Club Reports: Suite B Lounge, Vixen Bar

New new territory covered last night as I stuck with the tried and true for great dance music beginning with Suite B Lounge. 

The Underground Sound group of DJ's took over the place last night with one set playing music only off vinyl and the other set playing only off CD's.  DJ Scarlett opened playing music off both formats.

DJ Mike Funk was up next playing a hard-driving mostly Vocal House mix.

He was followed by Spindle, a local DJ I had not encountered previously.

Decent crowd on hand that continued to grow as the night went on.

If you look carefully into Spindle's backpack, you'll see something we used to call "record sleeves" back in the day, and under them, something we used to call "record album covers"!  And highly likely within those record album covers are black vinyl disks that spin at 33-1/3 rpm and are called....records.

Lisa behind the Suite B bar can whip you up some delicious concoctions!

Over to Vixen Bar, the tiny venue that makes Suite B look huge.

Over here the NLP group of DJ's were putting out the Breaks including DJ Matrix (left) who I couldn't get to look up!

When I kept hearing a male voice (upper left) doing the announcing, I thought maybe they canned Marybeth!

Thankfully not.  They were just taking turns.

Spotted: DJ Funkbaby (Peacock Room, Suite B Lounge, Space Coast Love Festival) partying with friend Ally!  Funkbaby will be taking part in "Bassgasm" on August 25th with guest Denver-based DJ Hero.

Spotted: The usual assortment of Mannequins characters!  And a good time was had by all!

Club Reports: The Abbey, Vain Night Club

Just my second visit ever to The Abbey, an event center located on Pine Street about a mile east of the main downtown core.  Last night they were hosting a Totally 80's Night featuring the band Switch!

And the place was packed!

Of course we know Switch from prior coverage at Retro Room, Bar Louie and 80's Night at The Groove.

The band kept the dance floor full throughout their sets of Classic 80's songs.

A number of ladies were dressed in their Retro 80's finest!

The crowd age diversity ranged from the Twenties on up!

Plenty of nice scenery!  Totally.

And a good time was had by all!

Between band sets and after Switch ended, DJ Will Roc (Peacock Room, NV) was in the house playing more 80's. But his mix was quite different from the band, getting into a lot of early Dance plus a lot of well-known songs that you just don't hear at 80's Nights.  He kept the floor full!

                              Moving over to club Vain and DJ Mickey Bono!

                              The dance floor jammed up when he came on!

                             The music was House, Dance....and popular!

Mickey Bono plays tonight at Roxy Night Club.  He will also be a big part of the new Loft 55 club/restaurant when it opens later this month on Church Street.

And a good time was had by all!

PI Update: Remembering Mannequins History

Most people know that Mannequins was a large dance club located on Pleasure Island at Walt Disney World.  What many don't know is that the building was originally built as a canvas sail-making facility, then used as a film studio and after that the home of a huge steam locomotive.  It was during this later period in time that a huge turntable was installed in order to turn the locomotive around.  When Disney later turned the building into a dance club, the turntable was able to be used as the club's famous revolving dance floor.  The historical plaque above, formerly posted on the wall outside the building, documented the history of the World's most famous dance club.

RUMOR UPDATE:  Our sources on the Island report no construction activity inside Mannequins or Comedy Warehouse at this time.  At Mannequins, the floor is still in there and the mannequins are still hanging.

Electric Daisy Orlando Dates Announced!

Finally......dates were announced yesterday for Electric Daisy Carnival - Orlando!  The huge event featurning more than 100 international DJ's will take place on Friday, November 9th and Saturday, November 10th.  This will be happening at Tinker Field beside the Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium and will feature 4 stages.  No DJ names have been announced yet.  If it's like last year, music will begin at 1pm both dates and end at midnight with fireworks.  Tickets will go on sale next Friday, August 17th.  Bringing the event back to O-Town shows Insomniac's belief in our city as Techno Town!  Like last year, Save Pleasure Island Blog will be providing coverage.



Electric Daisy Carnival - Puerto Rico returns to San Juan this year.  This is a one day event running from 4pm to 4am on Saturday, September 15th and taking place at the Panamerican Pier Complex on Isla Grande. Tickets begin at just $30 for over 50 DJ's including Kaskade, Dash Berlin, Datsik and Manufactured Superstars. Save Pleasure Island Blog will be providing coverage for this event as well.



