Michael Fuller, a.k.a. Mike Fuller (b. Oct. 17, 1972) is a Las Vegas-based DJ, nightlife visionary and nightclub executive.
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Fuller was born in Las Vegas, Nevada, and attended Faith Lutheran High School. He did not attend college or university, but worked his way through the ranks of Las Vegas’ nightlife industry. He played a key role in developing rave and underground parties in the early ’90s, and worked as a promoter and DJ, then marketing executive and vice president.
Fuller entered the Las Vegas nightlife industry as a promoter13 at the age of 19.5 He was instrumental in developing Las Vegas’ rave and underground party scene in the early ’90s, and has a reputation for events that combine fashion, art, performance and music into multi-sensory experiences.14 13
Fuller founded a graphic design and nightclub consulting firm, Moving Sun Studios, in 1992, which completed work for the Light Group1, Peter Morton’s Hard Rock Hotel and the House of Blues.
Fuller joined the management team at what was then a brand-new club, Utopia, in 1996,13 which became the go-to spot for electronic music in Las Vegas. During his tenure, he opened the Shamballah Lounge (Empire Ballroom), where he served as resident DJ (see below for details of his DJ career)
Fuller created a range of popular weekly parties, including SIN on Sundays at House of Blues, Godspeed at Foundation Room9 and Red Dragon Lounge13 at China Grill.
He managed Baby’s at the Hard Rock Hotel (later renamed Body English, closed on New Years Eve 2010), and ICE Las Vegas1 13 6 (now closed). During his time at ICE, he was frequently featured on the reality show, The Club on Spike TV.
Fuller made the move to the Palms Casino Resort in 2006, when he became the corporate director of marketing at the N9NE Group. Less than two years later, he was named vice president, and oversaw operations at Rain Nightclub, Moon and Ghostbar nightclubs, the Playboy Club, and two restaurants, Nove Italiano and N9NE Steakhouse. Fuller also delivered Las Vegas its first international superstar DJ resident—Paul Oakenfold and Perfecto Las Vegas—as well as DJ AM14 12 13, who was later replaced by DJ Z-Trip. During this time, he attracted considerable attention for his international marketing campaigns, which helped attract new, mostly European clients to N9NE Group venues.7 Fuller also created Ditch Fridays at Palms Pool & Bungalows, Sunday After Dark at Playboy Club11, an annual Playboy-themed Midsummer Night’s Dream party, and brought Hed Kandi to Moon4 and Down & Derby to the Rain3.
Fuller unceremoniously left N9NE Group in March 20105 10 following a rumored falling out with George Maloof, but soon landed as vice president of business development at Neil Moffitt’s Angel Management Group in 2010, where he did brand development, advertising and promotions for Rehab at the Hard Rock Hotel, Wet Republic, Studio 54 and Tabu at MGM Grand, Rok Vegas at New York-New York, and Daydream, The Hostile Grape and Tremezzo Steakhouse at M Resort. He left the position in October 2010 to pursue other opportunities.
As a DJ, Fuller performs under the name The Funkler. He has held residencies in Ibiza, Hawaii, and Las Vegas, and has performed for thousands at one-off shows across the country.
He performed at the Love Festival at the Palms and several other venues, internationally. He was named Las Vegas’ best local DJ in 2003 and his album, “Live, Love, Laugh, Life” was named Las Vegas’ best local music CD in 2000. Fuller’s DJ career is officially on hiatus as of 2009, but he still performs on occasion.
Notable performances include:
Fuller is not married and has no known children. One of his female cousins, an aspiring fashion designer, has been romantically linked to Australian skateboarder Jake Brown.
^1 Jarret Keene (2003-07-30). "In Light of Fuller's Freedom" (Newspaper Archive). Las Vegas CityLife. http://www.lasvegascitylife.com/articles/2003/07/30/music/fear_and_lounging/fearlounge.txt. Retrieved 2010-08-30.
