PRESS
Behind The Dreams - Bringing WOW Show To Life
In its 37th year, New Zealand’s beloved World of WearableArt hit stages late last week (announcing its bevy of award winners which you can see here), and will veritably WOW audiences in the capital until 13 October.
This year’s theme is ‘Dream Awake’, the programme promising to plunge spectators into “awe-inspiring realms”. This is par for the course for the annual spectacular, which has developed a world-class reputation for mixing performance with awe-inspiring garments designed by its global collective of finalists.
….“WOW really belongs in Wellington,” says Burke. Despite his portfolio as Las Vegas’ showman extraordinaire, he wants to see WOW continue to bloom in the windy city of the Southern Hemisphere.
“I love coming every year to draw out the magic with this vibrant community of creatives”.
Sell-out enthralled audiences appreciate it so much, the TSB Arena is electric on opening night. “The most magical moment is when you evoke an emotion in the audience and they feel something. They feel transported and moved but they don't know exactly why or sometimes remember exactly what it was. This for me is magic.”
Formula 1: Redefining Pre-Race Entertainment. Set against the backdrop of the iconic Las Vegas Strip, the Formula 1 Heineken Silver Grand Prix enlisted the expertise of creative and technical experts to create a benchmark opening ceremony.
The FORMULA 1 HEINEKEN SILVER LAS VEGAS GRAND PRIX Opening Ceremony presented by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) marked the first pre-race spectacle of its kind, with a level of creative technical sophistication never seen before in the rapidly developing world of motorsports…“We wanted to demonstrate the best that Las Vegas has to offer,” Brian Burke explained. “It was an honor to lead the team for the city and the thousands of entertainers who come here and provide spectacles for the community.
~TPI Magazine
Robe Crashes Luke Bryan’s Las Vegas Party
American country music singer and songwriter Luke Bryan wanted to make a spectacularly BIG impact for his first Las Vegas residency shows at the Resorts World Theatre, so he hired show designer/director Brian Burke and lighting/set designer Tom Sutherland from DX7 Design to work their visual magic on his much-anticipated performances throughout 2022.
As the show design started to evolve, Tom and his team were delighted to discover that the house lighting rig at the brand-new 5,500 capacity Resorts World Theatre venue … features large quantities of Robe moving lights…
Luke Bryan Hits the Jackpot with Unforgettable Las Vegas Residency
As the launch of his Las Vegas residency approached, Luke Bryan put on his best poker face, leading fans to believe the show was going to be an extension of his summer tours. The Georgia native played coy about his production elements and promised to deliver a show that was “real authentic to what I have always been.”
So, when he entered the stage on Friday (Feb 11) for the opening night of his Las Vegas residency on a hydraulic lift from below with smoke, fireworks and lasers surrounding him, it was clear that this wasn’t your everyday Luke Bryan concert… And that’s saying something. This wasn’t just beginner’s luck as the five-time Entertainer of the Year is known for his high-energy shows. Yet, he somehow managed to double down on what he does best and deliver a jaw-dropping production that took fans on a journey through his career.
Simon Cowell says ‘AGT’ is acing its Vegas audition
Simon Cowell is like the world traveler who has family in Las Vegas. He visits far too infrequently, doesn’t stay long, but packs a lot into the trip.
The entertainment entrepreneur and visionary took his first look at “America’s Got Talent Las Vegas Live” at Luxor on Saturday night. Cowell was in town a little more than 24 hours. He and fellow judge Howie Mandel cut a clip at the hotel entrance for an upcoming episode of the “America’s Got Talent” NBC vehicle.
Cowell and Mandel were honored with a Key to the Las Vegas Strip, awarded along with a proclamation by Clark Country Commissioner Michael Naft.
Luke Bryan Soars Over Crowd, Sips Margaritas & Delivers Hits at Electrifying Las Vegas Residency Debut
"This is an amazing situation to have a place here in Las Vegas to call home," the country music star said. Luke Bryan knows how to make a memorable exit. The country music star closed the sold-out opening night of his new Las Vegas residency by soaring 45 feet in the air on a catwalk at Resorts World Theatre.
The stunning final moments of the 100-minute performance on Friday night (Feb. 11) brought Bryan eye-to-eye with the 5,000-person crowd as he ascended the levels of the AEG/Concerts West venue.
