PI Update: The First 24 Hours After PI Closed

Let's look back at beautiful Pleasure Island and those first 24-hours after the clubs closed!

PI fans know that the final parties took place on Saturday, September 27, 2008 with the clubs closing before 2am that night. (Except for Peapod & Cannalte at Mannequins who played-on until 2:30am!) Construction crews would waste no time though in eliminating some of the club names.  By Sunday night, this is what club Motion looked like.

And at 8TRAX the name had been wrapped over although you could still faintly see it under the cover.  The colorful design remained though and would be stay that way for a few more years.

What was odd though was the lack of effort to remove names at the other clubs.  The Mannequins Dance Palace signs were immediately removed from the club's marquee but the vertical metal Mannequins name remained on the building and Dance Palace remained on the marquee.

There was no effort to do anything with the signs at Soundstage Club.

Likewise the signs at Adventurers Club would remain visible for a few more years, as did the exterior artifacts.  "Arrive a stranger, leave a little stranger."

Comedy Warehouse signs remained up both on the side of the building (above) and also in front of the club.  It was not until months later when they decided to run the Celebrate Tonight shows in front of the CW building that they took down the front signs.  This sign on the side remained.

Last but not least was Rock'n'Roll Beach Club.  It actually closed in February, 2008, preceding the others by six months.  The jumping shark sign remained on the building's art work shown above until well-after the venue closed, when it too was finally taken down.  You can faintly see the outline of it above the wave.  Pleasure Island's club names then remained as described above until August, 2011 when all final traces of still-existing names were removed.  We'll have an article about that next week.

Thanksgiving Is For.....

Thanksgiving is for.....shopping after midnight at the factory outlet mall!  Sorry for the crappy camera phone photo of DJ Mark Hunt playing earlier this morning at the Tommy Hilfinger Outlet store in Lake Buena Vista.

Thanksgiving is for.....giving thanks!  Thanks to all of you out there around the country and around the world who have delivered over 728,000 hits to this Blog, a website which was created to "save Pleasure Island" but then at least has kept you updated about it.

One huge blessing that has come out of PI's closure is that I've come to know so many of you who at Pleasure Island I might have just waved at or just known of you but never actually spoke to you.  Post-closure we all had a shared-background of "misery loves company" (as a friend recently described it to me) and now we actually know each other!  Your friendship is appreciated!

Final special thanks goes to all the DJ's, lighting techs, promoters, club managers, club owners, door hosts, etc. which make the other half of this Blog's mission possible.  It's been great fun helping you support the huge rise of Electronic Dance Music in Orlando!

Concert Report: Return Of The Kings (Firestone)

Thanksgiving holiday in the United States today, so Thanksgiving Eve last night was the perfect time to have a party!  Another great one at Firestone Live!

Coldest night of the season though and the outside patio was just too chilly to enjoy breakbeats from DJ Superfly Jeff.  Heading back inside.

Much warmer here to listen to DJ Mike B.

And this is where the crowd was hanging out too!

Already really crowded at 11pm!

The music was supposed to be early 90's but Mike B actually played some current hits too. And some quasi-Hip Hop caused this guy to go spastic!

Spotted: Duane with friend.

Spotted in VIP: Aubrey with friend.

You can never go wrong with Go Go girls!

Spotted on the dance floor: Sarah & Lanie

Also spotted on the floor: NLP's Marybeth, DJ Matrix & DJ Pedro Vázquez.  They're playing this Friday night at Sandwich Bar.

The mysterious DJ X coming on around 12:15am.

Great set of mostly Breaks with some 90's hits!

The crowd was really getting into his music!

The club's upstairs was not open but the downstairs was packed!

Spotted on stage: ill DJ Chris B.

Sorry, this came out a bit blurry.

At 1am DJ Baby Anne took over the controls!

The event was called "Return of the Kings" but this was also the return of the Queen; the Bass Queen that is!  First Orlando appearance since CityWalk this past Labor Day.

You can never go wrong with Go Go girls!

Spotted backstage: DJ Fusion.  He had played earlier out on the patio. Fusion opens for DJ Dave Cannalte (Mannequins) on December 6th at Suite B Lounge.

Baby Anne's set included the requisite Breakbeats but she also mixed in a lot of Classic Dance songs from the 90's and early 00's!  There was a roar of approval as each new song was recognized!

Spotted by the stage: Joel & Mari.

Dressed in skinny jeans and tall boots, Baby Anne's look was as amazing as her music!

Have I mentioned anything about Go Go girls?

Baby Anne turning the reigns over to legendary DJ Dave London close to 2am!

Even this late there was still quite the crowd down on the dance floor!

London continued the evening's theme of early 90's dance music!  The whole night was a great success!

And a good time was had by all.......for some, maybe too good!

This Weekend In Techno Town

TONIGHT NOV 27
Off tomorrow? Come out tonight for 90's Breaks & Classic Dance at Firestone Live! Baby Anne (USA) plays at 12:45am! ($10)

FRIDAY NOV 29
It's Lost In Trancelation weekend at Bikkuri Lounge this Friday night as DJ Suzy Solar (USA) joins host DJ Robb Blak (Roxy)! The best in Trance!
(FREE)

The NLP DJ group invades Sandwich Bar this Friday night with sets performed by DJ's Matrix, J-Dub, MX and Supagroover along with guest DJ Sandra Cruz.  Lots of Breaks and Progressive!  Sandwich Bar is located in the Milk District next to Space Bar.
(Admission Donated to Charity)

Also Friday night you have a darker option; there's Goth, Industrial & Nuwave at Thee Grotto with resident DJ Rob Bates and guest DJ Curse Mackey!
(Free until 12, then $5)

SATURDAY NOV 30
Pure House music is what's in store for you at Sound Bar with Resident DJ's Monsanto and legendary John Debo in the booth!
(FREE - $5)

SUNDAY DEC 1
Kick-off December with a daytime EDM block party on Pine Street featuring the listed names!
(Price N/A)

CW Update: CityWalk Update

It's not just Downtown Disney that is going through construction. It's been awhile since we updated you on changes at Universal CityWalk where lots of things are happening too.  Pastamore' has been renovated and has a new sign and a new entrance beneath Starbucks.

Those renovations have allowed a new venue to open, Red Oven Pizza Bakery. They feature fresh pizza made while you wait with the toppings exactly as you want them.  There is both indoor and outdoor seating.  Looks great!

Over at CityWalk's "lily pad" area outside The Groove, construction walls surround activity there although I'm not sure what they're doing!

This is what the former Latin Quarter building looks like today.  Extensive renovations are turning it into Don Quixote's, a Mexican-themed restaurant.

More construction is taking place near the CityWalk entrance adjacent the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company restaurant. The Endangered Species clothing store is now closed and joins the space of the long-ago closed Universal credit card office.  This will be the future home of......we don't know.

Tis' the season!  Multiple faux snow machines dot the CityWalk landscape and rain down soapy "flakes" of the white stuff to remind you why you live here and not up north!  For those of you up north, at least this stuff is dry!!  Come on out to CityWalk and check it all out!