^2 unknown (2010-03-08). "2010 Nightclub & Bar Winners" (Magazine Archive). Nightclub & Bar. http://www.nightclub.com/nightclub-bar-show/-2010-nightclub-bar-award-winners. Retrieved 2010-08-30.
^3 Melissa Arseniuk (2010-07-22). "He Wears Short Shorts". Vegas Seven. http://weeklyseven.com/nightlife/2010/july/22/he-wears-short-shorts. Retrieved 2010-08-30.
^4 unknown (2009). "HED KANDI LAS VEGAS @ MOON in the PALMS at Moon Nightclub". City Events. http://www.cityevents.tv/event_detail.php?location=Las_Vegas&id_party=1815&venue=Moon_Nightclub&name=HED_KANDI_LAS_VEGAS_MOON_in_the_PALMS. Retrieved 2010-08-30.
^5 Sarah Feldberg (2010-03-19). "Michael Fuller and N9NE Group part ways". Las Vegas Weekly. http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/news/2010/mar/19/michael-fuller-and-n9ne-group-part-ways/. Retrieved 2010-08-30.
^6 Matt Kelemen (2003-07-18). "These are the breaks: Is breakbeat the new sound of the Las Vegas underground?". Las Vegas CityLife. http://www.labadj.com/Oscure%20and%20Simply%20Jeff%20Las%20Vegas%20City%20Life.htm. Retrieved 2010-08-30.
^7 Glen Haussman (2009-10-15). "Vegas Makes International Appeal". Hotel Interactive. http://www.hotelinteractive.com/article.aspx?articleid=15166. Retrieved 2010-08-30.
^8 Matt Kelemen (2003-07-18). "These are the Breaks". Las Vegas CityLife. http://www.labadj.com/Oscure%20and%20Simply%20Jeff%20Las%20Vegas%20City%20Life.htm. Retrieved 2010-08-30.
^9 unknown (staff) (2010). "Hottest Monday Night Party: Godspeed". Vegas Hotspots. http://www.vegashotspots.com/hot_spots/entertainment/hottest_monday_night_party/. Retrieved 2010-08-30.
^10 unknown (staff) (2010-04-15). "Around the Scene". Nightclub & Bar. http://www.nightclub.com/nightclub-confidential/around-scene-april-15-2010. Retrieved 2010-08-30.
^11 Kevin Capp (2008-01-08). "Everyone's a winner on Las Vegas locals' night" (Newspaper Archive). Los Angeles Times. http://travel.latimes.com/articles/la-tr-vegas13jan13. Retrieved 2010-08-30.
^12 David Ireland (2009-04-27). "DJ AM at Rain Las Vegas for Residency Grand Opening" (magazine archive). BPM Magazine. http://www.bpmmagazine.net/2009/04/dj-am-at-rain-las-vegas-for-residency-grand-opening/. Retrieved 2010-08-30.
^13 Mike Prevatt (2009-09-03). "Professional Mash-up" (Newspaper Archive). Las Vegas CityLife. http://www.lasvegascitylife.com/articles/2009/09/04/news/local_news/iq_30955065.txt. Retrieved 2010-08-30.
^14 Deanna Rilling (2009-10-01). "Z-Trip's Revolution takes over Rain". Las Vegas Weekly. http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/news/2009/oct/01/z-trips-revolution-takes-over-rain/. Retrieved 2010-08-30.
^15 staff (2010-05-21). "Vegas’ Best 2009". Las Vegas Weekly. http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/news/2009/may/21/vegas-best-2009/. Retrieved 2010-08-30.
^16 J.C. Diaz (2010-05-21). "Top Labor Day weekend parties". The Examiner.
^17 Antonio Llapur (2010-06-28). "The Winner Is ...". Las Vegas Weekly. http://dragon1design.tripod.com/press.html. Retrieved 2010-08-30.
^18 Martin Stein (2006-03-02). "LINE PASS: Fuller Than Ever". Las Vegas Weekly. http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/news/archive/2006/mar/02/line-pass-fuller-than-ever/. Retrieved 2010-08-30.