Sunday, September 20, 2009

Club Reports: Suite B, Senso, I-Bar, Antigua



I try to get to downtown Orlando at least once per month so it was time again to check out some clubs not previously visited plus some old favorites. One on my list for a long time was Suite B Lounge, a club with a Central Blvd. address but the entrance is around the corner on Magnolia Ave. next to where Cairo used to be. No cover charge, the club consists of one moderately-sized room with a bar on one side, the DJ booth on the opposite side and a large dance floor in the middle. A variety of music is played throughout the week but Saturday nights are House nights. There was only about a dozen patrons during my visit and no one was dancing. The drinks are strong though; the music a very hard House with a good beat but nothing I recognized.


Located where Zinc Bar used to be, Senso is a restaurant during the early evening and evolves into a beautiful upscale dance club later on. Cover is $10 but that does not prevent the place from getting packed! The club is long and narrow and spills out onto the sidewalk in front. The dance floor is aft and gets crowded. I saw DJ Ferry Corsten at Zinc a couple years ago and the venue remains true to its Dance/House roots, playing more familiar music. Dress up for this place.



Independent Bar wasn't quite as gothy or smoky last night as it sometimes is but it was very full and they remain open until nearly 3am. The music on Saturday nights is Old Wave with the videos displayed on monitors around the club. Admission is free until 11pm so it pays to come early, get your wristband and then return later once it's more crowded.



Antigua on Saturday nights is pretty legendary but it didn't get anywhere near as crowded last night as it sometimes does. It was full, just not packed. Admission is $5 before 11pm and drinks are free till 11 as well as long as you settle for the rot-gut well drinks. DJ Nova was nowhere to be seen last night but his replacement was playing the same mix of Top 40 and Mashups. He might have been playing the same "tape" as far as I could tell.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Antigua SUCKS...same music every Saturday! I stopped going about 2(TWO) years ag...I went back about a month ago and swear it was exact same set(recording). Also, why are the drinks always a different price at each bar???

KingBob said...

I agree about the music: When I went in there was music playing but no DJ; no doubt a tape or hard drive in Play mode. When the DJ finally got in the booth nothing changed. I know I've heard DJ Nova (the regular Sat nite DJ) play the same mashed music set as I've heard at the Groove!

Anonymous said...

I agree about the drink prices being different at each bar. They've been doing that for years, sounds shady to me.

KingBob said...

I guess they charge whatever the market will bear!