Kelly Clinton's Open Mic Cabaret: The Buzz: Entertainment Blast + Celebrate Monday Night!!!

The awesome entertainer Kelly Clinton was back from New York Monday night to launch another evening of fabulous Cabaret entertainment at the Bootlegger Bistro. Kelly started the show rocking out on the wonderful Stevie Wonder tune, I Wish. After introducing band members, musical director, Mike Clark, drummer Billy Adams, Kevin Lyon on guitar and then DJ/special effects guy, Kevin Cordova and Bootlegger host, J.T. Thompson, Kelly thanked Mark O’Toole for guest hosting the show on May 17. Kelly followed that thank you up with an impersonation of her mother Ellie reporting on what a great job Mark did. Funny stuff, the crowd loved it!!!

Kelly Clinton is the Entertainment Director for the Stirling Club at Turnberry Towers. Kelly will be headlining at the Club every Friday and Saturday night throughout the month of June.

News Flash: Next Monday night, May 31, 2010 marks the 52nd weekly performance of Kelly Clinton’s Open Mic Cabaret at the Bootlegger Bistro. Please join us for the First Anniversary Celebration!!!
SURPRISE CELEBRITY GUESTS WILL BE THERE!!!!!!!!

On with the show: First up at the mic was the fabulous singer from Buffalo, New York, Don Allen Hunley. Don’s the fellow who did a complete turnaround trip from Vegas to L.A. and back just to make it to the Bootlegger to perform last week at Kelly Clinton’s Open Mic Cabaret. He made it time to be last up at the mic but this Monday Don led the parade of Cabaret entertainers with his terrific performance of that great Blues number, Stormy Monday.

Then Don and Kelly went into a spontaneous jam which was really awesome!! The audience shouted a call for more! Don Allen Hunley wowed the crowd again with his fabulous rendition of the Billie Holiday version of God Bless the Child.

Great job Don!

Next came singer/guitarist Yukon Jack Lohman who was back for his second show at the Cabaret. Yukon Jack gave another terrific performance of Ring of Fire, by the Man in Black, Johnny Cash.
Yukon Jack Lohman is a newcomer to Vegas but a longtime professional singer who just closed an eight-year run performing his “Hillbilly Sing” show at California’s Sea World. Welcome to Vegas Jack!!!

The fantabulous Lannie Counts stepped on stage next to give another awesome Cabaret performance starting with a classic hit by the Temptations, My Girl. During that number Lannie also showed off some very cool Motown moves. Lannie Counts is an incredible singer/entertainer with an astonishing vocal range which he certainly verified during his next number, I Think I’m Going Out of My Head, by Little Anthony and the Imperials. Go Lannie, Go Lannie!!!

Right after that, Kelly announced there was a young lady in the house who was celebrating her 21st birthday. Kelly asked Mark O’Toole to make the day even more special for the lovely birthday girl Lindsey by singing her the Birthday song. Mark who just loves to ham it up just couldn’t resist standing up on a chair to sing the Happy Birthday tune to Lindsey!!!

Now it was Mark O’Toole on center stage with an fabulous performance of Maybe Next Time. Here’s a tidbit about Mark you may not know ---Mark O’Toole was the winner of Star Search in 1994!! He appeared at major Strip hotels for close to twenty years until he faced a battle with cancer that took him away from show biz for two long years.

Now the fantastic entertainer Mark O’Toole is back and appearing in the Ravello Lounge at the M Resort in Henderson on Saturday nights. Showtime 6:30 pm to 8 pm.

Speaking of Star Search we had another winner in the house, Martin Mancuso, AKA Ricochet Rabbit, formerly of the Footlockers dance team that made it to the win on the televised talent competition over 20 years ago. Martin Mancuso is best known now as one of the top musicians in Las Vegas. He started his Cabaret show by performing a beautiful clarinet solo of Feel Like Making Love.

Then down went the horn and with lightening speed Martin made the switch into his next act, his hilarious comedy take on the character Iron Man. There was no stopping this triple-threat performer who tore the house down when he ‘ricocheted’ into a lock-dance exhibition for his grand finale.

Martin Mancuso is an extraordinary entertainer!!! Martin is currently working on an upcoming Fremont Street Variety Show.

Kelly invited the duo group Finley-Jones up to the mic for their second time Cabaret performance. The duo combines the talents of 19-year-old guitarist Andrew Lopez and 17-year-old vocalist, Cassie Finley-Jones. The group gave a wonderful performance of Zombie, a protest song by the Irish band Cranberries from their 1994 album No Need To Argue. The alternative grunge/metal sound of the music was an opportunity for Andrew Lopez to rock out on the heavy guitar riffs while the lovely Cassie Finley-Jones sang out her wonderful vocal tones.

The next entertainer, song stylist Wendy Fleming never fails to astonish the crowd with her powerful soulful vocal style. Chicago girl Wendy blew us away with her vampy rendition of the song Ain’t No Sunshine by Soul Legend Bill Withers. Wendy Fleming is hot, hot, hot!!! We want more!!

This was just about the time we heard a big voice from the sidelines say something like ‘I worked a lot of hours on this and I’m playing it now!’ The voice belonged to Kevin Cordova who had put together what may be described as a 'musical montage' consisting of fifteen different songs that played fast change styles ranging from Elvis to swing music to country and hard rock to opera and on and on.

