Summer of the ’70s Festival

Posted on 27 May 2010

Summer of the ’70s” Festival kicks off at Fremont Street Experience with Gloria Gaynor singing “I Will Survive” in a free concert on Saturday, May 29th at 9 pm.

The music and culture from the decade of the 1970s will return to downtown Las Vegas this summer as Fremont Street Experience presents the “Summer of the ’70s” festival and free concert series. The 102-day promotion will kick off Memorial Day Weekend and run through Labor Day Weekend.

“This year, as a follow-up to last year’s successful `Summer of ’69′ which drew record nightly crowds to downtown Las Vegas, we decided to move to the next decade and focus on the 1970s,” said Jeff Victor, president of Fremont Street Experience. ”Throughout this summer, we will present headliners and tribute bands who will bring back the diverse music of the ’70s, everything from classic rock to disco.”

To open the “Summer of the ’70s,” Fremont Street Experience hosts disco diva Gloria Gaynor for Memorial Day Weekend on May 29 followed on June 5 by glam rockers Sweet during the Vegas Cruise car show weekend. The Little River Band will be featured on July 3, during the Fourth of July Weekend, Blue Oyster Cult will play August 14 and Jefferson Starship will rock Sept. 4 during Labor Day Weekend. Jefferson Starship’s return performance from last summer is part of the band’s 40^th anniversary tour.

Also, during the “Summer of the ’70s,” an Ultimate Elvis Weekend will feature the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest on July 23 and July 24.

Along with the free concerts, “Summer of the ’70s” will present a free stage show — “Fremont Street Fever” — performing Thursday through Monday at 9:15, 10:15 and 11:15 pm. on the 1^st Street Stage. ” Fremont Street Fever,” produced by Face Productions, is a 35-minute show full of high energy singing and dancing to the most popular disco songs of the ’70s.

Fremont Street Experience will also host 10 weeks of tribute bands that will showcase legendary groups like The Rolling Stones, STYX, Eagles, KISS, Deep Purple, Fleetwood Mac, Journey, Heart, AC/DC, and a ’70s Classic Rock Tribute by Platinum Rockers, recreating the hits of Foreigner, Boston, Led Zeppelin, and Van Halen. The tribute bands will play Tuesdays through Saturdays nightly on the 3^rd Street Stage.

Fremont Street Experience presents the “Summer of the ’70s” Entertainment Lineup:

Headliner Schedule: (1^st or 3^rd Street Stages) Concerts start at 9 p.m.

Gloria Gaynor – May 29 for Memorial Day Weekend (3^rd Street Stage)
I will Survive, Never Can Say Goodbye, I Never Knew
Sweet – June 5 during the Vegas Cruise car show weekend (1^st Street Stage)
Ballroom Blitz, Fox on the Run, Love is Like Oxygen, Little Willy
Little River Band - July 3 for Fourth of July Weekend (3^rd Street Stage)
Lady, Lonesome Loser, Reminiscing, Cool Change
Ultimate Elvis Weekend – July 23-24 featuring the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest (1^st Street Stage), times TBA
Blue Oyster Cult - August 14 for Hot Rockin’ Weekend (3^rd Street Stage)
(Don’t Fear) the Reaper, Burnin’ For You, Godzilla
Jefferson Starship - September 4 for Labor Day Weekend (1^st Street Stage)
White Rabbit, Don’t You Want Somebody to Love, Miracles, Jane, Count on Me, Ride the Tiger

Tribute Band Schedule: (3^rd Street Stage) Shows are Tuesdays through Saturdays from 9 p.m. to midnight. There will be a total of three sets, each starting after the top-of-the-hour Viva Vision shows.

Original KISS Army - KISS tribute – June 8-12 (www.thekissarmytribute.com)
Draw The Line - Aerosmith tribute – June 15-19 (www.drawtheline.net)
Desperado – Eagles tribute – June 22-26 (www.desperadolive.com)
Highway to Hell – AC/DC tribute – June 29-30, July 1-2 and July 4 (Please note; Highway to Hell is playing Sunday, July 4 and not Saturday July 3.) (www.ac-dctribute.com)
Platinum Rockstars - Classic Rock Tribute band emulating Foreigner, Boston, Van Halen and Led Zeppelin – July 6-10 (www.platinumrockstars.com)
Rockin’ the Paradise – Styx tribute – July 13-17 (www.thestyxtribute.com)
Heart Alive – Heart tribute – July 27-31 (www.heartaliverocks.com)
Wild Heart - Fleetwood Mac tribute – August 3-7 (www.wildheartrocks.com)
Escape – Journey tribute – August 17-21 (www.keytarmusic.com/escape.htm)
Satisfaction – The Rolling Stones tribute – August 24-28 (www.rollingstoneshow.com)

“Fremont Street Fever” Schedule: (1^st Street Stage)

Thursdays through Mondays at 9:15, 10:15 and 11:15 pm – a 35-minute show full of high energy singing and dancing to the most popular disco songs of the ’70s.

Viva Vision Schedule:
From 8:30 p.m. through midnight on weekdays and 8:30 p.m. through 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays

8:30 p.m. – “Don McLean’s American Pie”
9:00 p.m. – “The Doors - Strange Days in Vegas”
10:00 p.m. – “A Tribute to Queen”
11:00 p.m. – “KISS Over Vegas”
Midnight – “Signs of Life by John Van Hamersveld” (Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays) or ”George Thorogood’s Bad To The Bone” (Mondays, Wednesdays)
1 a.m. (Fridays & Saturdays only) – “George Thorogood’s Bad To The Bone”

For complete information on the lineup of headline concerts and nightly entertainment throughout the summer, visit www.vegasexperience.com to plan an experience that will take you back to the ’70s.

“Summer of the ’70s” is sponsored by Corona Extra, Corona Light, Cruzan Rum, Modelo especial, Sauza Tequila Hornitos and Stoli Vodka. There will be beer and liquor drink specials available at all outdoor bars on Fremont Street Experience every night throughout the summer.

Fremont Street Experience is a five-block entertainment complex located in historic downtown Las Vegas. Fremont Street Experience features Viva Vision, the world’s largest video screen which is 1,500 feet long, 90 feet wide and suspended 90 feet above the urban pedestrian mall. Viva Vision features nightly spectacular light and sounds shows with 12.5 million LED lights and a 550,000-watt sound system. Fremont Street Experience is a one-of-a-kind venue which includes free nightly concerts and entertainment on two stages. With direct pedestrian access to 10 casinos, more than 60 restaurants and specialty retail kiosks, Fremont Street Experience attracts over 17 million annual visitors. Fremont Street Experience can be found online at www.vegasexperience.com.