Event Review: Take 1 Takes Downtown Las Vegas
17 December, 2004 – In the other city that never sleeps, the first official nightclub in Las Vegas’ downtown Entertainment District is getting buzz about its red-hot “All-Star Jam Sessions”. Tonight, Take 1 club owner Gary Sax and m.e.n. Record’s Early Clover managed to assemble some of the hottest blues and R&B performers in town to strut their stuff at what promises to be one of the most interesting new venues in town.
Unassumingly tucked away on the corner of 7th and Fremont Streets near the legendary El Cortez Hotel & Casino, this newcomer hosted a night to remember, bringing together musicians and singers from The Coasters, The Drifters, The Platters, and even the members of Gladys Knight’s band (since the idol herself is in town playing the Flamingo Showroom). Names like Lorenzo Shaw, Ron Brown, Laurence T. and Debra McFarland a.k.a. “Diamond in the Rough” took turns on stage covering just about every Motown song you can think of. Early had the place jumping with hits from the 50’s and Ms. McFarland’s “Neither One of Us” was right on the money from start to finish. Vince Preister’s outstanding sax left no doubt as to why Ms. Knight still wants him in her band after nearly 8 years, and the beautiful Regi Brown’s soprano voice is why she’s on the road with her too. “I felt like I died and went to the Apollo,” said nightlife investor/developer Lisa Gregg Steinmetz who was there with fellow New Yorker Jason Baron and friends. “What an incredible night, and finally something different from the big casino bars.”
Opened just over a month ago on November 5th with a ribbon-cutting ceremony by the charismatic Mayor Goodman, Take 1 is setting its sights on something original in Las Vegas: a combination of live music, food and a twist on film. There’s an oversized movie screen out front and a small recording studio in the back that lets customers superimpose themselves into a film as a speaking character (in other words, Mayor Goodman was Mickey Rooney in “Quicksand”)! With its downtown location, an owner who knows the film and music industries and likes to “set trends instead of follow them,” some good Italian food and a bunch of nights like this one, and Mr. Sax just may have a hit on his hands.
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