LOVE DVD in Memory of Neil Aspinall Rel. 10- 21-08

[yerblues1968]

Feature-Length Documentary Chronicles The Making Of "LOVE" by Cirque du Soleil





Wednesday, April 16, 2008

New DVD Chronicles The Making of The Beatles' LOVE Show
All TOGETHER NOW
Release: June 24, 2008
122 minutes
84 minutes documentary/bonus Footage

Feature-Length Documentary Chronicles The Making Of The Beatles’ ‘LOVE’ by Cirque du Soleil. On June 24, 2008 Apple Corps Ltd./Cirque du Soleil Images will release the feature-length documentary ‘All Together Now’ on DVD, which will be marketed and distributed worldwide by EMI Music. The film details the story behind the unique partnership between The Beatles and Cirque du Soleil that resulted in the creation and launch of “LOVE," the stage production still wowing audiences in Las Vegas, and the double Grammy-winning album of the same name.

The film details the story behind the unique partnership between The Beatles and Cirque du Soleil that resulted in the creation and launch of "LOVE," the stage production still wowing audiences at The Mirage in Las Vegas, and the double Grammy-winning album of the same name. The film is dedicated to the memory of Neil Aspinall, an Executive Producer of the DVD.

'All Together Now' faithfully recounts how the "LOVE" project came into being, borne from the personal friendship between George Harrison and Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte. George saw how the twin talents of Cirque's artistry and The Beatles' music could be fused into something new and totally original.

The director, Adrian Wills, records early meetings between the Cirque & Apple Corps Ltd. creative teams, as well as contributions from Sir Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono Lennon and Olivia Harrison discussing how The Beatles' music can be used in a different way. We hear about the decision to utilize the combined talents of Sir George Martin and his son Giles Martin to produce what became a 90-minute soundscape created from The Beatles' multi-track recordings and how this new audio adventure was being quietly worked on in the famous Abbey Road Studios in London, England whilst the first creative ideas for the show were being formulated in Montreal, Canada.

These early stages of the project were all filmed, as were the first rehearsals at the Mirage Hotel theatre in Las Vegas, which was completely rebuilt with a one-of-a-kind sound system and complex round staging to house the "LOVE" show. Sir George and Giles Martin, the showÕs Musical Directors, were involved every step of the way with the remarkable Cirque du Soleil creative team, performers and backroom staff.

It wasn't all "plain-sailing" and there has been no attempt to disguise some of the disagreements that took place along the way regarding how some of the songs would be portrayed visually. These creative differences, a necessary part of the overall process of bringing "LOVE" to its most vibrant life, illustrate the participants' love and respect for the music and vision of The Beatles.

In addition to their roles within the main feature, Sir George and Giles, along with engineer Paul Hicks, also pop up in another piece titled "Changing The Music" which reveals in fascinating depth how the music was created and the challenges they faced. They explain how they sourced some of the individual instruments and effects and how they were encouraged to experiment.

The 'All Together Now' documentary and bonus features provide a fascinating insight into the creative skills and passion that went into making this project a groundbreaking critical and commercial success.

DVD contents 'All Together Now' documentary (84:00) Bonus Features: - "Changing The Music" (22:00): A behind-the scenes look at the decision-making process for the "LOVE" concept and music production. - "Music In The Theatre" (07:00): A look at the process of creating the "LOVE" show's unique audio design. - "Making 'LOVE'" (09:00): A backstage pass to explore the design of "LOVE," including the art direction, costumes, props, screen imagery and the use of The Beatles' voices in the "LOVE" stage production and its soundtrack

‘All Together Now’ faithfully recounts how the “LOVE” project came into being, borne from the personal friendship between George Harrison and Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte. George saw how the twin talents of Cirque’s artistry and The Beatles’ music could be fused into something new and totally original.


