Marquee Nightclub's one-year anniversary rings in new year with performances by Avicii, Kaskade.
By Sam Hendrick
Kaskade celebrates New Year's Eve at Marquee Nightclub in Las Vegas
Photo: Ethan Miller/ Getty Images
Two years ago, we probably wouldn't be writing this story. In fact, nobody would be. But dance music has taken Sin City by storm so rapidly that it's simply impossible to ignore.
Last year drew America's largest EDM festival to Las Vegas. And with it came a core of A-list international acts passing through town and calling many of the city's hottest venues home, turning America's Playground into what some called America's Ibiza. As the American palate skews ever toward dance, Las Vegas club life is healthier than ever.
MTV News ventured back to the desert to celebrate the one-year anniversary of Marquee Nightclub and further prove that this EDM mecca is not only thriving but poised to smash 2012.
"I think it's only fitting that we ended the year with two amazing artists [Kaskade and Avicii]," said Jason Strauss, owner and co-founder of Strategic Group, the entity behind Marquee, Tao and LAVO. "To have an explosive partner artist like Tim [Avicii] to be with us is going to be historic for us and really tie in this whole year the way it should be".
Marquee certainly has reason to celebrate. In just one year, it's been able to obtain a power lineup of residencies from the likes of Above & Beyond, ATB, Benny Benassi, Chuckie, Dirty South, Erick Morillo, Kaskade, Markus Schulz and Redfoo. Add Hardwell and a half dozen new DJs to the 2012 lineup, along with cutting-edge sight and sound, and it's clear that Marquee has planted a flag in the upper echelon of the Vegas EDM scene.
"I really like the club feeling of Marquee," Avicii (born Tim Bergling) said prior to his set. "The production is amazing and that kind of creates a really unique vibe from the DJ perspective."
This past weekend, the mega venue started off in high gear with a staggering 12-hour set from Kaskade, followed by an anniversary show from Avicii, who just a couple of years ago, couldn't even buy a lady a drink.
"I had my first gig at Wet Republic about two years ago and they wouldn't even let me into the club," he recalled. "They had two guards escort me to the DJ booth and then straight off because of alcohol and everything."
Avicii and a slew of other influential players have partnered with some of the world's premier venues to bring EDM into the heart of American cool culture.
"It's been big all throughout America, but I think this is where you can really see it because you get the biggest DJs in the world playing here every week," Avicii said. "I don't know any other place that has the same lineups that Vegas does."
"Everyone goes there. People from all kinds, all sorts, they like all kinds of music," Fedde le Grand recently told MTV News. "It's very important that dance music is in Vegas because people from all around come. Especially with dance music, you have to experience it to really get it."
EDM's influence in Vegas has become so prominent that the city has declared an official holiday honoring one of the genre's biggest names. Mayor Carolyn Goodman has issued a proclamation officially declaring January 2, 2012, "deadmau5 Day" in the City of Las Vegas, marking the date deadmau5 launched his exclusive partnership with Wynn Las Vegas.
Do you plan to be in Vegas in 2012? Tell us which EDM artist you'd like to see while in Sin City in the comments below!
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