PI Update: Remants Of Pleasure Island

You will no longer find any signs that say Pleasure Island. But ironically, you won't find any signs that say The Landing either. But if you look closely, you might spot some remnants of Pleasure Island. As you walk uphill along Hill Street, look high to your left and you will spot 8TRAX.

Morimoto Asia is a dead ringer for Mannequins. And if you go inside, you can't help but remember all the iron pillars, the location of the DJ booth and the location of the light wall. It's all there.

Around back on the Island's lower level, more 8TRAX. This was home to the circular staircase that went from the club's bottom level up to where the DJ booth was positioned. The circular staircase is no longer there, but it still is a stairwell for Morimoto kitchen employees.

 

Back on Hill Street, this was home to Mannequins smokers patio. The glass doors are gone but you can go straight into Mannequins or take the right door into 8TRAX. There's not much left of our beloved Pleasure Island but if you look hard enough, there's a few things.

PI Update: Remembering the Sunshine Rail Line

If you look real careful on the lower level of Pleasure Island, you can find a faded old mural advertising the Sunshine Rail Line. Long gone from the Florida travel scene, the steam locomotives of the former SRL brought northerners to the warm shores of Disney Springs.

The trains no longer bring vacationers to Disney Springs, they arrive via automobile or coach. There are a few high line trestles scattered across the West Side but the tracks are gone. One reminder that still exists of the old days is this former train station located near West End Plaza. It now serves as a bathroom facility for guests passing nearby.

Club Reports: Cocktails & Screams, Elixir Bar, Iron Cow

As we reported on in yesterday's article, Bar None Creations closed two of their concepts over on Church Street. Those two were the 1-Up bar/game room and the Alice in Wonderland-themed High-T. So we wanted to check-out their remaining venue, Cocktails & Screams which is located on Pine Street.

We walked into this.

They have several of these paintings on the wall.

A lot like what you'd see in the Haunted Mansion at Disney's Magic Kingdom, can turn into this!

It's creepy and it's kooky, it's mysterious and spooky. There was no cover charge last night because there was no live entertainment. The background music was of some Industrial band. We don't want to show too much so you can experience it for yourself.

A good time was had by all.

Around 11PM we headed over to downtown favorite, Elixir Bar.

And outside on their famous dance patio, we walked into this.

The opener DJ Jaime Vox (USA) was still on.

He had a fun set that ran the gamut from Techno to Trance to EDM to Classic Dance.

The place was packed!

At 11:30PM, a quick set from DJ Apes on Acid (USA).

She would go pretty Hard Techno on us. But that's why the crowd was here!

And then shortly after midnight, there he was, the headliner.....

DJ Sam Wolfe (USA)

First song accompanied by a rapper whose name we didn't get.

They had the crowd bouncing.

Known for his "underground" Techno sets, he was pretty animated.

And delivered a number of EDM songs mixed to a more-booming Techno sound.

Sam Wolfe is based in Atlanta.

DJ Ben Hemsley (GB) plays tonight here at Elixir.

The crowd definitely came out for Techno last night since you typically hear House music at Elixir. Big thanks to Justin Z for the professional courtesies. A good time was had by all.

We had time for one more stop. Over to the Milk District and Iron Cow.

We walked into this.

Opener DJ Atnarko (USA) on the right had just turned the reigns over to the headliner.....

DJ Mark Farina (USA)

His mostly Chicago-style House with a slight Jazz backdrop had the crowd bouncing.

There's always great music at Iron Cow. Next Friday come see DJ Francesca Lombardo (I) here and next Saturday, DJ Deekline (GB).

Mark Farina had played Iron Cow in February, 2023.

He plays next Saturday at Revival in Toronto and then joins DJ duo Manzone & Strong (CDN) also in Toronto on Sunday at Wiggle Room.

You know you're in the right club when you spot Amelia up front!

DJ's Lola B (USA) & Atnarko open for DJ Three (USA) when he plays The Cow on April 18th.

Peeps!

Close to 2AM and no one was leaving just yet.

Big thanks to Luis E for the professional courtesies. A good time was had by all.

Club Reports: Downtown Update, Alfie's HiFi, Oliv Bar

Let's begin our Friday night in downtown Orlando. The former Shots Orlando spot at the corner of East Pine Street and Magnolia Avenue is back open. There is no sign posted so we're not sure what name they're operating under. Under the former regime it was a Hip Hop joint but last night we heard Top 40 coming out of there so we'll have to check it out when we have more time.

 

Also on East Pine Street, Aloha Beautiful has said its last goodbye. It will now be known as Phoenix Jazz Club. Interesting.

On West Pine Street, Allure is on final approach before opening for business as a bar and restaurant. This is in the spot that once housed famed Orlando nightclub Blue Room. Since then it has been home to close to a dozen different venues so we hope they fare better.

Things have gotten bleaker than they already were along Church Street. 1-Up has closed. Not sure if it was a game room with a bar or a bar with a game room, it was colorful and highly-themed.

Upstairs above it, the Alice In Wonderland-themed High T has also closed. These two Church Street venues were about the only two bars/clubs still remaining on Orlando's former partying street. We described the sad state of affairs in this "Nightmare on Church Street" OEN article last December. LINK

One piece of good news. YAZ is opening along Orange Avenue in the spot where The Courtesy once operated. The space has been vacant for several years since they relocated to Winter Park. We'll check the place out to find out what niche they're going after.

Alfie's HiFi has been the hottest ticket in town since they opened late last year.

Located in the Mills/50 district, this was the queue outside when we first arrived. Long lines are the norm here.

The bar is located in the front room and they have this cool light fixture above it.

The DJ booth is located in the middle room and it was here we found DJ Justin Davis (USA) on the controls.

Dance floor was getting crowded.

The music at Alfie's is completely off vinyl. You won't find any thumb drives or laptops here.

The club has well-stocked shelves of music but the DJ's typically bring their own crates of records as well.

During our visit last night the music was mix of light House and 80's Funk. But more-current House and even 70's Disco is not uncommon here.

There is no real dress code here. The guys are in tees, jeans and sneakers while the ladies are typically much better dressed. Alfie's HiFi is in the former St. Matthews Tavern spot but I don't think SMT ever had crowds like this. There is no parking so you'll have to find free street parking somewhere in the residential neighborhoods nearby.

Another newer venue on the scene is Oliv Bar located uptown along Magnolia Avenue about a block north of Colonial Drive.

In the foyer of what appears to be an office building is this high-ceiling nightclub.

We arrived at shift-change time with DJ Jerry "The Reverend" Johnson (USA) turning the controls over to DJ Dave Cannalte (USA).

We know Dave Cannalte from the annual AAHZ Reunion shows as well as being the Thursday night resident DJ at Mannequins Dance Palace at Disney's Pleasure Island.

When we first arrived the bar was busy.

But the dance floor wasn't.

They have a full liquor bar here.

All of a sudden Cannalte dropped a couple bangers and the dance floor got busy.

House music along with some turn-of-the-century Classic Dance.

The Reverend came back on and played more of a Progressive House set.

Joined by DJ Scot Marc (USA).

A good time was had by all.