THE KINGS OF LAS VEGAS ELVIS MAY HAVE LEFT THE BUILDING, BUT A PACK OF IMPERSONATORS KEEPS THE LEGEND ALIVE IN THE CITY OF CAMPY EXCESS.Byline: Story by Eric Noland Travel Editor LAS VEGAS Las Vegas (läs vā`gəs), city (1990 pop. 258,295), seat of Clark co., S Nev.; inc. 1911. It is the largest city in Nevada and the center of one of the fastest-growing urban areas in the United States. - Elvis ordered the shrimp-and-ribs basket. But before you jump to any conclusions, be advised that he asked for the shrimp grilled, favored rice over French fries and didn't touch the ribs. His drink of choice? Cranberry juice Noun 1. cranberry juice - the juice of cranberries (always diluted and sweetened) fruit crush, fruit juice - drink produced by squeezing or crushing fruit . ``Elvis,'' in this case, was Tim Welch Timothy Michael "Tim" Welch is an American administrative worker, best known for his role with the professional wrestling promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Upon joining TNA in June 2003, Welch worked as a general administrator, as the director of media relations and as an , a former Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, prison guard who is one of dozens of men earning a living in Las Vegas by impersonating the king of rock 'n' roll rock 'n' roll: see rock music. . Welch is one of the best, performing six nights a week in a small, 284-seat showroom at the New Frontier New Frontier President John F. Kennedy’s legislative program, encompassing such areas as civil rights, the economy, and foreign relations. [Am. Hist.: WB, K:212] See : Aid, Governmental . As he picked at that modest lunch recently at a Las Vegas restaurant, he occasionally lapsed into Elvis' voice, re-creating, for example, part of the familiar recitation rec·i·ta·tion n. 1. a. The act of reciting memorized materials in a public performance. b. The material so presented. 2. a. Oral delivery of prepared lessons by a pupil. b. in the middle of ``Are You Lonesome lone·some adj. 1. a. Dejected because of a lack of companionship. See Synonyms at alone. b. Producing such dejection: a lonesome hour at the bar. 2. Tonight?'' It was so dead-on, it would send shivers up your spine. It seems the public has an insatiable appetite for this, and it truly is a bizarre phenomenon, considering that nearly a quarter-century has passed since Elvis Presley died of a heart attack in Memphis, Tenn. - with 14 different drugs in his body - in August 1977. But over the last eight years of his life, Elvis' lavish Las Vegas shows caused his legacy to be closely intertwined with this city of excess and camp. As a result, many visitors - baby boomers See generation X. and old-timers alike - probably hit town with the opening line of ``Viva Las Vegas'' (``Bright light city gonna set my soul ...'') as a whispered lyric on their lips, longing to see a jet-black-haired anybody holding forth in a bejeweled be·jew·eled or be·jew·elled adj. Decorated with or as if with jewels. white jumpsuit. Why, on a recent visit, without even trying very hard, I saw six different Elvises perform over a period of 47 hours. Around town, a deep, throaty throat·y adj. throat·i·er, throat·i·est Uttered or sounding as if uttered deep in the throat; guttural, hoarse, or husky. throat expression of gratitude was commonplace to the point of cliche: ``Uh, thank you. Thank you very much.'' ``When I came here seven years ago, there were probably 15 (impersonators) making a decent living full time in Vegas VEGAS Vocational and Educational Guidance for Aboriginals Scheme (Australia) ,'' said Brian Ayres, management consultant to the talent agency Always Entertaining. ``With this increased Elvis awareness, I would say there might be 50 that make some money a year doing it.'' It would probably stun Elvis himself. In the biography ``Down at the End of Lonely Street,'' authors Peter Harry Brown and Pat H. Broeske recount an anecdote from just three months before his death. A bloated, weak Presley reportedly said to friend and backup singer Kathy Westmoreland, ``How are people going to remember me? I've never done a classic film. I've never sung a lasting song.'' Vegas alone is a living shrine to The King. ``He would just die if he were around,'' commented Chris Davidson, proprietor of Las Vegas' Elvis-A-Rama Museum. ``He wondered if he would be remembered at all. And here it is, almost 25 years later, and he's bigger than ever.'' So big, in