I\u2019ve caught him in an airbrushed T-shirt, spelling out \u201cCLIFF.\u201d<\/p>\n More imaginative than using a name tag, Atkinson\u2019s custom T matched the dress code at the Fremont Street Experience, which hosted \u201c90s House Party\u201d on Saturday.<\/p>\n More than 3,000 turned out specifically for the free, themed event. An overall crowd of 10,000 took over The Canopy, where powerhouse Vegas cover band \u201990s Station<\/strong> opened and alt-rockers Deep Blue Something<\/strong> headlined.<\/p>\n Atkinson has recently been appointed FSE\u2019s president and chief executive officer. The move allows him a more casual approach in fashion. An airbrushed T-shirt from a street vendor might not have been the best choice in his days at Mandarin Oriental.<\/p>\n But no matter the attire, Atkinson\u2019s focus on hospitality is unchanged, 45 days into his new post.<\/p>\n \u201cThe most important thing is that there\u2019s free entertainment, every night of the week,\u201d Atkinson said in a chat next to the Main Street Stage, prior to \u201990s Station\u2019s performance. \u201cSo our message is always on.\u201d<\/p>\n The message at FSE is, we\u2019re never off.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you\u2019re coming in for a Monday or Tuesday night during a convention, or you\u2019re coming for a big weekend, everything starts and stops here,\u201d Atkinson says. \u201cWe\u2019re always on, and most importantly it\u2019s always free.\u201d<\/p>\n Atkinson is a fount of ideas, with several initiatives in progress when he abruptly left Virgin Hotels Las Vegas in December. His imprint at Fremont Street will be felt in longer hours for live entertainment, starting a bit earlier and running a bit later in the summer.<\/p>\n Look for more themed events, more avenues for no-cover events. \u201cI love free entertainment\u201d is Atkinson\u2019s drop-down motto. \u201cMore, more, more.\u201d<\/p>\n And, a \u201cFirst Friday Originals\u201d series has premiered, showcasing Las Vegas bands performing all-original music. This opens the opportunity for bands to play their own music for thousands of visitors under The Canopy.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you have three stages going all the time, you get so much live entertainment,\u201d Atkinson says. \u201cSo (Friday) night, I\u2019m walking through, and you have an EDM DJ, you have a country band, and you have a hard rock band playing originals.\u201d<\/p>\n The Downtown Rocks series is coming back in May, to be announced within a couple of weeks. The Friday night shows also pack The Canopy.<\/p>\n Naturally, free entertainment sometimes leads to a free-for-all on FSE, especially in the late-night\/early morning hours. Atkinson has met with city of Las Vegas marshals, Metro Police and Mayor Shelly Berkley<\/strong> about buttressing security on the promenade (maybe we can go consecutive days without social media posting video of a donnybrook at FSE).<\/p>\n Asked if that meant increasing security presence or reassigning officers, Atkinson says, \u201cAll of the above.\u201d<\/p>\n He had visited the Fremont Street Experience as it was under construction in November 1995. He knows the history of the project, and its current position as a value-driven entertainment destination.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat I find really interesting, 5 percent of the hotel inventory in town is downtown, but about 50 percent of all of our visitors, 23-24 million people, come under this canopy,\u201d Atkinson says. \u201cThere are a lot of reasons for that. There are more things to do down here, there\u2019s more value \u2014 value is more important than ever. People have been singing it from the rooftops.\u201d<\/p>\n Also singing it from the FSE stages. As if finishing a set as the night\u2019s opening act, Atkinson closes this show to get his \u201990s party on.<\/p>\n Saturday was an only in Vegas twin bill, FSE first, then a trip to Sphere to catch Illenium\u2019s<\/strong> finale of his \u201cOdyssey\u201d residency. The throughline is your mind is blown in both shows. There was pop-up star power at Sphere as Ellie Goulding <\/strong>joined the DJ superstar on \u201cDon\u2019t Want Your Love.\u201d<\/p>\n We also walked out of The Venetian behind the night\u2019s special guest, Tape <\/strong>B<\/strong>, who opened with a bone-jarring, bass-driven set. The artist who wowed about 17,000 fans at Sphere moved largely unnoticed as he left the resort. But the man is all smiles. He loves his job.<\/p>\n Flavor Flav\u2019s<\/strong> world tour continued Sunday as he threw out the first pitch at Fenway Park prior to the Red Sox-Padres tilt. He called from the mound of MLB\u2019s oldest active ballpark, \u201cYeaah, booooy! Fenway Park!\u201d<\/p>\n As if by destiny, Flav also ran into Jordan Raney<\/strong> of the U.S. Olympic water polo team at the game.<\/p>\n Classic rock outfit Atomic Radio<\/strong> returns to Rush Lounge at the Golden Nugget at 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Thursday. Vocalist Cassie Stone<\/strong> leads this powerhouse collective of Eden Stollman<\/span><\/strong>,<\/span><\/span><\/span> Sean Koos <\/strong>and Jeff Tetrault<\/strong>. No cover, 21-and-over, go to goldennugget.com for intel.<\/p>\n John Katsilometes\u2019 column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com.<\/a> Follow @johnnykats<\/a> on X, @JohnnyKats1<\/a> on Instagram.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nVegasVille doubleheader<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Flav\u2019s pitch<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Cool Hang Alert<\/strong><\/h2>\n