PI Update: Fuego Closes Tonight!

Tonight is the final night for Fuego by Sosa Cigars on beautiful Pleasure Island.  And because their lease and thus their Disney liquor license ends on September 30th, they will close this one last time at midnight rather than the normal 2am.  Expect the demolition wall that now passes behind Fuego to envelop it shortly thereafter.  The building was once home to Jessica's aka The Jessica Rabbit Store and a large leg-swinging Jessica Rabbit sign sat on the roof.  If you're in the area, be sure to come out for one last drink!

Club Reports: Thee Grotto, Prime Nightclub

What if you hosted a party and no one came because you forgot to send the invitations. Would it still be a party? Such was the case last night at Thee Grotto. 

They had the legendary DJ duo of Rob E.....

.....and Security.  But with just a couple days of advance notice of the event, no one knew about it and only a handful came out. Private message to Thee Grotto: Put events on your website and Facebook page a week ahead of time, please.

Over to the new Prime Nightclub on Church Street where Loft55 previously was located.

They had DJ PopRoXxX (Splitsville, KingsBowl, The Other Bar, The Groove) in the booth for the first couple hours, spinning a fix of Top 40/Dance, Hip Hop, 90's hits and later on, more House.

His high-energy mix did finally draw people to the dance floor!

Just in time for another legend, the fiery-eyed DJ Irene Pardo (Dub Factory) to take over around 12:45am!

First time I finally got to see her play as I kept missing her shows over the past few years.

Prime had a decent crowd last night but not anywhere near as crowded as their opening weekend we were invited to a few weeks back.

The dance floor and VIP areas did see some dance moves taking place.

You can never go wrong with Go Go girls!

Her loud set of House/Tech House blew the place up!  Very impressive!

A good time was had by all!

Club Report: Suite B Lounge

Friday night at Suite B......NLP in the house!

With DJ K8te working the box office!

DJ Pedro Vazquez (Silly Grape) kicking off the night with a bunch of Breaks!

And DJ's Beni Hill & J-Dub following with more of the same and a lot of Old School too!

Really taking things up a notch, DJ Matrix giving the room a very-AAHZ vibe with more classics!

NLP MC Marybeth keeping the patrons informed!

And there were lots of patrons!  Place was packed.

Dance floor stayed full from early until late.

Plenty of energy in the room!

NLP's technical coordinator and VJ Og Wolf visiting with a friend!

Star of the night DJ Sharaz (USA) taking control at 1am.

Mixing more Old School Classic Dance with Breakbeats.

Spotted: DJ Vitamin C (Silly Grape) hanging around the stripper pole with Pedro Vazquez.

Spotted: Sarah (The Rollins Girls) making sure the pole works!

Sarah visiting with DJ Supagroover (NLP)!

And really......a good time was had by all!

PI RIP - 5 YEARS

Exactly 5 years ago tonight Pleasure Island as we knew it ceased to exist.  The doors of the comedy and dance clubs were closed sometime before 3am and never opened again.  The original plan was to lease out all the spaces to third party operators but there were no takers so it never happened. A couple years later a concept called Hyperion Wharf was announced but it too was met with yawns and the project was subsequently cancelled after Rock'n'Roll Beach Club and club Motion were demolished.  Earlier this year Plan 3.0 was announced, the conversion of Pleasure Island to something called The Landing and the conversion of all of Downtown Disney into something called Disney Springs.  But six months after it was announced, not a single tenant name has been released and there is speculation that they're having a problem filling the spaces for this too.  We certainly hope not as we've been waiting way too long already.

Dash Berlin Coming To EDC Orlando

There have been no official announcements yet about who is going to be playing at the upcoming Electric Daisy Carnival - Orlando but we've learned that DJ Dash Berlin (NL) will be one of the performers.  EDC will be taking place on Friday and Saturday, November 8-9; Dash Berlin's performance will be on Friday.  We've heard a rumor that the number one DJ in the world, Armin van Buuren (NL) will be performing again as he did last year but can't confirm this yet.  The event takes place at Tinker Field adjacent the Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium.  Tickets can be purchased here.  

This Weekend In Techno Town

THURSDAY SEP 26
Best known for Trance but really playing many types of EDM, DJ Brian Transeau (USA), much better known as BT, plays tomorrow night at The Beacham downtown.
($20)

FRIDAY SEP 27
The best party in town this weekend, the NLP DJ group will be jamming inside Suite B Lounge and they've got guest DJ Sharaz (USA) in the lineup!  DJ Matrix, J-Dub, Funkbaby & Pedro Vazquez (Silly Grape)!
($10)

SATURDAY SEP 28
The official DJ of the Miami Heat and Carnival Cruise Lines, DJ Irie returns to Orlando this Saturday night at The Groove in Universal CityWalk.
($7)

PI Update: Bypass Bridgework Continues

The lack of advertising on the Pleasure Island marquee might make you think that nothing is happening on the Island.  But as we posted yesterday, demolitions are happening all the time!

Actual construction is a bit more limited though, that's true.  It's limited to the new bypass bridge.

It will take pedestrians from the West Side near the tethered balloon ride and bring them around much of the Island.

Dropping them off here at the Pleasure Island water taxi pier.

It will supposedly be used once building construction gets in full gear in the Celebration Plaza area. The bypass bridge is supposedly going to be temporary but it certainly appears to be of high quality.

Zoom in and you can also see construction taking place in Staging Area 1 where club Motion used to stand.  This underground pipe work in the location where a lighthouse-design restaurant is coming to The Landing, as PI will eventually be renamed.

PI Update: Changing Attitudes Building Razed!

One never knows what one is going to find when one crosses this bridge to Pleasure Island. 

Mannequins is still there.

Fuego by Sosa Cigars is still there.

8TRAX, missing is front foyer section, is still there.

What's missing though is the Changing Attitudes building that was attached to MDP.  You may know it better as the recent home of Apricot Lane and before that, Orlando Harley Davidson. 

This is a surprise because the concept art showed it remaining and there was speculation that it would become the entry area for whatever was going into the Mannequins spot.

Also gone is PI Live Bar and that whole metal stair tower complex that stood in that corner.

The fun continues.  Come out to Pleasure Island to check it out!

Club Reports: Independent Bar, Sound Bar

Great to be back in the United States of America!  Last weekend Q-Bar, this weekend I-Bar!

DJ Indie John in the control tower spinning 80's New Wave.

Downtown Orlando was not particularly crowded last night but I-Bar was certainly holding its own.

The club on Saturday nights is always a mix of all walks of life!

Always adorable!

Always a fun time!

Moving over around 1am to Sound Bar.

Resident DJ John Debo was on the boards, taking turns with....

....guest DJ Jozif (GB), both spinning pure House.

The dance floor was sardine can packed!

I think all the songs were non-vocal.

No Tech House, no Progressive House. Just pure unadulterated House.  Sound Bar is consistent when it comes to that format and it's drawing crowds.

And a good time was had by all.....even the DJ!