LOVE "All Together Now" DVD may be pre-ordered or purchased at Best Buy or The LOVE Boutique at the Mirage in Las Vegas, NV. NEW RELEASE DATE of OCTOBER 21, 2008.
www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=pcmcat161100050000&type=category


www.thebeatles.com/core/news/

[yerblues1968]

DOCUMENTARY CHRONICALING CIRQUE DU SOLEIL'S BEATLES SHOW “LOVE" DEBUTS

Posted: June 17, 2008


"All Together Now," a documentary about the making of the Beatles and Cirque du Soleil's Las Vegas show LOVE, made its U.S. debut Monday, opening the sixth annual Silverdocs film festival. As the sound of “Oompah, oompah, stick it up your jumper!" blasted in 5.1 stereo, heads bobbed to the nonsensical directive coursing through the AFI's Silver Theatre in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Hearing the Beatles' music pumped through the AFI Silver's state-of-the-art surround-sound system would have been enough to keep people entertained, but All Together Now director Adrian Wills also provides lovely visuals and many insightful interviews with Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, as well as Olivia Harrison and Yoko Ono (the widows of George Harrison and John Lennon, respectively).

“It's not just a Beatles movie -- it's a Beatles and Cirque movie," Wills said. “But you do get exchanges with the Beatles [that you can't see anywhere else]." A lot of that openness came from the access Wills was granted by Cirque du Soleil, which he has worked with as a documentarian for seven years. “We got a lot of freedom," Wills said. “Nobody was policing us. ... I was going in with people I've worked with before, and because of that we were able to get material nobody thought we could get."

LOVE began with an idea Harrison shared with Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte, and All Together Now pays tribute to the late guitarist's vision. But it also spotlights the immense contribution of Fab Four producer George Martin, who along with his son Giles, remixed and edited 28 Beatles songs for LOVE.



“This show is George Martin's artistic testimony, in a way," said LOVE director Dominic Champagne. “And that's a great contribution of this movie. It's the soul of the show, but you can't see that onstage. But you see it a lot in the movie."

After three years of negotiations and with a budget of $180 million, director Dominic Champagne has to wrangle an international cast and crew of 500, and an approvals process that includes the founders of Cirque, the Beatles holding company, Apple Corps Ltd., Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, George Harrison's widow Olivia, and Yoko Ono-one wonders how he didn't have a nervous breakdown.

It's all eventually smoothed over by the magic of the Beatles' brilliant music, masterfully re-imagined by music director and ex-Beatles' producer, the ever-charming Sir George Martin. A peek at a fascinating and nerve-racking creative process as seen on every imaginable level, with fabulous archival footage and spectacular performances-this is one behind-the-scenes story you won't want to miss.

On June 24, 2008 Apple Corps Ltd./Cirque du Soleil will release the feature-length documentary "All Together Now" on DVD, which will be marketed and distributed worldwide by EMI Music.

New release date is now October 21, 2008 for the "All Together Now" DVD. The DVD may be purchased online or at your local Best Buy store.
www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=pcmcat161100050000&type=category


www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=19523

[yerblues1968]

BEATLES "REUNITED" FOR VEGAS SHOW

From correspondents in Silver Spring

June 25, 2008 04:50am


A NEW Beatles movie depicts surviving band members, widows and their producer reuniting to rise above a reputation for discord and collaborate on a lavish stage show with Cirque de Soleil.

The movie, "All Together Now," shows Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr working with Yoko Ono, George Harrison's widow Olivia and The Beatles' producer Sir George Martin to remix their music for the 21st century with the Las Vegas stage production of Love.

"I wanted to tell this story about these people who are myths. They're mythic characters," said the film's Canadian director, Adrian Wills. "This was a way for them to sort of deal with their past in a way that was in the present."

The movie had its US debut last week at the Silverdocs documentary film festival and was repeated by audience demand yesterday.

Apple Corps Ltd executive Jonathan Clyde said there are only limited plans for more public showings, but a DVD release is in the pipeline.

Love is a $US180 million ($189.25 million) show at a specially built theatre at the Mirage Hotel. It opened in 2006. The Cirque de Soleil employs dance, acrobatics and fanciful staging to interpret the evolution of Beatles music from exuberant pop through utopian psychedelia, updating the 41-year old Sgt Pepper's image with a high-tech sheen.

The idea sprang from the friendship of Beatle George Harrison, who died in 2001, and Cirque founder Guy Laliberte. Wills has filmed previous Cirque productions, and All Together Now was initially planned as a small-scale promotional film.

