The Soul of Downtown: Soulful House DJ Lenny “Love” Alfonzo

"It's not about what the equipment does, it's about what 
you can do through that equipment. 

That's where the soul is." 

- Ritchie Hawtin

By Onnoleigh Sweetman, contributing writer and editor

Downtown Las Vegas has finally made its mark with the explosion of arts, lounges and restaurants that have popped up in such a short time, making splashes and waves across the 18 blocks of our arts district. People from all over the country are flocking to DTLV to get in, cash in, and engage in the hottest trend of Urban living that Las Vegas has probably ever seen. But with all the newbies flocking to what is now considered the hippest place to work and live, who are the people behind the scenes that have been supporting, living, and giving to this arts scene years before the sudden burst? One such notable mention would be 30 year electronic music veteran, house music fundamentalist and downtown denizen DJ Lenny “Love” Alfonzo.

Lenny’s first stint was at The Lip Stick Lounge in Las Vegas at the ripe age of 18. First spinning classic soul-disco and R&B-style dance music, Lenny soon found house music which led him onto DJ ventures in LA and Phoenix and then a five year house music residency in Manhattan, New York. From there, Lenny “Love” hit the house music circuit of the birth of house, none other than the infamous city of Chicago. With numerous years and numerous cities under his belt, Lenny “Love” found himself back at his roots of Las Vegas and settled in the very core of Downtown.

Anyone that knows Downtown knows that Thursday nights at DCR (Downtown Cocktail Room) is the place to be for not just underground lounge vibes, but for pure, authentic house beats which is becoming a lost art in Las Vegas. Guest DJ’s can be seen all over facebook giving their props to a night savored and respected by the community. Emanuel Skinner writes on May 8th: Tonight catch me playing with Lenny Alfonzo at one of the only venues staying true to #deep #underground #house in this over saturated commercial EDM city! #downtownsoulLV #undergroundLV

DJ Lenny Alfonzo spinning @
Atomic Liquors on Fremont

A well deserved and true example of what Lenny is bringing to the table in our community. But it even goes further than that. Not only does Lenny host, spin and collaborate to bring the DTLV community “Downtown Soul” he immerses himself with true “soul” an passion to create and even better downtown to live in. The heart of “Downtown Soul” is “Bringing music to the community and community to the music”. This is evident with an array of projects that Lenny immerses himself into. Whether it is vinyl DJ and beat matching lessons, to setting up his DJ gear for Burners without Borders projects at L’Octaine Urban Apartments, to feeding the homeless, Lenny can be found gifting his time and talents all over DTLV.

As a part of the community integration of music and culture of Downtown Soul, Lenny offers three unique projects in conjunction with its unique mission of inclusion. Lenny offers dancing lessons for The Spanish Hustle every Thursday at DCR, private and group DJ lessons in the art of mixing and beat matching on vinyl, and most honorably a weekly gathering to feed the homeless.

With all the splashes and glamour that is making up downtown Las Vegas, Lenny keeps the scene grounded, true to style, and authentic with the sounds of soulful house and with the heart of a community driven activist. Catch Lenny live, every Thursday with guests at DCR 10pm to 2am, 111 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89101.

Currently a resident DJ at the Downtown Cocktail Room, he is also active in the East Fremont Entertainment and Arts Districts’ house music scenes, and collaborates with other members of the DCR DJ Collective and Edgar Reyes of SoulKitchen. Thankful, inspired, and with a strong desire to promote and teach the history of house and its culture to the next generation of househeads, DJ Lenny launched DownTownSoul in 2013.

For more information on Lenny or to get involved with any of his projects, please visit www.downtownsoullv.com or www.djlennyalfonzo.com

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