Tuesday, December 29, 2009

PI Update: Inside the Clubs


CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE
The clubs continue to have small amounts of interior lighting which allow you to peer in after night falls. Motion is the easiest to look into and as far as I can tell, the club has not been stripped of equipment but there is no way for me to know for sure. There is still a podium on the stage with a pumpkin sitting on top. (Photo Upper Left) At Comedy Warehouse, it looks like a lot of the junk that was stored in there has been cleared out however the wood seating is still in there just like it always was. No real signs of active renovations. Soundstage has definitely been stripped of equipment down to bare walls. That's more fitting to a building about to be demolished. We know AC has been stripped of most artifacts too. Over at 8TRAX the interior looks the same as it always has; you can easily see the different levels, the fencing, even the old Twister game on the floor. What was most interesting though is I spotted an employee of Paradiso 37 go into the 8TRAX downstairs door with a cart of what looked like junk and then come out with an empty cart. Apparently they are using 8TRAX for storage! No renovations in sight. I did not look inside Mannequins this trip but you can see on the outside that the former upstairs fire escape door area has been smoothed-over compared to my prior posting and this is now ready to be plastered over. (Photo Upper Right)


I just can't stay away from Celebrate Tonight though; the 5:30pm edition tonight included the Electric Slide and some kind of blind baseball game. They have definitely stopped asking people "What are you celebrating?" because that question rarely generated decent answers.

14 comments:

SoCalGal said...

Thanks KingBob! Great update! That's the kind of bloggin' that keeps me comin' back! (seriously, no sarcasm) Love to hear about the condition of the clubs and PI specific postings. No offense, but, do not love to hear, "DJ Jazzy Jeff" will spinning at Club Wannabe this weekend. BRING BACK 8TRAX!!!! Are there any other venues in the greater Orlando area that get crowded like 8TRAX did? You know, a dance floor that you can't help but rub up into other peoples personal space because it's soo crowded? ME'so NEEDS MY 8TRAX (or equivalent thereof) BACK!!!! Keep up the great work KingBob, been checking in daily!

Anonymous said...

LOL, I like the DJ updates, even if I don't know half of them.

I'm almost sorry the "what are you celebrating" question is gone, I was saving up "Disney's decision to reopen the clubs!" for my answer.

The photos... well, I expect they'll deploy more planters any second now to keep people away.

Anonymous said...

I know there a guy in Flordia that has all most of 8 trax at his house that he bought.

SoCalGal said...

Anonymous; do tell, inquiring minds want to know...you talkin' music, props, decor??

zulemara said...

I drove by PI last night after work, about 2:15am and they have repainted the area where the mannequins doors were from the stairs. So sad, but so intriguing

Anonymous said...

8TRAX was "full" because it was much smaller than Mannequins! heck the line to get in Mannequins was longer than what would be able to fit in 8TRAX! it would start at the elevator and wrap around the corner almost to the exit to 8TRAX

Anonymous said...

I've seen some of the Comedy Warehouse wall "props" for sale at Property Control (Disney's internal Liquidation place)

KingBob said...

SoCalGal, my January 1st entry will include my semi-annual disclaimer along with my Blog Mission statement. The mission includes PI information AND information about techno options around town. As for 8TRAX-like venues, I have some information that I'm not authorized to publish just yet that I think is pretty exciting for 8TRAX fans. This will be released as soon as I can!

Anon#1, it will be very interesting to see whether they can even keep much of PI open once full-scale demolitions begin. They're going to need a LOT more planters and construction walls.

Anon#2, I have no clue what you're trying to say.

Zulemara, not sure what you're talking about either, lol.

Anon#3, 8TRAX was indeed much smaller than Mannequins. During the glory years the lines were long. But 8TRAX too used to have lines that ran from the lower entrance and snaked up the stairs! Until they ran PI into the ground.

KingBob said...

Anon#4, I've heard there are some chairs and stools from AC for sale right now at Property Control. Zulemara purchased one of the Mannequins mannequins a few months ago over there!

zulemara said...

I was saying the area where the doors were on 2nd floor on the back of the building, which have now been removed along with the stairs, has now been painted over. Sadly, you can't even tell there was once a staircase and doors leading to that portion of the wall on the waterfront side of manenquins

KingBob said...

OK, got it. I'll need to get an updated picture of that to post on here as soon as I can.

Anonymous said...

music, props, decor he has almost everthing out of 8-trax and he not coming off any of cheap!!!!!

Daisy said...

Waiting with baited breath for the "unauthorized" 8TRAX information that you have. We vacation down there with two other couples, and our "girls night out" would always hit that place. This year, we're taking our dollars to Vegas. SoCalGal, the Hard Rock in Vegas has an excellent 70's/80's night that may be what you're looking for; similar to 8TRAX.

KingBob said...

Daisy, my information is not Unauthorized. I just don't have permission to release the information...yet. Some sources of information qualify their information with contingencies.