We all know the nightlife business can be a finicky beast, with most venues having a shelf-life that can be counted down like an expiration date on a carton of milk. That’s one of the reasons the re-emergence of the Palms Casino Resort’s RAIN Nightclub over the last year is so impressive. With almost a decade under its belt since the “Real World” cast set-up shop in the casino, RAIN has re-emerged as a weekend force to be reckoned with, buoyed by last year’s addition of Saturday’s Perfecto Vegas, the production-driven, out-of-this-world (literally) experience created to host world-renowned DJ Paul Oakenfold’s first residency in North America. With an average guest count that hovers above the 3,000-mark each week, Perfecto proved that if you build it, people will come. But the Palms and operating partner, the N9NE Group, weren’t content with making RAIN a once-a-week destination, and went back to the well to sign celebrity mash-up specialist Adam Goldstein, also known as DJ AM, to an exclusive Las Vegas residency for every Friday night in RAIN.
It’s not Goldstein’s first Vegas residency; he had previously manned the turntables at the uber-popular PURE Nightclub, back when he and Nicole Richie were a gossip magnet, and before the plane crash that left him and drummer Travis Barker with third-degree burns. But this is a little different. With the PURE marketing machine mostly silenced since the exodus that followed the IRS raid, the new residency at RAIN will allow DJ AM to play to the masses rather than the celebrities hanging nearby at VIP tables.
“We anticipate that he will draw fans from all over the world,” says N9NE managing member Michael Morton. “DJ AM is an extremely driven and talented individual, which are some of the characteristics that attest to the flourishing success which surrounds his name today.” Goldstein is also excited about his new swanky Vegas digs, noting that the N9NE Group’s committment to diversified music was one reason he inked the deal: “[It] gives me the assurance that I’ve made the right decision.” He also realizes eyes are on him with this new deal, and he welcomes the challenge it offers. “I look forward to further making my mark in Las Vegas and transforming Sin City into a global music destination,” he says. With two of the biggest DJs in their respective genres, it looks like the rain of traffic and dollars will continue to pour in the desert for some time to come.