EDC-Chicago Update: Getting Ready

Off in the distance and through the clouds, this weekend's home of Electric Daisy Carnival - Chicago!

Actually taking place in Joliet at the Chicagoland Speedway complex.

Down through the tunnel and into the infield!

The kineticFIELD main stage getting ready for the event which runs from 5pm to 4am beginning tonight, Saturday night and Sunday night. Animale opens here but I'm looking forward to seeing DJ David Guetta (F) playing at midnight tonight!  You can listen to many live DJ sets from here this weekend on Sirius/XM ch52, Electric Area.

The second main stage is circuitGROUNDS seen here under construction yesterday evening. Gabriel & Dresden (USA) and Above & Beyond (GB) are performing tonight.

bassPOD stage will be the home of heavy Bass and Dubstep.  Lots of work still needed to get this place ready.

Ditto for the neonGARDEN stage which was just framework last night.  But the rain that plagued Chicago has cleared and today is supposed to be a beautiful but cool day.  Let the party begin!  The Blog will be covering Day 1 only.

EDM Concert Calendar

Here's an updated EDM DJ concert list from our sister blog Orlando Club List.  Some of the big names coming to Orlando and Tampa after this weekend include Gareth Emery, Eric Prydz, Ferry Corsten and DJ Icey!

EDM / DANCE CONCERT CALENDAR:

24MAY STAFFORD BROTHERS (AUS) - VAIN NIGHTCLUB
25MAY DAVID GUETTA (F) - SUNSET MUSIC FEST TPA
25MAY NLP DJ's/SHARAZ (USA) - FUSION UL
26MAY ANDY HUGHES, D-XTREME (USA) - SUITE B
26MAY BABY ANNE (USA) - AMPHITHEATRE 
30MAY GARETH EMERY (GB) - ROXY NIGHTCLUB
01JUN   GARETH EMERY (GB) - AMPHITHEATRE
06JUN  ERIC PRYDZ (S) - FIRESTONE LIVE
07JUN  MORTEN (GR) - VAIN NIGHTCLUB
15JUN  SUZY SOLAR (USA) - FUSION ULTRA LOUNGE
15JUN  PORTER ROBINSON (USA) - AMPHITHEATRE
22JUN  SASHA (GB) - FIRESTONE LIVE
27JUN  FERRY CORSTEN (NL) - ROXY 
29JUN  DJ ICEY (USA) - AMPHITHEATRE
03JUL  AAHZ ENCORE - THE BEACHAM

This Weekend In Techno Town

It's Memorial Day weekend with lots of fun in the area. FRIDAY MAY 24 

Venue 13 is back, now every Friday at Castle Nights on Edgewater Drive in Lockhart.  Goth & Industrial ft. DJ Paul Vaine. ($5)

Over at Vain Nightclub, their House music Fridays continue with DJ duo Stafford Brothers (AUS).  Should be a huge crowd!
($10)

SATURDAY MAY 25
Running from 12 noon to 12 midnight, Sunset Music Festival in Tampa has a DJ that Orlando has never had: David Guetta (F).  Click on the flyer for the full line-up including the recent addition of a Trance stage!  Outside Raymond James Stadium.
($89)

Much closer to home, the NLP DJ group is celebrating their 5th anniversary with a huge party at up-and-coming Fusion Ultra Lounge in Longwood.  And legendary Breaks DJ Sharaz will be guesting!  Fusion is located at 272 West SR 434.
(PRICE NA)

Downtown is celebrating Memorial Day weekend at Suite B Lounge with DJ's Leo Montoya and Fobia.  I got to see both of them play a few weeks ago and the House music was great!
($5)

There is always EDM at Vixen Bar and this weekend they have the legendary Breaks/Bass DJ Fixx!  He has helped produce some great songs released by DJ's such as Baby Anne and Keith Mackenzie.  DJ's Adam Flurk and illDJ ChrisB will be playing too.
(FREE)

SUNDAY MAY 26
With Monday a holiday for many, the weekend continues Sunday night so why stay home?  And speaking of Baby Anne, she'll be guiding the masses on the revolving dance floor of Amphitheatre in Tampa on Sunday night!  With DJ's Mondo and Chris Craze!
($10)

Last but never least, come get "Old Skooled" by DJ's Andy Hughes and D-Xtreme this Sunday night at Suite B Lounge. Lots of old style House in a very relaxed atmosphere.
(FEEE < 11pm; $5 > 11pm)

Downtown Update

Nothing new to report from downtown Orlando's club scene this month so instead we'll take a look at the downtown parking scene and give some tips on how you can save money parking your car!  There are basically 3 main options downtown.  There is free street parking, there is city parking and there is private parking.

So what do the two signs below have in common?  Believe it or not, they're both leading to the same parking garage....at the same time!  Yes, the private Wells Fargo Bank garage has two entrances and they both charge different prices at the same time.  Enter from Central Blvd (across from Ember) and you'll pay $10.  Drive around the block and enter from Washington Street and pay $5.  Both entrances lead into the same garage!  Here's what you should know about parking downtown.  So don't be a fool!

