Concert residency

[9][10] Concert residencies have been the staple of the Las Vegas Strip for decades, pioneered by singer-pianist Liberace in the 1940s and Frank Sinatra with the Rat Pack in the 1950s.

This commercial success was credited with changing and revitalizing Las Vegas residencies, which previously had the negative perception of something that performers resorted to when their careers were in decline.

[15] In April 1956, Presley began a two-week concert residency at the New Frontier Hotel and Casino, following the release of his self-titled debut album.

His shows were poorly-received by the conservative, middle-aged hotel guests[17]—"like a jug of corn liquor at a champagne party," wrote a critic for Newsweek.

[19] In previous decades, many artists in high demand would perform multiple-show runs in various cities, such as the British pop group the Spice Girls; as part of their Spiceworld Tour, the group played to over 100,000 people over the course of eight sold-out shows at London's Wembley Arena between 14 April and 26 April 1998, with an additional two concerts—each one accommodating 55,000 fans—at the much larger Wembley Stadium.

Kurt Melien, vice president of entertainment at Caesars Palace, explained that "Historically, Vegas residencies were more a loss leader event – famous artists playing in small showrooms just to draw in the gambling crowds.

"[20] In the music world, Las Vegas was known as the place where singers went to "die"—if their careers hadn't suffered already—and where they could earn a comparatively meager wage in their "twilight" years, entertaining tourists on the Strip alongside magicians like David Copperfield, illusionists and Siegfried & Roy's tigers.

Her residencies introduced a new form of theatrical entertainment; with a fusion of song, choral ensemble, orchestral accompaniment, performance art, innovative stage craft, state-of-the-art technology, and even a tribute to her friend and idol, Michael Jackson, Dion managed to popularize the Las Vegas residency as a desirable way for top artists to essentially tour in place, letting their most dedicated fans come to them.

Dion's second residency, Celine, saw her perform a record-breaking 1,000th show at The Colosseum on October 8, 2016, which she dedicated to the memory of her late husband and manager, Rene Angelil.

[44] Michael Jackson sold a record-breaking 750,000 tickets in four hours on March 13, 2009 for his 2009–2010 This Is It residency at the O2 Arena, London, which was ultimately cancelled due to his death.