Putting a different spin on Las Vegas DJs

August 30, 2010 by Chad Martinez 

Craving more creative freedom, local music curators seek to remix DJ culture

Las Vegas is renowned throughout the world for its nightlife. But despite the fact that million-dollar clubs and ultra-lounges are standard in every casino on the Strip, some local disc jockeys have felt shut out and desire something different.

These music curators have set out to make a Las Vegas DJ culture all their own.

“There are too many hurdles to jump. The downtown crowd doesn’t want to deal with $12 drinks or being harassed for wearing Chucks or walk through a casino,” said DJ John Doe, who founded the monthly soul and funk dance party the “Get Back” with another local DJ, Danny Boy.

The Get Back, which turns eight this October, started when there was no downtown culture to speak of. While he had no intention of the Get Back becoming an after party for First Friday, he says it was just a happy coincidence that they happen to be on the same night.

The mutually beneficial relationship between First Friday and the Get Back spawned a DJ scene that is uniquely downtown.

“The downtown scene has solidified. There’s a place for DJs to play every night of the week,” said Las Vegas native and funk/indie DJ Gabriel Andrew

But the downtown DJ scene also offers other formats aside from dance parties.

DJ Miss Joy, who is no stranger to the Strip DJ culture, shows her more eclectic side at the Beat Café with the open mic night “Human Experience.”

Human Experience, co-hosted with Jeffrey Bennington Grindley, is a poetry-music-art slam that is one of the few places in Vegas you can experience hip-hop MCs of the fairer sex.

The night also features the talented hands of DJ Duwop Rose, who can scratch and mix the pants off most male DJs.

At the center of the new scene is a handful of Fremont East District venues including the Beauty Bar, The Griffin and the Downtown Cocktail Room, all of which host different DJs or bands nightly.

Within walking distance from these is the Bunkhouse, known for its underground punk and rock shows. A little farther south is the Aruba Hotel, which also hosts several party nights with a distinctive downtown feel.

The defining characteristic of downtown parties is that the selection of music is more eclectic.

Pandering to fickle tourists doesn’t really make for innovative nightlife, and for those who want more than the façade of coolness, the Strip clubs have little to offer.

“We have more creative freedom, we get to play what we want,” said downtown DJ Aurajin.

One is likely to hear house music, trance or Top 40 while on the Strip, where clubs are less likely to take risks with musical styles.

Aurajin’s sentiment seems to be the consensus when speaking to downtown DJs. Yes, there is still house music, but there are also a handful of indie and rock shows that influence the type of people that frequent the downtown area.

The eclectic nature of the downtown crowd is reflected in the sets played by DJs who often play in between bands.

Johnny Rox is another local DJ that helped define the downtown sound with “Rawkers,” an indie/’80s/electro dance party.

“The Strip clubs were always blowing me off. Now the Strip clubs are calling me,” Rox said.

Rox recalls a time when he was playing at a club on the Strip and was asked to change the music even though the crowd seemed to be feeling it.

“I took the needle off the record and there was silence,” Rox said. “I packed up and left right then.”

This type of story is common among DJs in Las Vegas. Even though the DJ’s job is to feel the crowd out and play what the audience wants to dance to, the suits calling the shots in Vegas’ premiere clubs insist on being the music programmers.

But downtown is aiming to put the music back into the hands of DJs — the real music experts.

It seems as if getting rid of the middle man has made the eclectic atmosphere of downtown a cut above the rest.

Editor’s Note: DJ Mike Attack was the photo featured in the print issue but was not a subject of the article.