The Chainsmokers: 'Setting Fires' at Wynn Las Vegas | Vegas Seven, Seven Nights | Jan. 12-18, 2017

FREE January 12-18, 2017

Chuckie

WHAT TO DO AFTER DARK IN LAS VEGAS

By Mark Adams

THURSDAY 12 DANCE: L.A.-based DJ and producer Borgeous arrives at Hakkasan “From Cali With Love” tonight to sling some house-heavy beats. 10:30 p.m., $20-$30 TASTE: A decade ago, New York staple Rao’s opened in Caesars Palace. What better way to celebrate than at its 10-year anniversary dinner, featuring classics from the veteran restaurant’s menu? 6:30 p.m., $150

FRIDAY 13 HEAR: Tonight should be a marvelous night for a “Moondance,” with the stars in your eyes at The Colosseum. In this case, that star is Van Morrison himself.

8 p.m., $106.50-$257 DANCE: A-Trak has been up to quite a bit since his “Barbra Streisand” hit under the Duck Sauce moniker, most recently collaborating with Phantogram and even producing for Yeezy.

Catch him at XS. 10 p.m., $20-$30 TASTE: CraftHaus Brewery gets superstitious with its Firkin Friday the 13th tapping, when the brewery will release its Blackstar Black IPA. Hungry, too? The Dude Where’s My Hot Dog food truck will be there to satisfy your buzzed munchie needs. 6 p.m.

EXPERIENCE: Funny Lady Blanche DeBris hosts a local burlesque show at Baobab Stage at Town Square. Catch Buttercup, Kitschy Koo and more at what’s sure to be a sultry night of tantalizing entertainment. 9 p.m., $20-$25

SATURDAY 14 HEAR: Styx wraps up its “Renegades in the Fast Lane” limited engagement at The Venetian, with former Eagle Don Felder in tow. 8 p.m, $60-$195 DANCE: Local EDM events producer RVLTN celebrates its three-year anniversary with dubstep DJ and producer Excision at The Joint. 7 p.m., $45-$50 EXPERIENCE: Las Vegas Little Theatre presents its production of Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music on its main stage. 8 p.m., $21-$24

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SUNDAY 15 HEAR: Led by former Escape the Fate frontman Ronnie Radke, Las Vegas-based Falling In Reverse plays the House of Blues with support from Issues and Motionless In White.

5 p.m., $27.50 DANCE: It might be mid-January, but it’s always warm enough for a splash bash at Marquee’s Dayclub Dome. Grab your swimsuit and hit the club’s Nighttime Pool Party featuring DJ Ruckus.

10:30 p.m, $23-$32 TASTE: Get your final taste of Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill on the restaurant’s final night of service at The Cosmopolitan. 5 p.m.-1 a.m.

MONDAY 16 HEAR: You’ve had your pick of great live shows all weekend. How about taking to the mic yourself for a change?

Do just that at The Bunkhouse Saloon’s Monday Night Karaoke. 10 p.m.

DANCE: Join Professor Rex Dart and the Bargain DJ Collective during their weekly show at Double Down Saloon. A shot of Ass Juice, anyone? 10 p.m.

L ADY BL ANCHE PHOTO BY GINGER BRUNER

Top: Lady Blanche DeBris; Bottom: Borgeous

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TUESDAY 17 HEAR: It’s opening night of Motown the Musical at The Smith Center. The production, which tells the story of Motown music mogul Berry Gordy, features favorites such as “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and “My Girl.”

7:30 p.m., $29-$127 DANCE: English DJ and producer Burns returns to Omnia. If you haven’t heard his own stuff, you’ve definitely heard his production work; recent credits include Britney Spears’ “Make Me” collaboration with G-Eazy. 10:30 p.m., $20-$30 EXPERIENCE: Reeeeeeeebels! Cheer on UNLV at the Thomas & Mack Center, where the Runnin’ Rebels take on the San Diego State Aztecs. 7 p.m., $20-$140

WEDNESDAY 18 HEAR: Another former Eagle takes the stage in Las Vegas this week, as Joe Walsh plays an installment of his House of Blues limited engagement.

