My Favorite Dance Track Right Now

I can't get enough of this song "Young" by Dance singer Tulisa (GB) so I'm serving up a double-dose for anyone interested.  The first version is one she performed on the Britain's Got Talent television program and the second version is the recently released official music video which you can tell was filmed in Miami Beach. The infectious song made it to No. 1 on the dance charts in the UK and is yet another example of a Hip Hop artist (British Hip Hop act N-Dubz) crossing over to the EDM side! Tulisa aka 'The Female Boss' is currently serving as a judge on the British version of X-Factor.

Club Reports: Planet Hollywood, Bongos Cuban Cafe, Atlantic Dance Hall

Friday night visit to the Land of the Mouse beginning with Planet Hollywood at Downtown Disney.

Pleasure Island and Disney's only female disk jockey, DJ Talie (Motion, Atlantic Dance, PI Live, Celebrate Tonight, Club 626) entertaining the diners!

She was putting out all Top 40/EDM during my visit and she tells me that's what people are asking for both at the Planet (where she works Fridays & Saturdays) and at Atlantic Dance (where she works Tuesdays).

No worries!  "Jennie: is floating again outside!

First time visit to Bongos Cuban Cafe at Downtown Disney West Side.  Much like Latin Quarter at CityWalk, the restaurant turns into a club later in the evening on Fridays and Saturdays.

DJ Cano putting out Reggaeton, House and into Salsa during my visit.

Unlike LQ, they have a live band here and the DJ alternates between sets.  It was jamming for the DJ though with little room to move!

No cover last night; I know sometimes they charge $5.

Last stop Atlantic Dance Hall, the only dance club still owned and operated by the Mouse.

DJ Tony Z (Le Rouge, Planet Hollywood, Paradiso 37) on the boards this evening.

Moderate-sized crowd on hand.

The music is a mix of whatever people request but there was a lot of House and Dance last night along with the requisite Hip Hop and 80's Oldies.

Lighting Tech Alisa (Mannequins, House of Blues, EPCOT) looks on as I heard.....at ADH....for the first time ever....a Benny Benassi Dubstep song followed by a Steve Aoki song!  WOW!
I also visited beautiful Pleasure Island last night and will post that article on Monday.

Remembering Clubs Matrix & Metropolis

 

Does anyone remember clubs Metropolis and Matrix?  Located at Pointe Orlando, they were venues at their peak in the early 2000's but gone by 2005.

Metropolis was the larger venue with plush decor set in Moulin Rouge red velvet. There was a dance floor to one side with a DJ booth behind glass overlooking it. There was a 13ft video wall at one end of the dance floor. The music was mostly Hip Hop during a period when Hip Hop was beginning to soar and Techno was fading. Pool tables were available too in what may have been Orlando's first "ultra lounge".

Matrix was directly opposite and paid admission to one club typically got you into the other club and you could go back and forth. Matrix was the high-tech, high-energy Techno club with sophisticated light and sound systems. The oddly shaped dance floor, poorly located pillars and a DJ booth that was removed from patrons limited its popularity.  The then-fading House scene didn't help matters either.  To me they played great Dance music like you'd hear on 95.3Party.  Disney couple Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake were known to visit here. I really liked the place; other than Mannequins it was hard finding EDM venues in Orlando during those years.

The spaces remained empty for years following their 2005 closure but most-recently have found new residents. The space that was formerly Metropolis (above) is now the home of The Pointe Performing Arts Center while the space that was formerly Matrix (left) is now the Improv Comedy Club & Dinner Theater.

This Weekend In Techno Town

This week we could probably call this article "This Friday In Techno Town" because everything is taking place tomorrow, Friday, June 29th:

It's the last Friday of the month and that means it's Lost In Trancelation night with DJ's Robb Blak, Cyberian Soundz and Agni along with special guest DJ Celteric (F).  It's Trance at its best!  All in the club upstairs at Bikkuri Sushi on Colonial Drive. (FREE)

For House, Progressive and mainstream Electronic Dance Music check out DJ duo Manufactured Superstars (USA) at club Vain downtown! DJ John Debo (USA) opens with more EDM. ($12)  

Over at CityWalk at Universal Orlando, DJ Jesse Marco (USA) is a rare guest DJ at The Groove spinning Top 40/Dance.  ($10)

One thing that is not happening this Friday (or any Friday) is Venue 13/Visage Reunion at club Asylum on South OBT. Apparently club management does not want V13 there any longer so the event again becomes homeless. We'll update you if they find a new place.

PI Update: Meanwhile On Pleasure Island

Meanwhile on Pleasure Island, if you click on this File photo from April and enlarge it, you'll see 4 old-fashioned light poles on the right side adjacent Raglan Road and just this side of Sosa Cigars.

Blog roving reporter William says those poles, which are unlike the more modern-design poles found elsewhere on the Island, date back to when Raglan Road was the Pleasure Island Jazz Company. And he says the last of them has been removed.

Meanwhile over at the flower-covered Lily Pad, classic music from Nova Era.  When they perform popular music on the Purple Stage at Celebration Plaza, they go by the name of Nova Pop.

