Alec Monopoly Brings Art and Dance Music Together With Residency at Wynn Las Vegas

^{Alec Monopoly performs during his debut show at XS Nightclub. (Photo: Wynn Nightlife)}

If you've walked through the Encore or Wynn Las Vegas, you might have already encountered Alec Monopoly's art without even realizing it. His signature painting style features the Monopoly man with bags of cash, Scrooge McDuck, and other wealthy cartoon characters, in a graffiti style. Some of that art hangs in the Eden Gallery, just steps from the entrance to the resort's famous XS Nightclub. 

The New York-born street artist is taking his presence at the Wynn to an entirely new level with a residency at XS Nightclub and Encore Beach Club at Night that launched on March 22. His artwork sells for thousands of dollars and is collected by celebrities, including Miley Cyrus and Snoop Dogg. He’s built a fine art career that has taken him around the world to places like Mykonos, London, and Miami. 

He's been building his second identity as a DJ, and during EDC Week (May 13-19), he'll headline with Diplo to kick off festivities for the giant festival that brings thousands to the city to enjoy dance music. That same day, his art will be showcased at Eden Gallery.

Alec Monopoly sat down with Casinos.com to discuss some of the excitement around his new residency with Wynn Nightlife and how he got here from being a fine artist.

"It's my goal to offer a 360 Alec Monopoly universe," he said, "with my art and music in the same casino at the same time."

From Graffiti Art to the Decks at Wynn

For most people, jumping into DJing after being a street artist might seem like a sharp career change. Alec says he felt like the worlds always worked well together. 

“It's funny because I used to be really into scratch DJing when I was 12,” he said. “But I put it on the back burner when I was really consumed by my graffiti and my art. Now that my art career is in such a good place, I've been able to give so much time and energy back into the music.”

His music career has brought him across the world to places that he would never have gone to unless he was performing. One of his notable occasions doing that was in Australia, where he both headlined a club and painted a mural of the Monopoly man on a street wall in Melbourne. 

The art and music worlds come together at the Wynn for Alec, especially since Eden Gallery sits across from the venue he’ll be playing at. On May 14, a guest can step out of his gallery and walk straight into his set at XS, or vice versa.

Dreams Come True in Vegas?

Playing at XS Nightclub is definitely not an easy room to land in. Its roster has featured artists like Calvin Harris, Deadmau5, Marshmello, and Avicii, placing it among the world's top nightclubs. Alec said that getting here really required a lot of patience and a willingness to grind in both his art and music careers.

 "I think the most prestigious places to play are either Vegas or Ibiza, so this was a long time coming. I've been working really hard," he said. "The DJ thing doesn't just happen overnight. I've had some challenges with becoming a well-known artist, but I've done the work, and I'm really excited for this." 

Alec tells us that he was actually already familiar with XS before he started performing there. Over the years, he collaborated with the club to paint live portraits of Avicii, Diplo, and Skrillex during their performances, bringing together his art style with the nightlife. He's also just a huge fan of XS and Wynn in general. 

"I think Wynn, in general, has had a deep tie with art,” he elaborated. “Even before my gallery was there, I was just always a fan of the art installations that were around the hotel. Now, the fact that my gallery will open there just makes so much sense. It's literally across from XS, so it kind of ties things together." 

His first show during his residency was on March 22, which he told us went amazingly well, given that it was on a Sunday night. Sundays at XS are known as industry nights where hospitality workers can come out to unwind after hectic weekends. It makes for a crowd that is there to have a good time in the same environments where they work, which Alec says he felt during his show.

 "I was nervous because it was the first show of my residency, and I wanted to show people my best self and best performance,” he said. “It wasn't even a big weekend in Las Vegas, but it was packed, and the tables were sold out. The dance floor was full, and I even got to play extra because it was just so much fun." 

Reading the Room for Different Crowds

If you spend any time chatting with Alec, you'll see that the attention to detail he puts in his art extends into his music as well.

He calls himself a true artist at heart, and he curates his sets specifically for each show with different remixes and edits. His style includes house music, tech house, and afro house, but he made it clear that different rooms require different approaches. 

“Vegas is a little bit more mainstream compared to playing in Ibiza," he said. "There are so many more tourists and hotel guests, so I play some sing-alongs, popular songs, and more iconic stuff."

When it comes to his plans for EDC Week, though, he does plan to shift gears with the approach. With so many people coming into the city for the festival, there's a different crowd who's coming specifically for the artists rather than just to go to a club and listen to some music. 

“EDC brings in more of a music-oriented crowd, so I'm definitely going to prepare a set that exhibits my original music,” he said. “This is one of the biggest festivals in the world, so it's definitely going to be a lot of work creating that and putting that together.”

Regardless of the crowd and where he's playing, Alec still uses the same approach of reading the room. He elaborated that it takes three songs to really get to know the crowd, and he’ll often adapt his sets depending on that night's vibe and what the crowd is enjoying most.

“I think the true art of being a good DJ is being able to read the room and see where people are at to keep everyone dancing,” he asserted.

Headlining During One of the Biggest Weeks in Vegas

For Alec’s performance on May 14, he'll be playing a set with Diplo, a big name in dance music who's been headlining at the Wynn for many years. You’d think the pressure would be on for a performance alongside him, but Alec says he's prepared for what he'll have to do. 

“I've known Diplo for years, so I have so much respect for him,” he said. “I know his vibe, and I've seen him play so much, so I'll definitely be able to cater to his audience and play for that crowd.”

It only helps that he feels right at home at XS, a place he's visited many times that’s “like no other club in Vegas.”

The outdoor part of XS Nightclub will be reopening after construction in time for his performance, giving the venue its full space open for people to enjoy one of the biggest weeks of the year. For those who really want to get into the Alec Monopoly universe, his Eden Gallery will be open on May 14 inside the Encore. 

It’s no understatement to say the electronic dance music world is highly saturated right now. But Alec Monopoly is one of the few artists who has been able to bring his successful art career into music with a home this year at the Wynn.