(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)

Last Friday night, March 2, when Trey Songz and Big Sean performed at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, Songz met the Almost Angels, the casino’s long-time Ego Lounge performers.

Here is a pic with Trey and the Almost Angels, courtesy of the Taj Mahal.

See a photo gallery of the concert here.

Read our interview with Trey Songz here.

Watch video of the Almost Angels performing here.

Photo by Nastassia Davis

Virginia native Trey Songz brought Big Sean along for a grand show at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City this past Friday, March 2.

In an interview before the show, Songz told Atlantic City Weekly that he will be dropping a new album in 2012.

Click here to see photo gallery from the show.

Partying at the Borgata in Atlantic City at the Steve Aoki show.

Los Angeles DJ sensation Steve Aoki brought his Deadmeat Tour to the Borgata on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012 w/ Dim Mak label mate Datsik.

Aoki didn’t hit the stage till after 1am, but Atlantic City Weekly contributing photographer Nastassia Davis got some outstanding pics from the party — after returning from Whitney Houston’s funeral in Newark earlier that day. (See Pics)

Aoki is touring in support of his debut studio album Wonderland.

Click here for a photo gallery from the Borgata event.

At 85, Tony Bennett hasn’t lost a step.

The singer who’s been singing for 60 years-plus, shimmied, twirled and tapped his way across the stage at the Circus Maximus Theater at Caesars in Atlantic City on Saturday, Feb. 4.

Bennett and Jones at Caesars Atlantic City, Feb. 4, 2012. (Tom Briglia)

To a capacity crowd, Bennett and his phenomenal quartet (including the sensational guitarist Gray Sargent and “Count Basie’s favorite drummer,” Harold Jones) delivered a mind-bending hour-and-a-half show, with all the fixins, including an opening set featuring Bennett’s daughter Antonia.

In great spirit, Bennett told tale after tale between tunes, many of which received standing ovations. Bennett gave a few shout outs to folks in the crowd, including ex-heavywieght champion Mike Tyson, who was sitting in the audience with his beautiful bride, and dedicated the song “For Once in My Life” to him. Tyson was spotted at Caesars’ Dusk nightclub on Friday as well.

Ex-heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson and Janine Leishear pose for a photo in Dusk at Caesars Atlantic City on Friday, Feb. 3

After the concert, which started around 9pm, Bennett had a plane waiting for him and was off into the night. Following his stellar performance, the multi-generational crowd filtered out of the theater, the atmosphere of which was draped in the feel of an old-time show.

READ: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH TONY BENNETT FEB. 2012

Announced today, the world’s most popular DJ, Tiesto, will be spinning his way back to Atlantic City this spring.

Following a pair of highly successful appearances at the Borgata just last month, Tiesto will return to the Event Center March 30. Doors are set to open at 10pm.

Tickets go on sale Jan. 21 at 10am.

During Tiesto’s last time in Atlantic City in December 2011, one of several visits to the Borgata he’s made since the property first opened, both Kanye West and singer James Blunt (who wound up body surfing into the crowd) caught him. See pics from Tiesto’s Event Center show in December below.

Photo: KirillWasHere.com

Photo: Borgata Casino Hotel & Spa

Click here to see all upcoming Atlantic City casino concerts announced up to this point.

ATLANTIC CITY — The Beach Boys were in town last week for a concert at the Borgata on Friday, Oct. 14. The group, which features lone original member Mike Love, Bruce Johnston and others, was joined by John Stamos (below, in sky blue T-shirt).

Stamos with the Beach Boys at the Borgata in Atlantic City on Friday, Oct. 14, 2011. (Photo Courtesy of the Borgata)

The former Full House star stayed at The Water Club and dined at Fornelletto on Thursday and Izakaya (click here for video) on Friday.
John tweeted @BorgataAC about his stay and the remarkable view from his room (see below):

Read More: Interview with Stamos’ fellow ‘Full House’ star Bob Saget.

A tweeted photo from John Stamos' camera shows his view from The Water Club last week.

See who is performing at the Borgata in the coming weeks and months.

Photo by Kevin McCarty

ATLANTIC CITY — Jay-Z has performed in Atlantic City before, and so has his wife, Beyoncé (whose all-girl band’s saxophonist, Tia Fuller, performed at Kennedy Plaza on the Boardwalk as part of the Chicken Bone Beach Jazz on the Beach summer concert series last Thursday, Aug. 11). In fact, Jay and Beyoncé appeared together at both the groundbreaking of Jay-Z’s Atlantic City 40/40 Club, at the Oct. 25, 2005, grand opening bash, and at the one-year anniversary party (among the times that the pair has been seen together in A.C. publicly, at least. Jay-Z and his other partner, Kanye West — the two team up on the newly released Watch the Throne album — will appear in Atlantic City in November. Nov. 19, to be exact, at Boardwalk Hall. Boardwalk Hall was the site of another huge concert — the recent Femme Fatale tour stop, Aug. 6, featuring Britney Spears and Nicki Minaj.

