Gotta get the whole outdoors-with-the-head-on thing in while it’s merely in the 90s. (Photos by Al Powers)

Oh, hello there, pool season. We didn’t see you come back. At least these swimmies we wear everywhere make a lot more sense this time of year.

Over at Wet Republic, Deadmau5 came in to get the ball rolling for a daytime edition of Unhooked for the final day of their grand opening weekend. He came on around 3 p.m., and dutifully rocked the mau5head despite the fact that it was getting progressively hotter all day. That guy is going to set records as the first EDM artist to pass out mid-set from heatstroke.

By Jason Scavone

In ancient R’lyeh, Deadmau5 waits dreaming. (Photos by Danny Mahoney)

So, tattooed lovebirds Deadmau5 and Kat Von D are going to get married. Underwater. Because of course they are. Actually, Deadmau5 is a notorious nerd and the ceremony is going to be Call of Cthulu-themed, which is badass, if People notes it’s “bout a character that is half-man, half-octopus” which–no. It’s about a cephalopodic elder god who can make people go crazy just by looking at him. So, it’s super weddingy, as you can imagine. We hope they don’t get into a fight with a competing Iron Islands wedding ceremony next door.

By Jason Scavone

What better way to celebrate a new gig than by stage-diving? (Photos by Danny Mahoney)

Confirming what we’ve all known since December: Deadmau5 is going to be doing Unhooked at Hakkasan (and don’t forget about those Wet Republic and Grand Arena shows). He’s not, however, going to be a resident there. What we don’t know is what kind of inflatable animals that AMG is going to be providing before the performances.

By Jason Scavone

Say hi to Deadmau5′s mother for us. (Photo by Danny Mahoney | SPYONvegas.com)

Apparently Deadmau5′s “We all hit play” spiel must’ve made things frosty at the Wynn last year when he and Afrojack shared a venue home. Because Afrojack just laid it out in an interview with Billboard:

You’re never just pressing play. If you’re a guy in a cube with a mask on, you can press play. Deadmau5 also said himself he’s not a DJ — don’t talk about stuff you don’t know about. I don’t know shit about LED walls and giant mouse heads; I can’t judge it. But if you put four CD players in front of me or [Sebastian Ingrosso] or even Skrillex, we’ve been DJ’ing for so long, we can do a lot of things with those CD players.

We don’t know what’s more fun here. The umbrage, or the passive jab at Skrillex. “LOOK! Li’l Skrillex thinks he can do this. Bless his heart he’s tryin’.” You know what? Of course Deadmau5 is right, that they all just press play. You know why we can say that with confidence? Because he’s in print laying out in exhaustive, embarrassing detail just how simple it is to pull off the live shows. And because all this stuff isn’t done on analog turntables anymore. And because we possess basic powers of observation and common sense. Though we’ll be thoroughly entertained if this leads to another Deadmau5 Twitter feud.

By Jason Scavone

Apparently the Wynn clubs opened the puzzle box. (Photo by Danny Mahoney)

There has been a fair bit of speculation about DJ migrations next year as Hakkasan at the MGM and Light at Mandaly Bay come online. The official announcement was set for the Grammy Awards, where two of Hakkasan’s new residents are in talks to perform — but where’s the fun in waiting until February?

First off, Angel Management Group is preparing to spend some serious coin to lure the likes of Calvin Harris, Tiesto, Deadmau5 and Steve Aoki from the posh confines of the Wynn and Encore. Deadmau5 alone is pulling in $425,000 per show, but he has struck a deal to do two shows a day for a staggering $850,000 His two-year deal includes 40 shows and totals an astounding $35 million dollars. Though he will always play Hakkasan, his second show will be held at Wet Republic during the summer and at the Grand Garden Arena the rest of the year. That’s right, MGM and AMG are looking to launch an EDM concert series at the Garden, the likes of Tiesto’s series at The Joint. While Deadmau5 might be banking the most, don’t worry too much about their other future residents who have similarly structured deals – Tiesto is reportedly getting a cool $250,000 per gig. Hardwell is also reportedly close to inking a deal to join Team H.

Over at Mandalay Bay, Swedish House Mafia’s manager Amy Thomson is partnering with the Light Group as their talent buyer. Light should certainly be counting their blessings for that as Thomson has helped them secure the likes of Sebastian Ingrosso, Axwell, Alesso and Nicky Romero. Though they will play the forthcoming and already announced Light Nightclub, look for them to also hit the decks at the yet unannounced Delano Beach Club, which will likely be a collaboration with Ibiza’s famed Ushuaia Beach Club.

