Weekend in Vegas: Cher vs. Diana Ross

Cher returns to the stage in Las Vegas.
Cher returns to the stage in Las Vegas.

Photo Credit: Andrew Macpherson


Two of the world’s biggest music divas performed in Las Vegas during their extended residencies that started last week. Both Cher and Diana Ross brought their time-honored hits to the Strip at different resorts.

Cher returned to Las Vegas to launched her extended engagement of Classic Cher with her biggest hits over the past 50 years at the new Park Theater at Monte Carlo. Over her career, Cher won an Academy Award, Grammys and Emmys, bringing all over her talents to the stage along with 11 extravagant, eye-popping costumes designed by the legendary Bob Mackie.

Cher kicked off the show with “Woman’s World,” followed by a dance down memory lane with a string of her Top 10 hits including “If I Could Turn Back Time,” “Strong Enough,” “The Beat Goes On,” “I Got You Babe” and “I Found Someone.”

The state-of-the-art production includes a troupe of 10 dancers, with Cher talking about here career, thoughts on Dr Pepper, her ex-husband Sonny Bono and more.

Over at the Venetian, Diana Ross returned to the Venetian Theatre stage with her show, “The Essential Diana Ross: Some Memories Never Fade.”

Diana Ross kicked off the show with her 1980 top hit “I’m Coming Out,” followed by “More Today Than Yesterday” and the Motown hit “My World Is Empty Without You.” A six-piece band and three backup singers joined Ross as she called out to the crowd, “If you know these songs, you gotta sing along,” as fans sang along.

In between songs, the Ross stopped the music to welcome her granddaughter, Callaway Lane, 4, onto the stage with her two young friend during her opening Wednesday night performance. Ross introduced the children to her fans, “This is my granddaughter Callaway and these are her best friends.” Ross then addressed the band, “We need to do a dance song so these kids can dance a little,” before performing “Upside Down.” They were also joined on stage by Ross’ youngest daughter Chudney Ross.

During the performance, Ross invited two lucky fans onto the stage who danced, hugged and took a selfie with the music icon. The crowd danced and sang along with the starlet as she performed the Michael Jackson hit “Ease On Down The Road” and Billie Holiday’s “Fine and Mellow” and “Don’t Explain.”

Ross closed out the show with chart-topping songs “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and “I Will Survive.” A standing ovation welcomed the star back onto the stage for an energetic encore of “All We Do Is Win” a mix between “I Will Survive” and Ross’ interpretation of DJ Khaled’s hit single “All I Do Is Win.”