Kelly Clinton was on center stage when Kevin turned up the sound that started off with an Elvis tune which 'Kelly the dancing machine' picked right up on and followed it through changing her dance routine just as fast as the song switched to another range which was every 15 to 30 seconds or so for 15 changes!!!! Can’t wait to see the tape. What an amazing premiere performance!!!! No rehearsal and Kelly only heard the track that Kevin created once before the show!!!! WOW!!!!!

Back to the open mic line up:
Michael Cagle was on fire when he gave his super powerful performance of And I’m Telling You from the hit movie Dream Girls. Michael always sings his heart out whenever he performs. Soon the powerhouse vocals of Michael Cagle could very well be heard on radio stations all around the land! Michael’s first original single will be released this summer on the Brooklyn West Records label and distributed by Universal Records.

Best of luck to you Michael Cagle.

Kelly’s husband, headliner Clint Holmes is back in town and it’s always a big treat for Cabaret goers and other entertainers to watch Clint perform. So after just a little bit of coaxing from Kelly and from the cheering crowd, Clint came on stage to “do a little something simple.” We all know very well that when the fantastic artist Clint Holmes presents 'a little something simple' like the song “Satin Doll” it will always turn into a knock-out performance. And it did!!! Thank you Clint!!!!

Clint Holmes will headline with Susan Anton, Dominick Allen and Martin Nievera in the group show, Vocal Soup at The Orleans Hotel Casino on June 12 and June 13. Get your tickets now!

Back to the Cabaret…..This was certainly a star-studded show Monday night with our next performer being the sensational singer/entertainer and recording artist, Early Clover!! Early Clover has appeared all over the world and is probably best-known in Vegas as the lead singer with the famous R&B/Rock and Roll group, Cornell Gunter’s Coasters. The legendary group has appeared at the Sahara Hotel Casino for 12 years running. Early Clover is an awesome solo performer who gave us a wonderful rendition of the Sam Cooke tune, A Change Is Gonna Come. The song was released in about 1963 and soon became an anthem for the American Civil Rights Movement. Of course the crowd wanted to hear more from the magnificent entertainer so Early Clover went into his exciting presentation of the Otis Redding song, Try A Little Tenderness. Wow!

The star performer, Early Clover will headline this Sunday night, May 30, 2010, at Kelly Clinton’s Celebrity Spotlight at the Bootlegger Bistro. Showtime 8:30 pm to 10 pm. Call for dining room reservations now at 702-736-4939.

Kelly introduced “super stars” Lisa Gay and Tony Drake who were joined by their guest, the fantastic drummer Nat Scott and our own Maestro, Mike Clark on the keys. Lisa started off their first number with a little anecdote about their hometown where the city’s own dance is called the L.A. Stomp. Lisa can really do those moves and she did the Stomp during the intro to the rockin song, Thank You. Nat Scott did an amazing drum solo, then the awesome Tony Drake took his spot playing sizzling guitar. For their second number, the group performed You’ll Never Find by Lou Rawls. Tony Drake toured for many years with Lou Rawls until the late, great singer’s passing in 2006. The music directed by master guitarist Tony Drake combined with vocal stylist Lisa Gay’s soft , sexy yet powerful tones and riffs always makes for a very exciting and captivating performance. Wow!! They did it again!

Lisa Gay with Tony Drake and the Gentlemen of Thrill performed at the United Negro College Fund event at the Sun Coast Hotel/Casino on Sunday May 23, 2010.

Song stylist Annetta Bonner was up next with her fabulous Jazz rendition of the popular song Autumn Leaves. Annetta has a great voice and she did a terrific job on this famous song that is considered both a pop standard and a jazz standard. Annetta Bonner, come back soon!!!!

America’s Got Talent contender, Billy Martin was in town for the second level of the competition so he dropped by to show us the kind of talent that got him a winning place in the Florida contest. Since Billy wanted to perform the John Paul Jones arrangement of Story of Life but didn’t have a track with him, he decided to sing A cappella. Billy Martin did great and we wish him the best of luck.

Lou Fossessca who hails from Youngstown, Ohio was a first time performer at Kelly Clinton’s Open Mic Cabaret. Like so many aspiring singers, Lou chose to sing with a track and he gave a nice performance of the classic tune, Smile.

Following Lou was Jerry G, a wonderful singer who recently picked up on his dream of becoming a professional performer, a dream that he left behind when he became a family man many decades ago. Jerry G has a full opera voice and he drops by every few months to perform at the open mic. This night he gave his soft, then powerful rendition of the Italian/English version of Sometimes I Dream.
Gotta love a guy with a heartfelt quest!!

Okay, we are coming to the last two performers of the evening and the battery on the camera is signaling recharge time. Oops --Our next singer, Louisa from Los Angeles will have to come back to perform again at the Cabaret. She did a fine job on the Blues tune, Fifth House. We did get a quick shot of Louisa this time but it could be a lot better.

Last up but never least is that wonderful guy DJ/Special effects man and powerful singer, Kevin Cordova, AKA Sexy Manuel. Kevin gave a rockin’ performance of All Right Now.
Kevin can do it all! Need a really awesome DJ for a wedding or special event? Kevin Cordova is the man!

That's the wrap up on the 51st Monday night show. Next Monday night, May 31st, is a celebration of the First Anniversary of the very successful show, Kelly Clinton's Open Mic Cabaret at the Bootlegger Bistro!!!!!