Benise – Nights of Fire! at the Reno Eldorado
A Review by Kevin Reeves
Staff Writer
 Once the tempo finally calmed down, our heartbeats returned to normal and we managed to catch our breaths. Even though we’d just left the sunny streets of yesteryear Cuba, collected beads from scantily-clad Mardi Gras dancing girls in Rio, responded to the impressive swing of two flexing matadors’ red capes, felt the warm pulse of Argentinean Tango, grooved through a steamy Cuban nightclub, and unabashedly moved in synch to the thumping rhythm of an eagerly played Afro-Peruvian cajón drum, we managed to side-step any threats of jetlag and world travel expenses. Warm afterglow wrestled with the mounting desire for more, and Benise’s uniquely provocative Spanish guitar style continued strumming and vibrating in our minds. Courtesy photo Reno ElDorado
All of this had started innocently enough (doesn’t it always?). We were seduced by a somber tone and shadowy figures carrying candles in formation onto the Reno Eldorado’s showroom stage, amidst ominous bell tolling. Before long, the Benise – Nights of Fire! Music and dance extravaganza was erupting with colorful sets, exotic costumes, tightly choreographed high-end dancing, and a backbone of incredibly fun music. This is not your grandparents’ subdued Spanish guitar performance.
“I’d played electric guitar ... my roots were in rock and roll ... but I wasn’t into the rock lifestyle,” the show’s title artist explained to me, when I caught up with him a few days after the show. “It was natural for me to combine [the Spanish guitar with a rock and roll feel].” This was evident during the show, when Benise played a rocking Spanish guitar version of Led Zeppelin’s famous song Kashmir, and again later in the performance when we were surprised by a rousing Spanish rendition of The Eagles’ Hotel California, accompanied by the stirring vocals of Noybel Gorgoy.
 Another pleasantly-new sound came from the mind-numbingly fast violin playing of Omar Lopez, whose style seamlessly blends classical violin with Jazz, rock, dance, and electronica sentiments. I half expected his bow to start a fire as he slid it at breakneck pace across the violin strings. It’s no wonder he’s performed on Broadway, as well as with Enrique Iglesias and the world-famous Riverdance. Add the melodic guitar playing of Gilberto Gonzalez, character-full bass of Mychal Lomas, and the inspired addition of a cajón drum (upon which the player actually sits, while pounding away), and the resulting sounds easily carry the audience away to different times, places, and fresh twists on classic music concepts.
Proving that at the heart of all motivating and passionate art are the muses of life lesson and transformation, Benise (pronounced Buh-nes-say) told me: “I was at a crossroads in my life, when I heard Marc Antoine’s Spanish guitar, and something clicked ... I fell in love with the sound.” The passion of art conjured by personal transformation can be tasted in the intimate setting of the Reno Eldorado’s showroom as the performers, Benise included, dance out into the audience, to play right before our seats, and even pass us handkerchiefs and beads to take home as mementos.
 The dancing is phenomenal, choreographed by Alexandre Magno (who has worked with Madonna, Yanni, Britney Spears, and the Academy Awards), & executed with top-of-the-line professional verve by the aforementioned Noybel Gorgoy, joined by Kelly Parker (Madonna, Michael Jackson, Dancing with the Stars), Arleen Hurtado (Shakira, American Idol, John Tesh), and Yoandra Martinez Roche (Havana Nights, Fuego, Las Vegas Sahara). Complimenting these gorgeous ladies’ exuberant moves are the charismatic Rodolfo Diaz Utra (Latin Grammys, Sábado Gigante) and suave Rodrigo Guzman (Dancing with the Stars, So You Think You Can Dance). Courtesy photo Reno ElDorado
Whether you’re an expert at the technical aspects of Salsa, Samba, Flamenco, Tango, Bollywood, Waltz, and more --or just an admiring bystander, like me-- you won’t be disappointed by Benise – Nights of Fire! showing at the Reno Eldorado through April 1st, 2012. If you miss the Reno run of this show (which would be a shame, given the incredible venue), be sure to catch it at Sacramento’s The Crest Theater on September 8th, or else at San Francisco’s Palace of Fine Arts on September 9th. The music and dance will resonate inside you long after you leave the show!
Now Playing: "Man in the Mirror" This high octane theatrical production pays tribute to Michael Jackson and celebrates the amazing music of the King of Pop with hits that span over three decades through August 3 in Reno, NV. Reserve tickets for "Man in the Mirror" in the Eldorado Showroom today! Performances are Sun, Tues thru Thur , 7 pm; Fri, 8pm; Saturday at 7 and 9:30 p.m. Tickets prices start at just $19.95; dinner and show pack-ages from only $29.95 and room and show from just $49.95 Call 1-800-648-5966 or visit online at www.eldoradoreno.com
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