Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Mohegan Fun (No Chips Required)
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I’m a live-music whore. By this I don’t mean groupie or starf*#!er, or one of those other types who wriggle their way behind the scenes to fulfill their rock ‘n’ roll fantasies. Although I played a mean “Eye of the Tiger” on the flute, I never aspired to be a rock star, nor do I need to meet the band or know all their songs by heart to rock out to a good show.
I like the music blaring louder than ever possible on an iPod or car stereo. And the characters: the ones you can’t tell if they’re dressed up for the show or if they always dress that way. If they wake and bake or just smoke on musical “special occasions.” If their 7-year-old son is truly a fan, or if he’s just along for the ride because the sitter bailed. Enjoying the album at home just isn’t enough.
I’ve seen shows at every single Boston music venue over the past 20 years, as well as halls and joints in Cambridge, Somerville, and Worcester. In high school my mom and I waited nine hours in the snow at the Providence Civic Center to get Bon Jovi tickets. I’ve taken the commuter rail to Foxboro Stadium to see The Rolling Stones, the shuttle to NYC to see The Shins, and a private plane to a Phish Concert on the Maine/Canadian border. Still, I needed a better strategy.
How could I get tickets to the hottest shows, assess which tickets are worth face value and which venues are worth the hike? I signed up for ticket alerts, made friends with scalpers, joined Stub Hub, attending silent charity auctions, even upgraded my American Express. Just when I thought I had groomed the variables into an equation for success, Mohegan Sun popped up on my radar and made my plan look weak.
I originally went to Mohegan Sun in April to learn about Project Horizon, which includes the construction of Casino of the Wind (scheduled to open August 29) and a new hotel tower, retail and meeting space. As a non-gambler, I couldn’t fully appreciate what were sure to be improvements to an already grand casino, but I did my best. What really piqued my interest was the new Margaritaville restaurant, slated to open in the Fall and that Jimmy Buffet himself was rumored to be performing an in-restaurant concert sometime around opening. Sold!
The next time I went with my husband to scope it out. We thought we would lay low, play a little blackjack, order room service. Were we wrong. Instead, we found a music-lover’s one-stop shop, where we non-gambling types could peacefully coexist with – well everyone else.
I expected Mohegan to be all neon and showgirls, like a mini Vegas, or worse, Atlantic City. I was ready for high hair, track suits and mafia-types with big rings. Instead, I found a chic, tasteful grand entrance, native American inspired décor and even men without hair product. Less the cheesy gambling den I had envisioned, it was more like a five-star resort with all the amenities. Sure, there were slots and tables and gambling galore just ahead, but for those like me who thought that casinos were only for gamblers, things were looking up!
After a drive from Boston that was under two hours, even on Friday at rush hour, we checked into our room in the main hotel tower. Awaiting us were tickets to country music legend Dolly Parton’s show in the Mohegan Sun Arena, a venue that is a music lover’s dream: intimate (about the size of BU’s Agannis Arena where all the seats are good), low security (so fans call out to Dolly or whoever’s playing, close enough for her to hear and respond) and outstanding acoustics. Diverse enough crowd, though chock full of blue-hairs and gay men. Dolly isn’t the only act to draw a full house: Willie Nelson, The New Kids, Janet Jackson, Enrique Iglesias, The Who and Elton John smiled out from posters while we were there. And upcoming events include The “Drop Kick” Dance Party with the Flutie Brothers Band August 31st and Trace Adkins with Kellie Pickler September 12th.
The next day we took a hard-hat tour of the casino and as it concluded, we walked past the Wolf Den, a semicircular, wall-less hotspot with what seemed like a handful of tables and chairs. The real action was in the line outside the ropes that had formed by 9:00 a.m. for the band Scrap Metal, a mish-mash of former members of metal bands who had come together to perform a late-afternoon show. The Wolf Den’s limited seating and intimate view of acts like Richie Havens, Chubbie Checker, Bonnie Tyler, and Alexa Rae Joel draw crowds hoping to make it behind the velvet ropes.
Later, we had lunch at Todd English’s Tuscany and dinner at the Longhouse steakhouse. Both restaurants offered impeccable service and atmosphere that made us forget we were inside a casino. In between we poked around some upscale shops that might be found on Newbury Street or Copley.
Saturday night, we were back at the Mohegan Sun Arena for comedian Kevin James, which allowed us to mix it up, but I heard that it’s not uncommon to have two musical acts in that venue in the same weekend. (Hurrah!) We were also able to sneak a peek in The Cabaret theater, a Moulin Rouge-style intimate room, which features more traditional entertainment and comedy acts like Joan Collins, the Indigo Girls, and The Last comic Standing. The following morning, we had champagne brunch at Pompeii & Caesar, followed by a massage at the Elemis Spa, a great way to wind down an action packed weekend.
With all the shopping, good food, and entertainment, we never left the casino for a minute. Unlike a typical music-centered weekend, there was no worry about parking (plenty on-site), we didn’t need sunscreen, we could rally for a nap whenever we wanted one (our room was just steps away from the action), and we had plenty of choices on how to spend our time – so many that we didn’t feel obligated to focus on the many casino games that attract visitors to Mohegan Sun in the first place.
All this, combined with the diverse musical lineup in three separate indoor venues, moves Mohegan to the top of my list of “must watch” venues for live music, a destination that is well worth the journey.
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