But Wills grew up a Beatles fan, and said he knew he was witnessing a rare moment following the band's bitter 1970 breakup. They were creating something new.

"It wasn't going to be definitive, but it was a new thing that they were working on, and I think it excited them," Wills said. "We were aware that we were capturing history."

The Beatles, through Apple, and Cirque de Soleil are both known as fierce protectors of their image.

"Neither had ever compromised on the creation of something," Clyde said. "So it was a challenge, and there were moments of great difficulty."

Similarly, Wills faced long odds capturing the Beatles on screen. He said he filmed at a distance with a long lens and put a microphone on whomever he could. He got interviews with Paul and Ringo by first gaining the trust of Ono and Harrison.

"We kind of stole the film," he said.

There are brief moments of discord. Ono is shown distressed over Come Together, with dark-clad dancers gyrating suggestively. It looked "sleazy" for what her husband, John Lennon, had intended as a political song, she complained.

But mostly the film shows McCartney, Starr, Harrison and and Ono working closely with Martin and the Cirque, and reliving a time when The Beatles dominated popular culture.

"What the film reveals is that the show, it brought them together again," Clyde said. The past discord, he said, was mostly a myth.



"Any differences are so long ago."

The movie shows Martin's son, Giles, working alongside his father to mix The Beatles' individual studio tracks into a new soundtrack for the show. George's son, Dhani, is also shown to be closely involved.

McCartney compares the massive scale of Love with how he and Lennon composed the songs decades earlier on scraps of paper.

"It's such a little process, and look what's happened to it," he said.

Starr recounts encouraging Cirque's director to go further in interpretation.

"Each generation as it grows up finds the Beatles for themselves, and it will go on," he said.

McCartney looks back with amazement at The Beatles' status as one of the most influential music acts in modern history, and his presence in it.

"Now I can say it - we were a f...ing great band," he said.

www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21498,23919347-5005361,00.html?from=public_rss

The "All Together Now" DVD Release Date is now October 21, 2008. The "All Together Now" DVD may be purchased at the BestBuy website or at your local Best Buy store. The "All Together Now" DVD may also be purchased at The LOVE Boutique at the Mirage in Las Vegas.
www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=pcmcat161100050000&type=category

[yerblues1968]

LOVE DOCUMENTARY ON DVD AND IN THEATERS IN OCTOBER


Hollywood, Calif.,
Sept. 17 / PRNewswire --


EMI Music has confirmed an October 21 DVD release of the feature-length documentary 'All Together Now.' The DVD will be available in US stores exclusively at Best Buy and at The LOVE Boutique at the Mirage in Las Vegas. In addition, Apple Corps Ltd./Cirque du Soleil will partner with The Bigger Picture, to bring the feature-length documentary 'All Together Now' to digital cinema audiences across the U.S. beginning on October 20th.

The DVD and theatrical release follows acclaimed film festival screenings, including a sold out opening night U.S. premiere at the Silverdocs Festival in Washington, DC where the Washington Post observed that 'All Together Now' "cuts into the heart of [LOVE]." Albert Maysles calls the film "A perfect combination of the best of two worlds -- the Beatles and Cirque du Soleil."

'All Together Now' has screened at a number of festivals in the U.S. and across Canada in 2008, and accolades have followed. The film's U.S. debut opened the American Film Institute's Silverdocs festival in Washington, DC in June where Rolling Stone praised the film's sweeping visual style and "many insightful interviews." Screenings were as enthusiastically received at the CineVegas festival in Las Vegas, where it was called "remarkable" by Las Vegas Magazine, and the Hotdocs festival in Toronto, where Variety noted that 'All Together Now' "wowed audiences."

The documentary details the story behind the unique partnership between The Beatles and Cirque du Soleil that resulted in the creation and 2006 launch of LOVE, the stage production still playing to packed houses at The Mirage in Las Vegas, and the experimental Beatles soundscape album of the same name which garnered two Grammy Awards for producers Sir George and Giles Martin. The film is dedicated to the memory of Neil Aspinall, former CEO of Apple Corps and an Executive Producer of the DVD.

'All Together Now' faithfully recounts how the LOVE project came into being, borne from the personal friendship between George Harrison and Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte. George saw how the twin talents of The Beatles' music and the artistry of Cirque du Soleil's artistry and could be fused into something new and totally original.

