Criss Angel's hocus-pocus ticks off Vegas fans

Last Friday in Las Vegas, at the debut preview performance of “Criss Angel: Believe” –- the Luxor Hotel & Casino’s new Cirque du Soleil-produced multimedia magic extravaganza -- rock star illusionist and celebrity-dating tabloid mainstay Criss Angel made a strong impression with his first trick. The star of A&E’s popular street magic series “Mindfreak” enraged many audience members at the Luxor by making their cameras and cellphones disappear.

And that’s before the curtain even went up!

Upon entering the lobby, ticket holders (your humble correspondent included), some of whom paid up to $150 for their seats, had to walk through a bank of metal detectors, endure the once-over by a security guard wielding a hand-held metal detector and surrender any electronic device capable of recording the show. The producers’ primary fear: leaked footage before “Believe” gets in “final shape” for the production’s grand opening on Halloween.

Now, it should be noted that the show arrives with a reported price tag of $85 million to $100 million and sky-high expectations on the Vegas strip. Early preview performances have already suffered withering buzz –- things that will be explored in greater depth in a Criss Angel profile scheduled to appear in Oct. 12’s Arts & Books section.

But back to the Luxor fracas. While that kind of park-your-camera thing may be par for the course at movie premieres, it's almost unheard of in theater -- doubly so in Vegas, where everything that happens, stays, as the city's increasingly hackneyed tourism slogan goes. Nonetheless, everyone handed over their hardware and got a claim ticket to pick up the stuff after the show –- which is when things got ugly.

Attendee John Michalak of Los Angeles complained to the Las Vegas Review-Journal: “Everybody said the biggest ‘Mindfreak’ is you’re gonna get your phone back.”

On TripAdvisor, another audience member groused that the ticket contained no warning about the confiscation of recording devices: “I would have left them in the room if that had been the case. I did not appreciate waiting 20 minutes at the end of the show to pick my cell phone and camera back up.”

On Tuesday, however, the Luxor amended its no-recording-device policy. So now “Believe” is cellphone-friendly (although cameras are still not welcome). And as evidenced by the show’s comedic leitmotif, rabbits in hats are most definitely encouraged.

-- Chris Lee

Photo credit: Trae Patton / NBC

Comments

[Teesha]

I am flying to Vegas to see Believe...twice. I am beyond excited to see this show, and KNOW its going to be amazing. All these websites that are bashing the show...and I'm including the people leaving commetns, aren't even spelling his name wrong!

I read one comment saying that when Criss started singing, they decided to leave---well thats a pretty idiotic thing to say, considering Criss has been doing music longer then magic!!

I think this show has been an excuse for all the people who can't open their mind, and for some reason really don't like Criss. If that's the case, you should great stfu and remember that this show is all about emotions.

For those of you reading this...who haven't seen the show yet, don't be discouraged by the reviews you're reading...Sure it's not perfect at the moment, but it also hasnt been officially opened yet. So its not realistic or fair to judge 15 years of Criss' dreams...and call it horrible.

[Brookie]

I agree Teesha. I'm hoping to get enough money to be able to go this summer despight what they are saying about the show. I've been a fan of Cirque for way linger than I have of Criss'.

[benito]

I saw the show and I agree...save your money. Go and see a real Cirque show, or a real magiciian show on the strip (One that does not need camera tricks and video editing and can actually entertain an audience live lol)

[Pat Addiss]

I saw Criss many times in NYC, and became a huge fan. I initially went as entertainment for teenage grandchildren. We all loved his act which was close up in NYC>Obviously he has ticked some important people off who are bad mouthing him.....and you can't compare him to Cirque as that is an entirely different kind of show.I am looking forward to seeing him in Vegas.

[vero]

i think the show is for everyones credit not just criss angels. all of them work hard on all of cirques shows,putting in countless amount of hours on each and every one of those shows,dont go to them just to see one artist,go to them to see the whole show people.stop judging the whole show by one performer. or else dont bitch to go see the show at all. remember it is not the mindfreak show it is the cirque show.give up being so harsh,why spoil it for everyone else because of your narrow opinions of criss.if all you went there is to critique one performer then you all ripped off all the performers,you did not go there to see a show. they all worked on the show,not just one of them.plus many people who want to go there wont ever be able to go there,why spoil it for them.what did you want? a remake of the mindfreak show on stage? or what?wtf?

