You may have written Casino Rama off as a concert destination; they have been known to showcase talent that is a bit beyond their expiry date, but it’s time for a double take. Casino Rama in Orillia has some legendary rock groups lined up for their summer 2011 bill, as well as some A-list country music stars. It seems Casino Rama has dug into their deep pockets this year to present 70s and 80s groups that are now enjoying their “retro music” status with a younger generation including KISS, ZZ Top (“Sharp Dressed Man”, “Legs”), Nazareth (“Love Hurts,” “This Flight Tonight”), Lynyrd Skynyrd (“Sweet Home Alabama,” “Free Bird”), Ted Nugent (“Cat Scratch Fever”), Blondie (“Heart of Glass”), George Thorogood, and Melissa Etheridge. Assuming that everyone is still singing on pitch, these concerts should be well worth the drive to Orillia. And if you swing the other way, that is, if you’re a country fan, you’ll be tickled pink. Big-name country artists including Miranda Lambert, Trace Adkins, LeAnn Rimes, Travis Tritt, Kenny Rogers, and Billy Ray Cyrus are on the bill at Casino Rama this summer. Note to file: KISS fans are prohibited from wearing their face paint or costumes into the casino.