Luke Bryan Opens Vegas Residency With Tons of Hits, Jokes About Masks, and Lots of Ass Shaking
Luke Bryan showed Las Vegas his kind of night when the country star kicked off his residency at Resorts World on Friday. It was a spectacle that featured top-end technology, pyrotechnics, a slew of No. 1 songs, and a whole lot of ass-shaking.
In a press conference prior to the concert, Bryan promised a “high energy” show with “big hits.”
Luke Bryan Kicks Off Electrifying Las Vegas Residency
Luke Bryan kicked off his first-ever, highly-anticipated Las Vegas residency, dubbed Luke Bryan: Vegas, with a sold-out show at the brand-new Resorts World Theatre on the Vegas strip on Friday evening (Feb. 11).
The five-time Entertainer Of The Year is now the third artist to grace the stage of the 5,000-seat world-class theatre, which is the largest and tallest in Las Vegas, following fellow American Idol judge Katy Perry and country superstar Carrie Underwood.
Luke Bryan Kicks Off Las Vegas Residency with Endless Hits, Pyrotechnics — and His Signature Butt-Shaking
Luke Bryan had one request before the first night of his Las Vegas residency on Friday: "If any of you guys are a preacher or a minister, I'd love to talk to you real quick, get some prayers — prayers that I survive Vegas," he joked to assembled media and VIP package holders ahead of the show.
The country star needn't have worried. Shortly thereafter, Bryan kicked off opening night at the Resorts World Theatre with a bang, tearing into his massive catalog of hits as soon as the high-energy show began.
Luke Bryan Triumphs in Las Vegas Residency Opening Night
If Luke Bryan knows how to do one thing well, it's how to put on a good time for his fans. Bryan brought his high-energy, rump-shaking and personable approach to the Theatre at Resorts World Las Vegas for his brand-new residency, and pictures show what a memorable experience it was for the fans in attendance.
During Friday night's (Feb. 11) debut, Bryan showed the audience that he's capable of navigating more technical elements than his fans are used to. One main focus of the show is a series of risers that smoothly go up and down to match the music.
MAT FRANCO IS AGAIN THE PIT BOSS AT LINQ HOTEL
Spending a year away from his casino showroom has inspired Mat Franco to host a “casino night.”
Franco returns, finally, to his eponymous theater at Linq Hotel on April 29. His “Magic Reinvented Nightly” show is playing to a little less than 250 folks, running 7 p.m. Thursdays through Mondays, with an additional performance 9:30 p.m. Saturdays. Tickets go on sale 10 a.m. Friday…
WOW ENLISTS TOP VEGAS SHOW-MAKER, PLANS FOR INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION
World of WearableArt is back with a vengeance for 2021, planning to blow audiences’ minds with a re-designed stage and outsourced audiovisual elements – and it’s planning to take its magic international.
The vision is the brainchild of top Las Vegas show-maker Brian Burke, who has a three-year executive creative director contract for the organisation in hopes it can take its success to the global market.
AMERICA’S GOT TALENT LAS VEGAS LIVE OPENS WITH STAR-STUDDED CAST AT LUXOR IN LAS VEGAS
LAS VEGAS (November 5, 2021) – Featuring three winners and multiple finalists, runners-up and fan favorites, America’s Got Talent (AGT) Las Vegas LIVE at Luxor Hotel and Casino got off to an electrifying, confetti-filled start last night, ending with a standing ovation from the sold-out audience.
The most anticipated new show opening on the Las Vegas Strip this year saw former AGT winners Dustin Tavella, Brandon Leake and Kodi Lee joined by a diverse ensemble of AGT alumni including host Preacher Lawson, Deadly Games, The Clairvoyants, Duo Transcend, The Silhouettes in a moving performance with singer Jimmie Herrod, and Light Balance.
WORLD OF WEARABLEART WELCOMES BRIAN BURKE AS NEW EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Brian Burke, the creative talent behind award-winning Las Vegas spectacles, multi-media stage productions and smash-hit TV series joins World Of Wearableart as the new Executive Creative Director.
Burke will join forces with veteran Show Director Malia Johnston to deliver this year’s spectacular 2021 WOW Awards Show, from 30 September to 17 October.
LAS VEGAS MAGAZINE Q&A
Former Broadway dancer Brian Burke’s first experience with Las Vegas entertainment was with a touring production of Tap Dogs at the Stratosphere in the late 1990s. It’s almost poetic that his newest gig is as executive producer of new original show Celestia at The Strat. Burke’s career has included stints as artistic director of Celine Dion’s A New Day... residency at Caesars Palace and Le Rêve at Wynn Las Vegas as well as creative producer for TV’s America’s Got Talent and American Idol. Now he’s taking all his unique skills and experience and putting them to use to create something dynamic and new with Celestia.