The director, Adrian Wills, traveled between London, Montreal, and Las Vegas recording early meetings between the Cirque du Soleil & Apple Corps Ltd. creative teams, as well as filming contributions from Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, along with Yoko Ono Lennon and Olivia Harrison discussing how The Beatles' music can be used in a different way. Noting the uniqueness of these interactions Wills explains, "What surprised me the most was how human the whole process was."

These early stages of the project were all filmed, as were the first rehearsals at the Mirage Hotel theatre in Las Vegas, which was completely rebuilt with a one-of-a-kind sound system and complex round staging to house the LOVE show. Sir George and Giles Martin, the show's Musical Directors, were involved every step of the way with the remarkable Cirque du Soleil creative team, performers and backroom staff.

It wasn't all "plain-sailing" and there has been no attempt to disguise some of the disagreements that took place along the way regarding how some of the songs would be portrayed visually. These creative differences, a necessary part of the overall process of bringing LOVE to its most vibrant life, illustrate the participants' love and respect for the music and vision of The Beatles.

In addition to their roles within the main film, Sir George and Giles, along with engineer Paul Hicks, also feature in a bonus feature titled "Changing The Music" which reveals in fascinating depth how the music was created and the challenges they faced. They explain how they sourced some of the individual instruments and effects and how they were encouraged to experiment.

Bonus Features include:

-- "Changing The Music" (22:00): An in-depth look at the decision to rework and remix the Beatles music for the show

"Music In The Theatre" (09:00): A look at the process of creating the LOVE show's unique audio design in the theater

-- "Making 'LOVE'" (10:00): A backstage pass to explore the design of LOVE, including the art direction, costumes, props, screen imagery and the use of The Beatles' voices in the stage production and soundtrack.

View a trailer for 'All Together Now' here: www.beatles.com/core/love/documentary/clips/

The "All Together Now" DVD may be purchased through Best Buy online or at your local Best Buy store or at The LOVE Boutique at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas, NV.
www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=pcmcat161100050000&type=category


Published September 17, 2008

[yerblues1968]

'ALL TOGETHER NOW' FOR THE BEATLES: WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM DAD'S FRIENDS

Giles Martin Grew Up With The Beatles And Helped To Move Their Legend On, A New Film Shows


From The Times
Amy Raphael


October 2, 2008


When Giles Martin was asked to work alongside his father and remix the Beatles for Love, a Cirque du Soleil show based on the band’s back catalogue, he wasn’t sure he should take it on. “If anyone told me they were going to get George Martin’s son to mix the Beatles and put on a show in Las Vegas, I’d probably have punched them,” he says in his well educated voice, as he puts down his mint tea. “Because it’s a repulsive idea.”



He resisted not only because of the inevitable accusations of nepotism but also because he wasn’t sure it would be successful. But he was wrong. Since Love opened in a $100 million theatre in Vegas in 2006 — with a staggering 7,000 speakers and enough dancers, mime artists, trampolinists and bungee jumpers to keep any Cirque fan content — it has virtually sold out every night.

It was the first time that Apple, the protective Beatles organisation, had licensed songs for a theatrical production, bowing to the friendship between the late George Harrison and Guy Laliberté, the founder of Cirque. Which meant that it was the closest thing to a Beatles gig, albeit a very modern one. Perhaps most importantly, Love has the blessing of Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison.

And now, for those who couldn’t make it to Vegas (where there will be two shows a night for the next eight years), there’s a new documentary about the making of the show. All Together Now, directed by Adrian Wills, avoids sentimentality to provide a fascinating, fly-on-the-wall insight into what was clearly a mammoth task. One scene shows George Martin, whose hearing is failing but whose musical sensibility has yet to fade, conducting the orchestra, perhaps for the last time. As they play a fragile version of My Guitar Gently Weeps, Giles respectfully looks on.

It is technology that separates father and son in the studio. “My dad is 82,” says the 38-year-old Giles. “He’s got a Mac — he’s pretty good, but it’s not his world. I had to explain the mash-up mentality of grabbing one piece of music and sticking it with another, even though he’d done it subconsciously in 1967 on All You Need is Love by using Greensleeves and In the Mood in the orchestral fade-out.”

