“World’s Greatest Live Tribute Show” at Legends in Concert
By Christina Lee Knauss
Spotlights rotated, drumbeats pulsed and the sound of a country-style electric guitar pierced the darkness in a Surfside Beach theater on a recent Tuesday night.
A man in jeans, cowboy boots and a black cowboy hat hit the stage, singing the opening lines of the '90s country hit, "Indian Outlaw." Women in the front rows whooped and hit their feet, just as they often do at concerts by Tim McGraw, the singer who made the song a hit.
But the man onstage wasn't McGraw. Instead, it was impersonator Tim Sullivan, one of the stars of Legends in Concert, the popular Grand Strand attraction that gives audiences the chance to experience live performances by some of the world's biggest stars - living and dead. Over the years, Legends has brought tribute artists to the Strand who portray everyone from Michael Jackson and Prince to Bing Crosby, Rod Stewart and Dolly Parton.
Legends has been one of the strongest show draws on the Grand Strand since 1995. Produced by Las Vegas-based On Stage Entertainment Inc., Legends is currently the longest running, independently owned show in Vegas. It debuted for what was originally only a six-week engagement at the Imperial Hotel and Casino in 1983, and 26 years later is considered the pioneer of live tribute shows. It now runs regularly at Harrah's Las Vegas Casino and Hotel, and its success has led the show to branch out to its three other venues: Myrtle Beach, Branson, Mo. and Atlantic City, N.J. Legends performers have also toured extensively overseas.
The acts rotate four times a year, so audiences can see a new assortment of star portrayals each season. The current season features Sullivan as Tim McGraw, Marva Scott as Donna Summer, Tim Stamper and Kenny Barrett as the Blues Brothers, Mitch Adams as Elton John and Kevin Mills as Elvis Presley.
What you see is all live - the performers use their natural voices, and all the music is performed live by the Legends Band, which features some of the best veteran show musicians in the region.
Each performer offers up an assortment of their star's best-known hits. During the current show, Sullivan performs such signature hits as McGraw's "Live Like You Were Dyin'," "Down on the Farm" and "Real Good Man."
As Donna Summer, Collins performs everything from the disco diva's earliest hits such as "Bad Girls" and "Hot Stuff" to her later '80s smash "She Works Hard for the Money."
Stamper and Barrett give dead-on performances as one of Legends' mainstays - The Blues Brothers. They offer up a mix of song and dance and wry standup, poking gentle fun at everything from tourist traffic to the Grand Strand's well known all-you-can-eat seafood buffets.
Adams as Elton John opens up the show's second half, and his set includes a true staple of Sir Elton's live shows - several costume changes! He performs everything from early '70s hits such as "Saturday Night's All Right For Fighting" and "Crocodile Rock" to later hits including "Goodbye Norma Jean," "I'm Still Standing" and the Lion King hit, "Can You Feel the Love Tonight." Mills also throws in some jokes about his onstage persona: "During this segment, you get the best of both worlds - the King and Queen of Rock 'n' Roll!"
http://www.mbsun.com/assets_c/2009/07/Legends in Concert box-thumb-300x229.jpgThat joke makes sense because right after Adams' set, Mills as Elvis hits the stage. The Elvis tribute segment is always one of the most popular parts of the show, and Mills does not disappoint. He dons both a leather jumpsuit ala The King's 1969 comeback TV special and a studded jumpsuit more reminiscent of Elvis' Vegas years, and performs everything from "Heartbreak Hotel" and "All Shook Up" to later hits such as "Suspicious Minds." He hands out scarves to kids and women in the crowd, and responds with a signature Elvis smile to the female screams that the Elvis set always generates.
For more information, visit www.legendsinconcertsc.com.
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