The second coming of the King
By Renée LiButti
Whenever Elvis appeared in concert thousands of fans -- mostly female -- would jam arenas and auditoriums standing shoulder to shoulder in a mob. They'd sigh, shudder and shriek as the handsome rock 'n' roller got them all shook up. Today, you can see the same thing happen at the Las Vegas Hilton, where the legendary entertainer sold out 837 consecutive shows. But now it's Trent Carlini who is whipping the women into a frenzy.
Starring in a show simply titled "The King," he appears in the resort's Shimmer Showroom instead of on the main stage where Elvis actually performed. This is a more intimate venue, and Carlini has both a powerful voice and charismatic presence to fill it up. No other tribute artist puts more time, energy and attention into recapturing the excitement of those original stage shows. With the help of a live band and two lovely backup singers (i.e., the TC Band and TC Baby Dolls), Carlini brings everyone's memories of Elvis back to life.
As a prelude, a giant video screen above the stage offers a peek at the real King -- almost invoking comparison. When the curtain rises and Carlini struts out, the audience is not the least bit disappointed. Dressed in black with a gold lamé jacket, he picks up a classical guitar and launches into the '50s era hit "Blue Suede Shoes," complete with hip swivels and sultry sneers.
"This show will be electrifying," said Carlini to the sexually charged crowd. "Are you folks ready to rock 'n' roll?"
A squeal in the affirmative came from some women in the front row, and he started strumming the opening chords to "Teddy Bear." When he finished that song, Carlini coyly asked if he could take off his jacket. There were more hoots and hollers while he slowed down the tempo by crooning "The Wonder of You."
This selection of songs makes up the first of four segments in which Carlini highlights various periods of the King's career. Each one features special costuming. For example, the second segment still focuses on a young Elvis of the '50s and '60s. Donning a stylish suit and red silk shirt, Carlini performs the romantic ballads "Return to Sender" and "It's Now or Never."
The female-dominated audiences usually go crazy during the third segment -- his "black leather period." Clad in form-fitting leather pants and a matching leather shirt, Carlini plays several tunes from Elvis' 1968 "comeback" TV special including "Heartbreak Hotel," "Hound Dog," "All Shook Up" and "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" At one point, he turns around to flaunt his backside, which is met with a piercing "Ooohhhh yeah!" and "I love leather!"
Carlini concludes the show in a signature tight white jumpsuit. He belts out hits from the '70s -- most notably a haunting rendition of "Suspicious Minds." Like Elvis, he takes time to kiss and place sweaty scarves around the necks of women gathered near the stage. Naturally, they are always ecstatic. Afterward, he even goes out of his way to greet fans, sign autographs and pose for photographs in the casino.
Carlini has been perfecting the King's ballads, rock songs and gospel music for almost 30 years. He got his big break in 1992, when John Stuart, the producer of "Legends in Concert," hired him to be the Elvis act in the revue at the Imperial Palace. For the past 10 years, Carlini has headlined his own tribute show at several different resorts in Las Vegas and around the country. One of his greatest accomplishments came in 2007. Carlini appeared on ABC's "The Next Best Thing: Who Is the Greatest Celebrity Impersonator?" The TV reality show selected him among 30 semi-finalists from regional auditions. In the end, Carlini impressed the judges and took home a grand prize of $100,000.
With a commanding voice and magnetic demeanor, he is more than just an impersonator. He's a musician and artist in his own right. And if ever there was a man who could come close to the greatness of Elvis, that man could only be Carlini.
