Electronic Dance Music Performer Illenium Inaugurates Raiders’ Allegiant Stadium With Its First Concert Saturday: ‘We’re Coming Together Again’
By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com
The coronavirus pandemic was brutal to Las Vegas’ vaunted entertainment industry. Many technicians and performers lost jobs as venues went dark in 2020.
It also reduced Las Vegas’ biggest venue of all — the black-veneered Raiders NFL stadium off I-15 — to a massive tomb, where the new Las Vegas football franchise played eight home games with no fans inside the building. And only 2,000 fans were allowed to watch a UNLV-UNR football game inside the domed, 65,000-seat stadium Oct. 31.
But that all changes at the gleaming venue Saturday when the first concert is staged at the $2 billion stadium project, which included $750 million in public dollars to build the massive structure on the west side of the interstate across from Mandalay Bay. In two days, the Raiders’ Allegiant Stadium is expected to draw 35,000 people for an electronic dance music, three-set concert performed by Illenium.
LVSportsBiz.com talked with Justin Weniger, CEO of Life Is Beautiful, which is collaborating with AEG Presents, Another Planet Entertainment and ASM Global to produce Illenium’s Trilogy, a three-set concert commemorating his previous three albums — Ashes, Awake, and Ascend
“There was a big need to come together as a community and to send a signal to the world that Las Vegas is open for business,” Weniger said. “We’re coming together again.”
On Thursday, workers were hanging speakers in the domed stadium, which last month hosted COVID-19 vaccination clinics.
Construction of the stadium was completed slightly ahead of the July 2020 schedule.
There was no ribbon-cutting because of COVID-19 pandemic, no cause to celebrate as no fans were allowed in for Raiders home games in 2020.
Life is Beautiful wanted to be part of Saturday’s concert event at the Raiders’ stadium because the music festival producer is committed to empowering artists, revitalizing communities and bringing people together, said Weniger, a former UNLV football player.
Illenium will be on stage in the south end zone looking north toward the massive stadium doors that reveal a view of the Strip.
It was such an obvious and special choice. He was quite excited at the prospect of playing that room. It’s such a beautiful stadium. The feeling in the room will be just euphoric and such a treat. — Justin Weniger
There is a sense of joy to concert tasks such as loading a stage and performing sound checks, Weniger said.
“Even sound checks are joyful experiences. You see the energy from people loading the stage. People are doing this with a smile. It certainly feels good for a lot of people,” Weniger said.
He expects the floor, and 100 and 300 levels to be sold out.
Here’s a look at Ticketmaster for the event’s tickets as of Thursday early afternoon.
The Southern Nevada Health District has reported a rise in COVID-19 cases and test positivity rates, with the testing positive rate at 5.5 percent in Clark County this week. There is also the emergence of a Delta variant.
UPDATE: Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak said the state will be seeking assistance from the federal government in response to the increasing trend in COVID-19 cases, the emergence and increase in the Delta variant, and the stagnation in vaccination rates in Clark County. The White House announced their intention to create “surge teams” on Thursday and the state is working with federal agencies to request more support to aid in the Get Out The Vaccine (GOTV) efforts in Southern Nevada.
If you are vaccinated, you do not have to wear a mask at what is considered the largest ever single-headliner electronic dance music concert. If you are not vaccinated, you are expected to wear a face covering like you would at stores and in other places.
“My plans were to take it on tour last year but the pandemic wouldn’t allow it,” Illenium said. “So we’re going to do it in one huge show, three sets, and it will be the biggest show I’ve ever done. I’m beyond excited to be able to do this in Las Vegas. It will be insane.”
One week after Illenium, Garth Brooks rolls into town for a July 10 concert at the stadium and that crowd is expected at 65,000.
