“Velvet Rodeo”

Country Superstar Lights Up the Las Vegas Stage

By Mark Gray

Photo courtesy of Caesars Entertainment: John Shearer

In this nonstop city, Miranda Lambert is the fastest girl in town.

The country superstar kicked off her Las Vegas residency show, “Miranda Lambert: Velvet Rodeo,” in late September with dazzling pyro, vivid lasers and a nonstop tour of her deep music catalogue.

Throughout the 90-minute show at Zappos Theater inside Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, Lambert takes guests on a musical journey that has equal parts exhilaration and sentiment. Her stripped-down renditions of “Tin Man” and “The House That Built Me” are particularly stirring, whereas the upbeat “Drunk” transforms the theater into a karaoke bar, which seems to be the future of “Velvet Rodeo.”

On opening night, Lambert said her goal is “to make Vegas our own supersized honky-tonk for months to come!”

“Velvet Rodeo” is all gas, no brakes, during the 22-song show. One particularly fiery moment happens during “Gunpowder & Lead,” when Lambert dons a specially designed jacket that shoots sparks and pyro from the sleeves.

Still, underneath all the flash and effects is Lambert, a country girl with gritty vocals and tight musicianship. “Velvet Rodeo” is fun, unfussy, sassy and welcoming, all traits that are reflective of Lambert’s personality.

Prior to singing her inclusive anthem “All Kinds of Kinds,” Lambert implored the crowd to embrace their individualism.

“This song is your friendly reminder to be who you are always, all the time, because you just might end up on stage in Vegas with bright lights,” the singer said.

“You never know.”