All Together Now has its unexpected moments too. At the premiere of Love, McCartney turns to Starr and says, almost surprised: “What a great f***ing band we were.” Sitting in his plush Vegas seat, Sir Paul then sings along to Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band with joyous abandon. Yet, for the two widows, it seems to have been a more poignant experience. Olivia Harrison concludes sadly that Love was “physically unsatisfying but spiritually satisfying”, while Yoko Ono hides behind her sunglasses and says, “I feel sad that he [Lennon] is just a voice now.”

I ask Giles if Ono’s omnipresence at the Love rehearsals was a help or a hindrance. He smiles. “Yoko is incredibly straightforward. Not in a bad way, funnily enough. She wrote a huge précis of what she didn’t like and the director, to his credit, agreed. She’s very sweet and kind. When my daughter was born a year ago the first gift was a beautiful engraved silver cup from Yoko.”



Sir Paul McCartney


When asked who proved the most challenging to work with, Giles immediately names McCartney. “He remembers everything and he’s way more musical than me. I couldn’t get away with anything. But I’ve always had a good relationship with Paul. He picked me up in his car once when I was young and asked me about music. I told him it was difficult to write songs. He said: ‘Well, I’m Paul McCartney and I find it hard to write songs. Don’t you give up now.’ He got his assistant to send me a guitar.” He whispers then laughs. “It was crap, looking back at it.”



John Lennon in 1980.


The young Giles always wanted to meet John Lennon but Lennon was killed when he had just turned 11. “I wish . . . it’s a strange thing . . .” For the first time in the interview he loses his veneer of confidence. He seems close to tears. Then he pulls it together. “Funnily enough, I’ve got the same birthday as him. When I was born he said to my dad: ‘Now you know what sort of a***hole he’s going to turn out to be.’ Which is very John Lennon.”



Peter Sellers in "The Pink Panther."


The day Lennon was shot is burnt into Giles’s brain. “My parents were watching the news on TV. They were absolutely shocked. It was chaos in our house. My dad was working with Paul at the time, I think. In that two-week period Peter Sellers also died. My dad had worked on comedy records with him and he was a really good friend.”

What next for Giles Martin? “There’s a Brian Wilson project I’ve been asked to do,” he says. “I think God Only Knows is one of the best songs ever written, so I’m keen on that. At the moment I’m working on a Martin Scorsese music documentary. I’ve learnt almost everything I know from my dad, so I feel incredibly lucky.” He smiles. “Not that we sit around talking about the Beatles all the time. Mostly we just watch the snooker together.”

All Together Now will have its premiere at the Raindance Film Festival, London, on October 9 at 9.15pm.

www.raindance.co.uk/site/index.php?aid=2906



"All Together Now" DVD Trailer. The "All Together Now" DVD will be available on October 21, 2008. (1:31 minutes)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKJzDe8z_Hs



Documentary on the making of LOVE "All Together Now." (2:33 minutes)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxT3ukCejo8


entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article4861721.ece

[syelar108]

Wore my red & yellow "LOVE" T-shirt today, while I was in town running errands. If there's anyone on this forum; who's planning on making a trip to Vegas ever, you MUST see "LOVE." Just note that it's a good idea to book tickets through the Mirage Hotel's webpage nearly 3-4 months in advance. Their Beatles lobby & gift shop do not disappoint either!

It wouldn't surprise me if Cirque Du Soleil & the Mirage decided to run "LOVE" for another 8 years. The show has unlimited staying power!

Yerblues; do we know of an official release date yet here in the States for the "All Together Now" DVD? Amazon still doesn't have a listing. The "Magical Mystery Tour Memories" DVD is on my Netflix list, so I'll soon be having a look at that.

Thanks for the info. ;D

[yerblues1968]

Hi syelar108. Thank you for your post. You will not see the "All Together Now" DVD at Amazon.com nor any other website. An agreement was made that the only source (other than the Mirage hotel boutique) that will provide the "All Together Now" DVD is through the Best Buy store. You may either buy it through Best Buy online or at your local Best Buy store. The Best Buy link has been provided on any of the posts above if anyone wishes to purchase the "All Together Now" DVD online. I would prefer to pick it up at the store so no shipping costs would be added. I hope that answers your question. Let me know if you need any more help. BTW, the "All Together Now" U.S. release date is suppose to be October 21st.

