Club Reports: Icon Park, Tin Roof, Ole Red, Oliv Bar, Alfie's HiFi

During our recent visits to the International Drive area, our focus has been on all the new dance clubs that opened at Live! at the Pointe at Pointe Orlando. Last night we visited Icon Park, another hotbed of nightlife that is anchored by the Orlando Wheel, more than a dozen restaurants, a wax museum and an aquarium. Blue Man Group is coming soon. Oh, and there's music!

 

Outside on the plaza we found DJ Louie (USA) playing Top 40.

On this chilly evening just a couple out on the dance floor but in the past we've seen this area get packed too.

We first stopped by Tin Roof, a live music joint.

Tin Roof has two large rooms of music. The main room was jammed.

The live band Stereo FM (USA) was playing Top 40 hits during our visit.

"Sweet Home Alabama" had a contingent of dancers on the floor.

The room next door is called the Green Room with the stage all the way at the rear.

Here we found DJ PopRoXxX (USA) leading the festivities.

Along with a drummer and sax player making up the Rage Against The DJ (USA) band.

Admission was just $5 for access to both rooms.

PopRoXxX was the Wednesday night resident DJ at The Groove in CityWalk. We first met him in 2012 when he was the opening DJ at Splitsville in then Downtown Disney as seen in this Blog archives photo.

Since we were here, we stopped by Ole Red, the club owned by Country music star Blake Shelton (USA).

Decades ago Country music was known as Country & Western and last night the Randall Crawford Band (USA) was playing Trucking music during our visit. Songs like Alabama (USA) hit "Roll On 18 Wheeler" and Jerry Reed (USA) hit "Eastbound and Down" were firsts for me in a club setting.

And people dance to this. Who knew? We couldn't get out of there quick enough.

 We next headed to Orlando's Uptown district, home to Oliv Bar.

Here we found DJ Jerry "The Reverend" Johnson (USA) on the decks.

House music and Acid House.

Spotted on the dance floor: Jerry's "main squeeze" Dana.

Oliv Bar is a small room but just not very crowded last night.

Although small, Oliv has a full liquor bar, often staffed by Amber!

Beautiful people.

DJ Sachin Talikot (IND/USA) returns to Oliv Bar next Friday night and we're awaiting the lineup. DJ Kris Kokopelli (USA) has been doing Thursday night events here too. Come check it out!

Alfie's HiFi is the new House music haven located in Orlando's Mills/50 district in the spot vacated by St. Matthew's Tavern. They opened this past Thursday night.

We visited Friday night but only stayed for a half hour because this bar in the front room was so packed, we couldn't get a drink. Last night there was a vacancy as soon as we stepped in the door.

The rear room is made up of three sections including this one with some seating.

It was crowded enough but looking over into the other section where the DJ booth is located, packed!

DJ Sean Samaroo (USA) was on duty last night.

House music, both vocal and non-vocal, at least for the first hour of our visit.

Right up against the DJ booth, the dance floor was absolutely jammed.

We never had a visit here when this was St. Matthew's Tavern but we're told the layout is basically the same but with renovations made throughout. And the beautifully crafted DJ booth is new.

No Beyoncé (USA), please.

During the final hour, Sean Samaroo morphed his set from House to 80's hits such as "Just The Two Of Us", "What A Feeling", "Let's Dance" and even "Billy Jean".

The music at Alfie's HiFi is all off vinyl. They have some well-stocked shelves.

But the DJ's typically bring their own crates of records too, old-school style.

After the mini-80's set, the DJ went 70's on us with songs like "Tragedy", "Ring My Bell" and "Dance Dance Dance (Yowsah Yowsah Yowsah)". He had the entire club bouncing!

A good time was had by all.