Veteran rockers Mötley Crüe recently scored a first when they signed up for a short-term residency at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

The LA rock band kicked off its three-week series of live performances at The Joint on February 3, with the final performance taking place a week from today.

Mirroring Sin City’s larger-than-life notoriety, the band’s shows have been produced to include an incredible interactive Vegas experience like never before.

Despite their rock star status, the band members have openly expressed their excitement about being the first hard rock band to have a Vegas residency. Vocalist Vince Neil was, in fact, quoted as saying “there have been bands like Santana and Elton John… but for us… we’re all about theatre and over-the-top stage show, so it’s a perfect fit for us. We’re really, really excited.”

In a comment to the media, Neil also said the band’s show “is not a traditional concert… this is a whole different thing”.

Rather than applying the normal rock concert routine, Motley Crue’s show has more of a ‘rock circus’ vibe, including a little-people version of the band (Little Crue), aerial acrobats, sexy backing singers and dancers, special lighting, visual projections, loads of balloons and pyrotechnics.

Then, of course, there was the band itself – whose colourful credentials as top-notch entertainers have long been tried, tested and proven – and its hard-hitting canon of hit songs, among them Shout at the Devil, Looks That Kill, Smokin’ in the Boys Room, Girls, Girls, Girls, Dr Feelgood and Kickstart My Heart, all turned up to 11.

The response to Motley Crue’s Vegas stint has been great so far, auguring well for its future plans, which may (or may not, depending on which member one listens to) include another edition of the band’s own Cruefest, a new album and a break-up.

For the time being however, it’s all Viva Las Vegas.

www.motley.com