Though the Wynn and Encore has bid adieu to some of their talent, they are set to announce an impressive list of 40-plus artists after the first of the year. Look for the likes of Avicii, Steve Angello, Guetta, Afrojack and Skrillex to stay put at XS, Tryst and Surrender, while they garner some interesting new blood – did someone say French prodigy Madeon, Eric Prydz and Knife Party?

Finally, Marquee will definitely also be hanging onto Kaskade and again share Avicii with Wynn. We also hear they are close to inking a deal with Krewella.

By David Morris

At least we know his head is safe in the event of a crash.

Deadmau5 was at Exotics Racing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Nov. 7 to do a promo shot for Need for Speed: Most Wanted wherein he repeatedly flips off an internet personality and drives both a Porsche and a Lamborghini. Which is amazing that there was anything approaching the headroom in either a Porsche or a Lamborghini to fit a whole Mau5head.

By Jason Scavone

Well, we know what Cenobite is coming to this party. (Photo by Danny Mahoney)

Deadmau5 had a Very Hellraiser Halloween, doing up his Mau5head like Pinhead, yet failing to turn an all of XS into an army slavishly serving at the behest of Leviathan. You can’t do everything. His girl, Kat Von D, jumped on stage first in a regular Mau5head of her own, though we have to sternly object to any Halloween costume that forces someone like Kat to tape down her boobs. We have traditions and expectations to maintain regarding Vegas Halloweens.

By Jason Scavone

Packing up and moving south? (Photos by Danny Mahoney)

The Wynn clubs have had more or less every DJ on the planet on lockdown for 2012, but now there’s a rumor from the Post that Deadmau5 and Calvin Harris are itching to get back on the open market and into, say, the arms of AMG’s new MGM venue, Hakkasan.

They are trying to get out of their contracts because they don’t want the restrictions,” said one club insider. We also hear that other venues “are trying to make plays for these artists, and they might be successful in getting them.” Sources told us execs at Angel Management Group … have offered big money to Harris and Deadmau5 to perform there.

If it’s true, this could spell the beginning of the end for the big-name resident. If these guys are bristling under exclusivity deals, you’d think they’d be looking at going back to just booking one-offs to the highest bidder. Which would boost nightly rates past Deadmau5′s rumored $100,000-plus fees — as long as he continues to be a big draw. If the EDM bubble bursts suddenly, it could break bad. But it’s probably a safe bet for the moment.

By Jason Scavone

We’re very excited about the pending apocalyptic breakup. (Photos by Danny Mahoney)

Oooh! New celebucouple! What do we call them? Dead Von D? Katmau5? It’s got to be Katmau5, right? There it is. Let’s all agree to run with it and move on.

Saturday night saw Deadmau4 and Kat Von D chilling at XS after the iHeart Radio festival, where they were sickeningly happy. He kept turning back and winking at her, and she jumped up to do that hand-heart nonsense for a picture with Deadmau5 in the background. If only Sandra Bullock had a table on the floor.

Enrique Iglesias came in rocking a hoodie and baseball hat, but Calvin Harris spotted Iglesias and brought his girlfriend over to the table to say hello. He managed to fade the professional photogs, though he did take pics with fans. Also in the club were Bon Jovi’s David Bryan and My Chemical Romance’s Gerard Way, who laid down vox on Deadmau5′s “Professional Griefers.” Which is nerd-speak for “haters.” Does Kat know she’s dating a ginormous nerd? We feel like he may not be scumbaggy enough for her usual tastes.

By Jason Scavone

More like SADmau5, amirite?

Even raking in $11.5 million last year wasn’t enough to keep Deadmau5 from getting burned out. Writing on his Tumblr, Deadmau5 said, “So heres whats happening. im going to unplug for a wee bit. which doesnt mean im cancelling any upcoming shows or anything, im just gunna slam on the breaks for a bit and force myself to endure some quiet time.”

Sounds like his XS dates will be unaffected. And really, it’s nice to see some DJs fade the PartyPartyParty facade, as if any admission that you don’t feel like popping bottles every night is some kind of sign of weakness. Still though — we’d be willing to put up with an awful lot of burnout for $11 mil. Or $5 mil. Or any mil.

By Jason Scavone