STREET PARKING:  Parking meters are free after 6pm so if you're arriving downtown early then there's a great chance you can find a spot on the street.  There's even a decent chance up until 10pm.  After that, highly unlikely unless you happen to drive by someone just pulling out.  Luck increases the further north you go away from the downtown core but that must be balanced with how far you're willing to walk!

CITY PARKING:  All City of Orlando lots downtown have a flat evening rate of $10 except the lots adjacent Amway Center which cost $20 during events.  City lots include those under I-4 and the large lot adjacent I-4 between Central and Pine.  At these lots you have to locate the nearest kiosk and pay with cash or credit card and then take the issued ticket and place it on your dashboard.  One plus is credit card use which other lots don't offer; nearly every lot downtown is cash only.  There is also a multi-story City parking garage on Central across from Ember that charges $10.  

PRIVATE LOTS:  The closer you are to Church Street, the more you're going to pay.  Many private lots along Church Street, Pine Street and Central Blvd will be charging a $10 flat rate.  Washington Street is the name to remember because parking lots along that street are nearly always $5 flat rate.  Streets north of Washington Street will also be charging $5.  Save by parking at surface lots and garages here.

PI Update: West Side Story

Beautiful afternoon, beautiful Island.

But this day we're going to remain on the West Side.  This is the area called the "Park Stage" where Pleasure Island's evening entertainment has migrated to.

With demolition walls now up around Comedy Warehouse and Laffers Cantina, it was necessary to move the various bands performing on the Island.  Hope to make it out here soon to see actual performances.

Splitsville management informs us that Thursday night's "castmember night" is doing well and that it's currently the only night to find a DJ playing there.  You'll recall that when SV first opened they had DJ's on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.  But that was short-lived.  (Maybe because the music wasn't very good.)

Disney recently filed more permits with Orange County for additional construction office trailers to join this one out in the Q-Lot.  While Hyperion Wharf resulted in the demolition of two dance clubs but no new construction, Disney Springs is most definitely coming.  What's coming in the way of adult entertainment remains to be seen!

Club Report: Eye Spy

Fun night at Eye Spy last night because the music format has changed!

Resident DJ Parry was playing an incredible EDM set!  During prior random visits the music was always Hip Hop but such is apparently not the case any longer.

The peeps want techno.  The outdoor dance floor was wall-to-wall with people dancing to Top 40/Dance/House!

It used to be if you wanted this kind of music at Eye Spy you'd have to head to the small rear room where a DJ might be playing it.  Well they've swapped it around.  The DJ in the back might be playing Hip Hop, but the front is all EDM!

DJP putting out a Trap song!

Spotted: Wearing short shorts and tall boots, Orlando upper one-percenter CJ dancing with friend Renee (Love and Leather Bracelets).

Eye Spy is unique in town with their mostly outdoor format which is great 75% of the year.  On hot muggy summer nights or when it rains, not so great.

But last night, a good time was had by all!

Club Reports: The Silly Grape, Studio 0.00054, The Lodge, Syn Nightclub, Backbooth

Another birthday party weekend and a great place to begin the celebration was with happy hour at The Silly Grape in Maitland.

Birthday girl rocking the stage!  Although DJ Vitamin C often plays here on Thursday nights, other evenings feature light music that does not interfere with you chit-chating with friends and coworkers while you enjoy a frosty cold one.

The place can get surprisingly crowded since it's located near numerous office complexes.

The Silly Grape is soon to be joined by The Silly Philly and The Silly Deli. And since wings and homemade french fries will be featured, I'm already hooked!

Many readers will recall when Sirius/XM invited me to the one night reopening of iconic dance club Studio 54 in New York City a couple years ago.  Well right here in Orlando, for this week only, we are fortunate to have the "world's smallest disco", Studio 0.00054!

Small club indeed!  But when the red velvet rope was lifted and we were ushered in, size didn't matter!

DJ Matt on the decks spinning House and Dance!

The dance floor stayed jammed during our visit.  The cover is just $1 and they have beer!  Interestingly, we're told that PI is part of the club.  Apparently the donation bin (not pictured) where you pay your $1 is sitting on a stand made out of the letter "A" from the Comedy Warehouse sign!

Can't visit downtown anymore without stopping at The Lodge!

DJ Yardian playing a broad range of mostly 80's with some 70's and 90's mixed-in.

A bit larger than our previous stop but equally crowded....on a per square foot basis!

And everyone sings loudly to the songs while dancing.  

You can never go wrong with Go Go girls!

Next stop Syn Nightclub.

DJ Meaux Green (Firestone, Vain, Roxy) working the boards from a position downstairs adjacent the dance floor.  The music was Dubstep and some very hard Progressive House.

Big crowd in the place on this Friday night.

The dance floor was.....interesting.

But you can never go wrong with Go Go girls!

Last stop was Backbooth for their "Footloose 80's" night which takes place every Thursday night beginning at 11:59pm.

DJ Adam Wright in the booth playing a broad range of 80's hits.

Upper and lower dance floors jammed here too.

Populated by the young and not so young!

The music includes a lot of New Wave like you hear at I-Bar on Saturday nights but also can include Michael Jackson, George Michael, etc.  All with videos.

Happy Birthday!

And a good time was had by all!