Meanwhile at Celebration Plaza's Green Stage, Nicholas Marks and his gypsy guitar perform.....

.....and captivate a surprisingly large crowd!

Meanwhile human statues still perform on the Plaza too.

Meanwhile.

AAHZ Unity One Week From Tonight!

It's hard to believe that this event is nearly here!  Tuesday, July 3rd at The Beacham (formerly Tabu Nightclub).  Recreating AAHZ Nights at The Beacham Theater of the late 80's to mid 90's, original DJ's Kimball Collins, Dave Cannalte and Chris Fortier return again to the scene of the Rave. No other event draws as many former Mannequins patrons than this one!  Kimball is ready, Cannalte is ready, Fortier is ready!  Special guest performance by Dynamix II.  Advance tickets from Ticketfly. DO NOT MISS THIS!

DJ Duo "Dada Life" Coming To Orlando

The wacky DJ duo called Dada Life (S) will be performing in Orlando on Thursday, July 12th at Roxy Nightclub.  I've listened to their Swedish Top 20 countdown show on Sirius/XM and it's one gag after another between these two.  During their live shows they'll mix top Dance music along with their own productions.  Their 2011 hit 'Kick Out The Epic Motherf**ker' (video below) has spread around the world like wild fire. Tickets are $21.30 here.  It will be bananas and champagne bottles!  DJ John Debo opens.

Breaking News: Jenny Sunk!

Breaking news this evening from Pleasure Island where torrential rains from Tropical Storm Debby are apparently responsible for rising waters swamping and sinking the famous shrimp boat "Jenny".  Moored beside Planet Hollywood for years now in the PI Waterfront Lagoon, the boat starred in the 1994 film Forrest Gump starring Tom Hanks.  Save Pleasure Island Blog roving reporter William live from the Island says that fortunately no one was on board when the boat was overcome!

 File Photo of "Jenny" before the deluge.

Club Reports: 180 Grey Goose Lounge, Independent Bar, Suite B Lounge

Saturday night downtown after the LMFAO concert, taking the elevator from floor level up to the top of Amway Center to the 180 Grey Goose Lounge.

DJ's Hilton Farris (Rok Room, Senso) and Jimmy Joslin (Vixen, B.B. Kings SIN) spinning House music to the large crowd both inside and outside on the patio.  The DJ booth is normally outside but with the threat of rain they brought it in.

Dancing on the patio!  On event nights The Goose is only open to patrons attending but then opens to everyone else the moment the event ends.   

The 180 in the name refers to the view overlooking the city of Orlando.

Over to I-Bar to visit friends.

The dance floor was pretty jammed here too.

Saturday nights are early to mid 80's New Wave/Old Wave.

Spotted in the booth along with resident DJ Indie John at the rear, DJ's Kimball Collins (AAHZ, Qbar-Bangkok), The Reverend (Prickly Pear, Funky Monkey) and John Debo (Vain, Roxy). Don't forget the AAHZ Reunion at The Beacham on Tuesday, July 3rd. I'm glad I wore black too!

Spotted: Friend Gregg with his guests visiting from Poland. Nice!

Had a great time at Suite B Lounge on Friday night so back one more time on Saturday night!

DJ Dave Cannalte (AAHZ, Mannequins, Promo Only) on the boards spinning Progressive House.

Hanging out with The Rollins Girls!

At first it was kind of empty but by 1am a crowd was flowing in the door.

Lots of people on the dance floor.  Suite B is a small venue but attracts some of the area's best DJ's.

She was just frustrated that KingBob was not going to grind on the stripper pole with her.  In spite of that, a good time was had by all!

Concert Report: LMFAO (Amway Center)

CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE The now famous Electropop/Electrohop duo known as LMFAO rolled into Orlando last night at the Amway Center and I was fortunate enough to be invited inside for the event!

The duo is made up of Redfoo and SkyBlu and they played nearly every song off their 'Sorry For Party Rocking' album.

One of the earlier songs was 'I'm In Miami Bitch' which they sang with Orlando inserted in lieu of Miami!

Considering that they did a show at House of Blues just a couple months ago, Amway Center was pretty jammed all the way up to the upper levels.

Lots of colorful outfits, headbands and oversized glasses in the crowd.

It wasn't until the :55 minute mark of the concert that LMFAO finally performed some of their biggest hits.

The crowd was pretty much singing all the songs anyway but megahit 'Shots' really got everyone going!

That was quickly followed by their biggest hit, 'Party Rock Anthem'.  Carried off the stage in stretchers after the previous song, an on-screen video of them emerging from the hospital brought them back out for their version of the famous music video where everybody's doing the Melbourne Shuffle!

I was fortunate to have a standing spot in the sold out VIP PIT, away from the teeming masses.

 

 

 

Spotted: Singer Bri from one of the last night's opening acts, Joy Island. Also opening was DJ Sidney Samson and Dance act Far East Movement.

Surprise ending included dousing the audience with champagne and this strip down set to 'Sorry For Party Rocking'.  LMFAO is an act worth seeing for the kitsch and wacky tunes. Here's their most popular song, 'Party Rock Anthem':

I'll have after-concert Club Reports here tomorrow!