JOHN KATSILOMETES for Las Vegas Weekly..

There was a time when professional magicians donned the tux and tails, tapped a top hat with a wand and professed to make a rabbit appear from its empty interior. Voila! But tonight is not such a time. And Criss Angel is not such a magician.

The star of the Luxor’s stuffed-with-illusions show Believe struts to the middle of the stage, wearing a black leather jacket, thick strands of silver dangling from his neck. His black hair is streaked crimson, as if his skull is bleeding.

Ten minutes or so have passed since the start of the show, as Angel’s support cast—led by his comically brilliant mini-me Maestro, portrayed by Mateo Amieva—have happily entertained the crowd. It’s a Sunday evening, and the place is about packed. Fans cheer when Angel strides prodigiously to center stage. He scans the dark and shouts, “I can’t hear you!”

Whoa. Okay, then. The crowd matches his energy with a dutiful roar. It’s as if Angel has put them on notice: This might be a stage show, but it’s also a participation sport. Read more…

http://lasvegasweekly.com/ae/2015/sep/24/criss-angel-not-done-making-magic-believe-luxor/