In The Studio With...
Frankie Anobile Rolls The Vegas Vibe
By Jim Tremayne
Published in the April 2003 issue of DJ Times Magazine
Volumn 16 - Number 4

There was a time when Las Vegas wasn’t considered a great club-music town. Not anymore.
Sin City is now rife with dancing options and, accordingly, the MGM Grand-operated Studio 54 presents its share. The weekly lineup includes nights of freaky behavior like EDEN – that’s Erotically Delicious Entertainer’s Night – plus DJ sets from local talent and global DJs
like Thunderpuss.

As the club’s musical director and top resident DJ, Frankie Anobile’s the man primarily responsible for 54’s successful variety. The 42-year-old New York City native, who also acts, remixes and produces, has turned the tourist-friendly club into a prime destination for booty-shakers looking to get loose to underground sounds. In fact, Studio 54 will host The Club Show’s launch party during its regular EDEN night on Tuesday, March 25. Additionally, The Club Show – which runs March 26-27 at the Riviera Hotel & Casino – has bestowed upon the 25-year DJ vet a Club World Award nomination in the “Best Resident DJ” category. We caught up with Anobile, who offered some vast clubland perspective.

DJ Times: What made you want to be a DJ?
Anobile: First, my brother Michael was playing around with loaned DJ equipment and I had an interest at that time, but I was completely convinced that I wanted to make it a career in 1977 listening to DJ Jim Burgess at Infinity, my favorite Manhattan club. One night he did this mix of Donna Summer’s “MacArthur Park” where he rode the a cappella intro over a USA-European Connection cut, a great two-minute mix. I couldn’t wait to try stuff like that.


DJ Times: What was your first DJ gig?
Anobile: Escapes, a heath-spa-turned-club in Long Island, N.Y. One slow Sunday night I remember remixing “Galaxy” by War for a half hour. The eight people there probably wanted to choke me.

DJ Times: What do you remember about the NYC club scene when you were growing up?
Anobile: Never hearing a song in a club under 120 BPM. I remember the excitement of Infinity and later Fun House with DJ Jonathan Fearing – and this was pre-Jellybean [Benitez]. I definitely loved Manhattan clubs more than the borough clubs, although I did enjoy Elephas in Queens. I also remember a Son of Sam shooting, which took place there in 1977.

DJ Times: How has the Las Vegas club scene progressed over the years?
Anobile: It’s evolved nicely from small dance bars to a stage for the world’s best DJs and the world’s most impressive clubs – all within a three-mile radius. From introducing groups before they hit national fame, such as Run-DMC in 1983, to budding their own, homegrown talent such as Dino [“I Like It” and “Summer Girls”], the Crystal Method and Chris Cox of Thunderpuss.

DJ Times: Describe your responsibilities at Studio 54.
Anobile: They cover everything from music, imaging and marketing to producing show tracks and medleys for our aerial acts – bungee jumpers, wall walkers and sexy stars. I book internationally known talent like Warp Brothers, Darude and Thunderpuss. I even get to develop concepts for Halloween shows and our theatrical New Year’s countdowns. It is my official duty as Program Director and resident DJ to be at the club by 11 p.m., which is usually when I’m getting out of the shower. Thank God for DJ Joey D and Jose 2 Hype for holding down the fort. I get away with things like that because they know that my passion for the music and club is unsurpassed. Even when I’m out of the booth, in a meeting or something – I’m completely tuned in to every beat, every mix and every song – making notes and changes if I have to.

DJ Times:: What is a typical set like at Studio 54?
Anobile: Typically, a set is about 40 minutes of various house and then 20 minutes of various urban until 3:30 a.m., when we stick with more progressive house ’til closing – usually about 6 a.m. The only exception is Tuesday’s, when we do EDEN – an Adam-and-Eve-themed event catering to Las Vegas entertainers. From 1 until 6 a.m., we play progressive house, highlighting top global DJs and are also live on the radio, broadcasting directly on KLUC, 98.5.

DJ Times: What music is hot now in your club?
Anobile: Lot’s of different stuff...funky house like The Beginners, progressive stuff like Ferry Corsten, hard U.K. like The Warp Brothers, vocals like The Sound of Violence.

DJ Times: What kind of DJ gear do you prefer?
Anobile: Two or three old-fashioned Technics1200s without the silly button. I would love to design my own mixer, but I have to say that the Rane rotary 2016 mixer is very clean – we have one at Studio 54 – and the crisp digital clarity of the TASCAM X-9 is very impressive. We have one at Tabu Ultra Lounge, inside the MGM Grand, which I look forward to programming in the near future.

DJ Times: How do you read a crowd and know how to make them happy at Studio 54?
Anobile: I read their clothes, hairstyles, shoes and the way they dance. Clubbers know the moves, even if they don’t have rhythm or grace – you can tell when they have many dancefloor hours under their hand stamp. I can usually tell what’s in their personal music collection by paying attention to those details. I can also tell how serious of a clubber they are by what time they come in and what time they leave.

DJ Times: Do you have a typical audience?
Anobile: I believe the knowledgeable clubbers that I have targeted for so long – the ones who pride themselves on searching the web’s Top 100 DJ list, drop big DJ names and buy compilations of the top European DJs – are about to change. I think a less serious and a more fun attitude is coming soon – to a club near you!