7 p.m., $50-$225 DANCE: Get your feet ready. Fusing Latin music elements, EDM, trap and dancehall, Chuckie’s show at Surrender is sure to be a high-energy one. 10:30 p.m., $27-$40 TASTE: Wednesdays mean one thing at local booze haven Khoury’s Fine Wine & Spirits: a weekly tapping of new and exciting brews. 6 p.m. 7

FANNING THE FIRE ON THE HEELS OF CHART-TOPPING RECORDS AND GRAMMY NODS, THE CHAINSMOKERS LAUNCH A THREE-YEAR RESIDENCY AT WYNN LAS VEGAS

By Mark Adams Photography David Becker

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AFTER being asked what the Las Vegas nightlife market is currently missing, Alex Pall and

Andrew Taggart of The Chainsmokers have some trouble coming up with answers. The DJ/producer duo has been behind the booth on the Strip since around the time they first went platinum in 2014, so for them to focus on the opulence, above-industry-standard production value and top-notch hospitality of the city’s nightclubs is understandable.

After a brief pause, they each rattle off amusing responses: “Sober nights,” jests Taggart, with Pall humorously opting for “a moral compass.” Fans might expect these answers from the party-friendly pair. But after an exclusive Vegas Seven chat with them just hours before they kicked off their threeyear Wynn Las Vegas residency, it was apparent that Pall and Taggart weren’t just embracing Sin City stereotypes—they also respect the scene, and are genuinely excited to continue their role as Las Vegas headliners.

Joining the ranks of returning Wynn residents such as David Guetta and Diplo, The Chainsmokers launched their extended engagement at XS Nightclub January 6, walking out to Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” in a debut reminiscent of ringside introductions reserved for boxing and MMA greats.

The thing is, if any sonic beat-slinging heavyweights deserve such an over-the-top introduction after 2016, it’s The Chainsmokers. Not only did the duo best former reigning dance king Calvin Harris with more Billboard Top 10 hits this year—“Roses (featuring Rozes),” “Don’t Let Me Down (featuring Daya)” and “Closer (featuring Halsey)” all hit multiple-platinum status, the latter holding Billboard’s top spot for 12 weeks—but they also scored a trio of Grammy nominations, including the coveted nod for best new artist.

What followed their Slim Shady start at XS was a set chock-full of danceable tracks, nostalgic throwbacks and a sprinkling of those songs that have kept The Chainsmokers atop the charts all year long, all augmented by the duo’s vibrant stage presence.

Taggart is definitely the hype man, jumping onto the booth to scream into the mic and taking time for selfies with booth-bombing fans, but Pall’s blatant excitement for the music and everything that was going on around him was just as fun to watch.

The energy at the club was palpable—you could tell anyone within earshot was having a night to remember, from the iPhone-wielding millennials to the Gen X moms and dads fist-bumping with cocktails in their hands.

“With Vegas, we try to be part of the party,” Pall says. “It’s definitely a performance, but we want to be on the same vibe as everybody else, so we treat it a little differently.” 7 Catch the Chainsmokers at XS on January 14 and February 3, and read our interview with the duo in this issue of Vegas Seven, on pages 16-18.

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Mid-Winter

Daylife

Partying outside in the winter has

become a standard for Marquee at The Cosmopolitan as the Dayclub Dome continues its third season.

The dome towers 50 feet above the dance floor and shields the entire 22,000-square-foot pool club from the elements. Moreover, the heating system ensures a dependable 80-90 degrees at all times, allowing Marquee Dayclub to book top talent all year long.

Marquee’s Dayclub Dome is open from 11:30 a.m.–6 p.m. every Saturday till mid-March. Cover at the door is $45 for men and $25 for ladies (although that can change depending on who is performing); tickets purchased online at marqueelasvegas.com are sometimes cheaper in advance. The Weekend All Access wristband ($80 men, $30 ladies) grants unlimited entry to the Dome as well as Marquee Nightclub on Friday and Saturday.

Upcoming talent on Saturdays includes Vice (Jan. 14), TJR (Jan. 21), Shaun Frank (Jan. 28) and Jermaine Dupri (Feb. 4). If you’re looking to include Marquee Dayclub in your Sunday Funday, Thomas Jack and Mike Attack will be under the Dome on January 15 and 22, respectively.

Following the success of the Dayclub Dome’s firstever nighttime pool party on New Year’s Day, Marquee will host select holiday Sunday nighttime parties beginning Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, as well as daytime NFL viewing parties starting January 7 and leading up to the Super Bowl on February 5.

Looking further out, Marquee Dayclub Dome will once again host Insomniac Events’ Halfway to EDC party on an as-yet-unannounced date (it’s usually in February). This celebration of the summer’s largest dusk-tilldawn EDM festival has been known to offer the same creativity as the Insomniac party it honors. For example, last year, attendees were greeted by dancers in clown makeup and bright pink corsets, while other entertainers donned giant red and white butterfly wings. In addition to the colorful characters running about, extra LED screens are installed around and above the crowd.