fact, that a kind of natural selection is in force. Elvis shows generally seem to be priced in the $28 range - Welch at the New Frontier, for example, or Trent Carlini at the Boardwalk. Elvis can be found for about the same price in revue shows of look-alike artists, with Darren Lee doing the impersonation Impersonation Patroclus wore the armor of Achilles against the Trojans to encourage the disheartened Greeks. [Gk. Lit.: Iliad] Prisoner of Zenda, The in the Stratosphere's ``American Superstars'' and Graham Patrick gyrating through the Imperial Palace's ``Legends in Concert.'' However, some casinos - notably the MGM MGM in full Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc. U.S. corporation and film studio. It was formed when the film distributor Marcus Loew, who bought Metro Pictures in 1920, merged it with the Goldwyn production company in 1924 and with Louis B. Mayer Pictures in 1925. Grand (with Johnny Seaton) and the Riviera (with Jim LeBoeuf) - are presenting Elvis shows essentially free, which is squeezing out smaller ventures. ``The problem is, there are so many Elvis impersonators here, some will do it for practically nothing,'' said producer Dean Sterling, who recently lowered the curtain on tribute shows at the Bourbon Street. ``I can't compete with that.'' The portrayals cover a broad spectrum, from a svelte, 1950s Elvis in a gold Mylar sport coat to the end-of-the-line Elvis, the one who was fond of caramel-popcorn balls and a breakfast of cheeseburgers and a full pound of bacon. The philosophies of the impersonators vary just as widely, from a respect that borders on reverence to over-the-top caricature. Welch is in the former category. While growing up in a small town in Ohio, he confounded his rock-minded friends by listening endlessly to an audio cassette of Elvis. Later, after a hitch in the Marines and a job guarding prisoners at the California Rehabilitation Center in Norco, he began doing an Elvis imitation as a lark, but turned it into a job after gaining acclaim through some impersonation contests. Welch's show at the mid-budget New Frontier doesn't have particularly high production values. No band, no backup singers. It's more like a karaoke show - with stage lighting and dancers - in a corner of the casino that was converted to a showroom from a bingo parlor. He doesn't really resemble Elvis (although hair that was once blond and shoulder-length has been appropriately cut, dyed and coifed coif n. 1. also A coiffure. 2. A tight-fitting cap worn under a veil, as by nuns. 3. A white skullcap formerly worn by English lawyers. 4. ), and his regard for the subject is so worshipful wor·ship·ful adj. 1. Given to or expressive of worship; reverent or adoring. 2. Chiefly British Used as a respectful form of address. that he won't even mimic Elvis' voice between songs, though he's certainly capable of it. None of this detracts from the high quality of his show, which is delivered to an audience that is often a bit gray around the temples - not a surprise, really, when you figure that Elvis would be 66 had he lived this long. Welch's singing voice is strong and polished, his cover versions of the Elvis catalog flawless, his banter with the crowd easy. Even his mannerisms are on the money - the result of poring over countless videotapes of Elvis' performances. Welch is clearly annoyed with impersonators who don't bring the same respect and devotion to the work that he does, particularly in the case of Vegas' overweight, comedic incarnations. ``Of all the years of Elvis' life, to pick that and say, 'This is what I want to do. I want to do the older Elvis,' '' he said, his voice trailing. ``I say, 'No, you're just fat and lazy.' '' In fact, Ayres of Always Entertaining said, ``We have clients call up and say they want a joke Elvis, a spoof Elvis - a big, fat one with a platter of doughnuts. We can do that. Is it a loving tribute at that point? No.'' Most portrayals fall somewhere in between, and there appears to be a strong market for all phases of such mimicry mimicry, in biology, the advantageous resemblance of one species to another, often unrelated, species or to a feature of its own environment. (When the latter results from pigmentation it is classed as protective coloration. in this town. One night recently, Johnny Edwards, who does afternoon shows at the New Frontier, had to fill in for an ailing Welch at night. Edwards, a dead ringer for Elvis