Pleasure Island was always full of characters and one of the most famous characters of all was none other than Techno Larry. His uniform was full of glow-in-the-dark items which made him sought out by the ladies to dance with. If you've never seen this video before, it's kind of interesting. Last I heard he moved back to California. He did not attend the Final Night at Mannequins. A favorite memory of mine was on Halloween when he would appear dressed as a regular person instead of as Techno Larry!
23 comments:
Techno Larry was a bonafide certified LEGEND at Mannequin's. I don't believe that any other person can claim that distinct honour. When I was at Mannequin's, and he arrived on the scene - I knew that the party had started. I never personally met the man, but it was a sincere privilege to share that MASSIVE revolving dancefloor with him.
Here's a link to a cool essay that he wrote a few years back:
http://www.joyfulaging.com/JoyfulDancing.htm
Along the same lines was 8TRAX regular, "Disco Duke". The running joke was that he was on Disney payroll, because to come out in the garb and have the moves, it was worth the price of admission. On the last night, I got his attention and asked, "Duke! So what are you going to do now?", and with three quite words he never broke character, "keep on groovin'". classic!
Major, thanks for sharing. Quite interesting (if not long) article!
Tightglove, could you be referring to the guy also known as "superman"? The first year after the closure he was spotted alot at The Groove in CityWalk but I've not seen him in a year now!
Sometimes the DJ @ 8TRAX would single him out and intro to him as "disco duke", and he had shirts with the moniker on them. Sometimes he's was in this bell bottom disco get'up, and other times, it was a sailor suit with "duke" on the hat.
I saw "Superman" at the BB Kings club in Orlando a few weeks ago. BB Kings does have some similarites to 8 Trax because of its multi-level layout with a mezzanine overlooking the dance floor and lots of old school songs. Speaking of PI characters,do you all remember that guy who would dress and dance like one of the "Blues Brothers" at 8 Trax?
I remember 'Duke' at 8TRAX as well (during the early-2000s anyway). I remember him frequently wearing an orange jumpsuit with 'DUKE' handwritten or stenciled on it. He often led the nightly "Y.M.C.A." at 12:35 AM. Good Times !
Mr Happy, the kilt guy still shows up at ADH. Techno Larry, haven't seen him in years, I hear Disco Duke shows up at Citywalk now and then.
Roy (lurch) still travels nightly between ADH and Citywalk.
Also the barking guy.. hmm, with the tattoo's what's his name... well he shows up at ADH now and then as well.
HEY Anonymous Aug 2 2010 5:37pm
That barking loud guys name is Flowers and how that's me..I had been going to PI for many years,and also Larry was wild out there..
but you also had people out there all the time that you all had seen out there for many years.that with out would not have made the place what it was,
Think if PI was nothing but first timmers that where down on vaca what it would have been like,,
So to all the regular people this go's out to you..
Flowers
there was a Guy that we (in the early years) called woody the DJ would play "staying alive" and the light techs would point the lights to the center of the floor and "woody" would get out there and dance!!!!
if you went out in the first 5-7 years you know who i am talking about!
Kind of reminds me of "disco STU" from the Simpsons!
Flowers! Everyone knows Flowers! Woof Woof!
Yup, have seen the Kilt Guy out at ADH several times.
Brian, "Woody" is definitely before my time!
Besides Techno Larry and a guy that looked like Boss Hog I would always see a milfish Asian woman that danced by herself and then a hippy looking guy with a pony tail on the wrong side of 50. The Asian woman would dance in the non moving corners under the stage the hippy always had techno hand lights. The latter two were ALWYS there.
I'm familiar with 'Pony Tail Guy' at Mannequin's. Well I didn't know him personally, but he was always there whenever I was there. There was another dude in his late-40s with darkish short hair and a mustache that resembled my Junior High School P.E. teacher from the late-1970s / early-1980s. He was always there as well.
Oh yeah - and I frequently occupied that convenient space alongside the stage. Sometimes I'd get pushed onto that stage area when that MASSIVE revolving dance floor was packed like sardines.
The "ponytail guy" was Francis. Last I heard he moved to Texas before the PI closure. I posted a video several months back provided by reader Ken that showed various people dancing outdoors on the island, including Ken himself doing the Robot. Francis walks across the screen at one point.
The "Asian woman" was Anna. I still see her occasionally at TG, ADH and HOB SIN.
Francis has now moved back to orlando!
Im think Anna is pretty much a regular at HOB on Sunday nights now. There was another heavier set guy with a poni-tail that often danced with glowsticks that was a regular at Mannequins as well.
Anna and I used to dance there frequently from 1998-2005 when i moved to Rhode Island. Does anyone remember Ray, an Asian male in his late 20s? I used to dance with the glowsticks almost every night there. I miss that place so much!
Could you post that video of Francis again Ken??
Does anyone remember the Asian guy inside Mannequins doing ballet??
Ken, I know it's on here somewhere but I could not find it. Remember that street scene video from YouTube?
Anon at 3:37pm, hope you sent your email. I don't remember Ray. Probably before my time.
Anon at 3:43pm, I do remember the Asian ballet dancer. Haven't seen him in over a year but he did show up at least once at The Groove post PI-closure.
Anon at 9:21pm, good to hear Francis aka The Ponytail Guy has returned.
Everyone, appears that you can visit Anna at HOB SIN. She'll be on the dance floor near the far side. In other words, facing the stage, she'll be over near the 9 o'clock position. She does not read the Blog.
Here is the youtube link for the PI Steet Dancing clip. The guy with the poni-tail walks towards the camera with a cup in hand at about the 4:20 minute mark.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i154Dck22Uo
Thanks, Ken!
Yup, that's Francis crossing in front of the camera at 4:20 into the video.
I invited Larry to a party my husband and I were having last summer with many PI regulars. He emailed me back and said that "Techno Larry" was no more. He had married and moved back to California. He is working on his website zeroenergydesign.com I danced with him many, many times...he was fabulous!!!
Thanks so much for sharing that link to his new website! Yup, that's Larry. But NO TECHNO LARRY? If I'm ever able to put together that Mannequins reunion, I'm flying Techno Larry in for the show!
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