This Weekend In Techno Town

THURSDAY APR 1

 DJ Duke & DJ MeeYoww (USA)     Neon Beach     House / Techno

FRIDAY APR 2

                            DJ Born Dirty GB/F)     Celine Nightclub     House

SATURDAY APR 3

                    DJ Jimmy Joslin & DJ Mynd (USA)     Embassy Irish Bar     80's Night

PI Update: Which Was Better?

Which was better? BET Soundstage then?

 

Or BET Soundstage now?

Which was better? Motion then?

Or Motion now?

Which was better? Rock'N'Roll Beach Club then?

Or Rock'N'Roll Beach Club now?

Which was better? Adventurers Club then?

Or Adventurers Club now?

Which was better? 8TRAX then?

Or 8TRAX now?

Which was better? Mannequins then?

Or Mannequins now?

Ha Ha! We know which was better!!

DS Update: Chicago Restaurants Coming

We've previously reported on the arrival of Chicago-based Portillo's to the Orlando area. A couple of opening dates have come and gone but apparently testing is still in progress. The place looks definitely ready to have their signage unwrapped and be opened for business. Specializing in juicy Italian Beef sandwiches and Chicago-style hot dogs, Portillo's is located in Lake Buena Vista at the corner of Palm Parkway and Daryl Carter Blvd. Opening any day now.

Located nearly directly behind Portillo's in Lake Buena Vista will be Florida's very first White Castle. They're really not a Chicago chain per se but they do operate there so that's how I'm familiar with them. They are in many major markets in the northeast and as far south as the Nashville area. In the south, White Castle fans migrate to the very-similar Krystal for "sliders". Opening within a few months.

In Disney Springs West Side, Chicago-based Beatrix remains in limbo. The land was previously cleared and then covid19 hit early last year and construction ended. A year later, nothing has restarted so we don't know the status. Beatrix, serving healthier food, is to be located where Bongos Cuban Cafe used to stand.

Concert Report: Beats At The Beach (Cape Canaveral)

Sorry for the delay but it's taken me over 8 hours to compile, load and comment on photos from last night's Beats At The Beach concert in Cape Canaveral ft. DJ Icey (USA). The pics are now posted on our sister website Orlando Entertainment News here.

 

Club Reports: Treehouse, The Venue (MIA/FTL)

 

The legendary DJ Roger Sanchez performs in Orlando tonight but we got to see him last night in Miami. All the Friday night pics are on our sister website Orlando Entertainment News here.

Club Reports: Spacepark, Backdoor Monkey, Rose' (MIA/FTL)

Thursday night in South Florida, beginning the night at Spacepark and DJ Layla Benitez (USA) playing Tech House. All the pics are on sister website Orlando Entertainment News here.

A DJ Saved My Life Link

Back in 2018 the Blog ran an article about DJ Leony (USA) called "A DJ Saved My Life". It told about how his EDM sets at Latin Quarter made life bearable in the bleak post-Pleasure Island era. I bring it up because next Thursday we will have a new article with the "A DJ Saved My Life" theme to it. Check out the original article here.

This Weekend In Techno Town

 FRIDAY MAR 26

DJ Jamie Jones (GB)     Celine Nightclub     House

SATURDAY MAR 27

Beats At The Beach ft. DJ Icey (USA)     Radisson (Cape Canaveral)     Breaks / House

SATURDAY MAR 27

   Culture Music Festival ft. Roger Sanchez (USA)     Pine Street Downtown     House

SATURDAY MAR 27

                         Tiffany (USA)     Dexter's (Lake Mary)     90's Retro

SUNDAY MAR 28

               DJ Jeff Retro (USA)     WTR Pool & Grill (Tampa)     EDM / House

SUNDAY MAR 28

                            DJ Fiin (USA)     Celine Nightclub     House

SUNDAY MAR 28

                 DJ duo Neverdogs (GB)     Sundown Sundays at The Patio     Techno

DS Update: Where Will The Brightline Station Be?

As everyone knows, last November Florida's new higher speed rail service Brightline announced an intention and agreement with Disney to extend their planned route from the station at Orlando International Airport to Walt Disney World. This would likely be in conjunction with a route extension beyond Disney to Tampa. But where will the station be located?

 

 We know the station will be located at or near Disney Springs because that was included in the announcement. Presumably it would be located near the existing Disney Springs bus loop so that travelers could exit the trains and connect to buses headed to their resort. There could, of course, be a completely different bus system for the trains versus Disney Springs bound passengers but duplicating what is already there seems unlikely.

While Brightline service is currently on hiatus due to Covid19, their existing route operates between MiamiCentral Station in downtown Miami with stops in downtown Fort Lauderdale and downtown West Palm Beach. Construction is well-underway for an extension north to Cocoa on existing tracks owned by the Florida East Coast Railroad and then completely new trackage from there to OIA. If you travel at all along the Beachline Expressway (SR 528), you've seen the construction. An extension to Walt Disney World would be a natural addition to their plans along with Tampa. With Disney ending their Magical Express bus service to/from the airport, this could be a real winner for those traveling to Disney from south Florida as well as those arriving by air at OIA.

Concert Report: Streamline Rooftop Party (Daytona Beach)

Can't stay home on a Sunday night when the legendary DJ Steve Lawler (GB) is playing. Yesterday our sister website Orlando Entertainment News visited the Rooftop Party at the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach and what a great show. The pics can be found here.

 

Club Reports: Thrive Cocktail Lounge, Embassy Irish Bar, Independent Bar, Elixir Bar

DJ trio Mason Collective (GB) capped off Saturday night downtown and our sister website Orlando Entertainment News has all the pics here.

Club Reports: Embassy Irish Bar, Aero Bar, Treehouse

They promise you this.....but what do you actually get? Friday night pics are on our sister website Orlando Entertainment News here.