Photo Tom Briglia

Lady Gaga herself was in the audience at the Britney concert (see photo at left) and reports are swirling on the Internet that the two pop divas discussed doing a song together as they hung out in Atlantic City.

Click here for whole story.

Mini Britney at Sammy's Beach Bar in front of Bally's Atlantic City. (Photo by Donald Kravitz)

ATLANTIC CITY — Less than an hour after the close of Britney Spear’s big show at Boardwalk Hall on Saturday night, Aug. 6, her little-person doppelganger was doing an impression of the pop superstar at Bally’s Wild Wild West Casino.

Opener Nicki Minaj also had a “twin” in A.C.

An outfit called rock>L productions brought Mini-Britney and Mini-Minaj to Atlantic City for three performances around the Bally’s Wild Wild West Casino property, including outside off the Boardwalk at Sammy’s Beach Bar, following Spears’ and Minaj’s Femme Fatale Tour stop on the Boardwalk, which was presented by Caesars Entertainment.

Caesars Entertainment owns both Caesars and Bally’s in Atlantic City (as well as Showboat and Harrah’s Resort) and the idea for the related post-show performances by the minis may have indeed been planned from within.  It turned out to be a winner for all as the impersonators drew large crowds and looked be having a ball.

According to Raquel Giberstein, of rock>L productions, the three shows were a smash. In an e-mail to AC Weekly Monday afternoon, she writes:

“The shows went fantastic! Prior to all  three performances  —11:30 & 12:30 at Sammy’s Beach Bar and 1:30am at the Main Stage at Bally’s Wild Wild West — people were dispersed.  The minute they announced the performance people immediately hugged up close and surrounded the stage with anticipation.

“Looking at the crowd, all you could see was ear to ear smiles and cell phone cameras flashing off.  Immediately after the perfomances people cued up to get a picture with the two little ladies.”

And just who are these two little ladies?

Mini-Britney’s real name is Terra Jole’ and Mini-Minaj’s is Tonya Banks.

Adds Raquel “Rocky” Giberstein: “I can tell you that we loved seeing the big billboard on the highway announcing Mini-Britney at Bally’s Wild Wild West [right near] the “Big” Britney billboard.  It was so noticed, that when the little ladies were running a bit late for their flight that morning at 6am some airline staff said: ‘Wait, it’s Mini-Britney and Mini-Nicki — hold the plane!’ And they actually DID hold the plane for them!”

On Monday evening Terra, back home in Iowa, told AC Weekly:  “Atlantic City exceeded every expectation of mine.  They truly know how to make a little woman feel loved in a big way! We cant wait to return!”

Meanwhile Tonya, in an e-mail, wrote about her experience in A.C.: “I really enjoyed every minute from beginning to end. Mini-Britney and myself Mini-Nikki Minaj we were well received on and off stage.

“The energy of the crowd and all the crew were very attentive to us.  This was my first visit to Atlantic City and one of my best experiences preforming this [Mini-Minaj] show. I hope to return soon. Thank you Atlantic City for all the love and support!”

See photo gallery from the pair’s AC performances here.

See photo galleries of Britney Spears and Nicki Minaj at Boardwalk Hall here and here.

RiRi in AC. Photo by Donald B. Kravitz.

ATLANTIC CITY — As Atlantic City fans witnessed at Rihanna’s “Loud” tour stop at the Borgata Event Center on Sunday, July 17, the pop diva appears to be making drinking on stage a regular part of her dynamic show.

Following the Atlantic City concert, where she chugged a Corona beer on stage, (see photo gallery from the Borgata show, which also featured Cee Lo Green, here), RiRi did at least one shot of “an unknown liquid” at her performance in Uniondale, New York on July 19.

According to theboombox.com, “The red-haired songstress, dressed in a floral bandeau top and high-waisted jean shorts, brought out a glass and addressed the crowd before she took a swig of the unknown liquid. ‘This is to you,’ she shouted, while extending the cup in the air.

“Then, fittingly, Rihanna moved into ‘Cheers (Drink to That),’ a cut off her fifth studio album, Loud. She performed ‘Rude Boy’ and ‘Unfaithful,’ among others, before letting loose the night’s biggest surprise: a guest appearance by Kanye West.

“The My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy creator rhymed through his Rihanna-assisted songs ‘Run This Town’ and ‘All of the Lights,’ all while sporting a leather jacket and red plaid shirt tied around his waist.”
The report also states that Rihanna tweeted “@kanyewest thank you bro!!! U made it a night for New York to remember #poppopgetwell #watchthethrone,” following the show.

So, apparently RiRi is going to be joined by some guests this tour. Additionally she — and/or her advisors — doesn’t really care that many of her impressionable fans are teenagers under the drinking age.

Good thinking RiRi.

Click here for Atlantic City Weekly’s area exclusive interview with Cee Lo Green.