I was wondering if you purchased any souvenir when you went to see "LOVE." I am glad you purchased a "LOVE" T-shirt (like what Ringo was wearing on the "All Together Now" trailer?). I do desire to see the "LOVE" show. I may decide to take a week vacation to visit Las Vegas one day. I have not been to Las Vegas in several years. So much has changed.

syelar108, please give us more information on what places you went to see besides the LOVE show in Las Vegas, if you do not mind. I would imagine you explored other places?

[syelar108]

Hey Yerblues; thanks for reiterating that the "All Together Now" DVD will be carried by the Best Buy chain. Haven't checked their website yet, but hopefully it'll provide a release date for the DVD? How bout which ever one of us picks it up first can submit a post eh? And yes; Eppylover, I'll be sure to get back to some Brian topics before too long.

Yerblues; I visited the Mirage's website & they have available bookings for the "LOVE" show into late January. Book your tickets ASAP, if you plan to go! Of course; be expected to pay $100-$200 for the show itself. The experience is well worth it though! I'd happily go again, if I had the means.

Note: There is NO unauthorized photography inside the theater at anytime! Period! My cousin & I got talked to for taking a photo (of us), and the show hadn't even started yet! Of course; you can take as many as you want outside.

The hotel has a lovely gift shop (visible in some of the lobby photos you posted) outside the theater, where I bought souvenirs. I also took home a plastic cup, with the "LOVE" logo. There's a snack bar outside the theater, which serves specialty beverages, and you get to keep the cups.

My group & I actually didn't visit a whole lot of places while there. Pretty much all the 'glitter' is on the strip. We stayed at a place called the Jockey Club, which a run-down time-share joint. Of course; it was GREAT, because we were right next-door to the Belagio & across the street from Paris. We could go visit these places during the day, and DIDN'T have to pay the hotel room prices. ;D There's plenty of shopping to do on the strip. You should almost bring an extra suitcase, to take home your goodies on the plane.

A high point of the trip was seeing Dog the Bounty Hunter walk into the Belagio's Cafe, as we were having brunch one day!

If there's anything else I can tell you, let me know.

[yerblues1968]

Hello syelar108, thank you for responding. I have not decided exactly when I plan on going to Las Vegas, NV, but it will be in the near future. I do intend to buy the "All Together Now" DVD as an appetizer before visiting the Mirage Hotel/Casino.

To give you an idea when was the last time I have been to Las Vegas, NV was during the ancient days when there were a Dunes, Sands Hotel (where the Rat Pack use to hang out). Of course, those hotels were demolished in order to put the very huge hotels/casinos in their place in the 90s. I have not been to Las Vegas since the mid-80s.

A few times me and my wife went with a buddy of mine. He had a condo (timeshare, like when you went) near the strip. It was a nice condo. The bedroom had a king size bed and the living room couch converted into double bed, which is what me and my wife used. We went to Las Vegas basically for the weekend at that time. I am not much of a gambler. I basically like to see the floor shows and enjoy the food out there. If we needed to get anywhere, we would take a taxi as the taxi driver would know how to handle the traffic and get you to where you want to be much quicker. Now, there are more options to getting around Las Vegas.

Remember when you were able to get a full breakfast very cheap out there? During that time, you can get a full breakfast for as low as 79 cents. If you decide to get a very early bird special (before 4:00 a.m.), you can get it for 30 cents cheaper--49 cents!! ;D Crazy isn't it? Now, I never went for those specials as I was not a penny pincher. But, there were a few people who did take up on those specials whom I discovered several years later. I had talked to a girl who came from a rather large family who use to live out there. Her mother wanted to save money by having her children take advantage of the breakfast special, even though she had to get everyone up early from their sleep. Now, that situation I can understand if there is a large party to feed. The breakfast prices now must have gone up but probably not too much.

