Illuminarium Las Vegas- Rolling Stone Amplified is NOT Your Run of the Mill Immersive Experience!

We were treated to checking out the Rolling Stone Amplified experience at the Illuminarium over by Area 15 recently and I have to tell you- it was really hard finding the words to describe it! Not because the show was bad- quite the contrary! But because of the amazing way it makes you FEEL. Not only as a fan of the music, but if you are like me and you have worked shows or been involved in the behind the scenes portion of the music scene it hits you in a different way as you see the things a lot of people never have and now get to experience in a way.

We quite honestly didn’t know what to expect or what it was about when we walked in. Music, namely Rock n Roll since its inception, sure and from the start of Rolling Stone Magazine by Jann Wenner back in 1967 definitely! But is it going to be a look at some outstanding bands? (Yes, that is there) or the music over all thru the eyes of Rolling Stone? (that is there too sure) but it is more- MUCH more.

There is so much to see during the hour long presentation that I recommend seeing it more than once, especially if you are into music and music history. Photographs, some that I have never seen, from Michael Ochs, Bob Gruen, Mark Weiss, Mick Rock, and so many, many more of everyone and anyone and venues and festivals and the culture. It is such a time capsule of the greatest moments and people who have made music history, both living and dead (I was very surprised by the shot of Eric Carr of KISS when it popped up, another moment that brought a wave of emotion that he was recognized) and the covers of Rolling Stone that would fly by- it makes you smile and say to yourself “I had that one!” and if you are lucky, you kept a lot of them (guilty!). There is also a small museum in the lobby of instruments, old Rolling Stone magazines, backstage passes (yah I was like OH! I still have that and I worked that one too!) and their ranking of guitarists and bands (which I take issue with some of the placements but a lot of people in line did too judging from conversations around me- music is subjective and really how can you rank musicians over all but Randy Rhodes and Prince need to be A LOT higher up- I will say that!).

To say I found the Rolling Stone Amplified presentation exciting and not at all what I was expecting would be understated. From the posters to the concert footage, the old footage of fans to the insights of musicians to the history of covers and all the amazing people who ever graced them. Rolling Stone Amplified at the Illuminarium is a ride thru history- from Little Richard’s WOOOOO to the Beatles Yeah Yeah Yeah, from the psychedelic 60’s and Janis Joplin’s wail to take a Piece of her Heart to dancing the night away to Donna Summer’s “Love to Love Ya” at Studio 54, on to Sweet’s “Fox on the Run” to the Bay City Rollers “Saturday Night” and then KISS’s “Rock n Roll All Night” to Motley Crue’s “Shout at the Devil”. From Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” to Dr Dre’s “California” and Chappel Roan’s “Pink Pony Club” and back again… it is ALL there. I plan on returning soon to catch what I may have missed, and relive the moments in rock that are special to me, and thousands of others who love music and have danced and headbanged and pogo’d and skanked and twisted and twirled and moshed their way thru life… Come on see and feel the noise folks- it is an absolutely amazing experience.

You can get your tickets or your VIP Rockstar experience that includes a photo op, as Doctor Hook once sang, on the cover of the Rolling Stone, and some other goodies at the website located HERE ! The folks at Illuminarium also have group and family deals and discounted regular admission for locals with ID!

PHOTO CREDIT: Photos of the Rolling Stone Amplified experience at the Illuninarium Vegas by Stephanie (Hayward) Muzio- (c) 2025 ZRockR Magazine – All Rights Reserved.