Why Rock Bands Avoided Las Vegas During the 60s and 70s: The Evolution of Entertainment
During the 1960s and 1970s, Las Vegas was primarily known for its association with big-name entertainers such as Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley, rather than rock bands. Several factors contributed to this trend, reflecting a shift in the entertainment model and cultural perceptions.
Entertainment Model
Las Vegas was focused on a more traditional entertainment model featuring headliners who performed in lavish shows. This model emphasized variety acts, showgirls, and established stars rather than the emerging rock scene. The city was known for its extravagant and glamorous productions, which were different from the edgy and raw nature of rock performances.
Las Vegas Strip Venues
The major venues on the Strip were designed for large-scale productions and often catered to an older audience. Rock music, which was more associated with youth culture and counterculture movements, didn’t fit the mainstream aesthetic of Vegas entertainment at the time. These venues were built with the purpose of hosting shows that were grandiose and spectacle-driven, not necessarily rock concerts.
Cultural Perception
Rock music was often viewed as rebellious and not in line with the family-friendly image that Las Vegas wanted to project. The city aimed to attract tourists looking for glamorous shows and entertainment rather than the more raw and unpolished nature of rock performances. This cultural perception further discouraged rock bands from performing in Las Vegas during this period.
Emerging Rock Scene
While rock music was gaining popularity in other parts of the country, many rock bands were still establishing themselves and touring smaller venues, clubs, and festivals rather than large glitzy casinos. The lack of established rock bands performing in Las Vegas was partly due to these bands not fitting the city's entertainment model and cultural expectations.
Shift in the Late 70s
By the late 1970s, as rock music gained more mainstream acceptance and bands like The Rolling Stones began performing in Las Vegas, the city started to adapt to changing musical tastes. This adaptation led to a more diverse entertainment scene in subsequent decades, allowing rock bands to find new opportunities in Las Vegas.
Overall, the combination of cultural, economic, and venue-related factors contributed to the relative absence of rock bands in Las Vegas during the 1960s and 1970s. However, since the 1980s, as core audiences have aged and their preferences have evolved, Las Vegas has seen a resurgence in popularity among 80s rock bands.
Within the last dozen years, pre-COVID, 80s-era bands like The Scorpions, KISS, Motley Crue, and Def Leppard have all had very successful residencies in Las Vegas. These bands' fans, who were teens or young adults in the 1980s, now have families, good jobs, or businesses and enough disposable income to make them very attractive customers for the casinos.
As the entertainment landscape continues to evolve, Las Vegas remains an exciting destination for a variety of musical genres, reflecting its commitment to catering to a diverse range of tastes and preferences.