LAS VEGAS (Clear Channel Entertainment Properties/ www.vegasrocks100.com/ www.lasvegas2005.org) - Clear Channel Entertainment Properties announced today that world-renowned, multi-platinum rock band Red Hot
Chili Peppers will rock America's entertainment capital as the headline act for the July 2nd Centennial concert celebrating 100 years in neon. Best of all, consumers can experience this once-in-a-lifetime event for free.
Red Hot
Chili Peppers and top alternative-rock act
Weezer will play in an unforgettable, free live outdoor concert experience on the grounds of the Las
Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA).
Las Vegas, known for colorful history, an over-the-top image and never before-seen entertainment experiences, has captured the world's imagination for nearly 100 years. The city's glittering reputation has created great anticipation for a Centennial celebration that will truly do justice to its rich and storied history. The planned birthday bash will be a musically and visually spectacular live entertainment experience. Fifty thousand free tickets will be available for the Vegas Centennial celebration, and consumers can get them online at https://www.vegasrocks100.com beginning Monday, April 18th.
"We are excited about playing a free show in Vegas celebrating the 100th birthday of the city," said Flea, bass player for the Red Hot Chili Peppers. "We can't wait to get there, feel the energy of the crowd and rock the house." Chad Smith, drummer for the Peppers added, "Playing a free show for this many fans is awesome, it should be a lot of fun."
Sponsors of this exciting event include Beaulieu Vineyard (BV) Wines, which is also celebrating 100 years of wine-making; and American Express, the official card sponsor of the Las Vegas Centennial. As the Centennial celebration's official card sponsor, American Express will have the opportunity to team with its merchant partners to develop innovative, experiential Vegas packages and special privileges for card-members traveling to and around Vegas, including airline, hotels and restaurant perks.
"This is the first time that Red Hot Chili Peppers has given a free show of this magnitude and the first time Las Vegas has ever put on a concert of this scale," said Bruce Eskowitz, president of Clear Channel Entertainment Properties. "Our sponsors are capitalizing on a truly unique opportunity to deliver exciting, multi-platform brand messages and benefits to their customers in one of the highest-profile spectacles of the year."
"The Red Hot Chili Peppers are fun and exciting just like our City and we couldn't be more enthused to have them as a part of our Centennial," said Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, Chairman for the Centennial celebration. "No one can match the flavor and madness of Flea on bass and I can't wait for the Chili Peppers to rock Las Vegas! I love this city and I'm happy that we can give this gift of an absolutely free and phenomenal concert to our residents and visitors for Las Vegas' 100th birthday."
The Las Vegas Centennial is a yearlong celebration that will pay tribute to the exciting people, places and events that helped shape Las Vegas history since 110 acres was purchased near the first railroad in a land auction nearly a century ago. Hundreds of events are taking place throughout 2005 to commemorate 100 years in neon including building the World's Largest Birthday Cake weighing in at 130,000 pounds, Once Upon 100 Weddings promotion and the 100 Murals initiative that is creating more than 100 permanent pieces of art throughout the community. For details about the Las Vegas Centennial, visit https://www.lasvegas2005.org .
About Red Hot Chili Peppers
After 20+ years and over 40 million records sold worldwide, the Red Hot Chili Peppers are still going strong and creating some of their most vibrant and infectious material to date. Few rock groups broke down as many musical barriers and were as original as the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Two high school chums, Anthony Kiedis and Michael Balzary (better known as "Flea"), started playing music together in California back in the late '70s/early '80s drawing heavily on funk influences as well as the burgeoning L.A. punk scene. Blood Sugar Sex Magik was a huge hit upon its 1991 release as it spawned such hits as "Give It Away" and "Under the Bridge." Soon thereafter, the band released Californication, achieving five-times platinum with hits "Scar Tissue," "Otherside," and "Californication." The band's last studio album, By The Way, was released in 2002, and immediately peaked at No 2 on the Billboard charts.
