Regarded as one of the most prolific and innovative producers in Las Vegas, Adam Steck, owner of SPI (Steck Productions International) Entertainment, has been charting his own course for the past 25 years.
As a result, he has steered himself onto the entertainment map with the numerous shows he has brought to the fore.
“Middle-tier to lower-tier shows are my wheelhouse,” he explains.
That said, Steck’s uncanny talent rests in the fact that he knows how to keep the wheels turning and the house filled with new and return customers. To his credit, he focuses on what is missing in Las Vegas, namely those potent intimate show experiences that the city was built on and that he notes was once the expertise in this town.
Steck owns the showroom at The Strat and also the Thunder Showroom at the Excalibur. He received the keys to The Strat venue three years ago and the keys to the Thunder Showroom seven years ago. The latter is named for the Australian dance troupe Thunder From Down Under, the longest running male revue in the history of Las Vegas. The room also houses the Australian Bee Gees and, in the afternoons, legendary comedy magician Matt King.
Where the Strat is concerned, Steck has transformed it into a room with an old Las Vegas feel and booth seating combined with cutting edge technology to wow and thrill audiences at the highest level via sound, lighting, and LED screens around the room, giving it an immersive feel. In that room acclaimed master ventriloquist/impressionist Terry Fator performs “One Man, One Hundred Voices, A Thousand Laughs.” Also presented there are the Illuminates, a high-energy dance show, and Rouge, an adult variety show thatSteck describes as “Absinthe meets Fantasy meets Thunder.” The latter show is such a success that it plays 12 shows a week.
Steck has also done Rock’n Roll concerts in the room presenting 16-sold out shows with Sammy Hagar and friends, 10 sold-out shows with Rick Springfield, and four successful show with Cheap Trick. Other headliners have appeared there as well. But Steck hasn’t stopped there. He also has a sleight-of-hand Speakeasy magic show starring Leger Domain n ithe Venetian’s 45-seat 1923 Prohibition Bar.
“You’ve got to use your guts to figure out what’s going to work,” Steck says. “You have to appeal to the masses from New York to Los Angeles. You want to give them something they can’t see in their hometowns. You want to tweak their senses and give them a thrill.”
“You have to create something with a brand,” he continues. “There is way too much competition for the dollar. You have to do repeat business. That builds your show. A lot of producers don’t get it. They put up a billboard and think it’s going to happen. Or they pick the wrong venue for their show. You can’t be lazy. Look for a demo that’s underserved and go for it. And you can’t sacrifice quality. You have to be the best in class for your genre. You have to put your best foot forward and have enough money to sustain.”
Steck emphasizes that entertainment is a science. Factors include, again, having the right brand, having the right ticket pricing, spending the right money on Marketing and PR, knowing when to discount, knowing your ticket brokers, knowing your demographic and adjusting for the time of year they come to town, considering operating costs. being very careful of pre-production and investment and knowing how long it will take before you can make money. There are so many factors involved in creating a show.
According to Steck, a most important one is being surrounded by the right people.
“I have a great team,” Steck relates. “Alex Schecter is my right-hand man and he helps to execute the team effect, including a team at The Strat and one at the Excalibur. Each show has a company manager who has their boots on the ground every night. They take care of the VIP guests, technical things, and ticket sales. They find out where people are from and reports back to us.”
What does Steck foresee for the future of Las Vegas entertainment?
Vegas goes in cycles,” he responds. “The era of having just any old show is gone. I believe we’ll be seeing a more potent experience with famous artists –the ultimate intimate experience/”
With myriads of people wishing for Vegas to bring back a sense of that genre of entertainment it was once known for, that statement is music to the ears.
Lic Cosmetologist
Hair Extension Specialist
Formal Wedding Styling
Wig & Vintage Styling
Keratin Treatments
Balayage Highlights
Color & Haircuts