I am in the process of finalizing my Vlog and will post it here when I am done sometime tmrw. Until then, let me articulate my thoughts here. Having recently moved to Vegas this past July from DC, I have finally been able to really get a clear understanding of the electronic/dj scene here. Again, being from New York, and having lived in Miami for over 9 years, with diverse scenes living together as a community, Vegas is a totally different animal. From jump, upon arrival, you can literally feel the divide between the underground scene aka "downtown local vegas", and the mainstream aka the "vegas strip". Outside of the strip, Vegas has a REALLY local feel to it- with no hard hitting representation of main artists...
That being said, the Vegas strip has been home to all the biggest EDM/Trap producer djs. The underground really doesn't have a counter argument as these clubs are where the underground djs are supposed to rise up to once they have made it- but haven't been doing so. Unfortunately, we have reached a culture by where the underground has gone so far to remove itself from the mainstream that it by default doesn't allow djs to rise up to the mainstream in order to counter the BS that they don't like. So, what we have is two extremes- tech house/techno VS EDM. While this may work for some selective scenes, not everyone is into techno/tech-house or EDM today because each subculture has filled in and has its own genuine following. Unfortunately, gone are the days where we had classic electronic anthems of trance, acid, techno, and house, creating shared moments that everyone enjoyed- and there wasn't this battle of culture.
Now that the likes of Jones, Solomun, and Black Coffee are coming to town, it sort of breeds a sense of in-authenticity with many of the commenters saying things such as "finally, underground is coming to the strip".. It's as if some of these folks have never been in a thriving scene before. Furthermore, you have articles promoting this move by using the term headiness, deeper, darker, etc.. Not only that, the article even champions Solomun as a "hipster house favorite".
Now, while many young djs might not understand the importance of this, as they are still finding their way into the industry, I am more thinking of the overall cultural impact that a move like this can have.
I am not saying that this move can't work, nor am I against it; on the contrary. What I am merely saying is that certain things will need to happen in order for Vegas to finally emerge as a thriving dance music scene:
1- you can't promote a newness by saying things like "Wynn Las Vegas wants to be the first to welcome the headiest of dance fans into its mega-club folds". Countering a long standing EDM scene in Vegas shouldn't be by using phrases like "a major sonic shift of headiness fans"- this will create more of divide in an already shaky atmosphere, and possibly RUIN a perfect opportunity... You must create a BALANCE between the two extreme sounds of EDM/Tech-house...
2- vegas strip promoters are going to have to go downtown and hand pick the veteran underground djs and help them rise to the mainstream, so that they can in-turn and look back and help up and coming djs from downtown.
3- down town djs are going to have to stop throwing shade at the strip and take this as an opportunity to NOT get rid of EDM, but create a place for quality club music to also thrive on the strip... We have to help our artists thrive, not keep them in the underground forever....
Your thoughts...
The tide of dance music has been turning. Fans who once flocked to bright neon lights and big room drops now seek deeper, darker sounds, and while Las Vegas will always be home to all that glitters, Wynn Las Vegas wants to be the first to welcome the headiest of dance fans into its megaclub folds.
In 2018, the nightlife brand welcomes leaders of the underground tech house revolution with exclusive residencies from Solomun, Jamie Jones and Black Coffee. It's a major sonic shift for the Strip, and one Wynn's managing partner Alex Cordova thinks can only bolster a growing segment of American dance fans.
“These first-ever tech house residencies on the Strip will showcase three of the biggest names in the genre,” Cordova says in a press release. "Tech house continues to rise in popularity in the United States and abroad, and we look forward to bringing and expanding this music style into our programming.”
Solomun's +1 parties have been a huge hit in Ibiza for years, and its U.S. expansion tour in 2017 made him a hipster house favorite. Jamie Jones has been one of the underground's leading DJs since the mid-2000s, and his label Hot Creations has made him a tastemaker beyond the decks. Black Coffee helped put South Africa on the dance floor map and blew up so hard last year, we had to name him one of our DJs who dominated in 2017.
The three selectors are true purveyors of groundbreaking sound and style, and they join Wynn's roster of mainstream stars, including The Chainsmokers, Diplo and Afrojack in 2018. Visit Wynn online for tickets and more information.
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