[BEST OF OC] El DJ (the DJ): DJ Danny Love

Orange County native Danny Love (a.k.a. Danny Venegas) has spent the past 20-something years of his DJ career watching Orange County evolve from a bland suburb of Los Angeles into the thrumming nightlife community it is today.

He started supercharging dance floors with his undying passion for music (not to mention his down-to-earth charisma and charm) long before iPods, Serato Scratch Live and even CDs—back when vinyl records were like DJ currency. He is one of the founding DJs of the iconic clubs of yesteryear (Club Rubber, Pimp n’ Ho), as well as the still-going-strong electronica nights that regularly fill our calendars such as Bristol Sessions (which will celebrate its eighth anniversary in November). Though dance and electronica dominate the floor at many clubs, Love says his roots remain in funk and soul, and he now looks to the future of nightlife, even beyond our borders.

Since we caught up with him last, Love has been one busy crate-digger. He has his own regular show at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, where he plays parties such as Love Festival and Fabulous Fest. In fact, he just finished putting together a mixed CD titled Live At the Palms, Las Vegas. He has also teamed up with the nonprofit organization Karma Foundation, which throws massive charitable events at venues such as the Playboy Mansion and Mexico-bound luxury cruise ships.

Though Love may have a full dance card, skipping around the continent to “bring good music to the masses,” he hasn’t forgotten his beloved home base here in Orange County. He recently joined forces with World Party and Xquisite Entertainment for a brand-new Friday-night club at Huntington Beach’s Flight Bistro and Social Lounge. Dubbed House Sessions, this venture brings in some of the best house and electronica DJs from around the world to spin magic for our OC ears.

So what is it about OC that always brings Love back? Pinning him down to just one OC icon is a bit hard, but with his hectic, globe-trotting schedule, he tends to gravitate toward more relaxing pastimes. Along with “riding bikes in Newport Beach,” he says, “and also hiking in Crystal Cove State Park,” Love declares his affectionfor people-watching in the OC melting pot known asThe Main Street in downtown Huntington Beach.

You’d think that after a night of spinning music for glammed-up crowds, he’d shy away from the eccentrics of the world. Not so. Love enjoys checking out “surfers, MMA fighters, tattoo artists . . .” Oh, and “hot moms with strollers, street musicians, Euro-tourists, teenagers in heat and old guys with hot rods.”

House Sessions, Flight Bistro and Social Lounge, 8082 Adams Ave., Huntington Beach, (714) 374-8300; www.flightoc.com. Every Fri., 9:30 p.m. $20. 21+.