IMPRESSION X4 BAR AND JDC1 ON KEITH URBAN FESTIVAL TOUR
Tom Sutherland of DX7 Design, along with creative director Brian Burke, provided lighting and production design for country singer Keith Urban’s Summer Festival Tour, which has been running this past year. The lighting rig comprised mainly GLP’s popular X4 Bars and JDC1 hybrid strobes.
As well as providing creative direction for Urban, Tom has already made a name for himself Stateside, winning the KOI Sword last year for his work on Pitbull’s Las Vegas residency and tour.
The Keith Urban tour also had a Las Vegas segment thrown in, with a spot at the CMT Awards in Nashville and two valedictory nights at The Colosseum at Caesar’s Palace, also co-designed with Brian Burke, to round off the tour.
LE RÊVE: LOOK BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE WATERY WORLD OF ‘THE DREAM’
In the dreamy stage production at Wynn Las Vegas, more than 90 performers dance, fly through the air and dive into a 1.1-million-gallon pool.
“Le Rêve – The Dream,” which opened in 2005, centers around The Dreamer, who journeys through a surreal world that leads her to choose between two lovers, Dark Passion and True Love.
Throughout the various vignettes, athletes and acrobats create imaginative imagery in which they twirl from the rafters, dive from heights of 80 feet and tango underwater in red heels.
XL VIDEO ENGAGES IN WICKED GAME WITH IL DIVO
XL Video is supplying curved LED screens and special customised touring frames, video playback control, cameras/PPU, an IMAG projection system and crew for Brit Award winning Il Divo’s current, highly successful “Wicked Game” world tour which is on its first UK/European leg.
The elegant production design encompassing the three curved over-stage screens was the concept of Il Divo’s artistic director, Brian Burke.
ROBE IN A WORLD OF ITS OWN WITH WESTLIFE
Westlife – arguably the most enduringly popular and successful boy band on the planet – are back with a massive BANG after a seven-and-a-half-year hiatus, with a brand-new production for “The 20 Tour” ahead of their much-anticipated new album, Spectrum. They are looking good, sounding great and have been entertaining sold out crowds everywhere with their solid and superlative blend of harmonic foot-tappingly catchy pop!
BEHIND THE SCENES WITH BRIAN BURKE FOR TATLER - HONG KONG
Pop-classical crossover group, Il Divo, will be in Hong Kong on 23 March 2014 to perform "A Musical Affair - The Greatest Songs of Broadway". Since the good looking quartet (French pop singer Sébastien Izambard, Spanish baritone Carlos Marín, American tenor David Miller, and Swiss tenor Urs Bühler) has garnered so much international coverage leading up to their arrival, I have decided to go behind-the-scenes instead and conduct an interview with Brian Burke, the Creative Director of the show. Burke, who also goes by the nickname of “BB", has worked on dozens of musical productions, awards, and television shows, and what he shared with me greatly demonstrated that old Chinese adage: 'One takes on the color of one's company'.
BRIAN BURKE: FROM PERFORMER TO DIRECTOR
AMDA salutes alumnus Brian Burke! Brian graduated from AMDA and went straight into performing, but soon after found his calling as a successful choreographer and a director. Brian is now the Creative Director for the "X Factor UK ", as well as Director of the recent Il Divo "Wicked Game" tour, "America's Got Talent" and "Britain's Got Talent". We recently spoke with Brian and asked him to share his personal experience and how he went from performing to directing in such a high profile arena.
LE RÊVE REVEALS ITSELF SLOWLY
More leg room! Built-in TV monitors! Champagne service!
The creative minds charged with inventing a new, improved, profitable version of the aquatic spectacle “Le Rêve” at the Wynn Las Vegas seem to have taken cues from consumer-savvy airlines Virgin America and Jet Blue.
Lucky and/or loaded audience members who can shell out $179 get plushy seats in the recently installed VIP section ringing the orchestra level. They can watch closed-circuit video monitors and observe the performers after their plummeting dives, breathing through scuba tubes during extended underwater sequences. And there’s champagne service (Perrier-Jouet and chocolate-dipped, Las Vegas-scale strawberries, discreetly refreshed by a hostess).