Every time we blink, it seems like a new nightlife development emerges in Downtown Vegas. And for locals looking to dodge the chaos of the Strip in search of entertainment, this is a welcome trend.
Fremont Street already buzzes with an eclectic mix of venues, each contributing its own flavor to the city’s entertainment landscape. Within a few blocks, you’ll find some of the city’s most hyped dance sanctuaries: Commonwealth, Discopussy, Lucky Day, Oddfellows and We All Scream are just a few of the reliable Downtown institutions people flock to every weekend.
Substance is the newest player in this mix. Located on the second floor of the Neonopolis entertainment complex, the year-round venue is poised to grow into a central hub for music fans.
Behind Substance are Marcel Correa and Joe Borusiewicz, founders of RVLTN Events, a Vegas-based company that’s known for throwing some of the best electronic music-centered events throughout the year.
As locals, they had their community’s wants and needs at the forefront of the venue’s development. Through years of attending and coordinating countless events themselves, they recognized that they wanted to double down on fixing the problems inherent to clubgoing: venue accessibility, dress codes, parking and drink prices.
“Our goal with this project was to bring the high-end production of a Strip-based nightclub to a Downtown location,” the company told the Weekly in an email.
“Substance doesn’t chase, Substance attracts,” is the duo’s motto when it comes to capturing the essence of their vision. The venue will feature world-class DJs from the electronic and Latin realms, thanks to partnerships with heavy-hitting promoters Insomniac and Altura Presents.
While this is sure to add to the company’s impressive event portfolio, the independent ownership gives organizers even more freedom to book and host fresh acts. The owners say they’ll be looking to work with promoters in the area to widen the musical variety and showcase Mexican regional, rock, R&B and reggae acts.
“One of the areas where Substance will shine is a complete lack of genre limitations,” Borusiewicz says. “We feel genres are a thing of the past. At Substance, anything goes.”
Walking into Substance is meant to feel like you’re stepping into a dystopian dreamscape. The decor melds stripped-down architecture with a post-apocalypticwarehouse vibe within the 18,000-square-foot space. But you won’t lose your footing on the way to the dance floor, as the place boasts having one of the city’s biggest LED installations, a video wall towering over 100 feet that will act as a centerpiece at all events.
Opening night on July 12 set the stage with house music duo Walker & Royce followed by the debut of Altura Presents’ weekly Saturday night Latin event. The summer lineup promises an array of exciting acts, including LA’s hip-hop and Latin-influenced techno producer Boombox Cartel and dubstep DJ Crankdat.
“Substance is a venue created for Vegas locals, by Vegas locals. … We’ve incorporated and corrected everything we’ve learned through the years dealing with other venues as promoters, “ says Borusiewicz.
“This is only the beginning of what to expect from our group as we enter the hospitality space.”
SUBSTANCE Neonopolis, 702-751-7827, substancelv.com. Daily, 9 p.m.-2 a.m.
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