For those on a tight budget.
www.bigempire.com/vegas/cheapeats.html

The time I went with my buddy, he would hardly sleep as he wanted to stay up and gamble. He played craps and was sometimes quite successful. He would be out until 3:00 a.m., come back to the condo and sleep a few hours, and then we would be out to get breakfast around 9:00-10:00 a.m. We decided to go the MGM Grand for the champagne brunch, as it was recommended to us. As it turned out, their champagne brunch was fabulous. My friend was a steak eater and commented on the tenderness of the meat. The champagne was unlimited. I only had a few glasses but my friend drank maybe 7-8 glasses. The champagne was very good, nothing cheap. We really enjoyed having brunch there. I would like to go there again for their champagne brunch the next time I visit Las Vegas.

The MGM Grand Buffet Champagne Brunch.
www.vegas.com/searchagent/restaurant/ViewRestaurant.do?restaurantId=2980

I was watching the Travel Channel a few months back when they were showing the best places in the U.S. to go for buffets. As it turned out, the Bellagio Hotel/Casino in Las Vegas, NV ranked No. 1 on their buffets. I am glad you went to the Bellagio Hotel/Casino to have brunch there. How was it? Do you recall the brunch price? After watching the buffet advertisement on TV, I really would like to experience their food the next time I visit Las Vegas. Since Las Vegas has put up huge hotels in the 90s, they also brought in the best chefs around the world to attract more people to experience their cuisine in Las Vegas. So, virtually any hotel/casino at the strip would have very good food. BTW, when I visit a city I usually like to explore the cuisines that the city has to offer. So when I talk about food a lot, you would see why.

The Buffet Bellagio Las Vegas Restaurant.
www.bellagio.com/restaurants/the-buffet.aspx

That was great that you got to see a glimpse of Dog the Bounty Hunter at the Bellagio. He was recently released from a Mexican prison for capturing a Max Factor heir hiding down there for raping three women. Bounty hunting was not accepted in Mexico, so the authorities put Duane Chapman and his associates in prison. The authorities would not allow him to go back to the U.S. Many people sent in their protest to our government for his release as he was doing a job and did the U.S. justice for capturing the guy. Long story. Anyway, it was nice for you to see him enjoying a nice meal in Las Vegas after all that he went through.

Dog the Bounty Hunter news article.
www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,326787,00.html?sPage=fnc/entertainment/celebrity/chapman

Back to the time with my friend, I went with him a few times to Las Vegas. I had gone to see Wayne Newton, Bernadette Peters, and Mac Davis among other entertainments. Wayne Newton was the big highlight. He was the person to see when visiting Las Vegas. It use to be Elvis Presley, who was the No. 1 person you just had to see, but I never had the opportunity to see him. I was told it was much, much harder to see Elvis Presley as his shows were always sold out. But it was easier to see Wayne Newton. Our bellboy helped arrange our entry to his dinner show. When we got in, we paid a nice tip to get seated even closer to the stage. We did the same thing when we went to see Bernadette Peters. We also visited Lake Meade during our time out there.

Wayne Newton Official Website
www.waynenewton.com/

As you can see, it has been a while since I have been there. I basically go to see the shows. I hope you have the opportunity again to visit Las Vegas, and see the LOVE show again. Thank you for telling us your very "exciting experience" seeing the Mirage LOVE show. I am glad someone was able to tell us how it was to see the LOVE show. With all the several speakers and surround sound in 5.1, the experience must have been totally awesome and none like it. For the price paid, I am sure it is very well worth the trip. Thank you much.

"All Together Now" DVD available October 21 through Best Buy. The price they show is $19.99.
www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=pcmcat161100050000&type=category

[yerblues1968]

ALL TOGETHER NOW


crawdaddy.wolfgangsvolt.com


All Together Now
by Steve Matteo


Wednesday, October 29, 2008



On the one hand, a documentary on the creation of the Cirque du Soleil’s Love might seem like a good idea. On the other, many people may wonder why a film of one of the actual performances wasn’t released. Or, how about do both? If you’re not a Beatles fan, or don’t watch Larry King, maybe you weren’t aware of Love. Love is a production of the Canadian troupe Cirque du Soleil, who marry the interpretive performance aspects of theater with the spectacle of the circus, while interjecting multimedia, improvisational, and surreal elements. They, along with the Apple Corporation, have “collaborated” on a long-running show that has been playing at the MGM Mirage in Las Vegas since 2006. The show interprets, celebrates, twists, and re-imagines the songs, music, life, and career of the Beatles. While the initial idea of the show, the companion CD “soundtrack” released in 2007, and even this documentary may at first seem questionable at best, it has resulted in something that is nearly a revelation.





