The annual SEMA event is not the only car show to take place each year in Las Vegas – but it is still considered the premier one by many. The irony is that SEMA is trade-only, so custom car fans cannot actually attend the event in person – they have to rely on car magazine coverage and videos to see the most spectacular vehicles on show there. Anybody who does work in the media still needs to apply early as the event sells out quickly each year. With the show attracting a global audience it really is an experience to be a part of.
It’s really too early to say what weird and wonderful customised vehicles will be on show at the Las Vegas Convention Centre in November of this year, and if previous years are anything to go by, it would be impossible to imagine some of the creations we will see there. Something about the SEMA show seems to bring out the Dr Frankenstein creativity in people – perhaps its down to the Las Vegas location, as this resort has never been noted for understatement. When it is good, this Las Vegaslocale leads to sublime customisation like the Liberty Walk Ferrari 458 from last year – and when it is bad you get monstrosities like the lime green Chrysler with a phoney Rolls Royce grille attached, that also ‘graced’ Las Vegas last year.
Frankly it’s just as well the general public can’t see vehicles like that one up close, because they would need an odyssey through the nightlife of Vegas to forget it. However if there is one place that offers the kind of nightlife to let mobile casino fans forget hideous cars it is Vegas. Much of Vegas is centred on the famed Strip where you will find all the hot casino action. The Strip is home to such casinos as the Bellagio and Caesar’s Palace, where playing blackjack or roulette is just the start of the fun. For example, at the Bellagio, you will find the famous fountains which provide a light and water spectacular every night, while Caesar’s Palace features stars like Elton John on stage at the Colosseum. You can even be married by Elvis in one of the chapels in Vegas, if you don’t consider a marriage real without the King’s seal on the ceremony.
