Crown Royal: The Crown Theater and Nightclub Debuts Tonight at the Rio

One thing Las Vegas hasn’t really had is a nightclub and showroom that rivaled The Viper Room in Los Angeles. Now it has the Crown Theater and Crown Nightclub at the Rio, debuting tonight.

And the whole shebang is brought to you by industry-veteran Darin Feinstein, who purchased The Viper Room from actor Johnny Depp. You can expect to see a mix of live concerts and nightlife events at this intimate club.

“The location has hosted both nightclub and headliner performances featuring world-class entertainment including the legendary Prince,” said Gary Selesner, president of Rio. “We are thrilled to launch a new offering combining the best of live music and late-night entertainment. Crown will appeal to locals and visitors alike, serving as the perfect complement to the diverse roster of Rio resort amenities.”

The venue’s 900-capacity, in-the-round design will feature intimate performances by some of the biggest, as well as up-and-coming, names in music as part of Crown Theater’s shows. As the night progresses, so does the venue, becoming Crown Nightclub, a nightlife spot away from The Strip providing a mix of themed nights with a variety of music. The multi-tiered venue features VIP seating around the arch of each level, complete with low-slung, modern furnishings, giving way to a panoramic view of the venue.

“My venue, The Viper Room, hosted some of the top live performances in Los Angeles, ranging from Queens of the Stone Age to Shiny Toy Guns. Here at Crown Las Vegas, we’ll showcase a similar lineup of quality acts” Feinstein said. “For nightlife, after the various concert series, you can look forward to a themed venue night hosted by one of the top domestic or international deejays. It’s important to remember that The Rio hosted one of the top concert/nightclub venues in the country for more than a decade; we’re looking forward to being part of its resurgence.”

The Crown Nightclub opens to the public tonight at 10:30 p.m. with free champagne until 11:30 p.m. DJ Show Business, Superstar DJ Chris Holmes, Clark Duke (Hot Tub Time Machine and Kick-Ass), Caspar VonDJ and Mika Gold spin.

The Crown Nightclub, opening nightly at 10 p.m., features The Movement, an Asian-themed night on Wednesdays featuring resident DJ Qbert and special guest deejays. Thursdays are a Rumba, Latin-themed night with special guest deejays. Friday and Saturday nights offer special guest deejays along with resident deejays Mika Gold, Michael Toast and DJ Crime. On Sunday nights, look for Roller Boogie with deejays Hollywood and Frankie.

As for the Crown Theater, tonight kicks off with Devo, that iconic group from the ’80s known for their electronic pop songs and artsy attire. Tickets start at $79. The coming weeks have Jerry Lee Lewis on June 30 for $59, Shooter Jennings on July 2 for $22, the Queensryche Caberet July 24 for $50 and $125, Squeeze with guests English Beat on July 27 for $49, Level 42 on Aug. 1 for $27 and The Swell Season Aug. 16 for $29.

Not interested in seeing the real deal? Try one of the cover bands scheduled to play, such as Cash’d Out, a Johnny Cash tribute band with more than 100 songs in their repertoire playing July 1 or Who’s Bad, the Ultimate Michael Jackson tribute band playing Aug. 6.

Tickets for all shows are available at www.thecrownvegas.com or by calling 1.888.746.7784.