Although the primary gatekeeper of the Beatles’ legacy, Apple Corporation (who, in effect, consists of Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono, Olivia Harrison, and the late Neil Aspinall), was involved in the Love production, Guy Laliberté and Dominic Champagne, the principals of the Cirque du Soleil, together with Beatles producer George Martin and his son Giles, had the most creative and conceptual control of the production.






In many respects, this documentary, which was directed by Adrian Wills and was two years in the making, is almost like an old-fashioned PBS special on the mounting of a mammoth theater production, with all the attendant struggle, joy, backstage intrigue, camaraderie, and overall smell of greasepaint in the air. Yet, for all of its modest goals, the documentary is a richly complex tableau about the story of the Beatles, their legacy, how those who survive that legacy grapple with the group’s place in history, where they fit in today, and how they will be perceived in the future.






One of the most revealing aspects of the DVD, which has had a theatrical release and will be available exclusively at Best Buy, is how little McCartney and Starr contributed to the production, preferring to let Cirque du Soleil and producer Martin do what they felt was right. By contrast, the widows of John Lennon and George Harrison were extremely involved and each was concerned that her husband’s legacy and, more importantly, songs be interpreted with the proper integrity they so rightly deserve. Olivia Harrison, whose late husband George conceived the project with Laliberté, was involved in a clear, yet wisely calm way. Ono was more direct and specific, yet ultimately gracious and generous in her involvement.







Inside the Mirage LOVE Theater in Las Vegas, Nevada.


There are many other minor and major dramas that unfold here, including the poignant relationship between Martin and his son. Aspinall, who passed away in March of this year, was interviewed for the film, and no doubt was more involved than it seems, just as he was throughout the entire history and post-history of the group. The other major and minor players are only glimpsed at, with the presence of Harrison’s son Dhani, who eerily looks so much like his dad, a sad reminder of Harrison’s early death in 2001, the wounds of which are still raw. There is a warmhearted joy that is evident throughout, mainly due to the enduring music and personalities of the Beatles, but also because of the approach Cirque du Soleil took in doing this production, which was for all the right reasons. Still, the sadness of George and John being gone, the length of time that has passed since the great ride that was the Beatles, and ultimately an awareness of the long-vanished ideals of the ’60s hang over the proceedings.





Another aspect of the production that isn’t mentioned at all is how those that created or now curate the music of the icons of the ’60s and ’70s are seeking new ways to breathe life into the old songs and tracks, not by releasing best-of albums or putting out box sets with bonus material. It’s why films like Todd Haynes’ experimental biopic of Bob Dylan, I’m Not There, are made and why the video games Rock Band and Guitar Hero are so successful. Finding ways in which the music can gain a new life and, in some cases, a new revenue stream in the face of a spiraling record business, free downloading, and the next teen pop star is partly or wholly responsible for why many of these projects are undertaken. Nonetheless, this beautifully photographed film and some nice extras about the remixing of the original music, creating the 5.1 mix, and the show’s design will thrill Beatles fans, those interested in film, sound, and theater and those nostalgic for the Beatles and their time. In the end, all you need is love.





The All Together Now Trailer.
www.thebiggerpicture.us/together/together_trailer60.html


crawdaddy.wolfgangsvault.com/Review/All-Together-Now.html

[syelar108]

It's nice that pictures of the production ARE provided on the net, since there isn't any public photography allowed within the LOVE theater. However; you can take all the photos you want in the lobby. Thanks for this fabulous eye-candy, Yerblues. ;D

I haven't yet attempted to post my own photos on this site; as I don't quite know how. My cousin & I had ours taken in front of the white LOVE sign. Hopefully; I can add that while posting an upcoming critique of the "All Together Now" DVD.

The Mirage spared no expense on that lobby & gift shop!!!