10 Magical Years
A look back at Criss Angel's Cirque du Soleil Vegas Residency
On October 28, 2018, Criss Angel concludes his 10 year Las Vegas residency at the Luxor Hotel and Casino. In 2007, when Criss Angel first signed a 10 year deal with entertainment giant Cirque du Soleil, 10 years seemed so far off into the future. In my mind, it was as if it would never arrive, and Criss would be performing forever, without any end in sight. But now, 10 years later, here we are. No one could have predicted what was in store for Criss, or for Cirque, when that initial contract was signed!

Criss Angel BeLIEve was the first Cirque du Soleil show centered around a single performer, and it led the way for other shows to be centered around huge stars (Elvis, Michael Jackson). Criss Angel was literally in a league of his own, and he surely knew it, performing magic on stage night after night that was equally unprecedented, unique, and entertaining to the masses.

A show like BeLIEve, and #MindfreakLIVE after it, was something that the world of entertainment has, to this day, never seen before. The show was one of a kind in the fact that it confronted a unique challenge that had never been attempted with any Cirque du Soleil show before or since: finding the balance between an edgy magician's magical prowess and Cirque du Soleil's skillful acrobatics. After 10 years of performances, the show's essence has always been about the magic that embodied Criss Angel. Criss Angel the Star, and the magic, rightly became the show's primary focus as it continued to evolve and change through the years.

The evolution of the show over the past decade cannot be understated or ignored, nor should it be. The original show is vastly different now than when it first debuted in late 2008, and it is no secret that I have loved it from the very start. You might be asking yourself, then, with 10 years' worth of performances (and I have seen quite a few of them over the years ;)), which version of the show is the better one? The deep dive into a magican's mind in 2008, or the magic spectacular that it became in 2018? Does one really have to pick and choose? It's like asking what type of chocolate is better, milk or dark. Why pick one when you can have both! They are both amazing in their own ways. The truly correct answer is that every single show since day one is great because they tell a story of a magician at the very top of his game, performing for millions of people over the years, never missing a single show (except for here and here), never taking a sick day, being THAT dedicated to something that was only a wild dream 11+ years ago. Let it be forever known to the critics who said Criss would never last a year on a Vegas stage, let alone 10: You were wrong. If I've learned one thing about Criss Angel over the past 10 years, it is that you never, ever underestimate the guy. If he says he is going to do something, he's going to do it, and that, my friends, is that.

The icing on the (chocolate ;)) cake is that Criss Angel isn't finished performing in Vegas! Far be it from the #MagicMan's tireless work ethic to take any sort of break, or dare I whisper the word retire, instead he is starting a brand new Vegas residency at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino mere weeks after #MindfreakLIVE closes its doors for the final time.

So as we say goodbye to one #MagicRevolution, a brand new #MagicRevolution is taking shape. Are you ready ... for the next chapter? I am :)

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