facially, remained in character between songs, engaging the audience in Elvis' stammering stammering: see stuttering. , hillbilly voice. The crowd lapped it up, seeming to enjoy this part of the show more than the music. During the songs themselves, Edwards wandered off pitch when soaring into the upper register of some numbers. Then, just like that, he'd come back and deliver a version of ``My Way'' that would knock you out. A realization struck: This mirrored the Vegas-era Elvis, who would flounder flounder: see flatfish. flounder Any of about 300 species of flatfishes (order Pleuronectiformes). When born, the flounder is bilaterally symmetrical, with an eye on each side, and it swims near the sea's surface. in one song (he savaged the final few notes of a 1972 live recording of ``The Impossible Dream,'' for example), forget the words in another, then unexpectedly sing the whey whey liquid residue from milk after the removal of cheese curds in the manufacture of cheese. An excellent protein supplement but difficult to handle in the liquid form, except to pigs maintained close to the cheese factory. Dried whey is easy to handle but processing costs are high. out of one of his signature numbers. Suddenly, Edwards' act neatly fit the genre. What all the impersonators are doing is giving the public what it clearly wants - a taste, a glimpse, the slightest sense of what it might have been like to be around the genuine article, especially during the Vegas years. On a recent trip here, Michel and Lane Moos of Atlanta decided to have Elvis preside over and sing at their five-year renewal of vows. They opted for a portly port·ly adj. port·li·er, port·li·est 1. Comfortably stout; corpulent. See Synonyms at fat. 2. Archaic Stately; majestic; imposing. [From port5. , black-clad Elvis wearing sunglasses indoors, as performed by Norm Jones at the Graceland Wedding Chapel. The bride, resplendent re·splen·dent adj. Splendid or dazzling in appearance; brilliant. [Middle English, from Old French, from Latin resplend in red-plaid bell-bottom pants, high-heeled sandals, black tube top, pierced nostril nostril /nos·tril/ (nos´tril) either of the nares. nos·tril n. A naris. nostril either of the two apertures (nares) of the nose that lead into the nasal cavity. , pierced belly button belly button Medtalk Umbilicus, navel and white-lace Victorian veil, said, ``We're doing this for the same reason we saw Wayne Newton last night - it's the ultimate in American kitsch.'' Chimed in the groom: ``There's something hallowed about it.'' Jones dutifully du·ti·ful adj. 1. Careful to fulfill obligations. 2. Expressing or filled with a sense of obligation. du obliged with ``Can't Help Falling in Love.'' And just when you thought he might ham it up Verb 1. ham it up - exaggerate one's acting ham, overact, overplay dramatic art, dramaturgy, theater, theatre, dramatics - the art of writing and producing plays during the ceremony, he surprised everyone with some touching remarks during the service, delivered without notes, including a very tasteful paraphrase of I Corinthians 13. The couple seemed genuinely moved. Steve Connolly, who does a lot of Elvis performances for corporate and convention groups in Las Vegas, said, ``This is one of the most common things people say to me when they come up to get a picture: 'This is as close as I'll get to Elvis.' '' Similarly, Ron DeCar, who performs as Elvis at the Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapel, said he has noticed that when he walks through a crowded casino in character, he doesn't have to carefully pick his route. He can just walk purposefully in a straight line ``and the people part like a sea.'' After DeCar performed a recent ceremony at the chapel, it was amusing to notice that the bride and groom were not at all the center of attention. Instead, everyone was crowded around Elvis to pose for pictures. One young girl tentatively placed a hand on his bare chest, then blushed and giggled. Sometimes, this whole business can get a little eerie, as the lines blur off stage. ``There are definitely girls that come up to you ... well, I've had dates with girls who, excuse my French, wanted to (bed) Elvis,'' said Connolly. ``I haven't taken advantage of that. I don't like that.'' Similarly, he said, ``There are fans who are really out there and definitely have that sense that they're actually communing with Elvis, that he's in me. One girl says it's the same way that God talks through people. I roll with that stuff. I try to stay distant. ... I try to approach it like an acting gig. And I definitely have a sense of humor Noun 1. sense of humor - the trait of appreciating (and being able to express) the humorous; "she didn't appreciate my humor"; "you can't survive in the army without a sense of humor" sense of humour, humor, humour with it.'' He's not alone in that regard. In his wedding ceremonies, DeCar breaks into a special series of vows: ``Do you promise to adopt each other's hound dogs? To not wear your blue suede shoes
