Concert Report: EDM For Charity (Firestone)

Visiting club Firestone Live for their EDM For Charity event with door proceeds being donated to Orlando's Second Harvest Food Bank.  There were 4 rooms of music with more DJ's than you can shake a stick at......all donating their time!

On the main stage when I arrived, DJ Suzy Solar (USA) showing some love!

Nice crowd on the dance floor enjoying her mostly Trance set.

Suzy opened for the #1 DJ in the world, Armin van Buuren (NL), when he played at Amphitheatre in Tampa last month!

Lots of fun out on the patio. DJ J13 (Bikkuri Lounge, Suite B Lounge) was on the boards when I arrived out there!

It was Trance out here too!  Biggest crowd roar was when he played Gareth Emery's (GB) "Concrete Angel".

This group was getting into the festivities!

Spotted: DJ Cyberian Soundz with his lovely wife!

Spotted: DJ Robb Blak with his lovely girlfriend!  Robb opens for Ferry Corsten (NL) on the 27th at Roxy Nightclub!

Over in VIP, Robb Blak joined Suzy Solar and DJ Li'l B!

Back on the main stage, DJ Krybtonite spinning Progressive House!

With some booty-shaking taking place down on the floor!

Spotted texting in VIP, ShannonHTG (Moe's Tavern)!

Legendary DJ Carlos Mendoza playing House back at the main stage.

Dance floor was thinning out but still held a crowd of dancers.

DJ Li'l B on the boards now.  Suzy Solar showing that not only can she play the stuff, she can dance to it too!!  You can hear her 2-hour set "Solar Power" every Friday night from 10pm to midnight on Party95.com.

The post-2am crowd refusing to give it up!

And a good time was had by all!

Concert Report: DJ Heavygrinder (Syn Nightclub)

New venue Syn Nightclub on a Friday night.

DJ Smooth playing EDM when I arrived.  This is a different DJ Smooth than the one who plays at Universal CityWalk. 

Spotted in the foyer with the arriving DJ Heavygrinder (USA), Orlando's very own DJ Icey (USA)!

Taking over the controls close to 1am, Heavygrinder is the biggest name to play at Syn during the short time the club has been open!

I wouldn't call Syn "packed" but it was definitely crowded for the show!

Even a couple VIP sections upstairs were occupied with people dancing along the balcony.

LA-based Heavygrinder was bouncing all over the stage last night, obviously in a great mood during this Florida tour that has included stops in Fort Myers and Tampa.

I love her new look with the long brown hair.  When she played at Club V last year it was blonde and much shorter.  She's playing at Electric Daisy Carnival - Las Vegas next weekend!

The crowd was really enjoying the music!

Take off your shoes and stay awhile!

Heavygrinder plays in Pensacola Beach tonight.  I hope she's flying because that is one boring 7-hour drive to that section of Florida that's so far away, it's in the Central Time Zone!

Spotted: DJ Big Makk (The Beacham, Syn)

Spotted: Mannequins in the house!

And a good time was had by all!

Friday Funny

Spotted at DJ Peapod's club up in New York!

Downtown Update

Here's a quick roundup of downtown club news.  First of all, the venue at the prime corner of Orange Avenue and Central Blvd, will be reopening soon with the name of Ono Nightclub.  It most recently operated a 1 South Nightclub and before that, Bar 1 Nightclub.  They don't seem to want to give up on references to the number 1.  Owned by TMG, a company that also owns Tier, Native Social Bar, Backroom and Club 23.  Let's see how they differentiate themselves.

Avenue Gastropub is the name of the new place of business where Senso Supperclub was located and previous to that, Zinc Bar.  I did not have time to explore but there did appear to be a small DJ booth at the far rear with 80's & 90's being played.  The booth was not up high like it was during it's Senso/Zinc Bar days where I saw Ferry Corsten (NL) play in here once.  It looks like the focus now will be food and sports.

We previously reported on Don Jefe's Tequila Parlour opening on Church Street in the former home of long-running nightclub Antigua.  A nice-redo has been completed and they do have a DJ working the room.  But like so many others, they're going with a sports bar vibe.

Over at The Beacham there is advertising for AAHZ Legacy, the final installment ever of the AAHZ Reunion series of concerts. Taking place the night of July 3rd, that's just 3 weeks away!  Advance tickets can be purchased here.  Advance purchasers get a double CD to overcome the service charges.

