Mark Ronson, French Montana open Las Vegas Strip residencies
Mark Ronson was in the eye of a couple of hurricanes on the Las Vegas Strip on Saturday night. The hitmaker who teamed with Bruno Mars on the instant funk classic “Uptown Funk” opened his DJ residency at On The Record at Park MGM.
Ronson served as the incidental soundtrack for actress Chloe Grace Moretz’s 22nd birthday inside the club. She’s starring in “Greta,” Neil Jordan’s thriller, due in March. Moretz hit the club with her brother, Colin, at a party at the club’s Rolls Royce DJ booth (yes, it has a Rolls Royce DJ booth). The birthday contingent then moved to the main room to check out Ronson.
Earlier, the star DJ attended Lady Gaga’s “Enigma” production at the Park Theater, as she performed “Shallow,” the song on which Ronson collaborated and has been honored with a Golden Globe and Critics Choice award. The song is also nominated for an Academy Award.
Another hot figure in the music industry, singer-songwriter Rita Ora, swung into the club, post-Gaga.
Ronson is a key headliner for On The Record, which opened in late-December. He’s scheduled to DJ 12 dates this year. To find him, go to the Rolls and make a left.
Drai’s gets French
French Montana, the busy rapper/songwriter/producer, kicked off a two-year “global” residency with Drai’s Nightclub on Sunday night. He’s set to headline at the club at the Cromwell and also Drai’s in Dubai through 2020.
Montana’s Sunday night, debut performance will be followed up with dates on the Strip on Feb. 16 and March 16, with additional dates to be announced. His Drai’s Dubai dates, too, are yet to be made public, in case you’re planning a trip to that sandy playground.
Last fall, Montana released the first single off his upcoming album, “No Stylist” (featuring superstar rapper Drake).
“It has been amazing performing in Dubai and Las Vegas over the years – the vibe and crowd is always electric,” Montana said in a statement. “I look forward to this global residency and a new place to call home in both these cities.”
Said club founder Victor Drai: “We are thrilled to have French Montana join our outstanding cast of resident artists. We know his style and energy will light up the Drai’s LIVE stage and deliver our guests unforgettable shows.”
Wynn’s Guy
Wynn Nightlife has added a trailblazer in the underground sub-genre of electronic dance music, Guy Gerber, to its two-year residency lineup. Gerber, out of Tel Aviv, Israel, pilots the international party series “Rumors.”
Gerber’s impact is effectively charted in the release announcing the residency: “The underground wonderland began on the remote sandy beaches of Ibiza and has become a global phenomenon traveling to Mykonos, Los Angeles, New York, Tel Aviv, Sardinia, Tulum and an array of exotic locations.”
Wynn Nightlife Managing Partner Alex Cordova says, “We are excited to bring Guy Gerber’s ‘Rumors’ to the forefront of Las Vegas culture and join our exceptional lineup of top acts. We are continuing our commitment to provide new and unique experiences to our guests by highlighting underground distinctive sounds from around the world.” The Ibiza Spotlight described “Rumors” as “a place close to Shangri-la or any other sort of imaginary paradise.”
Wynn has embraced the underground techno scene with its Art of the Wild series, which runs March 22-24 at XS Nightclub, Encore Beach Club and Encore Beach Club at Night.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His PodKats podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.