"Blue Suede Shoes" is a rock and roll standard written and first recorded by Carl Perkins in 1955. out in the rain? To always be each other's teddy bear? And to never have a blue Christmas without each other?'' In the motel he owns out back of the chapel, DeCar also has an Elvis and Priscilla Room, in which the foot of the bed is the front end of a 1954 pink Cadillac - not a plastic reproduction, a real one. Edwards, while performing in black leather to mimic Elvis' 1968 comeback special on NBC NBC in full National Broadcasting Co. Major U.S. commercial broadcasting company. It was formed in 1926 by RCA Corp., General Electric Co. (GE), and Westinghouse and was the first U.S. company to operate a broadcast network. , drew howls from the audience when he drawled during a water break, ``Now I know how a cow feels standing out in the sun.'' Welch handed out scarves to female audience members, in the grand Elvis tradition, during a rendition of ``Treat Me Like a Fool.'' As a woman leaned forward for a kiss, he broke up the audience by saying into the microphone, ``Close your mouth.'' For ardent fans looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. scraps of Elvis' memory in Las Vegas, the impersonators are about all there is. The Aladdin Hotel, in which he married Priscilla Beaulieu in 1967, was imploded im·plode v. im·plod·ed, im·plod·ing, im·plodes v.intr. To collapse inward violently. v.tr. 1. To cause to collapse inward violently. 2. recently, then reconstructed with the Desert Passage shopping mall wrapped around it. Any vestiges of the event are probably buried beneath the movie-set mock-up mock·up also mock-up n. 1. A usually full-sized scale model of a structure, used for demonstration, study, or testing. 2. A layout of printed matter. of some lost Arabian city. The Las Vegas Hilton The Las Vegas Hilton is a hotel, casino, and convention center in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is a joint venture between Colony Capital, which owns 60 percent, and New York City-based REIT Whitehall Street Real Estate Funds, which owns the remaining 40 percent. , where he performed 837 consecutive sold-out shows in the 1970s, has reconfigured its showroom into a theater and renovated the hotel so thoroughly that his penthouse suite no longer exists. The only tribute can be found in a lonely bronze statue in the lobby. ``There is no shrine or anything,'' said spokesman Cullen West. ``We leave that to the museum.'' That would be Davidson's Elvis-A-Rama Museum, which sprang from his personal collection of memorabilia a year and a half ago. It features hundreds of mementos, from movie posters and album covers to jewelry, jumpsuits, macrame belts, even cars. The museum, run by a fan, is clearly for fans, in that it features a lot of personal flotsam and jetsam “Ligan” redirects here. For the Swedish basketball league, see Ligan (basketball). Meanwhile, the museum's time line seems to fizzle out to burn with a hissing noise and then go out, like wet gunpowder; to fail completely and ridiculously; to prove a failure. See also: fizzle fizzle around 1973, just before Elvis sank into an abyss of drugs and binge-eating and an acute fascination with firearms. His death isn't addressed at all. But if you're already familiar with the story and the music and the movies and are a faithful follower, you'll find it to be a treasure trove TREASURE TROVE. Found treasure. 