I remember fondly the days when Vegas shows were either free or at a nominal price—just to get gamblers inside the casino. If you’re old enough to remember those days—or, like me, have been coming to Vegas since you were in diapers—it’s often painful to fork over a month’s grocery money to see a show, on the hopes it’ll knock your socks off.

The V Variety Show
The first show I ever saw in Vegas is still one of my favorites, the V, now at Hard Rock Casino. I believe your enjoyment of a show is greatly affected by your expectations. I expected nothing of the V. (A variety show? Yawn.) In the end, I laughed at the comedians, was amazed by the Asian acrobats and had an all-around good time. The V delivers exactly what’s promised—clean, family-friendly entertainment.

The Blue Man Group
Like I said, your expectations play a large part in your overall enjoyment of a Vegas show. As does the dent it puts in your pocketbook. Being somewhat frugal myself and, seeing that I actually lived in Las Vegas rather than vacationed there, the dent this particular show put in my wallet led me to have higher expectations than usual. Like many Vegas shows, the first fifteen minutes are thrilling but then a bit of boredom sets in (yeah they’re blue and they can bang on trashcans, so…) I have to admit, I was waiting for someone to jump out of a cannon, I was looking for fireworks, I wanted to walk out with a blue, bald head myself, something. I left wanting more than just toilet paper dumped on the crowd (you’d have to see the show). All in all, you’re much better off seeing a Cirque du Soleil.

Le Reve
Speaking of Cirque du Soleil, this is another show that will leave you short on cash but is actually worth the price. Le Reve at the new Wynn Hotel, is an extraordinary feast for the eyes. Yes, corny but true. Based on a water theme, Le Reve takes synchronized swimming to a whole new level. It immerses you (pardon the pun) in a strange fantasy world that is unlike anything else.

Mama Mia
First off, a disclaimer: if you love Abba, they were your favorite group in high school, you have all their 8 tracks, whatever, than chances are you’ll enjoy Mama Mia. If you were forced to go with, say, your new mother-in-law and can only name one Abba song (yes, that’d be Dancing Queen), chances are Mama Mia will be as enjoyable as a dental cleaning. And maybe a root canal. The story line is questionable at best, the constant singing is increasingly irritating but the part that almost sent me over the edge was the four or five songs they decided to sing AFTER the storyline was finished. As if the twenty Abba songs they danced to during the musical wasn’t enough. How does that line go? Just when you think you’re out, they pull you back in.

Thunder From Down Under

Sometimes girls like to get wild and crazy, just like the guys. This is not the way to do it. Take my advice, think of something else. Having only seen Thunder, not Chippendales or the infamous male stripper show at Olympic Gardens, I have nothing else to compare it to. My recollection of the show is vague because I realized in the first five minutes of arriving that I would need large quantities of alcohol to get me through. This was the only time in my life I ever doublefisted a martini and a margarita. Yes, I was hurting the next morning but watching the room spin was far more entertaining than the show itself.