This party also doesn’t skimp on musical talent; last year’s affair saw eight DJs on deck each day, including Jauz and Dash Berlin, representing several styles of EDM. Insomniac outdoes itself in its mission to reflect the same festival environment that fills the Las Vegas Motor Speedway at the end of June. For those who want to feel as if they’re front row at EDC’s main stage right now, this is your chance. 7

[ NIGHT-LITES ]

Courtesy of Marquee’s Dayclub Dome

By John Carr

Photography Amit Dadlaney

Formerly Momentus, Collective Zoo Brings Zoology to Downtown Events Center Breaking in new venues is something you should expect by now from Mike Uriarte, CEO of Collective Zoo (formerly Momentus Entertainment). Last fall, the electronic music outfit brought SoundYard to Place on 7th. To kick off the company’s new image in the New Year, the Zoo will collaborate with MNTRA (of Techno Taco Tuesday fame) and Funkhaus with Zoology (8 p.m.-1 a.m., collectivezoo.com), three Fridays of beats at the Downtown Events Center, all of which are 18 to enter and 21 to drink.

Zoology launched on January 6 with Billy Kenny and Bixel Boys. On January 13, check out Ekali and Sleepy Tom, and on the 20th, expect to see Dirtybird’s Will Clarke and Shiba San, who has come into his own after releasing “Okay,” arguably one of the best songs of summer 2014. Tickets are $20 plus fees, but if you’re overcome with anxiety about which night to choose, a $30 season pass will grant you admission to all three nights.

Under the 20,000-square-foot tent, guests 21 and over can also purchase an all-night, all-you-candrink wristband for $30, but only from 8–9 p.m.—a compelling reason to get there early. –J.C.

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Wealthy

Healthy, Jackie McMahan

As a cocktail server at Marquee Nightclub, McMahan definitely knows her way around spirits and mixers, but after a bit of continuing education, she has turned her childhood culinary passion into a career. She notes that, “When I started in the nightlife industry, I was making money, but thought, ‘I’m not going to be stupid and be one of those girls who blows it on shoes and handbags, I’m gonna get a degree.’” And with that, McMahan enrolled in culinary school at the Art Institute of Las Vegas, met ex-NFL player and Harvard MBA Gerome Sapp and became his executive chef and managing partner at Health Binge (6040 Badura Ave., tryhealthbinge.com). There McMahan offers 61 ready-made G-BOMB meals (think Greens, Beans, Onions, Mushrooms, Berries and seeds), which, the chef explains, are “the most nutrient-dense and health-promoting foods on the planet.” The recently opened storefront has already become a nightlife-industry staple in its first weeks of operations just before the holidays.

Jesse Waits

Having spent his entire adult life as a pillar of the nightlife industry, Waits knows a thing or two about time management. “When I worked at Wynn [running nightclubs XS and Tryst], I would take my meetings during the day and carve out two hours every evening to slip away and train,” Waits says. He received that instruction from Brazilian jiujitsu master Sergio Penha and alongside MMA greats such as Stephan Bonnar. It is the “intellectual discipline” of the sport that Waits says helps him “re-center and keep grounded, [both] inside and to Vegas.” Today, Waits is a purple belt who trains four to five times each week. It is to this practice that Waits attributes his success and what allows him to focus on bringing unique culinary and nightlife offerings to the Alon project, which is currently slated to open in 2018 on the Strip across from Wynn.

THESE NIGHTLIFE PERSONALITIES ARE KEEPING UP WITH THEIR RESOLUTIONS TO BE FIT IN THE NEW YEAR

& WISE

A

Brian Affronti and Ryan Michael Craig

This duo first united at Tabu Ultra Lounge in MGM Grand, and then again at XS and Tryst in Wynn, where Affronti served as GM to both venues and Craig was the director of VIP services and customer development. From there, the two opened Drai’s Beach Club & Nightclub and a remodeled Afterhours in The Cromwell as managing partners. Surprisingly, their next move was to launch Downtown Summerlin’s fitness studio, TruFusion (trufusion.com), which was conceived to have a superior sound system and high-end spalike amenities. Affronti explains this crossover better than anyone, saying, “I believe nightlife and health and wellness are lifestyle-type products. Nightlife excites people and drives them to go out, and it also motivates them to be healthy. We see yoga, in particular, as a major focus today.” As Craig points out, TruFusion is also about establishing “a sense of a community. [The nightlife] industry used to hang out at the gym. It was very social, but over the last year or two, there has been this big push for more group fitness and losing the weights. [TruFusion] allows people to achieve their goals together.” 7