2. This name is given to such money or coin, gold, silver, plate, or bullion, which having been hidden or concealed in the earth or other private place, so long that its owner is unknown, has been discovered by accident. of keepsakes Keepsakes - A Collection is an anthology by All About Eve released on 13 March 2006. It is available either as a double CD or as a limited edition double CD and DVD set (the DVD containing the band's videos and television performances). . And there are impersonators here, too. About every hour, on a small stage, one of them belts out a few songs. We watched Justin Shandor perform Elvis from the early years; he had little choice - he's 17 years old. Davidson, the museum proprietor, said he has considered putting boxes of tissues in the small performance room. People watching the portrayals have been known to get emotional, undoubtedly mourning a pop-culture icon who left the building awfully early, at age 42. Elvis' appeal was considerable and undeniable, but also perhaps a little puzzling. Joe Guercio, who led the orchestra during all those Las Vegas shows in the '70s, probably characterized it best. In the Elvis biography ``Careless Love,'' by Peter Guralnick, he was quoted as saying: ``There was a vibe you could pick up in the audience - it was unbelievable. I'm not going to say to you that musically it was the best in the whole world. It was charisma. He just loved to put other people around his little finger and do it, and he did.'' In Elvis' name, many in Vegas still are. IF YOU GO Selected Elvis impersonator shows, wedding chapels and attractions in Las Vegas: NEW FRONTIER: ``All Shook Up,'' Tim Welch; Saturday through Thursday, 7 p.m.; $27.95. ``The King in Concert,'' Johnny Edwards; daily, noon ($14.95) and 4 p.m. ($17.95). Information: (702) 794-8200, www.frontierlv.com. HOLIDAY INN BOARDWALK: ``The Dream King,'' Trent Carlini; Tuesday through Saturday, 8:30 p.m.; $27.95. Information: (702) 730-3194, www.hiboardwalk.com. RIVIERA: ``Tribute to Elvis,'' Jim LeBoeuf; Friday through Sunday, 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Le Bistro Lounge (no cover, two-drink minimum). Information: (702) 734-5110, www.theriviera.com. MGM GRAND: Elvis tribute, Johnny Seaton; Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m.-2:15 p.m.; Entertainment Dome, free. (702) 891-1111, www.mgmgrand.com. STRATOSPHERE: ``American Superstars,'' Darren Lee as Elvis; Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.; Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, 7 p.m.; $29.95. Information: (800) 998-6937, www.stratlv.com. IMPERIAL PALACE: ``Legends in Concert,'' Graham Patrick as Elvis; Monday through Saturday, 7:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.; $34.50 (includes two drinks). Information: (888) 777-7664, www.imperialpalace.com. ELVIS-A-RAMA MUSEUM: 3401 Industrial Road; open daily from 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; admission $9.95 (live show included with admission); (702) 309-7200, www.elvisarama.com. VIVA LAS VEGAS WEDDING CHAPEL: 1205 Las Vegas Blvd. S., (702) 384-0771, www.vivalasvegaschapel.com. GRACELAND WEDDING CHAPEL: 619 Las Vegas Blvd. S., (702) 382-0091, www.gracelandchapel.com. CAPTION(S): 13 photos, box Photo: (1 -- 3 -- color) Darren Lee, left, works out as Elvis with a troupe of dancers in the ``American Superstars'' show at the Stratosphere. Elvis impersonators and such keepsakes as refrigerator magnets, below, are hotter than ever in Las Vegas, 24 years after Presley's death. (4 -- 5 -- color) Norm Jones as Elvis, above, pours his soul into a romantic tune for the benefit of Peter Schwab and Diana Van Cleev at the Graceland Wedding Chapel. Tim Welch, right, delivers one of the Strip's best impersonations at his show at the New Frontier. (6 -- color) no caption (license plates reading ELVIS and WED2001) (7 -- color) Adam Johnson, left, strikes an Elvis pose to rival that of Elvis impersonator Marcello DiNicolantonio himself at the Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapel. Johnson and Stephanie Harrell enlist the King to help them renew their vows after five months of marriage. (8 -- 9) In a classic Elvis gesture, impersonator Tim Welch presents a scarf to an audience member at the New Frontier. Below, in the Elvis and Priscilla Room at the Viva Las Vegas Villas, fans can sleep in a bed built into the front end of a 1954 pink Cadillac. (10 -- 13) Elvis seems to be everywhere in Las Vegas. Clockwise from above, Craig Newell entertains at the Elvis-A-Rama Museum; a bronze statue stands in the lobby of the Las Vegas Hilton, where Elvis performed all of his shows; a fan peruses art at the museum; Darren Lee works out in front of a kick line at the Stratosphere. Photos by David Sprague/ Staff Photographer Box: If You Go (see text) |
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