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It\u2019s hard to imagine a time when Peso Pluma and Bad Bunny weren\u2019t in deep rotation in Vegas nightclubs. But roughly six years ago, Olivier Sanchez, also known as DJ Exile, couldn\u2019t dream of it.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was really weird to hear reggaeton and Latin music in big rooms. There was no scene. It was always underground,\u201d Olivier says. \u201cThere was no Latin Downtown. You would hear DJs play it in their sets, but a focused Latin night? Nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n
At the time, Sanchez was one of the only Vegas DJs spearheading Latin music nights in the local scene. He soon developed a reputation for spinning Latin-exclusive parties, capturing the interest of Arnol Aguilar, who he met at Tequila & Turntables, a DJ competition at the former Hyde Bellagio.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnything that was Latin, Exile\u2019s name was already on it. Whether it was a Latin Grammy weekend or if it was a pop-up with House of Blues or something like that, Exile was literally always involved,\u201d says Aguilar. \u201cIt was one of those steps that was like, this dude is crushing it. We gotta just emphasize it now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Aguilar and Sanchez went on to found Altura, an indomitable pillar of the Latin nightlife scene, incorporating an eclectic range of music across its branded parties from reggaeton to bachata. \u201cIt\u2019s the stuff that\u2019ll make you say, \u2018This isn\u2019t a Latin party. It\u2019s a party for Latinos,\u2019\u201d says Aguilar.<\/p>\n
The duo launched its first event in 2020 at Downtown\u2019s Discopussy. The following year, they moved down Fremont Street to Lucky Day, where Aguilar says Altura became the runaway success it is now.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was supposed to be a Tulum-inspired bar. Eventually the partnering manager hit us up and was like, \u2018You guys have officially changed the whole brand of Lucky Day. There\u2019s no way we\u2019re playing anything but Latin music here,\u2019\u201d Aguilar says.<\/p>\n
Since then Altura has grown stratospheric, launching a nationwide tour with its Planet Perreo party and licensing more parties to be hosted elsewhere. Aguilar and Sanchez were also tapped to curate acts for the Rumbazo Latin music fest in 2023, a testament to their exquisite taste.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe merengue, the real traditional Latin sounds, kids that are barely 21 still know those songs because I feel like as Latinos, we love our roots. It just felt like an authentic Latin party … We\u2019re not just trying to sell something. We grew up with it,\u201d Sanchez says. \u201cAlso, me and [Aguilar] are working DJs. He grew up in quincea\u00f1eras, playing underground parties, playing concerts. I grew up with the same thing. It\u2019s as authentic as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
That DJ connection also means you might hear mixes at an Altura party you\u2019ve never heard anywhere else. Aguilar says they\u2019ve been heavily inspired by the SoundCloud era of Latin music, when a lot of producers overseas didn\u2019t have access to YouTube.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019d upload their music to SoundCloud, and that\u2019s its own culture itself. That\u2019s how Bad Bunny was discovered,\u201d Aguilar says. \u201cExile would show me edits, and literally I\u2019d send him edits, and that\u2019s how our sound for Altura just started combining.\u201d<\/p>\n
The founders\u2019 roots explain why Altura parties have a duality, feeling mainstream and underground at the same time. Viva El Perreo, their reggaeton party that pops off at Neonopolis\u2019 new Substance club every Saturday, brims with classic cuts and sweaty dancing. In contrast, Altura\u2019s Baja Mundo is a carnival-style, Latin tech-house party. For a more traditional, regional Mexican party, the duo recommends La Pista, Saturday nights at Commonwealth.<\/p>\n
Aguilar and Sanchez say they\u2019re grateful for all the recognition Altura has received, but especially from their own culture. Convincing Latinos to come to a Latino party was never a tough sell, Sanchez says. It was getting everybody else on board. Now that Latin music has blown into the mainstream, the duo can keep focusing on making Altura even better.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t take it for granted, and we actually think about people\u2019s experience. We really, really do,\u201d Aguilar says. \u201cWe put a lot of thought into it, and we go back and forth internally to make the best show ever.\u201d<\/p>\n