AAHZ Reunion Lineup Announced

Last Friday we announced the return of AAHZ, the event that recreates weekly club night AAHZ that took place back in the late 90's at the Beacham Theater.  Their first reunion was back in 2009 and I had never experienced anything like it. Dominated by Progressive House, the packed house was generally an older crowd who had lived the original as 90's ravers. The vibe on the dance floor was incredible!

The lineup for this year's event has now been announced and of course it includes original AAHZ DJ Kimball Collins (T) & former Mannequins DJ Dave Cannalte (USA). Also headlining are DJ Icey (USA), Andy Hughes (USA), Scratch-D of Dynamix II (USA) & DJ Stylus (USA)!

Unless you're working on Thanksgiving Day, there's no excuse not to be there as this is taking place on Wednesday, November 23rd which is Thanksgiving Eve.

Super Early Bird Appreciation tickets are still available for just $9 here and they're also available for cash only without fees at Remix, Park Avenue CD's and the Social box office. This will be the top event of the year and Mannequins fans should not miss it!  Hope to see you there!

Mannequins Medley

Blog reader DJMadmanRay posted the link to this in Comments on Tuesday but I think it deserves an article of its own. It's not the first time the video has been posted on the Blog but this being the week of the 8th anniversary of Mannequins closing, it deserves 10 minutes of your time. 

I always called this the "Mannequins Medley" but the official name was probably "Mannequins Light Show".  Keep in mind the technology Mannequins had 8+ years ago predates what many clubs offer today in the way of lasers and other spot lighting.  What they offered back then was just spectacular, the best Disney's team of Imagineers could put together with the technology available back then. Yet it still looks amazing today!

With EDM as big as it is now, can you imagine how packed Mannequins would be if it was still open? It could have brought life to Disney Springs after 10PM.

This Weekend In Techno Town

What a great way to end September and begin October!

WEDNESDAY SEP 28
Attic Nightclub has a special Wednesday night show tonight featuring Landis (USA).  Alex Wood opens.  EDM.

THURSDAY SEP 29
Dutch treat tomorrow night at Venue 578 as DJ's Sam Feldt (NL) and Bakermat (NL) come to town! EDM.

Cheaper price point at Gilt Nightclub for DJ Lane 8 (USA). EDM/House.

If you'd prefer Techno over EDM though, check out Carlos Mendoza also playing Thursday night at Peek Downtown! Techno. 

FRIDAY SEP 30
The long-awaited return of DJ Alex M.O.R.P.H. (D) takes place this Friday night at Bikkuri Lounge! Trance.

Another exciting event returning this Friday night is "HouseFlyz", a night that used to take place at Vixen Bar. Features DJ's Seth Vogt, Knightlife and much more at Peek Downtown!  Deep House.

SATURDAY OCT 1
Saw him at EDC-Orlando last year, excited that he's returning!  DJ Jason Ross (USA) at Gilt Nightclub this Saturday night!  Trance.

RIP Pleasure Island - 8 Years

Biggest mistake Disney ever made.

Club Report: Mannequins Dance Palace

Tomorrow, 8 years since the clubs closed!

Mannequins Dance Palace, let's drop back in on the final night.

DJ Dave Cannalte & DJ Peapod in the booth overseeing our last visit ever inside!

It would get so packed inside that the revolving dance floor came to a stop before 11PM.

Mannequins had amazing lighting effects that only Disney could deliver back then. But it was that damn revolving dance floor that made it unique!

While we knew it was the final night, everyone held out hope that Disney would come to its senses and eventually reopen the place.  We know now that they would not.

Spotted by the bar: Jennifer

These two regulars have been seen at PI reunions at Atlantic Dance Hall or at EPCOT: Italy on New Years Eve, but otherwise never again!

Spotted on the revolving floor: Ambra

Some Mannequins people I've run into during the years since the club closed. Some, I've never seen again!

Spotted on the floor: Matt

Spotted off the floor: Tasha

Spotted near my spot: Gilberto & Debbie

Songs played that night included all their classics such as Liquid's "Sweet Harmony", Faithless "Insomnia", Darude's "Sandstorm" & Real McCoy's "Another Night".

During the final years they didn't often drop their famous signs but they did on the final night.

And their famous upside down hanging mannequins!

Including the eeirly eyes-glowing Manny!

You can never go wrong with Go Go girls!

Years after closure, peeking inside from the upstairs doors would yield a view of some of these remaining mannequins!

Club was supposed to close at 1:50AM like they always did but Peapod & Cannalte would do nothing of the sort!  They took it to about 2:15AM and still no one would leave! Amid a continuous crowd chant of "One more song, One more song", they put on the final song ever inside Mannequins, one that still brings a tear when I hear it.

Rozalla's, "Everybody's Free (To Feel Good).

Club Reports: Peek Downtown, Gilt Nightclub

Saturday night in the city!  Beginning my evening at Peek Downtown!

Arrived to find DJ's Kevin Timebomb and Rich D in the booth!

Nice crowd in the club!

And people kept streaming in.

Timebomb with his number one groupie Shelley!

DJ KGB taking over!   Breakbeats all night long!

Spotted on the dance floor: DJ Logan Lost who had played earlier along with Amanda & Rachel.

Spotted in VIP: Corey & Tina

Spotted by the booth: DJ Rich D & Heather

At midnight, DJ duo Pimp Squad taking over!

Peek Downtown is Orlando's home of Breaks!

It was hard to tear myself away from the great music at Peek, but I had another appointment at Gilt!

Arrived around 12:30AM to find DJ duo Louis Vivet (USA) playing!

Louis Vivet is not the name of either DJ, it's the name of the first mental health patient in the 1800's ever discovered to have a split personality disorder.  I arrived too late to see if each of them played differing styles of music.

But the EDM set I heard was fast, loud and had the huge crowd bouncing!

And then at 1AM, the guy everyone was waiting for!

And he too would go fast & loud right off the first song! DJ Gareth Emery (GB).

His set was all the expected Trance!

Including several selections off his new album "100 Reasons To Live".

The crowd stayed engaged, singing along to Emery's mostly vocal tracks!

Packed on the ground!

Packed to the rafters!

Gilt continues to bring in electronic music's biggest DJ's!

I've seen him play numerous times including 2012 here at Roxy , in 2013 at EDC-Chicago and in 2014 at Venue 578!

Singing along to "Reckless".

Jammed in every direction!

At both Peek & Gilt last night, a good time was had by all!