[Deb]

For all who think that people are just bashing the show, they are not. I was at the show on 10/03 and was very disappointed. It was great to see Criss and even watch him lip sync the Mindfreak theme song at the end. But, the show just does not bring the best to light of Criss's amazing talent. His magic/illusions do not work on stage. The costumes, dancers and music were good but somewhere when Criss passes into the world of Cirque, he gets left out of the show. I hope they can rework this show as it would be amazing to see this meld together.

[Chris Manning]

I went to the show On October 8th and was very dissapointed. The show seemed confused between magic and Cirque. I personally went to see Criss Angel the magician and instead say a guy flying around on wires and dissapearing in holes on the stage floor. The real magic was how fast my $85 dollars dissapered or how after the show the gift shop was full of invisable people.

[FORMER CIRQUE FAN]

FOR ALL THE PEOPLE WHO INSIST ON SEEING THIS SHOW, I HAVE THIS TO SAY:

"A FOOL AND HIS MONEY WILL SOON BE PARTED!"

FOR THOSE WHO ARE HONEST AND ABLE TO YELL, THE EMPEROR HAS NO CLOTHES, READ ON...

Saw this Cirque du Solame show, “Believe” on Sept. 30 after the previously ticketed show was canceled. Should never have repurchased for another date! There are NO cirque attributes whatsoever in this stinky so-called “franchised” production. I predict they will close before Christmas.

In NYC, “Wintuk” bombed last year and when they brought it back this year for the holiday season, they are practically giving away discounted tickets on TDF.org. That was the first rip off and now “BeLIEve” which is the furtherest thing from “magic” I have ever witnessed.

Don’t belive me, go watch Chris Angel attempt to dance and lipsynch to his “MindFreak” theame song!

Yuck!

I was too embarassed to join the others and demand my money back! I regret I wasted my time sitting through that crap!

[Bob]

The bottom line, it's your money. If your shelling out top dollar to see a show, why not make it a good one. With a video camera and an editing suite I can fly too, but like all other humans he needs a wire to do it on stage. You wanna pay a couple hundred bucks to watch him do it... go for it. I think Ill spend my my money on carrot top instead. At least he makes me laugh. Who is the moron that put 85 million into a guy that only has the live talent to pull doves from his sleeve? P.S. I heard his ego was the reason the show sucked.

[Phil Hoffman]

I'm living in Florida ... who IS Chriss Angel, and why should I care?

[Nick]

TEESHA SHUT UP!!! YOU OBVIOUSLY HAVE SOME TIE INTO CRISS ANGEL'S PRODUCTION CO. SO PLEASE STOP MISLEADING PEOPLE.... I WENT TO THE SHOW THIS PAST WEEKEND AND WILL NEVER GO BACK AGAIN, EVEN IF THEY COMPED ME!!! WHAT A BIG RIP OFF!!!! IM SO DISSAPOINTED AND FELT AS THOUGH I HAVE WASTED MY TIME AND MONEY ON A LACKLUSTER SHOW AND PERFORMER!

[jason]

I've seen all circ shows on the vegas strip and seen Lance Burton and David Copperfield as well so I am very experienced in my opinion. This show was a total waste of time and money........ I'm a big magic and circ fan so i figured that this would be a great night out. Boy was I wrong. He flew around on cables that u can see, made doves appear and went in and out of trap doors that one could see (I had front row seats so could see everything). Big dissappointment !!!!!!

[bea]

What is the name of Criss's Foundation to make a donation to? when did he start it???

[Nunofurbusines]

1st uv all criss angel is awesome ok so this is 2 everybody that thinx he reely stupid bcus he not.

[Sue]

I did not know who Criss Angel was before going to see Believe so I had no expectations of what I was going to see. I personally really enjoyed the show and thought all the performers were great. And yes, I have seen other Cirque shows in Vegas.