Las Vegas Weekly

Vegas’ DJ Alpyne off to the Winter Olympics

DJ Alpyne

Sin City will be well-represented at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, when Vegas’ own DJ Alpyne spins 18 consecutive nightly sets in the Champions’ Lounge, a hospitality suite located inside the Hilton Vancouver Airport. Each night—February 11-28, from 11 p.m.-2 a.m.—DJ Alpyne (aka Steve Johnston) will ply his trade as a video jockey, spinning tunes and vids for the conveyor belt of ever-changing event sponsors and attendees visiting the Richmond speed-skating oval, home to pretty much all events involving ice other than hockey.

A Vegas resident for more than six years, Alpyne has been spinning music videos almost exclusively for two of them, and appears regularly at the Foundation Room, Krave, Hawaiian Tropic Zone and Cadillac Ranch. Scouts searched the entire West Coast for a VJ who could take on the grueling challenge; Alpyne says: “It’s an honor to perform on the world stage at the Winter Olympics.” Of course, Alpyne, 32, had to submit to a thorough background check and vetting process. Luckily, he says, he has some wonderful references in his employers.

“It’s amazing, I never really thought about doing an event like this, on this scale,” he says. “Now that I’ve had a few months [to process it], it’s everything from the international recognition to the opportunity to be at an event that’s so much more than just playing ‘a big show’ ... it’s been amazing.”

Alpyne says he’ll be spinning high-energy Top 40 dance and house mixes, as well all-time party classics mixed with some hip-hop: “American music crosses more cultures than others cross ours.” Alpyne makes his debut following the opening ceremonies.