The King starring Trent Carlini

If there's one thing guaranteed to get you “All Shook Up” in Neon City, it's a great Elvis tribute show – but along a golden mile littered with headlining impersonator acts, once you've seen one, you might as well have seen them all. Until you venture into the realm of the aptly named “Shimmer Showroom”; a cabaret theater within the world's most expansive resort complex – Las Vegas Hilton. Coincidentally, Las Vegas Hilton happens to be the same venue within which Elvis Presley himself performed, notching up a whopping 837 sell-out shows during his 'golden years'.

Fitting then, that the LV Hilton should also be host to the winner of ABC's “Next Big Thing” - Trent Carlini; a man whose modest swagger and crooning voice, have been likened to those of “the King” himself. Dressed in his starch-collared, all-in-one suit, unbuttoned to expose a hint of finely toned chest, it's not difficult to see why even die-hard fans draw such close comparisons between Carlini and “the King”. He has perfected that same smoldering, fixated stare, that when trained upon a lucky lady in the front row, tends to have the very same “Elvis effect”.

“The King”, starring Trent Carlini has been hailed by critics of both the Las Vegas Journal, and the New York Times as being “the next best thing” to the man himself – hardly surprising when you here of his motivations for continuing Elvis' legacy. Trent Carlini is one of few impersonators who commands respect for not trying to 'be' the “King” himself, but rather perform in his shadow, and attempt to do justice to one of the greatest musical legacies ever left behind. Carlini has been walking in the shoes of Elvis for over three decades, however it was 1992 that his first Vegas break presented itself. John Stuart – headhunter for the 26-year old Vegas musical hit “Legends in Concert” approached Carlini, offering him a slot within the show at the Imperial Palace. From that day onward, the mild-mannered Elvis impersonator has never looked back.

Elvis' notorious affiliation with the Hilton, should be enough to make any tribute act question whether they are worthy of performing here – yet Trent Carlini allegedly jumped at the chance. Apparently such excitement was influenced less by how his own career could be bolstered, and more due to the very honor of performing within such a hallowed venue. To see Carlini in all his Elvis regalia, belting out the likes of “Blue Suede Shoes” on a Saturday night, one wouldn't expect such modesty. His teasingly slow hip thrusts; slightly bow-legged stance and the manner in which he selects one special lady in the front row to serenade with “It's Now Or Never”, are all characteristic traits of Presley himself – Carlini seeming to have refined them, to almost perfection.

“The King” can be roughly divided into four main sets – each focusing upon a time-frame in the life of Elvis Presley. The first opens with the live 8-piece “T.C Band”, whom provide the backing for the majority of the show's score, complimented by the rich 60's twang of backing-duo “T.C Babydolls” - resplendent in the vibrant baby-blues of the era. Carlini himself takes to the stage in a variety of painstakingly researched costumes, ranging from the Hawaiian shirts and loose-fitting slacks aka “Blue Hawaii”, to the black figure-cinching all-in-one suit reminiscent of “I Can Dream”. “Blue Suede Shoes” sets the precedent for a rock 'n' roll twenty-five minutes, encompassing some 8 or 10 well-known numbers.

As second halves go, “The King” rarely ceases up in it's contorting schedule, with the likes of “Viva Las Vegas” and “Can't Help Falling In Love” bridged almost seamlessly. Trent Carlini's faultless footwork also adds credence to his repute for pulling out all the stops – his choreography having been heavily influenced by Golden's School of Dance founder Kari Larsen.

Few Elvis impersonators have ever been deemed 'good' enough to define their shows as true tributes to the “King”. Some lack the energy required to pull off two hours of both A and B-side hits, while others only ever include the money-maker number one's amongst their repertoire. Trent Carlini on the other hand, promises a show with as much back-and-forth variety, as it does hip-swiveling. If the acclaim Carlini attracts is anything to go by, this could be one impersonator who follows in the literal footsteps of Elvis himself – closing his Saturday night upon the very same stage Elvis graced over 40 years ago. Hey, it could happen!