Happy Birthday, Michael Jackson!

Today would have been the King of Pop’s 53rd birthday. Sad face. Luckily we can still remember him and his music (and try to forget about those crazy years towards the end there). Every year around this time, DJ BMF gathers his friends for a proper commemoration, Phat ‘N Jazzy style. This year, the 3rd Annual Michael Jackson Tribute Party is this Friday, September 2, at The Social and features Gerry Williams and Swamburger to name a few. It’s always one of my favorite parties of the year, hands down. So dust off your fedoras and get ready to dance, shout and shake your body down to the ground.

Rest in peace, MJ. We <3 you!!!

Tonight: THE Michael Jackson Tribute Party

Sorry I haven’t been around lately but I’ve had shit to do. Planning a major party in one week has been stressful, but tonight we will reap the benefits! Our man Michael Jackson died one week ago today and we need to pay him respect. There have been a few other tribute parties here and there, but I guarantee this one will be the party of the year. 10 PM, Peacock Room, $5 cover.


We encourage everyone to dress as appropriately as possible!!! Meaning glitter gloves, red leather jackets, high water pants, fedora hats, arm bands, white v-neck tshirts, and fakes noses !!!

So tonight, gotta leave that 9 – 5 upon the shelf, and just enjoy ourselves.

The King's Bday + Organic Oil Wrestling + Pumpkin Beer + Designer Drugs

Today is a very important day in the world of pop culture because the king himself has turned 50. Although I prefer to remember him in his pre-surgery heyday of late 20's to early 30's, the day should still be given its due credit. In celebration of his birthday, and another regular club patron (also conveniently named Mike), the password for Get Mental this evening is Hey, Mikey! He Likes It. I'm hoping last week's effects of Fay haven't turned Sky60 into a swimming pool but I guess we’ll have to see.

Michael Jackson - Rock With You (Daft Punk White Label Mix).mp3



Saturday night is the best hybrid of sexual exploitation and the ever-popular "going green" trend I have ever witnessed: hot chicks wrestling in organic oil. Ummm... yeah. At least it's for a good cause. The event starts at 9PM at the Orlando Brewing Company and is hosted by the ladies of The Girls Gone Green Radio Show. Guys, there's a price to pay for hot chick organic oil wrestling, of course: you'll have to fork over $10 in advance or $15 day of. Ladies wanting to support Mother Earth can also register to wrestle by emailing your info and photo (duh, no fatties!) to info@thegirlsgonegreen.com.



On Sunday, kiss the summer goodbye and say hello to autumn with your first taste of Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale. Although the weather will still be a million degrees and the leaves won't change, Crooked Bayou is hosting a Pumpkinhead Release Party at 9PM. Local bands Bughead, Mumpsy and
The Little Debbies will be on hand, along with DJ Tard, and every Pumpkinhead you buy will enter you for prize giveaways. The five bucks you pay at the door will also get you one free beer -- pretty much an even trade, if you ask me. $3 drafts and PumpkinBomb specials all night. Mmmmmmmmmm.... PumpkinBombs.... mmmmmmm.....



Finish up your weekend proper by getting wasted Monday night at Crush, where special guests will be the heavily-hyped electro outfit, Designer Drugs. Sign up early for the guestlist because I wouldn't doubt they'll be hitting capacity. Shit will be especially bananas, Labor Day-style, so you'll probably want to blow off work on Tuesday.

Flou - Les Gens Pour Ce Qu'ils Sont (Designer Drugs Remix).mp3



Have an awesome day of Labor!!!

Tonight: Third Thursday and Prince vs. Michael Jackson

No time to even breathe today!!! I'm this close to having the same kind of breakdown as Jessie Spano on the Saved By The Bell episode*** where she was addicted to speed. "No time! There's never any time! I don't have time to study! I'll never get into Stamford!!! It'll be okay... I just need one of these!"

I could probably do that all day, but again, I am wasting time by quoting SBTB.

