ATLANTIC CITY — Trump Taj Mahal proudly presents American singer, composer and producer Romeo Santos on Friday and Saturday, April 26-27. Doors open at 8pm at the show starts 9pm.

Santos is the former lead singer of the Bachata group known as Aventura, which performed as a group at the Taj in 2009. By late 2002 the band’s song “Obsesion” was number one in Italy for 16 weeks, offering it the opportunity to travel the world and allowing Santos to become a key figure in popularizing Bachata internationally.

When the group separated Santos embarked on his journey as a solo artist, winning awards in one or more categories at ASCAP (American Society of Composers Authors & Publishers) bringing his songs to the top of the Billboard Latin charts. On May 9, 2011, Santos released his first single, “You,” from his solo debut album, Formula, Vol. 1. The song became number one on the Hot Latin Songs list and Tropical Songs charts.

This sensational Latin artist will be performing at the Taj’s Mark G. Etess Arena. Ticket prices range from $45 to $115. Get tickets by calling Ticketmaster at 1-800-736-1420 or online at ticketmaster.com

— Christina Rodriguez

An hour before his return to Atlantic City’s Borgata on Saturday night, April 6, Brian Regan and his entourage were still heading up from Baltimore.

The comic’s previous day had been spent in part at Camden Yards taking in the Orioles home game. (Regan’s tour manager Andy Levitt is from the Baltimore area and he was stoked as the O’s beat the Twins 9-5.)

It was Regan’s first day off after several gigs in a row.

Backstage at the Borgata Event Center before the show, Regan, very tall in person, sat in his dressing room with his girlfriend Sara, Levitt and opening stand-up Jim Colliton. Regan was met with fans (and at least one local entertainment writer) before Colliton took the stage at about 8:10pm to a full house.

Before anybody took to the stage, a string of modern-day Van Morrison songs played over the Event Center sound system. Songs such as “Days Like This,” “Wavelength,” “Tore Down a la Rimbaud,” “Someone Like You” and “Real Real Gone” — likely from the 2007 compilation album Still on Top: The Greatest Hits. (Levitt says Regan has this CD played before every show.)

Regan did an hour of mostly new and often riotous material, saving a few of his most popular bits as encores, taking requests from the audience only then.

While Regan’s new material is hilarious as ever, it includes a harsher outlook on life and humanity in particular, while bemoaning the fact that his body is beginning to break down. Although he’s always viewed as a “big kid,” due to his trademark mannerisms and facial expressions and jokes about Pop Tarts and Krispy Kreme, Regan, 54, is growing up in a sense. He’s now also including bits about getting older, riffing on world politics, and, like Carlin, Seinfeld and the best of them, pointing out the funny things many of us deal with every day, but just haven’t articulated yet.

Two years from now Regan should have another hour or so of new material.

Catch him when he returns to Atlantic City. The “clean” comic doesn’t curse and wouldn’t mind seeing the younger set in his audiences, but some of the material may go over the head of anyone under 12 years old.

But not all of it — as long as they like doughnuts.

READ: AC Weekly’s interview with Brian Regan before the show

Dwight Yoakam.

Dwight Yoakam delivered his usual excellent show last night (Jan. 26) at the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City.

Go here for the story.

Kevin Mills as Elvis.

The ongoing Legends in Concert revue show at Bally’s Atlantic City  is all dressed up for Christmas with a new show featuring a strong group of “legends”— such as Elvis, Babs, M.J. and even Marilyn Monroe — doing their regular tributes enhanced with a few holidays songs.

Here are a few shots from opening night, Friday. Nov. 23.

The holiday show runs through Dec. 21. Click here for show times and ticket information.

Sharon Owens as Barbra.

Corey Melton as Michael.

Stacey Whitton as Marilyn.

Sara Hickey as Carrie Underwood.

Kanye at Revel in July 2012 (Photo courtesy of Revel)

ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY — Revel has just announced three New Year’s weekend shows featuring international superstar Kanye West.

The 18-time Grammy winner returns to Revel’s Ovation Hall, the only U.S. venue on his CURRENT tour, to take the stage on Friday, Dec. 28, Saturday, Dec. 29, and Sunday, Dec. 30.

Presales for Citi cardmembers begin Tuesday, Nov. 27, at 10am through Citi’s Private Pass Program, with tickets for nonmembers available Friday, Nov. 30, at 10am through Ticketmaster.