This Weekend In Techno Town

FRIDAY AUG 10

Have you've been missing DJ Mickey Bono (Bliss Ultra Lounge, Beat Thrillerz, RadioDanz) and his House & Dance mixes downtown? Check out his new Rage! Fridays at Vain!  (Ladies Free/Guys $5) 

This Friday only, check out a new 80's Night at The Abbey.  Live 80's band Switch (The Groove, Retro Room, Bar Louie) begins at 8pm and DJ Will Rock (Atlantic Dance, The Groove, Red Coconut Club) will be on hand as well. (FREE)

SATURDAY AUG 11

It's Old School Vinyl represented by DJ's Spindle and Jade versus Nu-Skool CD's represented by DJ's Bandar and Mike Funk, both spinning EDM from the past & present! Suite B Lounge is the place; DJ Scarlett opens.  (FREE until 11pm, then $5)

Over in Tampa, DJ Brian Transeau (USA) better known at "BT" is in town bringing his "Laptop Symphony" radio show House/Dance format to Amphitheatre.  ($15)  

Also in Tampa at the Hard Rock Cafe in the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Orlando DJ Jimmy Joslin is spinning House & Dance for their "Envy Saturdays".  The Hard Rock Cafe at that location replaced Floyd's Nightclub.  But just like it, the venue is open all night because it's on an Indian reservation and they can do stuff like that!  (Price N/A)

Meanwhile over in downtown Melbourne at Karma Bar, DJ Jennifer Marley (Party95.com, LevelZ, Suite B Lounge) is playing Breaks, House, Top 40/Dance and more to the 321 folks! 407's are welcome too. (Price N/A)

PI Update: Adventurers Club Reunion

Congaloosh 2012, the annual meeting of fans of the Adventurers Club, will be taking place the weekend of September 28-30 at various points around Walt Disney World.  Friday evening activities include a 7:30pm photo opportunity taking place near the front steps of Adventures Club on beautiful Pleasure Island.  That will be followed by drinks and singing at Raglan Road.  Activities end early enough on Saturday night that there is still time to head over to Atlantic Dance for the Pleasure Island Reunion.  Taking part this year is just $19.37 and your support is requested.  The full Event Schedule as well as Registration can be found at this link. Kongaloosh!

PI Update: Splitsville Concept Art Update

While not located on Pleasure Island, the opening of Splitsville at Downtown Disney West Side is being watched closely by PI fans because of the promise of "live music" in a club atmosphere. To be an "adult-only" venue after a certain time each night, we're hoping this means DJ-driven music with a dance floor!

This newly-released image shows what the building will look like from the parking lot.  Construction is turning the former Virgin Megastore into Splitsville.

Lower level view with the preexisting escalator from Virgin.  Clusters of bowling lanes will be offered both downstairs and upstairs, mixed with various food options.

A view of where the escalator drops you off upstairs.  Supposedly the lounge would be upstairs.  Splitsville is still being advertised as opening this Fall.  The Blog predicts early, 2013.

PI Update: Rumor Discussion

Save Pleasure Island Blog roving reporter Thommy returned as a guest to the DIS Unplugged weekly podcast this past week for a segment on the latest rumors at Walt Disney World.  Included in the discussion is mention of the Mannequins/Comedy Warehouse reopening and costume rumor.  Listen here, scroll down to August 1 and then click on the "Disney World Rumors" podcast link.

Club Reports: Atlantic Dance Hall, Independent Bar

A rare Saturday night visit to Atlantic Dance Hall, the only remaining Disney-owned and operated dance club at WDW after the Pleasure Island venues were closed down.

DJ Frankie (Frankie and The West End Boys, West End Stage, Rock'n'Roll Beach Club) on the boards last night playing a mix of everything requested.....

.....including the requisite line dances.

Atlantic Dance's format has been called a "perpetual wedding reception" by some but he did play a few EDM songs during my visit so I was happy.  ADH is located at Disney's Boardwalk Resort in Bay Lake, Florida.  Admission and parking are always free except for their NYE Party.

8TRAX!

From Disney to Downtown.  Next stop Independent Bar to cap off the evening.  I-Bar is free on Saturday nights until 11pm and then has a cover charge of $5/guys and $3/ladies.

DJ Indie John and Lighting Tech Ernie overseeing the festivities.

The floor was mobbed with people dancing to the Saturday night format of 80's New Wave/Old Wave.

Spotted: Orlando celebutante CJ (looking great with some height on her), visiting with The Benchmark.

And a good time was had by all!

Bryan Adams Goes Trance: Tonight In Babylon

We all know singer Bryan Adams (CDN) who dates back to the 80's with hits like "Run To You", "Summer of '69", "Straight From The Heart" and so on.  The song above from DJ/Producer duo LoverushUK (GB) was released earlier this year but I just recently started hearing it get some radio airplay.  Featuring the raspy vocals of Bryan Adams, this contemporary Vocal Trance/Dance song is.....awesome!