*** Holy crap - I just found the Saved By The Bell episode redone by Jesus and Hitler. I <3<3<3 the internet!!!



So, anyways, tonight: Third Thursday at the City Arts Factory. I met an adorable woman named Consuelo Bellini a few weekends ago and was admiring her gorgeous necklace. It turns out she made it herself and is having an exhibit tonight from 6 to 9 at the Q Gallery to show off her jewelry. Get a sneak preview of the beautifully stunning pieces on her website.

Click the flyer for more details.



Next door to the Q Gallery is the Pound Gallery, where Patrick Fatica will also be showing off his artwork from 6 to 9. The frames on his paintings are brilliant and compliment his pieces so nicely. I just recently found out why -- he paints the frames and puts them on himself. Very nice.



While you're in that area, stop into Urban Flats downtown between 8 and 11 for a bite and listen to the deep-rooted battle between two music gods: Prince vs. Michael Jackson.



It's been done before and it will be done again, but tonight (and every Thursday) it will be done by BMF. Personally, I would like to see him change it up each week - Stevie Wonder vs. Chaka Khan? Earth, Wind and Fire vs. Heatwave? Kool and the Gang vs. The Commodores? What about a straight up Quincy Jones party??? The opportunities are endless!!! But I guess those parties would be wasted on the Urban Flats happy hour crowd, anyway.



Of course, the main thing going on in town tonight and this weekend is the Florida Music Festival but I am not going to cover it. Go to their website if you want details.

Tonight: Bonde de Role (sans Marina) + Villains + Wii Bowling + The Dude

The new (and improved?) Bonde do Role will be playing tonight at Firestone, but the real question is: will they be any good without frontwoman Marina? Without the hyper-mega-crazy lady in the group, can they still rock out like they did before?



Watch these videos of the *new* BDR performing at Coachella and judge for yourself.

I've pretty much always been on the fence with them, but I do love this Radioclit remix of 'Gasolina.'

Bonde Do Role - Gasolina (Radioclit remix).mp3

And just for fun, here's a Switch remix of Radioclit!

Radioclit - Divine Gosa (Switch Remix).mp3

Villains, the DJ/Producer group from LA who have been tearing up dance floors with their Michael Jackson (Thriller) and Daft Punk (Around the World) remixes, will also be throwing down a special DJ set after the show.



Check out their DJ and production skills below:

Bloc Party - Hunting for Witches (Villains Electro-Banger Remix).mp3

Villains - Vol 1. Mix.mp3 (via Zshare)

If big clubs playing heavy electro music aren't your scene, you may want to check out The Peacock Room instead. This evening kicks off their first Wii bowling league night, where you can get drunk and bowl without really bowling. The night is hosted by J-Rod, who has hosted past events such as Guitar Hero and Matchbox Car Races.



And since we're on the topic of bowling, I feel the need to mention that BackBooth is hosting Movie Night, where they'll be showing the Coen Brothers cult classic The Big Lebowski. Nobody fucks with the Jesus.

Fight of the century: Wu-Tang vs. Michael Jackson

A tough decision awaits us Orlando-ians this Thursday: should we leave that 9 to 5 upon the shelf and just enjoy ourselves OR travel to the slums of Shaolin to see the M-E-T-H-O-D Man? I doubt this is a dilemma our town will ever encounter again - the face off between Who's Bad, the ultimate Michael Jackson cover band, and the Wu-Tang Clan, who ain't nuthin to f*ck with.



For some (possibly most) people, this isn't a difficult quandary but I am finding myself quite perplexed. I'll never have a chance to see the King of Pop in my lifetime -- even if the speculated Jackson 5 reunion tour takes place and I manage to get tickets, there is no way it could hold a candle to the performances of MJ's heyday. An awesome cover band is probably the closest I'll come to living the dream.

And then there's the Clan -- missing one of it's major members (RIP ODB), one could argue they are also past their pinnacle (which I also missed). But legendary names like RZA, Method Man, Raekwon and Ghostface do not equal a bad show; add the competing egos to the equation and it's doubtful there will be many opportunities to see the group on tour in the future.

Unfortunately, I'm a bit tapped out at the moment, making the decision to forgo the $40 Wu ticket much easier. I guess the whole world had to answer right now just to tell me once again, Who's Bad.