t first glance, there may not seem to be much of an intersection of health and nightlife. But several local denizens are truly engaged in both worlds. And when you dig deeper, there’s a natural correlation: Nightlife is an industry fueled by good looks and late nights, yet crafting one’s image and recharging for the evenings ahead takes a significant amount work and focus. Whether it’s Alon’s experience curator (yes, that $2 billion project is still moving forward without investor James Packer) rising through the jiujitsu ranks, one of Marquee’s top cocktailers launching a healthful mealprep storefront or industry veterans opening a megaworkout emporium in Downtown Summerlin—these clubbers know the right way to work hard and play hard.

By David Morris Photography Anthony Mair

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[ CLUB TOUR ]

DRAI’S BEACH CLUB & NIGHTCLUB

IN THE CROMWELL

By Kat Boehrer

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YOUR TOUR GUIDE: CINDY NIENSIRI Cindy Niensiri has been a cocktail server at Drai’s Beach Club & Nightclub since February 2015, so she has the inside scoop on the best parts of the rooftop destination that you most definitely should not miss. Her job duties include preparing her tables with the correct menu for the night and her service station with all the tools she’ll need.

Once the doors open, she welcomes her customers and helps to create the most poppin’ party possible. “It's not your typical ‘sit behind a desk’ job,” Niensiri says. “We are constantly moving and ON DECK entertaining our guests.”

Drai’s Beach Club & Nightclub The Cromwell draislv.com Instagram: @draislv

Niensiri’s favorite acts include DJ Esco, Zeds Dead, Sour Milk, Party Favor and more. However, Drai’s brings in a variety of entertainers, from the usual-suspect DJs to pop stars, rappers and more. According to Niensiri, “Coming to Drai’s is not only being in a nightclub with some big-name DJ; you’re also getting a live concert experience. There is no other venue setup like it.”

A POOL SEASON MUST-TRY

OPPOSITE PAGE BY JOE FURY; NIENSIRI BY JESSE J SUTHERL AND; COCKTAIL BY TONY TRAN; CELEBRITIES COURTESY OF DRAI’S

SAVE THE DATE Steel Panther returns on January 19, bringing their hilarious rock performance back to the stage at Drai’s Nightclub. Machine Gun Kelly and D.R.A.M. currently have new tracks on radio rotation and will make their Drai’s debuts on January 22 and 28, respectively. Hip-hop heads can rejoice, because Big Sean will perform on February 4, one day after his I Decided. album release.

Fans will get to see Sean before he goes on tour, beginning on March 17 in Houston.

Naturally, a phenomenal beverage menu is expected of such a high-profile venue. Niensiri says, “If I had to choose one cocktail, it would be [Drai’s Beach Club’s] famous Drai’s Lemonade. It contains strawberries, raspberry vodka, grenadine, cranberry and lemonade.”

Thinking outside the glass, bottle presentations sound pretty sweet, too.

“The Drai’s Dolls come out with sparklers or flashing lights,” Niensiri says. “We also play dress-up. For example, if our customers are football players, we may dress up in jerseys and surround their table with their bottles, dance and smile and use confetti poppers—basically drawing the club’s attention to them, celebrating their order with them and making them feel special.”

PEOPLE-WATCHING

SOCIAL LIFE

Drai’s is also known to bring the best of the A-list to its nightly parties. Catch reality stars and musicians alongside famed athletes and comedians—all partying the night away at the sky-high mid-Strip destination. Niensiri lists off some celebrities who have enjoyed their time at the venue: “Off the top of my head: Khloé Kardashian, Kourtney Kardashian, Karrueche Tran, Nicki Minaj, Trey Songz, Kevin Hart, Future, The Weeknd, TMT (a.k.a. The Money Team), Big Sean, the Golden State Warriors, the Sacramento Kings … I could go on and on.”

In addition to following @draislv, Instagram addicts can search using certain hashtags to get an inside look at the nights people won’t remember, yet will never forget: #DraisLV, #DraisNightclubLV, #SunDrais and #DraisLIVE. Niensiri says that the best spots for photo ops are front and center: “Right when you are walking in, there are posters with all of our artists. Also, out on the pool deck overlooking the Strip. There’s no other club in Las Vegas that can give you a rooftop party like we can!” 7

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