For more information, visit revelresorts.com, citiprivatepass.com, ticketmaster.com, or call 800-745-3000. — Casey Harper

SEE ALL UPCOMING CASINO SHOWS IN ATLANTIC CITY

Underwood and Hayes perform a duet.

Carrie Underwood, joined by opening act Hunter Hayes, performed last night (Nov. 9) at Boardwalk Hall in the first major concert in town post-Sandy.

Check out the review here.

The amazing floating stage.

Kate Steele as Lady Gaga in 'Legends in Concert.'

A native of Minnesota, Kate Steele is no stranger to the Legends in Concert family. She has not only been performing off and on for nearly nine years as a singer/dancer in many of their venues across the country, she has helped assist with many ensemble dance and vocal rehearsals as well. She is thrilled to finally be hitting the stage as a headliner and loves the challenges of portraying such a dynamic and diverse talent as Lady Gaga. Steele has been wowing Legends’ fans from the showroom of Harrah’s Las Vegas to the waters of the Norwegian Epic and now in Atlantic City.

She began her training in both voice and dance at 4, by age 7 was taking classical piano lessons, and at 8 started performing in musical theater productions where she first realized the stage was where she would always want to be.

Steele has traveled the country performing, teaching, recording, and even judging talent, but she most enjoys the opportunity with her Lady Gaga to become an actor, the last accomplishment to check off on her professional career bucket-list.

The best part of this particular character is that it allows her to encompass all of her talents into one performance. She says Lady Gaga sums it up best as quoted in her biography; “It’s not just about the music. It’s about the performance, the attitude, the look, it’s everything. That is where I live as an artist and that is what I want to accomplish”

Legends in Concert, at Bally’s Legends in Concert Theater, continues to entertain audiences with topflight artists performing tributes to Lady Gaga, Steven Tyler, Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson and Donna Summer. Performances are daily at 8pm Tuesday through Friday and Sunday. There are two shows Saturday at 7:30pm and 10pm, and a matinee every Wednesday at 3pm. Tickets are $32.50 for adults and $16.25 for children plus service charges. Go see the latest video here.

Aretha Franklin at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, Oct. 6, 2012. (Photo: Donald Kravitz)

At 70, Aretha Franklin can still belt it out with the best of them. As she proved on Saturday, Oct. 6, at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, her voice is still superb, her sense of humor still intact and her music can still move mountains.

Playing to a large crowd in a rare Fall 2012 concert appearance, Franklin, in a shimmering silver gown and looking beautiful, and her large band pulled out several Atlantic Records classic cuts ( “Chain of Fools,” “Share Your Love with Me,” “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)” and, of course, “Respect”).

Franklin also tickled the ivories a bit. Behind the piano, she sang a heartfelt tribute to the late Whitney Houston, singing her hit “I Will Always Love You,” while images of Whitney played on video screens.

Franklin also played tribute to the late great James Moody, singing a zippy version of “Moody’s Mood for Love.”

One of the most memorable numbers of the night was Franklin’s take on Curtis Mayfield’s (a “gentle giant,” Franklin offered to the crowd) “Something He Can Feel,” which the late Mayfield wrote for Franklin’s 1978 film Sparkle.

Click here for our interview with Aretha Franklin prior to the show.

Ms. Franklin and Atlantic City Weekly's Jeff Schwachter

Following the concert, which lasted close to an hour and a half, with Franklin taking a brief break during the midway point as the band played on, the Queen of Soul herself graciously took some time for a meet and greet with a lucky few backstage (see photo above). CLICK HERE for a photo gallery from this concert.

— Jeff Schwachter

(Courtesy of Resorts)

Friday, Sept. 7, was a busy day for the winner of the 11th season of American Idol, Phillip Phillips.

The singer of the big hit “Home” was in Atlantic City for an American Idol Live! tour stop at Boardwalk Hall Friday night, along with the nine other finalists from the 11th season of the FOX show.

Before his gig at the big Hall on the Boardwalk, Phillips stopped into the Bayport One building in West Atlantic City for a private meet and greet and show for about 30 WAYV 91.5 FM listeners. (See photo gallery here)

He also popped into the Screening Room at Resorts for a private concert for about 50 contest winners via another South Jersey radio station — SoJo 104.9 FM.

Click here for last week’s cover story on the American Idol Live! concert at Boardwalk Hall featuring an interview with finalist Skylar Laine.

(Courtesy of Resorts)

It was “Thunder from Down Under” when sexy crooner Keith Urban headlined Aug. 25 at Borgata.

Go here for the story.