Music in Vegas 2013: Zedd, Def Leppard, Diplo, Boys II Men, more

By Randall Roberts

Jan. 7, 2013 12 AM PT

Those looking for further evidence that electronic dance music has consolidated its power on the Las Vegas Strip need look no further than Monday’s announcement of 2013 residencies at the Wynn Las Vegas. A veritable feast of electronic dance music producers and DJs will appear at the upscale casino’s clubs Surrender, Tryst, XS and Encore Beach Club, including Bassnectar, Skrillex, Diplo, Nero, AVICII, David Guetta, will.i.am, Afrojack, Rusko and Madeon, among dozens of others.

Wynn’s stacked roster shows continued commitment by the casino to lure a fast-living, big-spending all-night dance crowd, the kind that made hot spots out of Ibiza, Berlin and Miami.

But it’s not just at the Wynn, of course. The Cosmopolitan’s Marquee club in 2013 will see the continued presence of EDM regulars, such as Benny Benassi, Marcus Schultz and Kaskade.

Mandalay Bay is also designing a new club from scratch called Light, which is slated to open in March. The hook: It’s the first ever space created by Cirque du Soleil. As such, it will be a sort of 360-degree experience, as if fans were able to jump into “The Beatles’ Love” and dance with the cast.

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In a statement accompanying the announcement, Cirques founder Guy Laliberté envisioned that Light would “serve as a laboratory, very much like our special events and projects have done in the past, for different and new artistic possibilities.”

Among others, Light will open with a number of impressive residencies. Though no dates have been announced, the club will feature producer Zedd, best known for his work with Lady Gaga and, most recently, Justin Bieber on the track “Beauty and a Beat.” Producer and DJ Bauer, a member of Diplo’s Mad Decent posse, should serve as a gauge to determine whether the nascent “trap” subgenre can move booties on the Vegas strip.

Light’s biggest coup so far, however, appears to be the American residency debut of Sebastian Ingrosso, a member of superstar DJ team Swedish House Mafia. The Mafia, which announced a hiatus in 2012, is responsible for mega-dance events the world over, and Ingrosso’s sets should sprout wings with Cirque involved (perhaps literally).

Fans uninterested in thumping the night away with EDM can take solace: Venues are also booking a steady supply of legacy acts for extended residencies, including Santana (House of Blues), Rod Stewart (Caesars Palace), Tim McGraw and Faith Hill (Venetian), Def Leppard (Hard Rock Hotel) and Boys II Men (the Mirage).

But the biggest names so far will appear at Wynn properties. In addition to the aforementioned dance DJs, the casino’s clubs will host crunk king Lil Jon, R&B;/hip-hop producer Jermaine Dupri, LMFAO partier Red Foo and dubstep master Rusko.

Still not satisfied? Celine Dion is at Caesars Palace and “Jersey Shore’s” Pauly D is at the Aria. Have fun.

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Follow Randall Roberts on Twitter: @liledit