Las Vegas Weekly

A legend in his own time

Las Vegas mourns DJ AM

DJ AM spins a set at Rain.

Photo: Joe Fury/N9NE Group

If anything substantial is known about DJ AM’s untimely death and discovery, little more is being reported than that which can be found on TMZ or any of the myriad sites devoted to the lives of celebrities; we will leave you in their hands for the gossip, or you can read up here for a more local spin.

But suffice it to say Las Vegas is positively heartbroken over the loss of DJ AM, for though he was world-renowned, Adam Goldstein had very quickly became a Las Vegan through his years of residencies at Pure and Rain and the many close friendships he forged within the Vegas nightlife industry.

“We are deeply saddened by the news of DJ AM’s passing,” says Michael Morton, managing member and co-founder of the N9NE Group, in a statement. “He was not only our resident DJ at Rain Nightclub inside the Palms Casino Resort, he was also our brother in music. His impact was felt immediately and will have a lasting effect on all who had the chance to experience ‘AM Fridays.’  He is a gifted and talented artist who changed the international music scene and helped make Las Vegas one of the DJ capitals of the world. He will be dearly missed.”

While N9NE Group says it will announce a permanent replacement for AM’s Friday-night residency at Rain in about four weeks’ time, his September 4 gig will be taken over by DJ Jazzy Jeff, who frequently appeared side by side with his friend AM. In the meantime, a formal tribute to AM will take place on September 18 at Rain.

“One thing is for sure,” says former Pure Management Group director of promotions Steven Klimaski, “the world’s lost a great person and a great talent. In Las Vegas, within the industry and certain social circles, I feel we lost a marquee resident DJ and most importantly a friend.”

Though this holiday weekend is shaping up to be sunny and warm, we expect a cloud of loss to hang over Vegas for some time.