Atlantic City attracts ethnic audiences with native music stars

IT WAS a fairly typical Saturday-night scene in Atlantic City: The ground-level concourse at Trump Taj Mahal Casino & Resort was filled with people clutching tickets to a sold-out concert by a chart-topping pop star in the gaming hall's cavernous Arena.

It was a prosperous-looking assembly, dominated, it seemed, by glamorous, long-legged young women in short dresses and stiletto-heeled boots. While most people happily gabbed among themselves, others anxiously scanned the hallway, hoping someone would have a ticket to sell.

A standard tableau, to be sure. Except the headliner this frosty winter evening was not a name most people reading this would know. Stas Michaylov is a huge star in his native Russia. And, as far as could be determined, everyone who paid as much as $150 to see him sing had no trouble understanding his songs, delivered in his mother tongue.

For years, Atlantic City gambling dens, as well as Boardwalk Hall, have hosted concerts aimed at ethnic audiences, among them Asian, Russian, Italian, Greek, Indian, Filipino and Hispanic. These shows, usually presented in conjunction with outside promoters who have close ties to the various ethnic-music communities, are a key marketing tool for casinos.

Generally, the fare these days, regardless of ethnicity, trends toward Western pop modes. It wouldn't be too much of a stretch to view Russian idol Michaylov as a Muscovite Neil Diamond, what with his throaty vocals and buoyant, middle-of-the-road sounds. And, according to a casino executive who asked to remain anonymous, Asian performers - be they Vietnamese, Korean or Chinese - tend to favor a "cheesy, '70s pop" format.

But though the music references contemporary American and British sounds, it's dabbed with ethnic touches. During their recent Taj performance, Greek singers Nikos Kourkoulis and (show opener) Kelly Kelekidou had, as part of their shared band, someone playing the six-string bouzouki, a guitarlike instrument that gave the music a decidedly Grecian accent.

Chinese shows tend to start after midnight because so many ticketholders are restaurant owners and workers in Philadelphia and New York who can't leave their businesses in time to make a standard 8 or 9 p.m. curtain. And, according to Steve Gietka, longtime entertainment vice president for Trump Entertainment Resorts, the Greek shows can be boisterous affairs.

"It's riotous," he said. "The audience brings [a huge amount] of flowers to throw at the [performers]." Indeed, during Kelekidou's set, a steady stream of fans approached the front of the room to pay tribute with what seemed like an endless supply of blooms that soon carpeted the stage.

"Ethnic shows are extremely valuable to us," said Kathleen McSweeney, senior vice president of marketing for Trump Entertainment Resorts. "Any time more than 5,000 additional people are in the building, we can expect an increase in casino business."

The shows' importance to the bottom line extends beyond slot machines and table games, she continued. Audience members "love staying in our hotel and suites, shopping in our stores, and dining in our various ethnic and domestic restaurants."

Consider the Taj Mahal's hotel check-in line in the hours before Michaylov's performance. An unscientific survey of one early-evening queue suggested the several dozen people waiting were there for the concert.

Ethnic programs are also "a great way to show our players that we recognize and appreciate their culture and heritage," said McSweeney. "This understanding is very important to maintaining and growing the relationships we have developed with our players over the years."

Boardwalk Hall, the iconic, 92-year-old midtown auditorium, has likewise made ethnic entertainment a key part of its business plan. Both the 13,000-seat main venue and the 3,200-seat Adrian Phillips Ballroom have seen numerous productions, many of which have been sponsored by nearby casinos Trump Plaza and Caesars Atlantic City.

During the boom years of the last decade, said Boardwalk Hall's general manager, Greg Tasone, an average of 10 shows a year were presented. Because of the still-struggling economy, he noted, that number has been halved.

Like those in the casinos, Boardwalk Hall concerts cover the cultural spectrum. "Chinese shows do real well," said Tasone, "and we've done a lot of Philippine shows as of late. The Philippine market is very strong."

Indian presentations are the most popular and successful, as well as the most elaborately staged, ethnic events, Tasone said. Among recent offerings was a "Bollywood" extravaganza starring A.R. Rahman, who composed the score for the Oscar-winning film "Slumdog Millionaire."

"A lot of the Indian shows [feature] movie stars," said Tasone. "The shows they do with Bollywood stars tend to have a bigger production element to them. It's not like going to a concert and hearing a band. There's . . . a lot of dancing and costume changes."

Ethnic shows serve a variety of purposes for concertgoers. There's a chance to celebrate cultural heritage and, for some, a rare opportunity to see and hear their native music in a live setting.

"I go either here or New York, but this is closer," said Dimitrios Theodoropoulos of Wrightstown, N.J., before the recent Greek concert at the Taj. "It's definitely special to [see the artists] live."

For Svetlana Romano, 27, a financialindustry worker, the Russian shows transcend mere diversion and speak with the self-image of those who pay admission. According to the North Jersey resident, the $100 ticket to see Michaylov at the Taj Mahal would cost $5,000 in Moscow, putting it out of reach for all but the superwealthy.

"When you get the chance to go to concerts, you take advantage of it," said Romano. "It makes you feel like a member of the middle class [rather] than the lower class."