 

Friday Funny

                                                           Truth!
 

Dirtybird Camp-Inn To Require Rapid Antigen Test

 

Dirtybird Camp-Inn is taking place May 14-17 at Avanti Palms Resort on International Drive and they've announced that everyone attending must submit to a Covid19 Rapid Antigen test upon arrival at the resort. The price of the test is extra beyond ticket and room costs. In lieu of the test, patrons can submit documentation that they've received the Covid19 vaccination(s).

This is a brilliant move as it will assure everyone attending is completely safe. This is also likely how other festivals later in the year will operate as well as international air and cruise travel.

This Weekend In Techno Town

WEDNESDAY MAR 17 (TODAY) FREE AFTERNOON SHOW

                        DJ duo Breathe Carolina (USA)     Celine     EDM

WEDNESDAY MAR 17 (NITE SHOW)

                    DJ Nic Fanciulli (GB)     Celine     House / Dance

THURSDAY MAR 18

                    DJ AfrodisiaX (USA)     Embassy Irish Bar     Breaks

THURSDAY MAR 18

                           DJ Dirty Audio (USA)     Celine     Heavy Bass

FRIDAY MAR 19

                      DJ Snails (CDN)     Celine     Vomitstep / Dubstep

FRIDAY MAR 19

                        DJ Chino (USA)     LaLa Lounge at HÄOS     House

SATURDAY MAR 20

                      DJ Jimmy Joslin (USA)     Embassy Irish Bar     80's Night

SATURDAY MAR 20

                  DJ Drezo (USA)     Gilt Concert Venue     Trap / Heavy Bass

SATURDAY MAR 20

                    DJ trio Mason Collective (GB)     Elixir Bar     House

SUNDAY MAR 21

                 DJ Steve Lawler (GB)     Streamline Hotel Rooftop (Daytona)     House

SUNDAY MAR 21

                      SinDUSTRY Night ft. DJ Magic Mike (USA)     Celine     EDM

Trip Report: Sint Maarten / Saint-Martin

A few people asked to see more pictures from our recent journey to the Caribbean, so here they are. This island is the smallest in the world to be governed by two different countries. Dutch Sint Maarten used to be part of the Netherland Antilles but that dissolved in 2010 and it is now a free constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The official language is Dutch but everyone speaks English and because of tourism, it is very Americanized. Prices are either in Netherland Antillean Florin (NAF) or in tourist areas, American Dollars.

We'll begin our journey on the Dutch side since that is where most hotels are.

Princess Juliana International Airport is also on the Dutch side.

And the island's largest city, Philipsburg, is on the Dutch side.

It has a famous paved "boardwalk" lined with restaurants and bars. Many are still closed following Category 5+ Hurricane Irma in 2017 followed in 2020 by the covid19 shutdown.

Five cruise ships were docked in port here, awaiting the return of cruising.

Other than some street (straat) names and these bus stop signs, there sadly isn't a lot of Dutch to be found here.

Maho Beach is the most famous beach in Sint Maarten.

The beach itself is pretty but it's the danger that attracts everyone.

Landing planes fly right over the beach and people jump up to try to touch them!

Most spectacular are the widebody jets that land here.

The roar as they pass over is amazing. Sample landing video here.

Read that sign on the guardrail. When planes take off, you first see the exhaust blow dust on the runway behind it, then the grass begins moving, and then you feel the heat of the blast. If you're standing on the beach, you get sandblasted and pushed towards the ocean. This is the leading tourist attraction, especially the arrivals of the huge jets from Paris and Amsterdam. Is it actually dangerous? A couple years ago a woman watching a departure got knocked over by the blast, struck her head on the pavement and was killed. So it can be.

Across the sea, a view of the island Saba (NL). In the center is the potentially active volcano, Mt. Scenery. At 2,910 ft, it's the highest point in the Netherlands.

Unfortunately not visible in this camera shot but visible with the naked eye, the islands of St. Eustatius (NL) and the independent country St. Kitts.

Surviving the hurricane with minimal damage, Sunset Beach Bar is a famed hangout for planespotting.

In the foreground, Dutch Sint Maarten, in the midground French Saint-Martin and across the water at the rear, the island Anguilla (UK).

The roads that cross the Dutch-French border are unguarded but there are monuments with flags. The Dutch side has the Netherlands and Sint Maarten flags while the French side has the France and European Union flags.

The center marks the actual border.

And signs welcome you to whichever side you're headed.

If you're in Hawaii you're in the United States, right?. Like that, when you're on the French side of Saint-Martin, you're actually in France. The tags are French.

The flags are French.

The fort is French.

Many cars are French.

If you've been to France, you'll recognize their grocery chain Carrefour. There's also a Monoprix store jammed with French imports.

This particular Carrefour was on the Dutch side so prices are in NAF.. We always check out the Lay's products in foreign countries because they can be fascinating. Lay's Patatje Joppie is a Dutch favorite made with Joppie sauce. Lay's Poulet Roti is a French favorite, flavored as Roasted Chicken!

The post office is French.

The road signs are in French. The prices are in Euros. Since you're in France, you're in the European Union. On the Dutch side, you're not.

Nice view of Anguilla (UK) across the water.

Nice view of Saint Barthélemy (F) aka St. Barts to the south.

It makes sense that the countries that govern this island also provide provisions and transportation. Currently Air France from Paris flies in 6X per week.

While KLM Royal Dutch Airlines from Amsterdam arrives 2X per week. Both airlines used to use the Boeing 747-400 which drew huge crowds at Maho Beach for landing and takeoffs.

My Boeing 757-200 was nowhere near as exciting but all too soon it was time to leave. A good time was had by all.