Sunday, December 12, 2010

Club Reports: Bullitt Bar, Suite B, Crooked Bayou, Independent Bar




One of the fun things about Pleasure Island was the ability to pay one price and then hop from club to club to enjoy different kinds of music and different people. Downtown Orlando can be like that too and in some ways it's even better because a lot of venues have no cover charge whatsoever or don't charge if you come in before a certain time. Bullitt Bar has been open about a year now and is themed from the 1960's film of the same name. There is really no dancing in here but DJ Reno (Mako's, Club 23) was playing a mix of what he called Rock and Rock Mashups but I just call interesting. Note the very cool fridge made from the rear of an old van. Bullitt Bar is very much a place to hang out and chit chat. No cover.


Just around the corner is the new club Vain as well as Suite B (above). Small but growing crowd inside listening to DJ Timmy Snyder spinning some Breaks and Techno. No one dancing during this visit but it can get really crowded on the floor on some nights! Usually no cover charge.




Crooked Bayou, restaurant by day and dance club at night, continues to surprise me as every time I've been there I've experienced completely different genres of music. Last night a series of DJ's were playing Dubstep, a music which apparently attracts a culturally diverse following. Rooted in Jamaican Dub music, the dancers were literally going crazy on the floor. I'm not really sure about those lollypops! No cover.





Finally, no downtown Saturday night visit is complete without a visit to 80's New Wave/Old Wave night at Independent Bar. The club is always packed and the music is awesome. DJ Smilin' Dan, pictured above with DJ The Reverend and Rev's wife Dana, played a lot of early MTV classics that kept the dance floor close to packed all the way to 3am when he legally had to call it quits. No cover before 11pm.

7 comments:

  1. yeah well these clubs downtown can't compare to PI clubs!

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  2. Clubs playing a Motion or BET Soundstage format are a dime-a-dozen in this town.

    There are actually a few downtown clubs playing Mannequins music, albeit without a revolving dance floor.

    That just leaves 8TRAX which no one has duplicated although 80's Night at The Groove comes close.

    As for comedy, there are several comedy clubs around the city including SAK downtown which does feature some former CW personnel from time-to-time.

    As for the Adventurers Club, nothing like in anywhere!

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  3. ok sorry what I was trying to say is this. the clubs downtown are very small at best! the lighting sucks! the sound system is not the same no big time BASS!!! the atmosphere is not the same no fog machine(s)! the PI people are spread out

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  4. Pleasure Island was the BEST! No doubt about it.

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  5. I hope next post on here is the upcoming NYE options including Epcot!!! look forward to it, i think i remember Kingbob saying he would check it out next year, and its finally here!!

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  6. Great pics from Independent Bar. Kimball Collins & Dave Cannalte will be at Independent Bar Christmas night, plays 80s alternative from the old club SPIT. Between that and the Infinity Reunion Christmas will be a great night of Orlando Legends!!

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  7. Clubmaster, my annual NYE article is coming up next Monday.

    Anon at 3:43pm, thanks for the info about Cannalte & Collins playing on Christmas night at I-Bar. I had not seen any mention of that at the club or on their website. I would be so there but unfortunately will be out-of-town! :(

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