Marlene Ricci at the Riv
Listen to popular radio stations today and you forget people used to have to be able to sing in the good old days. You are instantly reminded the minute Marlene Ricci opens her mouth at her cabaret show at the Le Bistro Theater at the Riv. Even though you lose your vocal range as you get older, Ricci, who opened for Frank Sinatra, still has plenty of power left. Every song had thunder and lightening.
The film clips add real poignancy to the show. Before Ricci appears, she shows home movies of her childhood – she’s been singing since she turned five and became a singing sensation almost as young as LeAnn Rimes. The Scintas open their show the same way – it’s always fun to check out the hair dos from the Gidget era.
The best film segment is a montage of photos of Ricci with all the show biz greats from the 1950s, 60s, 70s and 80s. There were gasps when the screen flashed the smirky smile of Bob Hope. If you want a pictorial of the rat pack era, I haven’t seen one better. Ricci sings Faith Hill’s “Everywhere You Are,” a stirring song of remembrance, from the film, “Pearl Harbor,” during the clip.
Ricci can belt out a song, give saccharine words soul, and caress the notes in a ballad. Her version of West Side Story’s “There’s A Place for Us,” is heartbreaking. She also does a wonderful version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” changing the phrasing to make the song her own.
I liked her songs that made you want to get up and dance. Her version of “Fame” was rousing. She has the chutzpah to sing Celine’s Chrysler song “I Drove All Night,” and does it better! Then she cracks a joke about how much money she saved the audience. And her impression of Connie Francis singing “Where the Boys Are” is spot on.
An integral part of her show is the violinist in her band, Sheila Marie Arnold. This woman trained as a classical violinist but always wanted to play the fiddle in a band. Her solos add a lot to the show. The only other LVNV rock personality with a violinist is Jimmy Hopper.
The show is every Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at the Riviera. Ticket prices are $49.95 plus tax. The show starts at 8:30. For the month of August, locals can purchase tickets for $10 every Friday night.
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