I have seen the future of Vegas, and I don’t mean Madonna. Very little seems a sure thing in this town, but  I am positive guitarist Yuto Miyazawa would be a sensation on a Vegas stage. Oh, he is 10 years-old.

Child performers are almost always novelty acts who grow-up and out of their careers. There are exceptions like Mozart, or Wayne Newton (had to get those two in the same sentence). Newton got his start performing in Vegas as a teen prodigy and had a hit using his childish voice on “Danke Schoen.”  Miyazawa has no need to wait until he is a teen.  He has been delivering the goods since he was 8 and has all the makings of a Vegas sensation.

Like everything that works here, he has broad appeal. In Vegas, Miyazawa would most obviously be beloved by Boomers, because his songs come from classic rock days when the guitar gods still ruled. As the first Japanese solo headliner in Vegas, he might appeal to an international audience in a way that Vegas is desperate to achieve in all things, but has had a particularly hard time accomplishing in entertainment.  And, of course, as he grows-up, he could easily appeal to the younger college crowd. Or, sad to say, he could wind up a forgotten novelty performer.   But Vegas is not about his future only about his now (though he could bank here for his future); and for right now my guess is that this kid in a Vegas lounge would outdraw Zowie Bowie or Matt Goss. No disrespect to them, it is hard to beat a cute kid with an adult level talent.

Above you can see Miyazwa taking on Deep Purple’s “Highway Star,” where even before getting to Ritchie Blackmore’s guitar wizardry in the finale, he first transposes Jon Lord’s keyboard solo to his guitar. Amazing.