What better way to finish off 2012 or kick start 2013 than in the city that never sleeps — Las Vegas.
It is where Shania Twain, one of the world’s best-selling female artists of all time, debuted her new show Shania: Still The One earlier this month. Twain has a two-year residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace and a show that will take fans on a journey through the various stages of her life and career in an unforgettable evening filled with music, multi-sensory and visual experiences, fashion and the unexpected.
If country music suits your ears then you should also see Tim McGraw and Faith Hill who will be playing weekends at The Venetian Las Vegas until April 2013. Their show, Soul2Soul, marks the first time in six years that the married duo have performed together in the United States. Soul2Soul will include many of the No. 1 hits that have made them, both in their own right, two of the most significant entertainers of our generation.
While at the Venetian, there is plenty to do with the Winter in Venice celebration that features 50 days of holiday festivities through to Jan. 6. These include an outdoor skating rink, Manheim Steamroller Christmas performances, nightly holiday parade, 65-foot Christmas tree, 3D light show and culinary competitions. Or, hop over to the Cosmopolitan who have transformed their boulevard pool into a winter wonderland with a skating rink, custom designed fire pits, warm cocktails, s’mores and much more until Jan. 20.
If rock music is more your style then don’t miss Def Leppard, fresh off their Rock of Ages tour, as they take up an exclusive non-show residency at The Joint inside Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. The band’s set will feature their greatest hits and iconic album Hysteria being played in full. The residency kicks off March 22 running through April 10.
Also celebrating a new show is Cirque du Soleil who is presenting Zarkana at Aria Resort and Casino at CityCenter. The show follows Zark, the ringmaster of an extraordinary circus coming back to life, as he guides the audience in an abandoned theatre populated by a motley collection of off-the-wall characters and incomparable acrobats.
If you can’t get to Las Vegas until the end of 2013, you might be able to catch the opening of the redevelopment of Downtown Grand Hotel and Casino. The 650-room downtown hotel anchors an emerging metropolitan centre that will eventually include 18 bars and restaurants.
Also opening in 2013 (March), is a collaboration with Cirque du Soleil and MGM Resorts International. Light at Mandalay Bay will be the first-ever nightclub from Cirque du Soleil, merging cutting-edge creativity with incredible music to produce a new kind of nightlife experience.
There is nowhere better to celebrate New Year’s than the epicentre of entertainment. Known as America’s Party: Las Vegas New Year 2013, spectacular fireworks will be fired from seven rooftop locations along the Strip.
On Fremont Street, the countdown to midnight is filled with nonstop entertainment. The street party features Buckcherry, Queensryche, Quiet Riot, Pop Evil and OTherwise. A year-in-review retrospective will be played on the Viva Vision screen and countdown led by the Las Vegas mayor. Fireworks will be synchronized with virtual fireworks on the big screens.