After arriving in Las Vegas and checking in at Imperial Palace, we all decided to see the The Rat Pack Show (http://www.ratpack.com/) at the Greek Isles Casino - a very small casino off the strip - within walking distance from the Convention Center Monorail.  It really is a very small casino - but with a great karaoke spot. 

I would definitely recommend this show to anyone who would appreciate the old Vegas lounge acts and is a fan of Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr, and the whole rat pack era in Vegas. 

The first time I visited Vegas was in '95 or '96 - at that time, you could stay at the Excalibur for $29 per night and airfare was about $100 - and it really wasn't that long ago.  I had just started listening to Louis Prima and was a fan of swing music.

For those of you who didn't follow swing - Louis Prima was the voice of the ape King Louie in Disney's Jungle Book and his song "Jump, Jive and Wail" was featured on a Gap commercial.  Anyway - I took an educational trip to Vegas as a part of the travel school that I was attending.  The Sands Casino was still standing and they were featuring a show - two drink minimum - with Sam Butera and Keely Smith.  These were Prima's horn player and his partner and ex-wife - I was in heaven!!  I felt like I had traveled back in time - Eddy Fisher was even in the audience!!  This was Louis Prima's old stomping ground - there are old pictures with the Sands billboard featuring Louis Prima back in the day!  It was a great show and gave everyone a taste of the gaudy humor and great music that filled that same casino back when.

The Rat Pack show started slow and I kept thinking this might be a waste of money, but as the cast and the audience warmed up, you were transported back to a time when it was acceptable to have a full bar set up on stage!!  Marilyn Monroe even showed up and interacted with the audience. 

It was a great show  - of course it helps to have a martini - neat - in front of you as you transport back in time.