This Weekend In Techno Town

FRIDAY JUN 14
OMG, DJ Heavygrinder (USA) is coming to O-Town for the first time since Electric Daisy Carnival in 2011!  We did get to see her at Club V on the casino ship last year but having her in Orlando itself is a special treat!  Don't miss!
($10)  

Also on Friday night is this month's edition of 80's Night at The Abbey.  Opens at 9:30pm and features live band Breakfast Club Sandwich with DJ BMF spinning more 80's between band sets!
(FREE)






SATURDAY JUN 15

 

Help support Orlando's Second Harvest Food Bank by coming out this Saturday night to Firestone Live as more than 40 EDM DJ's will be playing on 4 stages inside!  DJ Suzy Solar (USA), who was to perform at Fusion Ultra Lounge on Saturday night has moved her show to Firestone too!  Others include Carlos Mendoza, Robb Blak, Cyberian Soundz, J13, Agni, DJ Fusion, David Z and many more!  ($10)

Suite B Lounge is holding the Wes & Rebecca Benefit this Saturday night with DJ's Rob-E & Security and DJ Funkbaby!
($5)

Speaking of Club V onboard Victory Casino Cruises, DJ Magic Mike (House of Blues, Loft55) joins resident DJ Shal this Saturday night!  ($10)

For those on the Tampa side, rapidly up-and-coming DJ/Producer Porter Robinson (USA) is at Amphitheatre this Saturday night!
($25)

Daft Punk's Dance Album Of The Year!

Ok, you shouldn't make fun of new EDM fans!  Have you heard any songs from the new Daft Punk (F) album?  It's good enough to be the 2013 Album of the Year, IMO.  Just a whole lot of dance music that takes one back to the sounds of the 70's and 80's.  Some very formula songs are included that will make it onto Top 40 radio but there's nothing wrong with producing music that sells.

Check out the late 70's Disco sound of "Get Lucky" and the early 80's Funk sound of "Lose Yourself To Dance", both ft. Pharrell Williams:

PI Update: Sad Days On The Island

All was quiet on beautiful Pleasure Island this weekend as things begin to wind down.  Raglan Road will be staying in business but pretty much everything else to the west will be demolished.

Fuego by Sosa Cigars is supposed to be closing this September when their lease expires.  It is slated for demolition much like the PI Live DJ booth that used to occupy this corner at the Hub.

Fuego has the only remaining Pleasure Island historical plaque still on it.  When the dozen or so that still remained around the Island were removed a couple summers ago, this one was overlooked!

Apricot Lane will be closing soon too.  AL is located in the same building that houses Mannequins, 8TRAX and the Curl surfwear store.  We've not heard anything about the adjacent PI Live Bar but expect it will be demolished.  We expect it to remain open during early construction.

No demolition yet behind the wall at Comedy Warehouse and Laffers Cantina.  The permit has been filed so it's just a matter of time.  It's taken a really long time to get the offices located under those bricks vacated. Give it another few weeks.

One last look behind the wall at Comedy Warehouse.  Those were the days!

The offices that were under Celebration Plaza have been relocated to that rear construction trailer located in the parking lot beyond House of Blues.  A second trailer at the front of this picture has been added and more are on the way.

This is to be the new home of Curl by Sammy Duval which is relocating to this spot in the Splitsville building from their current location on Pleasure Island.  The move is supposed to happen on the June 21st weekend.

The biggest mystery remains the fate of the 8TRAX/Mannequins building. Some sources on the Island say it will be demolished with everything else while other Island sources say it will remain.  I was invited into 8TRAX during this visit and it remains a dilapidated mess inside with junk scattered all over the place.  It is still being used for retail merchandise storage.  8TRAX artwork remains on the walls.  There is evidence of some construction work having begun on a wall near the downstairs bar but even that looks like an unfinished project rather than fresh work in progress.  Sad days on the Island.    

Club Report: Atlantic Dance Hall

Atlantic Dance Hall at Disney's Boardwalk Resort on a Saturday night during the tourist season!  Ought to be crowded.  It was not.  No one knows ADH is here because no one advertises it!

One great surprise was DJ Willie on the controls!  You know him from Pleasure Island (8TRAX, RRBC, Motion, PI Live, Celebrate Tonight) and you know him from CityWalk (The Groove, Red Coconut Club, CW Main Stage)!  He was the "Final Night" DJ at 8TRAX.

The music was a mix of Hip Hop, Line Dances and mercifully some EDM as well!  Just not a lot of patrons.  Several people told me I should have been there Friday night when it was packed.  And that is the story of ADH.  When there's a convention on property it can be packed.  And when there isn't, it isn't.

He gave us the full "Britney Bitch" version of Will.i.am's "Scream & Shout" song!  I still give Willy credit for the best post-PI night ever at The Groove when his mostly EDM sets that night proved that you can play Electronic Dance Music there and keep the floor jammed!  And we've been hearing increasing amounts of it there ever since.

He played the "Get Lucky" song ft. Pharrell Williams off the new Daft Punk album.  The Blog has an article about this excellent album this coming Tuesday.

And on this quiet Saturday night at the Happiest Place on Earth, a good time was had by......a few!