Night Life Guru

Ryan Raddon has already been riding the waves of a successful career. The Chicago-born, Orange County-based DJ/producer better known as Kaskade is about to crest its newest ripple, a summer residency at the new Encore Beach Club beginning May 30.Las Vegas Weekly caught up with him again to chat about his new gig, recent album release, and his request for towels in the DJ booth.

You could probably get a residency anywhere in the world. Why choose Las Vegas?

I love Las Vegas! C’mon, who doesn’t love Las Vegas? (Laughing.) I mean, maybe in the month of August it’s a little tough to love Las Vegas, but nah. Once the guys over at the Wynn showed me the plans for the Encore Beach Club… it’s a pool, but this thing is humongous! It’s like a nightclub/pool experience. I was like, “Not only do I want to come once a month, I want to make my own night. I want to do my own party. I want to do something. Let’s make it happen.”

Do you have any plans yet for dealing with the heat of the Vegas summers?

Lots of water. That’s the extent of my plan right there.

With so many gigs back to back at the same venue, are you worried you’ll fall into a pattern or get bored? What do you think you can do to keep it interesting for not only the crowd but for you?

I have a feeling that this party is going to be so rockin’ that I’m not going to have to worry about being bored. I’m hoping so. But that’s my feeling and that’s kind of the feedback. If it’s really boring? I don’t know. There’s always ways to keep it interesting.

How did the collaboration with Tiësto come about for the track “Only You”?

He’s been a supporter of my music for a while… He was in Los Angeles and the timing was perfect. I was working on a record and he literally called me up: “Hey man, let’s do something about it. I know we’ve talked about it a couple of times.” And I said, “Dude, I have a vocal right here that I’m not totally sure which direction I’m supposed to go with it.” … He said, “Yeah, let me take a crack at it.” … He sent it back to me a week later and he’d done a bunch of stuff to it and I was like, “This is amazing! Finish it up, this direction is awesome!”

What’s your personal favorite track on the album?

I like “Call Out” a lot. “All That You Give” also. But I love “Dynasty,” and that’s why I named the record that. I wrote that song first.

For the rest of the interview click here!