Music
Review
Spend a night with Legends In Concert
Featuring tributes to the likes of Elvis Presley, Lady Gaga, and Johnny Cash – Las Vegas' hit show Legends In Concert at The Palms At Crown Melbourne proved it's a not-to-be-missed spectacular.
After spending a night with Legends In Concert it isn’t hard to see why Las Vegas’ longest-running show keeps returning to Melbourne’s Palms at Crown year on year.
Paying tribute to some of the biggest acts in musical history – from legends of the past to those currently topping the charts – there isn’t a single artist that misses a beat. Every Legends In Concert star brings something fresh and brilliant to their performance, charming fans with some of their favourite songs in such spectacular fashion that it’s hard to believe it isn’t the real thing.
Opening the night is none other than Elton John and with Elton-fever currently sweeping through the country, the eager audience lapped up every second of his set. Dressed in glitter and feathers and with signature outrageous glasses, John took his position at the grand piano, firing through a set of greatest hits that launched with ‘Bitch Is Back’ and barrelled through the likes of ‘Bennie and the Jets’, ‘Crocodile Rock’, ‘Candle In The Wind’, and ‘Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting’. Next up was English pop singer and icon of the Swinging Sixties Dusty Springfield. In a powder blue dress with signature bouffant and perfect smokey vocal, she entered the stage to ‘Son of a Preacher Man’ and instantly had the audience singing along.
Pretty quickly it becomes clear that Legends In Concert isn’t some cheesy impersonators showcase filled with caricatures playing up the stereotypes of our most memorable artists. Instead, Legends In Concert is everything you want a tribute show to be – and from costuming, to stage presence and vocal inflections, not a single detail is spared bringing the show to life.
Neil Diamond had the crowd on their feet, with huge singalongs welcoming ‘Sweet Caroline’. The crowd participation continued for The Village People, with the whole room up and dancing during a rousing rendition of ‘YMCA’. The Queen of Motown, Diana Ross showed off her stunning vocal range, while Johnny Cash brought the country spirit with some of his biggest songs – including closer ‘Ring of Fire’ – making for an absolutely fabulous time.
From some of music’s greatest legends to one of today’s biggest pop stars, Lady Gaga might just have been a highlight of the night. Weaving between each of Gaga’s eras, from ‘Born This Way’ to ‘Bad Romance’, ‘Poker Face’ and a stunning rendition of ‘Shallow’, immaculate costumes, incredible vocals, and showstopping choreography led into the perfect grand finale.
There is a reason why Elvis Presley (check out our chat with him here) has become a staple of Legends In Concert Melbourne, and it is because his performance is unforgettable. From witty stage banter to uncontrollable hip-shaking, we were transported back to Presley’s Las Vegas glory days in style. From ‘Burning Love’ to ‘Suspicious Minds’ and of course ‘Viva Las Vegas’, Presley had the crowd in the palm of his hand.
While all of the tribute artists are unforgettable, Legends In Concert wouldn’t be the show it is without the incredible onstage ensemble. The five-piece band don’t miss a single beat – through country and Motown, to rock’n’roll and pop hits, they glide effortlessly from set to set. The back-up dancers are also a standout, adding some extra excitement and pizzazz throughout the night.
Crown Melbourne plays the perfect host to this all-star lineup, packing The Palms with wall-to-wall punters. If you like to singalong, you’re in luck – Legends In Concert relies heavily on its crowd participation, which makes Melbourne music fans an ideal fit.
Legends In Concert is now showing at The Palms at Crown Melbourne until Sunday 26 January. Book tickets at Ticketmaster.com.au
