This is a very fun and entertaining show. I saw the Shania Twain, Little Richard, a bunch of other people, and of course … Elvis.

While the “impersonator” shows tend to be looked upon as goofy and low-brow, I personally have to take exception to these characterizations. These are people doing covers of some of their favorite artists, and it’s not easy. It takes really talent. Every good band has started out doing covers of other people’s work, and continue to do so throughout their career. And let’s face it, covering a “superstar”, and not completely butchering the work of said star is something that only a handful of people can claim to do.

And many of the those people who can claim to do so are at the Imperial Palace.

I actually felt like I saw performances by many popular artists. Did I know they weren’t the real thing? Of course. But I also am fully aware that there is no such thing as “Spiderman” when I watch the “Spiderman II” DVD.

Does this make it less entertaining? No.

When I go to a show, I’m there to be entertained. I can suspend disbelief to be entertained, and frankly, after a couple of songs, you stop caring about “realness” altogether. You realize that you are witnessing very, very talented musicians covering songs by other people in order to pay the bills. And then you catch yourself singing and clapping along, barely noticing that your cynical and jaded mind should have somehow kicked in and subconciously prevented you from enjoying any of this.

If you like the original artist, chances are very good that you will like the “Legends” artist that represents that person onstage. In fact, if you were in the 22nd row in the MGM Garden Arena, and one of these folks came out instead of the authentic billed artist (assuming they were still alive), you would likey have no idea unless you were an ultra-obsessed stalker who KNOWS that Dolly Parton never wears white shoes on the third Friday after Easter.

Even though the artists change and rotate and you never know what you are going to get, the Imperial Palace appears to be extremely diligent about whom they let personify an artist. While some are better than others, I have yet to see an artist at this show and said “No way!”.

Nobody here has ever done an injustice to the original. At least I have never seen it.

These people are real live singers and musicians. Had fate dealt them a slightly different hand, and had they been in the right place at the right time … any one of the people who take the stage in “Legends” probably would have been able to make a decent career as solo artists with their own original material. But the fact is, such fortune happens to very few talented people who deserve it. Is this gig their first choice? Of course not.

But instead of brood over “what should have been”, these folks come out night after night and do what they love to do. And what they love to do is to entertain audiences with music. Whatever music they are allowed to use. And they always do it with sheer infectious enthusiasm. And let’s face it guys, half the time you don’t get that from the real thing for four times the price plus Ticketbastard surcharges.

I’ve never seen a “Legends” audience leave with anything other than a smile on their face, and that goes for my cynical ass as well.

Genuinely good artists, good well-known music, enthusiasm, non-stop entertainment, very fair price.

See the show. You’ll be glad you did.