Continuing His Legacy

The legacy of such legendary performers as James Brown, Michael Jackson and Prince lives on in a strong way with Usher, who has distilled these influences into his very unique style, which he amply displays at his newest Strip production, Usher: My Way—The Vegas Residency He’s already conquered the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, and if the reaction to his newest shows at Dolby Live at Park MGM are any indication, he’s just getting started.

This is a show that hearkens back to the days of old Vegas, where the stars had the audience hanging on every note, every syllable. Usher’s band, consisting of saxophonists, pianists and guitarists, renders his greatest hits— from “Caught Up” to “U Don’t Have to Call”—with an energy that has everyone dancing in the aisles. And slow jams like “Lovers and Friends” bring out the more, um, amorous side of his biggest fans and their dates.

Speaking of dancing, Usher displays more than a few of his inimitable moves during this show—including an amazingly choreographed chair routine with a cadre of male dancers, as well as on roller skates when performing “Superstar.” (His skating prowess is clear in the music video for “Good Love.”) And the production design here is without peer, including a two-story strip club structure, complete with pole dancers.

“I love the venue,” Usher told Las Vegas Magazine in an interview. “I love the energy and I love the accommodations. It just felt like a natural transition. After considering the type of creative (content) I wanted for this next show, it would be the perfect house to give me that opportunity to shock people.

“I always said if I go to Las Vegas, I would want to play it my way, and maybe there’s some Frank Sinatra somewhere deep in there,” he says. “I think I got some things off my first time (at the Colosseum), but this time? I really get to do it my way.” –Las Vegas Magazine Staff

Awe-Inspiring Getaway

Experience

Every visit to Las Vegas is an opportunity to see the Grand Canyon. It’s a realization people from around the world have while they’re here after they already have a full itinerary. Mental notes are made for the next Sin City sojourn, then life resumes and the idea of experiencing the Southwest’s most majestic natural wonder gets placed on the back burner. But please, do whatever it takes to remember—a string around your finger, a downloaded app—to break this cycle and ultimately lead you to Grand Canyon West

Getting there is as simple as hopping on Interstate 215, the beltway south of the Strip, or US 95 north of downtown, then driving east. GCW is on land owned by the Hualapai, who offer several packages ranging from the must-see Skywalk, pictured, to a two-day rafting expedition on the Colorado River guided by the Hualapai River Runners. Helicopter tours fly above and 3,500 feet below the West Rim, where pontoons await as another river-ride option.

Adrenaline junkies will be unable to resist a zipline that travels 500 feet above the canyon for the length of more than three football fields at speeds of up to 40 miles per hour. The Skywalk is the pièce de résistance of GCW, though. The 10-foot-wide glass bridge extends 70 feet over the West Rim, providing unforgettable views in all directions. The vistas of the land sacred to the Hualapai are nothing less than awe-inspiring.

–Matt Kelemen